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How can Liverpool stop Vinicius Jr from exposing the space behind Trent? Real are exhausted in the midfield battle… and Anfield’s intensity could make all the difference: where RAFA BENÍTEZ thinks the Champions League clash will be won or lost
- Liverpool and Real Madrid meet months after last year’s Paris final
- The battle for Liverpool’s right side is crucial with Vinicius Jr. the dangerous man
- The competition in midfield will go a long way in deciding who advances to the next stage.
Liverpool last faced Real Madrid just nine months ago as the Spanish giants clinched their ninth Champions League/European Cup with a 1-0 win in Paris.
Meeting again in the round of 16 of this year’s edition of the competition, it promises to be one of the ties of the round with one of Europe’s true heavyweights dropping out of the competition before the daffodils start to bloom. to flourish.
Liverpool, who enjoyed one of their biggest wins of the season at Newcastle on Saturday, go into the match with confidence.
While Real Madrid travels to Anfield knowing that they have not been beaten by the English team since 2009, when Rafa Benítez was in charge.
Benitez, who has led Liverpool to two Champions League finals and won one, takes a look at both sides and picks where he thinks the tie will be won and lost.
Real Madrid prevailed when these two teams last met, in the Champions League final last year.
Liverpool defeated Real Madrid in 20 minutes with Rafa Benítez at Anfield in 2009
Trent Alexander-Arnold v Vinicius junior
Everyone will be watching this duel after what happened in the Champions League final last season, when Vinicius scored the winning goal at the far post. What happened last May doesn’t matter on Tuesday night.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are already new teams. It will be interesting to see how both coaches handle this situation. La Real will try to play Vinicius as much as possible in the hole that Alexander-Arnold will leave when he goes ahead.
How can you prevent Real from doing that? It will be a big challenge for Jurgen Klopp because Alexander-Arnold offers a lot when he pushes high, but Vinicius is the only player who can make the difference and hurt Liverpool.
Vinicius Junior edged past Trent Alexander-Arnold in last year’s final when he scored the winner
Midfield
I collect all the stats using special software I have and based on my analysis I can tell you that Liverpool will be up for the challenge in the middle of the park tonight – expect their three midfielders to cover a lot of ground.
They will start with a lot of intensity, pushing and pushing to recover the high ball. But, at the same time, Real is comfortable with the ball.
Carlo Ancelotti can count on Luka Modric on Tuesday night, but he will have to do without Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni, who are both ill. In his absence, Dani Ceballos and Fede Valverde will be even more key for Real. They will offer balance to midfield and that will be difficult for Liverpool to manage.
Fede Valverde (D) and Dani Ceballos will support Luka Modric in the balance
Carlo Ancelotti will be able to resort to his timeless Croatian with Modric aiming for his sixth European crown
Intensity
This game brings back great memories. In March 2009, when we played at Anfield after winning at the Bernabéu, we destroyed them in the first 20 minutes. We were very good and we won 4-0.
I watched Liverpool against Everton last week and the intensity of the team and the fans made all the difference. Real’s advantage in the past was having more experience in big European games, but Liverpool have a lot of players like that now.
If they play with the same intensity as in their last home game, Liverpool will have options. Anfield could be very, very important.
The players will have to match the intensity they showed against Everton last week, but Anfield could be just as important.