Match Preview: Liverpool vs Real Madrid (04.11.25)

Real Madrid visit Anfield tonight in the Champions League. It’s not the first time we have played the most successful European side ever, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. On looking at the upcoming fixture list, especially with our woeful form, this fixture , in particular, scared the life out of me. Anyway, hope abounds after the weekend victory, so maybe Liverpool will have something to bring to the table? What sort of Real Madrid will we be facing up to under the floodlights tonight?

Well, my favourite player of all-time, Xabi Alonso, is the new manager at Madrid. He’s been on the rise for some time in his managerial career and he has risen to the ultimate challenge of Los Blancos. Perhpas, it is surprising to see a Basque manager at the helm of Franco’s old club, but football ability transcends everything, and Xabi is right up there, both as a player, and now as a manager.

This season has seen a better balance between Real Madrid’s attack and defence, with it all seaming together a bit more fluidly. Compared with our woeful defence so far, this could provie a challenge. Madird have had 13 wins out of 14, including a 2-1 victory in ‘El Clasico’ over Barcelona. They are flying high. However, Liverpool were successful against Real Madrid last season at Anfield with a 2-0 victory and Madrid have floundered on several of their recent confrontations with English opposition. We haven’t done too badly so far in Europe and perhaps this fixture is the benchmark test to seee how we are likely to progress in this season’s competition. We need to beat them all if we are to lift ‘Old Big Ears’ yet again, and Real Madrid are a common foe, always there or thereabouts, on the road to victory in the Champions League.

Liverpool

25 G Mamardashvili
12 C Bradley
5 I Konate
4 V van Dijk (c)
26 A Robertson
8 D Szoboszlai
38 R Gravenberch
10 A Mac Allister
11 M Salah
22 H Ekitike
7 F Wirtz

Substitutes

28 F Woodman 2 J Gomez 3 W Endo 6 M Kerkez. 14 F Chiesa 17 C Jones 18 C Gakpo 73 R Ngumoha
74 K Misciur

Real Madrid

1 T Courtois
8 F Valverde (c)
3 É Militão
24 D Huijsen
18 Á Fernández
14 A Tchouameni
5 J Bellingham
6 E Camavinga
15 A Guler
7 Vinicius Júnior
10 K Mbappe

Substitutes

13 A Lunin 26 F González 9 Endrick 11 Rodrygo 12 T Alexander-Arnold 16 G García 17 R Asencio del Rosario 19 D Ceballos 20 F Garcia 21 B Diaz 23 F Mendy