Real Madrid resort to the Bernabéu to finish the job
The whites take refuge in their idyll with their fiefdom in Europe to assert their overwhelming advantage against a Liverpool that wants to give the bell
MADRID, 14 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid hosts Liverpool this Wednesday (9:00 p.m.) in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, a duel in which the whites need to finish off the work done in the first match and meet again with their best European version that allowed them to obtain a great income in the Anfield recital, while the English will be obliged to ‘shake’ the duel from the beginning, looking to storm a Santiago Bernabéu in which they have not won since 2009.
Carlo Ancelotti’s pupils reacted in time to turn a night that was on the way to humiliation into a historic evening with the umpteenth comeback in Europe. The whites, supported by excellent Vinicius, Modric, Benzema and Nacho, turned around two early Liverpool goals at Anfield to win 5-2 and return to Madrid with confidence to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the 13th consecutive season -They have gone through 35 of the 37 UEFA qualifiers in which they won the first leg away from home-.
However, to avoid scares that threaten their wide mattress, the madridistas must be intense from the initial whistle, avoiding speculating on the result. “The message is quite simple and clear; don’t make calculations and play the best we can. Plan a game like the one in the first leg. It’s not our idea to make calculations, we’ll go out to play with the same intensity and enthusiasm to try to win the game” , assured Ancelotti at a press conference.
The resounding victory in one of the most complicated fiefdoms on the continent suggested that the meringues would leave behind the doubts and anxiety of previous weeks. However, the win at Anfield was followed by two draws and one defeat, with Real Madrid showing their weakest and least poignant version.
After ‘conquering’ Anfield, the 14-time European champion again suffered a slowdown in the fight to hunt down Barça in LaLiga Santander by drawing (1-1) in the derby against Atlético at the Bernabéu. Just before also hosting the blaugranas in the first leg of the Cup semifinals, a duel won (0-1) by Xavi Hernández’s men.
The poor results continued the following weekend, when the less effective Real Madrid -only one goal in those three games- played (0-0) at Villamarín, putting themselves 9 points behind Barça. But they started their ‘fantastic’ week -after receiving Liverpool travels to the Camp Nou in the League- this weekend beating Espanyol (3-1) and creating arguments not to think of a disaster this Wednesday that will knock them out of the Champions League in eighth, as in 2019-2020.
Karim Benzema, who was not against Cornellá’s men, will return to the ‘eleven’ in search of his best version, after being the author of a double at Anfield. The Frenchman would be accompanied by Vinicius, key in the first leg, and Valverde, while Kroos and Modric point to a midfield with the doubt between Tchouameni and Camavinga for the pivot. The French midfielder could also act as a left back, like Nacho, to complete a defense with Carvajal, Rüdiger and Militao; and without a recovered, but without rhythm, Mendy.
LIVERPOOL, FACING A MAJOR CHALLENGE
The 2-5 first leg left the tie on track for Real Madrid, so Liverpool will have to fight against the result and the white idyll with their stadium in a competition in which last year they starred in three historic comebacks against PSG, Chelsea and City. For this reason, Jurgen Klopp’s men aspire to be the exception to the rule that has reigned in recent seasons and give the meringues their own medicine.
Although more careful than in the first leg, Liverpool need to ‘shake up’ the duel from the start to generate doubts in the whites, also with a desire for revenge that grows at times, since they have not beaten Real Madrid since March 2009. So, the meringues have won two Champions League finals, two group stage matches, a quarterfinal tie and the recent first leg of the round of 16. Six wins and a draw is the most immediate balance.
Much more irregular and without the solidity that led him to the final last year, this Liverpool is much more fragile and unpredictable. His season is a roller coaster, with very good moments, such as his resounding 7-0 defeat of Manchester United two days ago in the Premier; and others not so good, such as their most recent defeat (1-0) against Bournemouth to travel to Madrid with more doubts than certainties.
Liverpool can take the 2009 round of 16 as a reference in this competition, when they beat Real Madrid both in the first leg (0-1) and in the second leg (4-0, the biggest win Madridistas have suffered in Europe). Regarding the absences, Klopp will not be able to count on Thiago, Luis Díaz and Joe Gomez. Thus, Konaté will accompany Van Dijk in defense, with a midfield made up of Fabinho, Henderson and Bajcetic, as in the first leg. While the offensive danger would fall on Salah, Darwin Núñez and Gakpo.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Camavinga, Modric, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema and Vinicius.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Bajcetic; Wrong, Gakpo y Darwin Núñez.
–REFEREE: Felix Zwayer (ALE).
–Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League.