After the tenth round of La Liga, Real Madrid welcomed the fourth round of the Champions League Group Stage in midweek.
They hosted Liverpool once again.
Playing at home, Ancelotti rotated the lineup again. Players including David Silva, Hazard, and James Rodríguez all started, and Real Madrid smoothly took control of the match.
In the twenty-seventh minute, Marcelo crossed from the left, and Suarez finished from close range to open the scoring for Real Madrid.
In the seventy-first minute of the second half, Marcelo sent in another cross from the left. With Skrtel interfering and goalkeeper Mignolet blocking his path, Yang Yang had no angle to shoot, so he gently chipped the ball toward the far post. James Rodríguez followed up and struck it into the net, making it 2–0.
That scoreline held until the final whistle, and Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 2–0.
After winning four straight Champions League matches, Real Madrid had essentially secured qualification as group winners. Liverpool's situation, however, had grown even worse. For the Reds to advance, they had to win both of their remaining group matches.
This was also the first time so far this season that Yang Yang had failed to score since returning from injury.
The media and fans were very understanding. They believed that after scoring in so many consecutive matches, it was perfectly normal for Yang Yang to take a breather in one game. Everyone believed he was merely adjusting his condition.
At the weekend, in the eleventh round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Rayo Vallecano.
The day before the match, Yang Yang officially received last season's European Golden Shoe in Madrid. Before kickoff, Real Madrid even held a brief presentation ceremony. Yang Yang entered alone, holding the Golden Shoe, and accepted the applause of the fans and