The Challenge Before Jurgen Klopp & His Men
The Anfield faithful erupted in cheers when Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah scored, with the latter benefitting from Thibaut Courtois' accidental intervention. However, despite Liverpool's efforts, Carlo Ancelotti remained stoic, unfazed by his team's initial blunders. In fact, the mishaps only made Real Madrid's remarkable seven-goal triumph all the more remarkable.Alisson Becker had a blunder of his own on par with Thibaut Courtois when he sent a pass straight into the leg of Vinicius Junior. This led to the young Brazilian scoring twice in the final minutes of the first half, followed by Eder Militao's header and Karim Benzema's brace to complete the Merseyside massacre.
Following their dominant display at Anfield, the reigning La Liga champions failed to replicate their form in their next three domestic matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. However, they bounced back with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Espanyol over the weekend, with Benzema resting on the bench as Vinicius and Militao once again found the back of the net alongside Marco Asensio.
A Confirmation Of Supremacy For Los Galacticos
Despite trailing league leaders Barcelona by nine points, Real Madrid's focus now shifts to their 300th Champions League match, a competition in which they have an impressive record of progressing from 26 out of their last 27 ties after winning the first leg away from home. However, they will not be taking inspiration from Erik ten Hag's Ajax side who knocked them out in the 2018-19 season, especially after Manchester United's humiliating defeat at Anfield.If Liverpool can replicate their 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United at the Bernabeu, it would undoubtedly be regarded as the greatest Champions League victory of all time. However, as evidenced by their lackluster display in the shock defeat to Bournemouth, football is unpredictable and can change drastically within a week.
Liverpool failed to capitalize on their opportunities and were punished by conceding the opening goal to Philip Billing. Although they were awarded a rare penalty, Mohamed Salah missed the target with a wild shot that went over the stands. This defeat saw Tottenham Hotspur pull away further in the race for fourth place in the Premier League table, making a Champions League comeback crucial for Liverpool's salvation.
While Liverpool has a history of incredible comebacks, such as overturning a 3-0 deficit to beat Barcelona 4-3 on aggregate in 2018-19, they face challenges in the absence of the Anfield crowd and Divock Origi's presence to meet quickly-taken corners.
Moreover, Liverpool has only managed two away wins in their eight matches on the road in 2023 and has been winless in seven games against Real Madrid since their quarter-final victory in the 2008-09 edition. The second leg of that encounter ended in a 4-0 scoreline. Nonetheless, Klopp remains determined not to give up and will be looking for his team to produce an astonishing comeback.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Benzema, who missed the game against Espanyol due to an ankle concern, has rejoined Real Madrid's full training and is expected to lead the line at Anfield. Ferland Mendy is also likely to return to the squad after recovering from a thigh issue, but David Alaba is expected to sit out the second leg due to a thigh problem of his own. Eduardo Camavinga was used at left-back in the last match, but Ancelotti is expected to bring in either Antonio Rudiger or Mendy, depending on his fitness levels.For Liverpool, Klopp still has to deal with the absences of Luis Diaz, Thiago Alcantara, Calvin Ramsay, and Joe Gomez for the trip to the Bernabeu. Arthur made a rare appearance on the bench after his thigh surgery, but Naby Keita is doubtful for this match due to a knock. If any midfield alterations are made, Jordan Henderson is expected to be the first choice. Diogo Jota was impressive against Bournemouth and may be considered for an ambitious 4-2-3-1 setup as Liverpool need an attacking approach to overcome their first-leg deficit.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid's possible starting lineup:Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Modric, Tchouameni, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Liverpool's possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson; Salah, Jota, Nunez; Gakpo
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 2-2 Liverpool ( Real Madrid to proceed 7-4 on aggregate).
Real Madrid may be cautious after witnessing the fate of their Catalan counterparts four years ago, but they can take comfort in the fact that Klopp's current Liverpool team doesn't instill the same level of fear in their opponents, particularly given their lackluster away record in 2023.
Despite their own inconsistent form, Ancelotti's men can't expect to contain a determined Liverpool side. However, Real Madrid's history in the Champions League often makes progression to the next round a foregone conclusion, and with Benzema returning to the lineup, their victory in the second leg is likely to be even more resounding.
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