Of the eleven that Jürgen Klopp put in the end of Kiev Three years ago, the last beacon of Madrid-Liverpool, nine continue in the 'red' squad. Of the eleven that Zidane lined up that night, nine are also still in Madrid. And if both coaches had everyone healthy, 15 of 22 (eight at Liverpool and seven at Madrid) would be headlines tonight (follow the game live on AS.com). So since that game a lot has happened and little has changed. There began a slow decline of the best white team in sixty years and a takeoff of the best Liverpool in forty. Now they both seem worse than then, because Madrid's fifty goals were lost by Cristiano and Liverpool's defense has evaporated this season. With everything, 19 European cups are on display today in Valdebebas in a pre-classic classic.
A year ago Madrid would have been terrified by the match. Now he welcomes it with relief. Van Dijk, the central 'network' of reference, broke the crusader in October; Joe Gomez, the patellar tendon in November; and Matip, the third man, the ankle ligaments in January. So in Valdebebas Liverpool will protect themselves with Nathaniel Phillips, a youth squad who was on loan at Stuttgart last year and who was a zero left in September, and with Kabak, a 21-year-old Turk on loan from Schalke.
This accumulation of misfortunes in defense ended up spreading to the rest of a very beaten team, such as Madrid, due to injuries. Last year, at this point, was leader of the Premier with 20 points of advantage over City. Now he is sixth, 22 points behind Guardiola's team and 34 from those he had in the last League.
Salah does not lift his foot
Salah is one of the few pieces that have overcome the crisis. He adds 26 goals, three more than in all of last year, but Mané and Firmino are far from themselves. The Brazilian returned to Arsenal after missing three games and is increasingly threatened by former athletic Diogo Jota. The Portuguese, who cost 44 million, has 12 goals in 22 games. You cannot speak so well of the other great reinforcement, Thiago, who between injuries and COVID has barely played 22 games without goals or assists. He aims to start the Portuguese, sharper than Firmino, and to substitute the ex-Azulgrana. With Henderson KO, Keita has taken advantage of him.
Diogo Jota scores Liverpool's third goal against Arsenal last Saturday.
REUTERS
Liverpool have six defeats in the last eleven games and have been out of the Champions zone for seven games. He lost the Community Shield to Arsenal, who also kicked him out of the League Cup. In the FA Cup he was liquidated by United. And in the League he has not been able to beat City. The Champions League is your emergency exit. And Klopp, your guarantee. “My great virtue is that I remain calm where 90% of the rest lose it,” he often says. It is time to test it.
General Benzema
The duel comes to Madrid at a better time. Eleven games without losing and only six conceded goals contemplate him. It is his best streak and also Benzema's. One thing and the other are linked. The Frenchman has scored seven games in a row (nine goals) and has not gone more than three without doing so. Now he regularly conjures up genius. So Madrid has remained in it and ten more, probably grouped in Zidane's classic 4-3-3. Four times he has started with three centrals, but without Bouquets he will hardly resort to it. The loss of the captain is serious in Europe. The Madrid they have lost 70% of European games without him since that final in Kiev. In domestic competitions, the percentage drops to 22%.
Hazard, Benzema and Varane, during training this Monday in Valdebebas.
Realmadrid.com
Everything points, then, to a classic Madrid, with his three tenors in the center of the field (Modric has a beating of 46 games) and, perhaps, with Asensio (three goals in the last three games) and Vinicius up next to Benzema. The couple lives their best moment and Valverde, who could take their place, comes out of an injury although he entered the list (not Hazard).
All previous records in the competition are favorable to the whites: more goals, more shots, more possession, fewer shots received and a better short game. And there is the conviction that if Madrid lowers the pulse of the tie, they will have the job half done. But if he sticks to the Liverpool rock beat he'll dance into the abyss.