PREVIEW
Liverpool and Real Madrid are set to face each other in the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Tuesday night, with both teams hoping to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition.
The two teams have a long history in the competition, having faced each other several times in the past.
Liverpool will be looking to avenge their defeat to Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final, where they lost 1-0. However, they will face a tough task against a team that has won the competition a record 13 times, including three in the last four years.
Liverpool’s recent form has been inconsistent, with only one win in seven competitive matches before they recorded back-to-back victories against Everton and Newcastle.
However, the team has been boosted by the arrival of January signing Cody Gakpo, who has scored in both of their recent wins. In addition, Darwin Núñez scored for the second time in ten appearances in their victory over Newcastle.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, have played a staggering 14 matches in 2023, including trips to Saudi Arabia and Morocco for the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Despite the busy schedule, the team has won their last four matches, including victories over Elche and Osasuna in La Liga, and wins over Al Ahly and Al Hilal in the Club World Cup.
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Liverpool finished second in their group behind Napoli, despite winning five of their six matches. Mohamed Salah was the team’s top scorer in the group stage, with seven goals in six appearances, and will be looking to add to his tally in the knockout stages. However, he has struggled to score against Spanish teams in the competition, with just four goals in 16 appearances.
Real Madrid topped their group with four wins from six matches, including victories over RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk. However, they suffered a 3-2 defeat away to Leipzig in their final group match.
Real Madrid have won two of their three matches at Anfield, including a 3-0 victory in 2014, but suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat in their first match at the stadium in 2009. The team has struggled in England in recent years, winning just one of their last seven away matches against English clubs in the Champions League.
The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams having the quality to progress to the quarter-finals. Liverpool will be hoping to continue their recent good form and avenge their defeat in the 2018 final, while Real Madrid will be looking to maintain their recent winning run and take a step towards another Champions League title.
PLAYERS TO WATCHÂ
Mohamed Salah
Salah has been on fire this season in the Champions League, scoring a total of 7 goals in the group stages of the UCL so far, putting him on the same level as Kylian Mbappé from PSG.
Despite his impressive performance in the competition, Salah will have to step up his game against Spanish teams. In the past, he has only managed to score four goals in 16 appearances against Spanish clubs in the Champions League. But if there is anyone who can turn things around, it’s Salah, whose goal-scoring ability is undeniable
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If Salah manages to score in this upcoming match, he will make history as he will equal Didier Drogba’s record of 44 goals in the UCL, making him the top-scoring African player in the competition.
Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid’s young Brazilian forward, VinÃcius Júnior, has been lighting up the pitch in the UEFA Champions League this season. With four goals under his belt so far, he’s already matched his best tally in a single campaign, set last season.
Vinà Jr has been unstoppable in recent away games in the competition, directly contributing to seven goals in his last eight matches, with three of those coming against British sides – Stamford Bridge (vs. Chelsea), the Etihad Stadium (vs. Man City), and Celtic Park (vs. Celtic).
At just 22 years old, VinÃcius has already been involved in an impressive 24 goals (16 goals, 8 assists) in 34 appearances for Real Madrid this season. And he’s only getting better – in his last seven games, he’s scored five goals and provided three assists, making him the club’s most productive player in the 2022-23 season so far, with four more goal involvements than Karim Benzema.
INJURY/SUSPENSION
Liverpool: Luis Diaz, Thiago, Ibrahima Konate
Real Madrid: Toni Kroos, Ferland Mendy, Aurelien Tchouameni
PREDICTION: Over 2.5 goals. Both sides possess immense quality in attack, so there should be goals tonight.
