Liverpool v Real Madrid: everything you need to know

11.02.2023 17:56

Empire of The Kop

In a repeat of last season’s final, we preview the mouthwatering round of 16 Champions League clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid: When do Liverpool play Real Madrid?The first leg of their round of 16 showdown is at Anfield on Tuesday, February 21. Real will then host Liverpool at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, March 15. Where can […]

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In a repeat of last season’s final, we preview the mouthwatering round of 16 Champions League clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid:

When do Liverpool play Real Madrid?

The first leg of their round of 16 showdown is at Anfield on Tuesday, February 21.

Real will then host Liverpool at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, March 15.

Where can I watch Liverpool v Real Madrid?

If you’re not lucky enough to have a ticket for the game, BT Sport will broadcast both legs live.

Alternatively, you can tune into the action on BBC Radio 5 live.

What are the Champions League records of both teams?

Real Madrid’s record in Europe is, quite simply, peerless. They have won the European Cup a staggering 14 times – including the first five renewals when the competition was launched back in 1955.

They have also won the Champions League eight times and are the only club in Europe to have successfully defended their title – in 2016-17 – before bringing up a famous treble in the 2018 season.

Against the odds, they stunned Liverpool 12 months ago to regain the Champions League trophy.

Liverpool, however, also have a proud recent past in Europe. Only Real and AC Milan have a better record in the Champions League, with the Merseyside club having won the trophy six times.

Dramatically, they won the Champions League in its current format for the first time in 2004-05 when they came from 3-0 down against AC Milan to take the game into extra-time and then penalties.

Liverpool’s record under Jurgen Klopp has also been impressive, with the Reds having won the tournament in 2019 with an accomplished 2-0 defeat of Premier League rivals Spurs.

Last season’s renewal ended in honourable failure, though, as they lacked energy from the outset at the Stade de France – with Vinicius Junior’s 59th-minute goal breaking Liverpool hearts in the 1-0 loss against Real.

How have Liverpool and Real Madrid been playing?

Both sides have made relatively serene progress to the Champions League round of 16. Domestically, however, it has been a different story.

Real have struggled since the World Cup hiatus, with a costly defeat at Mallorca in early February perhaps the decisive blow in their quest to make up ground on fierce rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Liverpool’s current form is of even greater concern. Almost inexplicably, they are languishing in mid-table and have simply not been able to get going all season. Their away form is also deeply worrying – with a 3-0 thumping at Wolves in early February the nadir.

With big-money signing Darwin Nunez yet to fire, they have perhaps paid a heavy price for allowing the outstanding Sadio Mane to leave the club for Bayern Munich in the summer.

Who did the two sides sign in the January transfer window?

Surprisingly, Real Madrid did not sign anyone in the window. Other than re-signing left-back Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano this summer, all was quiet at the Bernabeu.

This lack of activity concerned many supporters, not least because they have suffered big injuries this winter to the likes of Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Lucas Vazquez, David Alaba and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Liverpool fans were also underwhelmed by their lack of business in January. They did act quickly, though, by signing Holland international Cody Gakpo – though the former PSV playmaker has admittedly struggled with the rough-and-tumble of the Premier League thus far.

There is a sense at Anfield that this is a club – on and off the pitch – in transition. With Liverpool up for sale, takeover rumours abound, and it was entirely understandable that Jurgen Klopp was unable to go gung-ho in the market. It is likely to be a different story this summer.

What is the head-to-record between Liverpool and Real Madrid?

Perhaps unsurprisingly given their astonishing Champions League record, Real Madrid have the edge.

Real have won five of their European games against Liverpool, with the Reds on three victories and one draw.

Liverpool’s finest hour against the Spanish giants came in the 2008-09 season when they rattled off five goals without reply in their round-of-16 games at Anfield and the Bernabeu.

They have not won since then, though, and suffered a painful 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final in 2017-18.

It was a similar tale of woe in last season’s final as Real out-thought, out-muscled and out-gunned Liverpool with an ultra-professional 1-0 victory.

Fascinatingly, the Anfield club have also scored just twice in their last six matches against Real.

What are the betting odds for the Liverpool v Real Madrid game?

With home advantage so important to Liverpool in Europe, Jurgen Klopp’s men can be backed at 21/17 to win the first leg at Anfield. Real are as big as 2/1 for an away win, while the draw is available at odds of 44/17.

In terms of the bigger picture, Liverpool are an even-money shot to progress to quarter-finals – with Madrid chalked up at eyecatching odds of 9/10.

*Odds credits to VBET UK

What do the managers say?

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool boss (liverpoolfc.com via tribalfootball):

“We’ve played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie so now we can look forward to this happening.

“Real’s European record is the best around. But we also know that ours is not too bad. On top of this, we know that we have Anfield and everyone knows what this means.”

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid manager:

“It’ll be a very entertaining tie and a very, very tough one. There’ll be a great atmosphere at Anfield and also at the Bernabeu. It’ll be a spectacular tie.

“We have not gone to the market (in January) because we did not need to. If you plan well and carry out your plan, it is not necessary to go into the winter market. We thought that it was not necessary to intervene in the winter market because the squad is fine.”

Liverpool v Real Madrid – the Verdict:

The value play here is for Real Madrid to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

With Liverpool no chance of winning the Premier League and out of the FA Cup, many might be lured into the belief that the road is clear for a deep run in the Champions League.

That might well be the case as Jurgen Klopp and his players are unquestionably in the last-chance saloon. But football, at least at an elite level, rarely works like that when a team is so badly out of form like Liverpool.

Their frightful away record is also a huge worry – especially if Real Madrid score at Anfield.

Real Madrid are, of course, hardly pulling up too many trees themselves this season. But their squad is packed full of course-and-distance winners and, in Carlo Ancelotti, they have a tactical genius who has grown accustomed towards creating alchemy in Europe.

It is likely to be tight. It is likely to be cagey. It might not even be too pretty on the eye.

But, at the prices, Real Madrid look too big in the betting as they strive to reach yet another Champions League quarter-final.

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