Anfield forms the backdrop for the first leg of a mouth-watering Champions League last-16 tie between last season’s finalists Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Seeking vengeance for last season’s grand final heartbreak (0-1), Liverpool will be looking to build on their mini-revival, having won two Premier League matches in a row following a four-game winless league start to the new calendar year (D1, L3). A massive 2-0 win at fourth-placed Newcastle United last week reignited Liverpool’s top-four hopes, helping them reduce the gap on Champions League placings to six points. However, winning Europe’s elite competition could be the only saving grace for Jurgen Klopp’s side after bowing out of both domestic cup competitions and falling out of the Premier League title race early in the season. However, the ‘Reds’ couldn’t have picked out a more formidable rival, as they’ve gone winless in their last six European clashes against Real Madrid (D1, L5), including back-to-back H2H scoring blanks at Anfield (D1, L1).
In the meantime, visiting Real Madrid ousted mid-table Osasuna 2-0 at the weekend despite lacking the services of the reigning Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema to stay within an eight-point distance of La Liga pacesetters Barcelona. After winning consecutive domestic fixtures by 2+ goals ‘to nil,’ Carlo Ancelotti’s men make this trip in high spirits, hoping to defy an underwhelming record of one win from their last seven visits to English clubs in the Champions League (D2, L4). Confidence shouldn’t be in short supply, even though Benzema will likely miss out on this trip, with ‘Los Merengues’ winning five of their last six competitive matches outside the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (L1). Ancelotti knows in-depth about dealing with Liverpool, considering he’s only lost two of his last 11 managerial meetings with the ‘Reds’ (W6, D3).
The post Liverpool vs Real Madrid appeared first on Bet888win.
No comments:
Post a Comment