Liverpool continue to excel across all competitions following an exhilarating 3-2 victory over Southampton, which has solidified their lead at the pinnacle of the Premier League standings. They also maintain a dominant position in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) table, thanks to their flawless start with four consecutive wins. A significant factor in their success is undeniably their possession of the strongest defensive record in both tournaments.
The Reds are now bracing for what is arguably their toughest challenge of the season as they prepare to host Real Madrid, Europe’s most decorated club and the reigning UCL champions. Liverpool have suffered defeat in seven of their last eight encounters with Real Madrid (D1), including two UCL finals. No other team has defeated Liverpool more frequently in European fixtures, putting their chance of winning their first five matches in a major European tournament for only the second time in history at risk.
Real Madrid journey to Anfield after securing commanding wins of 4-0 and 3-0 against Osasuna and Leganés, respectively, in La Liga. However, their performance in the UEFA Champions League this season has been unexpectedly inconsistent. The team has suffered defeats in two of their four group-stage games (winning two), including a surprising 3-1 loss at home to AC Milan in their most recent match. This is particularly shocking given that they went unbeaten to clinch the title last season for the first time in their storied history.
They now risk setting an unwanted precedent, as they have never before lost three matches in a single group stage. Despite these challenges, manager Carlo Ancelotti is likely to remain the calmest figure at Anfield. He has faced Liverpool numerous times and boasts an impressive record of eight victories from eleven encounters in the Champions League (one draw, two losses).
Key players to monitor: Mohamed Salah continues to impress this season, having scored twice against Southampton over the weekend. He will be eager to overturn his luck, as both times he has scored in a UCL defeat, it has been against Real Madrid (W33, D2). Despite Liverpool’s formidable attack over the years, Thibaut Courtois has consistently risen to the occasion, securing four clean sheets in his past six outings against them for Real Madrid and Chelsea (W5, D1).
Interesting fact: Liverpool have opened the scoring in nine of their last 11 matches, securing victory in ten of those games.
