After finally returning to winning ways with a much-needed victory over Aston Villa, it’s now the second game in the week of difficult fixtures.
Xabi Alonso returns at Anfield after his Bayer Leverkusen side were subjected to a 4-0 beating last year, but this time with Real Madrid who except last season has in recent years been a thorn in our side. Three for three in Europe - taking down Marseille, Kairat and most recently Juventus - the visitors have also assumed control of the La Liga title race, following up their Classico win over Barcelona with a 4-0 hammering of Valencia on Saturday. Thirteen of Real Madrid’s 14 games in all competitions this season have now ended in triumph - the one aberration being their 5-2 derby loss to Atletico.
Ideally given our performances and the need to steady the ship, the same line up as Saturday would be ideal. However, that would mean Robbo and Bradley after playing 90, would need to start at same levels and the latter not accustomed to 2 games in a row in quick succession. Speaking of full backs, with Carvajal out, Trent may be expected to start for Real and returns to Anfield after his departure this summer. We lie 10th in the table and need the points on board to ensure we avoid the extra knock out games early next year. A great performance and a win would be a huge statement here.
Liverpool possible starting lineup: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike
Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe
Raise hell and give us more of these (apologies for GIF but this one I couldn’t resist ) as we had in last season, Redmen! Anfield will be electric and bouncing and hoping the performance lifts the mood even further up. YNWA!
Another European night at Anfield, another renewal of one of the Champions League’s defining rivalries. Liverpool and Real Madrid meet for the 13th time in Europe’s elite competition — a fixture that has defined modern continental football. After winning the first three meetings between 1981 and 2009, Liverpool have won just once in their last nine (D1 L7), yet their most recent triumph — a 2–0 victory at Anfield last season — ended an eight-game drought and restored a degree of balance to a historically one-sided modern record.
Both sides arrive with momentum, albeit from differing trajectories. Liverpool, under Arne Slot, are evolving into a possession-oriented side with rapid vertical transitions. The Dutchman has won 10 of his first 13 Champions League matches with the club — the fastest manager in history to reach double figures with an English team — but his side’s defensive transitions remain a concern, particularly against elite opposition.
Their European campaign began in thrilling fashion with a 3–2 win over Atlético Madrid, followed by a shock 1–0 loss at Galatasaray and a 5–1 dismantling of Frankfurt. Liverpool’s attacking chemistry has sharpened under Slot’s fluid 4-2-3-1, with Florian Wirtz operating between the lines and Mohamed Salah continuing to define the right half-space. The Egyptian forward is now two goals shy of 50 in the Champions League, a milestone that would make him the first African player ever to reach the mark.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are perfect so far — three wins from three, 8 goals scored and just 1 conceded — with Xabi Alonso refining their identity into a hybrid of structure and incision. The reigning European champions have averaged 12.3 shots on target per game, the most of any team this season, and have recorded 10 or more in all three fixtures (15 vs Marseille, 12 vs Kairat, 10 vs Juventus) — a feat achieved previously only by Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid of 2013–14.
There is symmetry to the storylines. Alonso, who lifted the European Cup here as a player in 2005, now returns to Anfield as Madrid’s coach, guiding a side blending familiar stars with emerging brilliance. Jude Bellingham could make his 50th Champions League appearance, becoming the youngest player in the competition’s history to reach the milestone (22y, 128d), surpassing Iker Casillas’ record. Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, continues to set records of his own — having scored 32 of his 60 Champions League goals away from home (53%), including a hat-trick at Kairat Almaty on Matchday 2, equalling Filippo Inzaghi’s all-time record of three away hat-tricks.
Liverpool’s home form remains formidable. They have won 20 of their last 22 group-stage games at Anfield (D1 L1), including 12 in a row, and have lost only twice in 41 home matches at this stage since 2012. Yet Real Madrid remain uniquely capable of unbalancing the atmosphere — three of Liverpool’s seven home defeats in group play have come against Spanish opposition, including one against Madrid.
Defensively, Slot’s side have conceded in all but two of their last 11 European matches, while Madrid have scored in 47 of their previous 49. The tactical battle will hinge on midfield transitions: whether Liverpool’s high press can disrupt Tchouaméni’s orchestration and Bellingham’s late runs, and whether Madrid can neutralise the width offered by Robertson and Salah. The match may also mark a reunion of sorts for Trent Alexander-Arnold, now in white, facing his former club. The English right-back, who made 354 appearances for Liverpool, never won against Real in six attempts (D1 L5) — and will now attempt to extend that streak from the other side.
