Real Madrid and Liverpool are no unknown figures to one another, By now they might be the clubs which has experience playing against each other, Surely after that bitter final for Liverpool during the 2018 Champions League might have hurt, but then what followed was even more embarrassing for the Anfield outfits.
Real Madrid hammered them in the 2020 Champions League Quarter-finals with a comfortable 3-1 margin. With coronavirus at its peak during that period One might wonder what might have been the final result if Anfield wasn't empty during that particular Quarter-final.
Well, we might have got an answer surely during the 2022-23 Champions League campaign which saw Real Madrid beat the Merseyside giants with a hammering of 5-2 in their own backyard. Just a year previously Real Madrid won the Champions League with an Incredible campaign overcoming the likes of PSG, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
The fantastic performances from Coutuis in the Champions League final might forever haunt the likes of Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane
For the past couple of years, Real Madrid has come out on top against the two teams. Liverpool could have won 8 Champions League titles if it wasn't for Liverpool beating them in both the finals in Kyiv 2018 and Paris 2022.
So what might be different this year?
The Hammering at Anfield.
Surely the hammering of 5-2 might take a huge toll on the mentality of Liverpool Players going onto the second leg of their Champions League tie against Madrid. But there has been some positive taking going from utter defeat in the Champions League against Madrid's record 7-0 victory against their mighty rival Manchester United. Manchester United sits third on their Premier League table and by defeating them Liverpool might get the required mentality back going to Santiago Bernabeu.
Liverpool was quick to pressure Madrid during their first 30 minutes, with two immediate goals from Nunez and Salah Liverpool looked to register a solid victory against the Champions but inspiring goals from Vinicius were all that mattered with Real Madrid blistering through Liverpool's defence during the Second half of the match.
Surely this time around Anfield, even with its mythical atmosphere and support resulted in failure against Real Madrid.
The home advantage was wiped out.
Liverpool's home advantage has been wiped out completely with Second Leg being completely plating in Santiago Bernebau, the atmosphere of the stadium cannot be taken for granted with what we have seen during the previous season in the Champions League Bernebeu cannot be taken lightly. Real Madrid was to come back from a 3-1 deficit against the mighty Manchester City, surely coming back from a 5-2 deficit for an away team would be much harder.
Liverpool can still advantage of the injuries and bad run of form Real Madrid is going through, with their Copa-Del-Rey tie hanging by a thread against Barcelona. Real Madrid has also failed to close the gap against Barcelona which now they are trailing behind with more than 8 points.
Barcelona has been successful in closing down Real Madrid's biggest threat Vinicius Junior, with the tactic Barcelona played against Madrid Liverpool could replicate it for their own advantage.
Also during the 2022 Champions League campaign Chelsea was able to overcome their deficit in Santiago Bernabeu and took the match to the extra time. So coming back against Madrid in their own stadium might be hard but not impossible.
Comments