Liverpool vs Real Madrid predictions and match preview for Wednesday’s game in the UEFA Champions League. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as Los Blancos target a place in the last four.
- DATE: Wednesday 14th April 2021
- KICK-OFF: 20:00 (local time)
- VENUE: Anfield
- COMPETITION: UEFA Champions League Quarter Final, 2nd Leg
Liverpool vs Real Madrid Preview
Real Madrid travel to Merseyside this week for the 2nd Leg of their Champions League Quarter-Final against Liverpool. Los Blancos are favourites to go through having won the 1st leg 3-1 but there is plenty of football left in this tie and Zinedine Zidane will know it’s far from over, especially with the visitors’ selection problems mounting.
The 1st Leg was surprisingly one-sided. Real Madrid dominated the 1st Half against what was a very poor Liverpool side on the night, with goals from Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio putting them 2-0 up. Despite conceding after the break, Madrid managed to prevent a Liverpool comeback and restored their two goal advantage with Vinicius on target again to cap an excellent all-round performance.
They will expect a better display from Jurgen Klopp’s side this week though. A late goal from Trent Alexander-Arnold against Aston Villa secured a long overdue home win for the Reds in the Premier League at the weekend. They are a team that has staged many a famous comeback in this competition over the years but it will be more difficult on Wednesday you sense at an empty Anfield which has served up little home advantage for Liverpool this season.
Real Madrid meanwhile come into this game having propelled themselves back into the Spanish title race after a 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona at the weekend. Their record this season in the big games is extraordinarily good but this will be a real test of their energy reserves as they face their third massive match in the space of little over a week with what is a depleted squad.
Their injury problems in defence leave Zidane with some thinking to do here. He has been happy to tweak his formation in recent weeks and has enjoyed considerable success and it’s possible we could see a switch to a back three here or a repeat of the lineup that was so dominant in the 1st Leg, with the exception of the injured Lucas Vazquez. Fede Valverde is also pushing for a start after an impressive display in the Clasico and the Uruguayan would bring some energy in the middle of the park which could be important.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 4 Real Madrid Wins, 2 Liverpool Wins.
- Real Madrid have won the last 4 meetings including the 2018 Final in Kiev and last week’s 1st Leg.
- They also won both meetings to nil in the 2014/15 UCL group stage.
- However Liverpool were 5-0 aggregate winners when the clubs met in the last 16 in 2008/09.
Team News
Curtis Jones is a doubt for Liverpool who may give starts to Thiago and Roberto Firmino this week.
Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Eden Hazard, Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez are all out for the visitors.
Predicted Liverpool Starting Lineup:
Alisson – Roberton, Kabak, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold – Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Thiago – Mane, Firmino, Salah (4-3-3)
Predicted Real Madrid Starting Lineup:
Courtois – Mendy, Nacho, Militao, Odriozola – Kroos, Casemiro, Valverde – Modric – Benzema, Vinicius (4-3-1-2)
Liverpool vs Real Madrid Predictions
Score Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Real Madrid (Real Madrid to win 3-2 on aggregate)
It’s hard to see Liverpool being as poor as they were in the 1st Leg. They are likely to put Real Madrid under spells of sustained pressure in this game but Los Blancos will feel they are more than capable of getting that vital away goal against an unconvincing Reds defence and that might be enough to seal progression into the last four.
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