Both clubs represent distinct eras of European mastery: Liverpool’s ferocious collective momentum versus Madrid’s individual inevitability. For Arne Slot, this is the first major test of Liverpool’s continental maturity; for Xabi Alonso, a chance to reinforce his perfect start and extend Madrid’s unbeaten run to 15 Champions League games (W12 D2).
Full back is probably the area where we’ll have to get it right in terms of game time management.
I think one possibility could be to play Gomez at RB, more reserved and tucked in. Kerkez at LB, allowed to go forward more, which then gives you the possibility to start Wirtz in the left half space, creating the box midfield shape.
But we might decide to keep it unchanged from Villa (see if Gakpo gets any luck down Real’s right side) and then see what we do for City at the weekend.
Gotta hear from Slot whether likes of Jones and Isak can even be on the bench and play a part. If not, we’re basically down to one striker and a 1-2 alternatives to that. Chiesa being one and I think the double false #9 structure is still an option, the one which we beat City away with last season.
I don’t expect Trent to start as he just came back from injury and didn’t play a minute yet. Valverde probably starts at RB and Trent might come on. Real’s midfield shape at the weekend was more of a 4-1-4-1, Tchouameni at the base, Guler RCM and Bellingham LCM.
Let’s see if they go with that or something else, because they have less injuries now and sweet worries over selection.
Take some positives from Villa and also improve not letting teams play through us, because that would be incredibly dangerous against this Real side. The atmosphere should be rocking again after an improvement against Villa, I just hope we don’t go down the booing Trent or whatever route too much.
Given Slot hardly plays him, there’s more chance of Dom playing there which ends up disrupting our midfield. I really hope that isn’t the case either at the start or even if he subs Bradley.
Yeah, I don’t see Szobo at RB against Real. He’s too needed at the heart of the action and playing at the back surrounded by Vinicius and Mbappe would be too dangerous. We’ll have to deal with everything as a team, even more compact than we were against Villa.
Watched them against Barcelona. They pressed relentlessly and were very direct. They disrupted Barcelona’s possession throughout and were rather unlucky not to win by a bigger margin.
There are murmurs about the senior players not liking Alonso’s methods and discipline, but so far, he has them playing really well.
This would have been a tough matchup, even if we were in a good moment, let alone now. We’ll have to significantly improve on the Villa performance, otherwise we might see a worse version of what happened against Brentford.
Jones doing the part of the training session that is open to public, but Isak is not there (in the building though, so I guess he’s still out tomorrow…).
Slot hasn’t told Grav to shoot more. He sets up the attacks. Lucky at weekend as it was a deflection.
Isak, Frimpong, Alisson all unavailable. Also unavailable for Sunday.
Does City game come into Real thinking. No. 4 days in between. Tomorrow the rest period is the same for both teams.
Trent return - warm welcome back by Slot and players. Can’t comment for fans.
Message to Liverpool fans - answers in question. Show up tomorrow and help team. Anfield is important.
Same back to back fixtures as last season. Every game is a test. Not the same because different teams.
Spanish question - Gerrard said Liverpool will win. Is that more pressure? Can’t comment as media may have changed what Gerrard said.
Spanish Question. What changes has Slot seen in Real Madrid - hard to compare games from last year as Real had lots of injuries last season. A few new players as well.
Spanish question. How has Alonso got his forwards working. What is Xavi’s legacy at Liverpool - Can’t answer first question. He won CL with Liverpool. Very influential and decent guy.
Dom - how has he kept qualities with Wirtz playing - they play different positions. He played well against Villa.
Wirtz in CL - has started lots of games. Needs to start from bench when too many games in short period. Has been unlucky with some end product, but creates a lot for team.
Bradley’s progress - Needs to stay fit. Biggest challenge is to play every game and avoid injury. Progressing and fitness is improving.
Spanish question.Vinícius? He had a few good moments in Barca game. Unbelievable individual player.
TLDR - Isak, Frimpong, Alisson all injured. Cheer the team on at Anfield tomorrow. Spanish journalists are really obsessed with Real Madrid.
It’s true that this time they pose a different challenge.
Last season their starting team was: Courtois, Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy, Camavinga, Modric, Bellingham, Guler, Mbappe, Diaz.
Diaz played as the false #9 and Mbappe was more in the left half-space. Tomorrow they’ll have Vini back on the left and Mbappe central, while it remains to be seen who plays on the right.
This is a really tough game at the best of times, when we are flying. Hopefully the level of opponent will sharpen the focus and we will give it our all, roared on by the Anfield crowd.
) as we had in last season, Redmen! Anfield will be electric and bouncing and hoping the performance lifts the mood even further up. YNWA!
