Liverpool are set to host Real Madrid at Anfield in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. It will be the second leg of the tie in which Real Madrid are leading by 3-1.
Los Blancos scored two first-half goals against the Reds in the first leg but Mohamed Salah pulled one goal back early in the second half to give his side a slight advantage going into the second leg.
But, Vinicius Junior scored the third goal for Real Madrid to give his team a huge advantage before they make their trip to Anfield. It will be an interesting battle between two top teams in Europe and both managers will be desperate to get things right on the big day.
Here are the three things we look forward to in this game
Klopp’s Starting XI
Jurgen Klopp made a big call in the first leg by starting Naby Keita ahead of Thiago in the midfield. The former RB Leipzig man failed to show any initiative and struggled to cope up with the speed of the game. He was unable to provide any security to his defence as the Spanish giants scored two goals in the first 35 minutes.
Klopp recognized his mistake and hooked him off three minutes before half-time. Thiago came on to the pitch and showed much more composure to battle against Madrid’s magical midfield. Thiago has the experience of playing in crunch European games. Also, being a former Barcelona player, he has more experience playing against Real Madrid which can be utilized by the German manager. Without a doubt, he should be in Liverpool’s starting XI.
Real Madrid’s midfield at Anfield
Zinedine Zidane started with the trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Tony Kroos in the centre of the park. Casemiro performed his defensive duties well while Kroos and Modric bossed the midfield throughout the 90 minutes. The pair controlled the whole rhythm of the game and were constantly looking to involve the attacking players.
Tony Kroos finished the game with a 91% pass completion rate, one shot, one tackle and four key passes, proving his big match pedigree for the umpteenth time. Luka Modric took a more defensive approach to stifle Liverpool’s efforts to counter-attack. In the end, both players were rewarded with an assist each. The pair showed why they are considered as one of the best midfield partnerships in Europe.
More of that magic in the second leg?
Will Liverpool make a comeback?
Liverpool have a rich history of making stunning comebacks and Zidane’s team won’t take anything for granted. The Reds should take inspiration from their astonishing performance against Barcelona in 2019. Barcelona had a 3-0 lead before coming to Anfield but Liverpool produced an incredible display to defeat the visitors 4-0 to proceed to the Champions League finals.
Yes, it is not the same Liverpool side who were dismantling every opposition on their way and Anfield is not the same without the vociferous backing of the crowd. But a lot of the players who will be involved tomorrow were in that squad and will step onto the pitch believing they can score two goals without conceding.