Real Madrid vs Liverpool had more needle than a tattoo parlour.Aside from posing a chance for redemption amidst both sides' domestic turbulence this season, their Champions League quarter-final clash brought back memories of the 2018 climax in Kiev.It was a chaotic European final that turned two of the continent's biggest clubs into unexpected rivals with Los Blancos eventually running out 3-1 victors.

Real Madrid vs Liverpool

However, Loris Karius' dreadful errors and Sergio Ramos' infamous tackle on Mohamed Salah were what really stole the headlines and ensured that their 2021 reunion had everyone on tenterhooks.

And although neither Karius nor Ramos took to the field at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano this week, that didn't make the clash of European juggernauts feel any less dramatic.

So, it felt incredibly apt that the production value of such a crucial Champions League game was through the ceiling before a single ball was kicked in the Spanish capital.

Champions League hype

Now, don't get me wrong, the Champions League anthem is enough to prickle me with goosebumps at the best of times, but it's even better when it's recorded in stunning camera quality.

That's because Europe's premier competition seemed to wheel out the camera equipment that fans might recognise from the NFL or more recently, La Liga.

And while we don't profess to understand the technology behind what many fans colloquially refer to as '8k cameras', what we do know is that it makes real-life football look like FIFA 21.

Stunning Champions League footage

To our knowledge, it's the first time that the cameras have been deployed in the Champions League, blurring out of the background to ensure players close to the lens look even more realistic.

Therefore, even though your device might be incapable of displaying the images in their optimal definition, the camera still makes it look as though you're watching even clearer footage.

And trust us when we say combining that technology with the iconic Champions League anthem is something that we needed in our lives, so be sure to check out its brilliance down below:

Bringing the fans even closer

Do you reckon Specsavers will deck me out with 8k contact lenses?

Besides, I don't know about you, but whatever those camerapeople are operating in Madrid are displaying life a whole lot clearer than my eyes do.

But joking aside, it's never made more sense for major footballing competitions to think of little ways like this to bring the fans closer to the game when they can't inhabit the stadium itself.

Particularly during goal celebrations, these new cameras are fantastic at making you feel as though you're amongst the action or, if you prefer, sat in one of the closest rows at the ground.

It couldn't possibly recreate the magic of actually watching the game with your own two eyes, but anything that makes the Champions League anthem feel even more epic is a good idea for me.