That dominance puts them 17 places above Real Madrid in the standings. Liverpool manager Arne Slot will face Carlo Ancelotti in a meeting of two elite tacticians.
Slot joined an exclusive managerial club on Sunday, guiding his team to a hard-fought 3-2 comeback win over Southampton, inspired by Mohamed Salah's brilliance. Salah sealed the victory with a match-winning brace, giving Liverpool an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Reds have also been unstoppable in Europe, cruising to a 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in their last outing. They've won all their Champions League matches so far this season—something they’ve only achieved once before, in 2021-22. Despite some sluggish moments in their Premier League game at St. Mary’s, Salah’s relentless form has seen Liverpool score at least two goals in each of their last six matches.
Now, they'll aim to break an agonizing streak against Real Madrid, having failed to win in their last eight encounters with the Spanish giants, including painful losses in the 2018 and 2022 finals.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid have had a rocky road in this year’s Champions League. Losses to Lille and AC Milan have left them 18th in the standings, far below their usual standards. However, the 15-time champions seem to have found their stride in La Liga, securing back-to-back wins with a combined scoreline of 7-0.
Their recent victories over Osasuna and Leganes have brought them closer to league leaders Barcelona, but their focus is now on avoiding an unprecedented third group-stage loss in a single Champions League season.
Real have fond memories of their last visit to Anfield, thrashing Liverpool 5-2 in the 2022-23 round of 16 before sealing the tie with a 1-0 win at home. However, Liverpool’s current form and hunger to end their winless run against the holders make Wednesday's showdown a must-watch.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Liverpool had mixed fortunes on the injury front for their trip to Southampton. Harvey Elliott returned to the squad after more than two months out with a foot fracture, but several key players, Kostas Tsimikas (ankle), Alisson Becker (hamstring), Diogo Jota (abdominal), Federico Chiesa (fitness), and Trent Alexander-Arnold (hamstring) were sidelined.There’s good news regarding Alexander-Arnold, though. He was back in training on Tuesday, and manager Arne Slot confirmed he’ll be in the squad for Wednesday’s clash, though he won’t be starting.
Looking at potential lineup changes, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz are likely to return to the starting XI, replacing Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo, mirroring the adjustments made during Sunday’s game.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, have their own injury woes. Vinicius Junior picked up a hamstring injury during the win over Leganes, and reports suggest he could be out for several weeks. He joins long-term absentees David Alaba, Dani Carvajal, and Eder Militao (all knee injuries) as well as Rodrygo (muscle) and Aurelien Tchouameni (ankle) on the sidelines.
The only positive news for Real is the return of Lucas Vazquez, who is available for selection. However, the squad traveling to Anfield will otherwise remain unchanged from the Leganes match. Brahim Diaz is expected to step into Vinicius's role in attack, while 21-year-old Castilla graduate Raul Asencio could make his Champions League debut to help address their defensive issues.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Liverpool possible starting lineup:Kelleher; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Camavinga, Modric; Guler, Bellingham, Diaz; Mbappe
EXPERT PREDICTION
Liverpool 2-1 Real Madrid
Football fans know better than to ever count out Ancelotti's Real Madrid in the Champions League. While Liverpool didn’t hit top gear against Southampton, they’re unlikely to let complacency creep in for a showdown of this magnitude.
With Real Madrid grappling with injuries and struggling to find their usual dominance in Europe, this feels like the perfect moment for Liverpool to break their 15-year winless streak against Los Blancos and keep their flawless league phase record intact. We’re backing the Reds to rise to the occasion.
