Last 12 months’s finalists Liverpool and Real Madrid will meet as soon as once more on this 12 months’s Champions League Round of 16 because the Merseyside membership seeks to exorcise demons of the previous.
Last 12 months Vinicius Junior’s purpose was the one distinction as Real beat Liverpool within the Champions League remaining once more for the reason that two sides met within the 2018 summit conflict. There, Zinedine Zidane’s marauding Madrid beat the Reds 3–1 with a purpose from Karim Benzema and a brace from Gareth Bale to provide them their third successive UCL title. No group has even come near attaining this feat.
This time round, Anfield will play host to Los Blancos in what guarantees to be a mouth-watering first leg. Liverpool, who had a really poor begin to the Premier League season, have been nearly excellent within the Champions League with their solely defeat coming at Napoli in Naples. However, at Anfield, they received their successful streak again with a 2–0 outcome towards the Italian facet.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid controls the ball through the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid at El Sadar Stadium on Saturday, February 18, 2023 in Pamplona, ​​Spain. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
In the Premier League, after a string of poor outcomes, the Merseysiders lastly got here again to life with 2–0 wins over Everton and Newcastle. New signing Cody Gakpo lastly seems just like the participant who took the World Cup by storm and Uruguay striker Darwin Nuñez has discovered his rhythm after languishing through the early levels of the season.
Meanwhile, Real have fizzled out after a scorching begin within the Spanish league and the hole on the prime of the desk with Barcelona is already 5, with Barca having a sport in hand. The current Club World Cup winners, nonetheless, are on a 4-game successful streak in all competitions with their final loss coming towards Mallorca on 5 February.
But Real’s kind within the Champions League has been poor in relation to away video games. The defending champions have received solely 2 of their final 6 away matches. And with this type, they must journey to Liverpool’s fortress Anfield, a venue that always sends shivers down an opponent’s backbone. don’t consider me? Just ask Barcelona, ​​who could not deal with the stress of enjoying on hallowed floor and folded within the 2018/19 season.
cause for hope
One factor that may give Real followers some hope is that their current kind towards Liverpool has been impeccable. In their final six UCL matches, Liverpool haven’t been in a position to beat Real, shedding 5 instances and drawing as soon as.
On prime of that, Liverpool may have damage issues with Nunez going into the match towards Newcastle with a shoulder drawback. If he fails to take action, supervisor Jurgen Klopp could have entry to Brazilian Roberto Firmino and fit-again Diogo Jota. The Reds can even be with out the companies of playmaker Thiago Alcantara and winger Luis Diaz.
Kodi Gakpo of Liverpool, centre, celebrates scoring towards Newcastle United through the English Premier League soccer match at St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Saturday February 18, 2023. (Owen Humphreys/PA by way of AP)
Madrid, alternatively, have damage issues of their very own, with striker Karim Benzema battling muscle fatigue, however the Frenchman is more likely to be deployed by supervisor Carlo Ancelotti after being dominated out of the current match towards Osasuna. They will definitely be with out midfield engines Toni Kroos and Aurélien Tchoumeni, who haven’t been named within the squad. This will most probably imply that Luka Modric will companion Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos, with Federico Valverde enjoying on the tip of the midfield pyramid and behind Vinicius Junior and Benzema.
If all goes in keeping with plan, Anfield will witness a titanic conflict between the 2 European giants, who look to cement their place within the subsequent spherical of the Champions League whereas additionally including to their rising legacies.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
