A huge Champions League night is coming up as Liverpool get ready to meet Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday. This match brings back one of the most exciting rivalries in modern European football.
Liverpool will go into the game feeling more positive after ending a bad run of results with a solid 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. They are up against a very strong Real Madrid team, which has become a winning machine under their new coach and former Liverpool star, Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool Look to Build on European Form
Manager Arne Slot was under pressure, but he got a much-needed win against Aston Villa. This victory helped quiet the criticism and prevented what would have been a fifth straight loss in the Premier League. The team played much better, with Mohamed Salah scoring his 250th goal for the club and Ryan Gravenberch adding a second.
Alonso's Madrid: A Team That Keeps Winning
Xabi Alonso is making a big return to the stadium where he was a hero as a player, but this time as the manager of the opposing team. His Real Madrid side has been almost perfect this season. They have a 100% winning record in Europe, with victories over Marseille, Kairat, and Juventus.
In their own league, they are leading the title race after winning the big "El Clásico" match against Barcelona and then easily beating Valencia 4-0. Real Madrid have won 13 of their 14 games this season, with their only loss being a strange 5-2 defeat to Atlético Madrid.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Liverpool received good news as Ryan Gravenberch returned from his ankle injury. However, manager Arne Slot confirmed that striker Alexander Isak is out. The team will also be without Alisson Becker (hamstring), Giovanni Leoni (ACL), and Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring). Curtis Jones is back in training, but it's not certain if he will play.
On the other side, Real Madrid has major problems in defense. The experienced trio of Dani Carvajal (knee), Antonio Rüdiger (muscle), and David Alaba (calf) are all injured and will not travel to Anfield. Trent Alexander-Arnold is available to play against his old club, but he has not played much since his injury, so Federico Valverde might play at right-back instead.
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, Militão, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouaméni; Güler, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr; Mbappé.
