In a game where Brendan Rodgers effectively waved the white flag an hour and a half before kick-off, it was a testament to his makeshift Liverpool starting 11 that they left the Spanish capital with their heads held high, proud with the performance they produced.
The Reds, who took on an in-form Real Madrid side in their own backyard, resembled more of a Capital One Cup side than a team about to take on the reigning European champions. Lucas Leiva received a start, with captain Steven Gerrard and vice-captain Jordan Henderson sitting on the bench and Fabio Borini, whom Rodgers attempted to usher out to Queens Park Rangers on deadline day, started up-front on his own. Lazar Markovic played in the no.10 role having so far struggled to get his Anfield career going so far, and the experienced Kolo Toure came in to replace the under-performing Dejan Lovren, the most expensive centre-back to have ever graced a red shirt.
With such a weakened side, the overall expectation was that they were in for a grim evening at the Bernabeu. What was to follow, was a complete contrast.
Ultimately, yes, Karim Benzema's close-range goal in the 26th minute condemned the Reds to a third straight European defeat, and their second loss within five days - but throughout the 90 minutes, Liverpool held their own against one of the best sides in world football.
Toure, Borini, Lucas and more put in admirable performances, keeping the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and even Gareth Bale when he came on, fairly quiet throughout. They did their jobs diligently, keeping possession well and defending in numbers. Though they were carved apart a few times, with Javier Manquillo gifting too much space down the right flank, particularly for the goal, overall the consensus is that 1-0 is probably the right result. Given the selection fielded by Rodgers, it's not too bad losing by a single goal to a team who have scored 46 goals in their previous 11. Not too bad at all.
Perhaps the question now, is "What if?" What if the Reds would have played a full-strength side? Could they have come back to England with a better result? It's difficult to really say, as no-one really knows definitively, but the answer - in this writer's opinion - would still be no. See, though there would have been players of better individual quality out on the pitch, would we have seen the same committed, resolute, hard-working display? After an impressive first 20 minutes at home to Madrid, a team who were already low on confidence allowed their heads to drop after the first shot hit the back of the net. Simon Mignolet ended up picking the ball out of the net twice more before the half-time whistle. That didn't happen at the Bernabeu, when it easily could have, and it wasn't because the hosts were sitting back.
The Reds have been missing such spirited displays this season. Such grit and passion, and a the lack of effort has been evident. Much has been made of Mario Balotelli's start at the club, but he is far from the problem at fault. The Reds' performances on a whole this season have lacked gut and fight, even though Rodgers may talk about his side's "character" to come from behind and beat QPR and Swansea with late winners. Sure, they did show such to steal a result so late, but it was because they were so unspirited and unexciting for the rest of the game that they've had to stir up a comeback so late on.
Last season, the Reds ran off of a swashbuckling style of play. A vast, never-ending attacking approach that overwhelmed almost every defence they came up against. It was exciting, thrilling, a genuine joy to look and it was effective. It counter-acted against his side's appalling defence. This season, not only has their cutting edge gone, but so has the enjoyment. Watching Liverpool overcome Borussia Dortmund in such excellent fashion in pre-season three months ago rightly had fans' mouths watering, but instead they've now become accustomed to toothless attacking performances. Performances where, wingers and forwards often come back before going forward. They look to pass it back to defenders rather troubling the defence, and that, at the end of it, is why their season has started dismally.
Going forward, the new signings have yet to click and their defensive issues have yet to be cut out. This time, there wasn't a dismal feeling amongst the Liverpool fans at full-time, as they entertained themselves by aiming chants from the upper echelons of the cauldron-like Bernabeu stadium towards ITV's Paul Scholes and Adrian Chiles on the touchline. Instead, it was a feeling that they'd put in a decent shift. A solid effort that should be applauded, as opposed to the confidence-sapping 90 minutes away Basel - where they never looked like changing the outcome of the game.
Against Madrid, it wasn't for the lack of trying. Lazar Markovic, at one point, dribbled 40-or-so-yards before being hacked down. Though player ratings may suggest he made little impact overall, he began to show the glimpses he first demonstrated away at Manchester City in August. The glimpses that make supporters think, "Hang on, we've got a player on our hands here," like they did with most of Rodgers' summer signings. Adam Lallana looked decent on the ball, even if he took time to grow into the game, and sporadic first-teamers Lucas and Toure certainly took the opportunities in front of them to produce excellent individual displays.
At the end of the day, it was a loss - but it was a loss that the Reds can take pride in. They were written off by everyone, including themselves, before kick-off - but even after conceding they did not wilt like the first-team did a fortnight ago. They stood strong, they fought for the shirt and they gave their travelling supporters something to shout about.
The game against Chelsea will now be crucial. Liverpool, or more Brendan Rodgers, cannot afford not to gain a result as the pressure will mount. As shown in the Bernabeu, Liverpool fans are well behind the Northern Irishman, but if they roll over to Jose Mourinho's star-studded side on Saturday, will those higher up still be behind him?
It's been a tough test of his credentials, and we still don't truly know whether last season was either a one-off, or a team that profited solely having one of the best players in the world in fine form for them. On Saturday, Rodgers has the opportunity to not only show the world he was right to do what he did on Tuesday night, but to outsmart his former mentor Jose Mourinho for the first time. What a time it would be to get a huge result against a side whom are already majority favourites to take the title come May. Can the Reds spring a shock? We'll just have to wait and see.