Ranking Liverpool's Starting XI From Real Madrid Defeat

2. Lucas Leiva

Lucas has been one of the most maligned players at Liverpool over the years. After a terrible start to life on Merseyside in 2007, he suddenly became an extremely important player during the early part of this decade. A serious knee injury completely hampered his progress, however, and he has not been the same player since. Although claiming a 27-year-old rolled back the years sounds ridiculous, he did. The Brazilian's injury woes mean he now has the body of a player well into his 30s, but he was superb throughout on Tuesday. He read the game brilliantly in defensive midfield, used the ball in a very understated and intelligent manner, and never looked flustered against a truly world-class opponent. Lucas' future may well lie away from Anfield, but he has shown that he can still deliver when called upon. A surprisingly terrific performance from the likeable midfielder.