Liverpool welcome Real Madrid to Anfield in the first leg of their blockbuster Round of 16 tie in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool qualified for this stage after finishing as Group A runners-up, whilst Real Madrid topped Group F to secure home advantage in the return leg.
Team News
Darwin Nunez is a doubt for Liverpool after he suffered a shoulder injury during their win at Newcastle last weekend.
Calvin Ramsay (knee), Ibrahima Konate (muscle), Thiago Alcantara (hip), Arthur Melo (thigh) and Luis Diaz (knee) remain absent.
Real Madrid will be without Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni with the pair still absent due to illness, meaning that ex Arsenal loanee, Dani Ceballos could start in midfield again alongside Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga.
Karim Benzema is expected to return after he was rested in last weekend’s La Liga win at Osasuna, as he continues to manage his workload following a recent hamstring injury.
Mariano Diaz (knock) is a doubt but Ferland Mendy (thigh) remains absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday 21 February at 8pm GMT live on BT Sport 1 in UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool are unbeaten in three of eight previous Champions League meetings against Real Madrid (W2, D1, L5).
- Real Madrid have lost one of three previous Champions League visits to Anfield (W1, D1, L1).
- Real have conceded just one goal in their last four meetings against Liverpool when playing as the away team, which came in a 3-1 win in the 2017-18 Champions League Final.
- Mohamed Salah has scored in all three of Liverpool’s home matches in this season’s Champions League (W3).
- Vinicius Junior scored in two of Real’s three away matches during the Group Stage.
Prediction
Having exited the Champions League in each of the last two seasons against Real Madrid, Liverpool certainly will be hoping it’s third time lucky but they will need to be as clinical on the counter-attack as they’ve been against Everton and Newcastle if want a result here.
Their defending against Newcastle though was questionale at times with some sloppy marking which was only saved by Alisson’s excellent saves, meaning that the Brazilian will once again need to be at his best to stop top quality opposition like Benzema and Vinicius Junior.
Real Madrid though did make hard work of their domestic win at Osasuna without Benzema so I do expect them to come here looking for a better overall performance, which could be a concern for Liverpool’s defence if they leave many gaps available for them to capitalise upon.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds though have bigger fish to fry with a tough scrap in the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League, but I do fancy them to give it everything but their counter-attacking will have to be pitch perfect if they want to go to Madrid with real hope of advancing.
Prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Real Madrid
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