Rio Ferdinand hails Liverpool ‘Rottweilers’ as ‘best team in Europe’ as Gareth Bale backs Kylian Mbappe to ‘come good’

Liverpool impressed yet again as they dismantled European champions Real Madrid with a 2-0 win at Anfield on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League. TNT Sports expert Rio Ferdinand believes Arne Slot's side are the "best team in Europe" and showed levels of hunger that made them look like "Rottweilers" on the pitch. Gareth Bale backed struggling Real star Kylian Mbappe to "come good."

'That was his moment but he didn't deliver again' - TNT panel react to Mbappe miss

Video credit: TNT Sports

Liverpool showed in their win over UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid that they are "the best team in Europe," according to Rio Ferdinand, who described them as playing like "Rottweilers, hunting teams down."

Arne Slot’s dream start to his Anfield tenure continued as goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo earned a statement 2-0 victory in a game where Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah failed to convert penalties.

Liverpool are the only team left with a perfect record of five wins from five in the League Phase, while domestically they have a chance to extend their eight-point lead on top of the Premier League when they welcome Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday.

Football

Ferdinand backs Gerrard's 'egotistical losers' England claim

19/10/2025 at 17:24

Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand was impressed by what he saw from the Merseysiders while reporting on TNT Sports’ live coverage.

"They have put the gauntlet down to all the other teams in Europe. They look like the best team in Europe at the moment," Ferdinand said at full-time.

"They are playing as a team; they look like they have the hungriest individuals about. They are not only getting the results, but they look starving.

Kelleher says 'confidence is high' at Liverpool after 'big result' against Real Madrid

Video credit: TNT Sports

"They look like they haven’t been fed for ages. He’s sending them out like Rottweilers on the pitch, hunting teams down.

"They’ve got the composure; they’ve got people like Mo Salah who have the killer instinct to finish games off. I thought all their players performed very well.

"I said before the game that Arne Slot would have liked what his team can produce in a game of this magnitude against the Champions League winners, and he got a very positive answer."

Bellingham reflects on 'humongous' pressure on Mbappe, says missed penalty not key to result

Video credit: TNT Sports

Bale – Mbappe still ‘best in the world on his day’

The mood will not be so bright in the visiting changing room after another night to forget for Real Madrid in their title defence.

The Spanish giants have picked up two wins and three defeats from their opening five Champions League games and sit down in 24th place with three rounds to go.

But the headline-grabbing moment came when star striker Mbappe, who has come in for criticism for his underwhelming form since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, saw his penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher in the second half when the score was 1-0.

Former Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale, speaking to TNT Sports, backed the France international to bounce back from a disappointing start to life in Madrid.

"It does happen. I’ve missed penalties, everyone has missed penalties. It’s just unfortunate that at the moment it’s not quite going Mbappe’s way," Bale said.

"But I think on his day he’s the best in the world. It’s just a matter of time before he comes good."

Highlights: Liverpool dominate Real Madrid at fiery Anfield as Mbappe woes continue

Video credit: TNT Sports

Steve McManaman, another former Real Madrid player, was disappointed with the striker’s performance on a night when he had the chance to be the star man in the absence of the injured Vinicius Junior.

"They needed him tonight," McManaman said.

"Without Vinicius, without some of the other stars, they needed him to do something. He flattered to deceive tonight.

"That was his moment, and the Madrid press will be ruthless tomorrow because he didn’t deliver again when he needed to."