Table of Contents
With a 3-1 lead from the first leg in Madrid, Real seem confident enough of beating the Reds once again. Liverpool fans will hope for an inspirational performance by Jurgen Klopp’s team, similar to the one they produced against Barcelona in 2019.
Last week, both of these European giants locked horns to seal a place in the semis, but the 20-year-old Vinicius Junior had some other ideas. He netted a superb brace while Marco Asensio scored through a defensive error from Trent Alexander-Arnold; in a game that saw Los Blancos take firm control right from the kick-off. Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah bagged a consolation goal for his side shortly after the second-half, which just might prove to be a crucial away goal, if the Merseyside team make it through to the next round.
However, given Liverpool’s history of coming back into the game at the right time, one shouldn’t just write them off after their dismal first-leg performance. While Klopp’s side might have witnessed their fortress at Anfield crumble into pieces in the Premier League, Liverpool have won three from four home games in this season’s Champions League campaign, and they have lost just two of their last twenty-one European fixtures at home.
Nonetheless, it has to noted that the fixtures would have been way more exciting had players from both the teams not being side-lined with serious injuries. Liverpool’s Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson and Joel Matip have not passed the medical test. Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vasquez and Eden Hazard are all out from the matchday squad.
Key Players
Karim Benzema: After Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018, most of Real Madrid’s attacking threats have come through the 33-year-old Frenchman. Even without the Portuguese and Gareth Bale, Zidane vested all his hopes on his compatriot.Benzema did repay the faith put in him with 14 goals and four assists in twenty-three Champions League games since 2018, establishing himself as one of the best forwards to put on the white shirt.
Toni Kroos: The German midfield maestro already left his mark in the first game creating both of his team’s first two goals. The first was a magnificent assist to Vinicius, lobbing the ball over an entire hapless Liverpool’s defence. And in the El Clasico last weekend, Kroos scored a crucial goal in the first half, which saw his side through in the end. The World Cup winner’s composure and pin-point passing anywhere on the pitch and an eye for bangers surely make him one of the best midfielders in modern football. Liverpool will surely have to be at their very best form to stop him.
Mohamed Salah: Since signing for Liverpool in 2017, the Egyptian has only failed to turn up in a matchday squad just four times in the Premier League games and once in a Champions League fixture. Liverpool have played 190 times across both competitions during that period. In less than four seasons, Salah is five games away from his 200th Liverpool appearance, making him as a Anfield great, because his records speak for themselves. Salah has scored 122 goals and assisted 45 more hauling Liverpool to a Premier League and Champions League trophy. So, it’s high time for him to prove himself as a player who relishes big matches.
Fabinho: When Virgil van Dijk was side-lined in October for almost the entirety of the season, gaffer Jurgen Klopp had already made up his mind that the Brazilian would be his centre-half. These days, Fabinho has developed his style and creates a triangle with two other centre-halves, intercepting any danger and stopping it from developing. In the second leg tie against Real Madrid, the 27-year-old, whether through aggression or by cutting out the crucial passes, has to be way better than others around him. Along with Gini Wijnaldum, the former Monaco man will be leading Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips from the front looking to overcome Real’s constant counter-attacks throughout the game.
Prediction
Injury among the core players with back-to-back fixtures throughout the year has left the Kops in a miserable position since last late 2020. Now that there’s a mountain to climb in the second leg, the odds are not exactly in Klopp’s favour, although he must have started calculations for another spectacular comeback at home.
On the other hand, the prospect of a double this season is still very much alive for the Merengues. Zidane will need a draw, even if it’s a boring one to qualify. However, it’s highly unlikely that a game at Anfield where Liverpool needs something inspiring will hardly be anything but uninteresting.
