Liverpool picked up an emphatic win in the Premier League this weekend, beating Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. And with this confidence, the Reds will now face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The first leg of the tie will be played on Tuesday in Spain and the Reds go into the game, beaming with confidence. Liverpool have been in sensational form away from home, winning seven of their last eight matches but the last time these two sides met, things did not go too well for Klopp’s team.
Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in 7 of their last 9 matches in the Champions League which will be a great confidence booster for the English side but with players like Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip out of contention, the manager will not be thinking too much on the defensive aspect of the match.
The primary aim for the visiting side will be to pick up one or maybe two away goals and then kill off the tie at Anfield in the second leg. The manager named a pretty strong side vs Arsenal on Saturday so he will have very a very slim chance of rotation.
Liverpool team news vs Real Madrid:
Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips have been growing in confidence in central defence and they managed to keep another clean sheet during the weekend. Some people might feel that bringing back Fabinho into defence could be the safer option for Klopp but we feel the manager will stick with this same pairing in midweek.
Andy Robertson was taken off early vs Arsenal to give him some much-deserved rest but the left-back will be back in the line-up vs Real Madrid with Alexander-Arnold playing on the other side.
Kabak and Phillips playing in defence has allowed Fabinho to return to the defensive midfielder’s role and Liverpool look a much stronger side when the Brazilian plays in that role.
Fabinho screening the defence also helps Thiago to play a bit further up the pitch and control the flow of the match even more.
Wijnaldum started on the bench vs Arsenal since he had played extensively for the Netherlands during the international break but the midfielder will be back in the first XI in midweek.
Diogo Jota came off the bench to score a brace at the Emirates Stadium and the forward is a guaranteed starter against Real Madrid. Jota coming into the line-up means Roberto Firmino will have to occupy the benches.
Liverpool’s predicted line-up vs Real Madrid:
Predicted Line-up(4-3-3): Alisson; Ozan Kabak, Phillips, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago, Wijnaldum; Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane.
Stats via Whoscored.
