Reasons for Liverpool to be cheerful ahead of visit of Real Madrid

04/14/2021

Can Liverpool stun Europe again? Zidane says Madrid are heading to Anfield at their ‘physical LIMIT’, while Trent’s late winner has Reds’ morale soaring… and Real are staying at the Titanic Hotel on anniversary of the ship sinking!

Liverpool have it all to do to progress to the Champions League semi-finals
They were well beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid away in first leg of quarter-final tie
But there are reasons to be optimistic for Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool side
Can the Reds full off another dramatic comeback in Europe’s elite competition?

Liverpool will have to defy the odds once again in Europe on Wednesday night if they want to secure their passage to the Champions League semi-finals.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are on the brink of crashing out of Europe following a tame 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-final tie in the Spanish capital last week.

Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio were on the scoresheet for Los Blancos as they put one foot in the semi-finals. But Madrid will know that Liverpool have been here before, most recently when they stunned Barcelona at Anfield after a 3-0 deficit from the first leg at the Nou Camp two years ago.

Here, Sportsmail takes a look at the reasons to be optimistic from a Liverpool point of view as they look to write another memorable chapter in their European history.

Liverpool must overcome a 3-1 deficit to book their spot in Champions League semi-finals

INJURIES PILING UP FOR MADRID

They may have defeated their arch rivals Barcelona over the weekend in LaLiga, but it wasn’t all pure elation for Madrid and their manager Zinedine Zidane.

The Spanish giants are now without right back Lucas Vazquez, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining cruciate ligament damage in his left knee against Barcelona.

Vazquez has been one of Madrid’s most consistent performers this season, beginning the campaign as a right winger but finishing it at right back in the absence of the still not fit Dani Carvajal.

The Spaniard has joined Carvajal, captain Sergio Ramos – who is continuing to recover from a calf injury – and former Chelsea star Eden Hazard on the sidelines for the Anfield encounter.

To make matters worse for Madrid, German midfielder Kroos’ fitness is a concern too ahead of the second leg having experienced ‘some discomfort’ before being withdrawn in the 72nd minute against Barcelona.

Kroos was key to Madrid’s fortunes in the Spanish capital last week against Liverpool, and Zidane will be praying his ever-reliable midfielder wins his fitness battle.

So with experienced players out, most notably Ramos and perhaps Kroos, can Liverpool capitalise on Madrid’s injury woes?

Lucas Vazquez became the latest Real Madrid star to join the treatment table on Saturday

MADRID AT THEIR LIMIT…

Madrid boss Zidane has admitted he is worried about his side’s injury crisis ahead of the business end of the season – with his team still in contention for Europe’s biggest prize and the LaLiga crown.

After El Clasico victory, the Frenchman even admitted that his Madrid side are in danger of blowing themselves out before the season reaches its climax.

‘I don’t know how we are going to end the season because physically we are at our limit,’ Zidane said after the 2-1 win on Saturday night.

‘We are hanging in there but we are struggling to finish games at the moment. We are at our limit.’

And with things taking their toll within the Madrid camp, this could perhaps be a key area for Liverpool to exploit on Wednesday night.

One of Liverpool’s key traits under Klopp is their relentless pressing from the front, and the Reds will be determined to suck the life out of Madrid at Anfield.

Zinedine Zidane has admitted his Madrid side are at their ‘limit’ ahead of the Anfield encounter

MORALE WILL BE HIGH FOR LIVERPOOL

It has been a rollercoaster of a season for Liverpool after relinquishing their Premier League crown ever so tamely, but the Reds have still shown signs they will not go down without a fight.

After producing a dominant display in the 3-0 victory over Arsenal on Easter weekend, they followed that up with a dramatic last-gasp victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

That is two wins on the trot in the English top flight as they desperately look to secure their spot in the top four come the end of the season.

And the victory over Villa at Anfield will have done Klopp’s side the world of good, giving them the confidence they desperately need at the moment – while keeping some sort of momentum going.

Two setbacks in a row against Madrid and Villa would have damaged the Reds even more ahead of what many view as an almost impossible European task.

But the last-gasp Premier League win will have kept Liverpool’s belief alive that they can pull off another great European comeback at Anfield.

Liverpool head into Wednesday’s fixture off the back of their last-gasp 2-1 win over Aston Villa

CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR TRENT

Just like Liverpool’s season, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s form has been up and down throughout and his recent snub by England came as a hammer blow to his Euro 2020 hopes.

After a brilliant display against Arsenal at the Emirates, where he delivered a fantastic cross for Diogo Jota’s opener, he produced the perfect response to Gareth Southgate and his critics.

But then he endured a night to forget in the Spanish capital last week as Madrid’s attack ran Liverpool’s defence ragged during the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie.

However, he put that performance behind him by playing a starring role in the victory over Villa – scoring a superb curling effort in the 91st minute past Emiliano Martinez from the edge of the penalty area to secure the three points.

The last three matches has somewhat summed up his season – failing to string together a consistent level of performance – but the right back will be hoping his heroics against Villa can finally push him forward again.

The 22-year-old’s confidence has taken a real hit in recent times, but there would be no better time for him to rediscover his mojo than against Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold will be required to keep Madrid’s threatening attack quiet throughout on Wednesday, while also delivering the goods going forward with his superb array of passing. He will need to produce the perfect performance.

Trent Alexander-Arnold fired home the superb winner for Liverpool against Aston Villa

… AND MADRID ARE STAYING AT THE TITANIC!

If you are one who reads much in omens, then perhaps you should take a look at this…

For their trip to Merseyside, the Spanish giants have decided to stay at the four-star Titanic Hotel on Stanley Dock.

The Madrid squad were filmed arriving at their luxury accommodation on the eve of the heavyweight European clash.

And ironically when Madrid take on Liverpool on Wednesday night, it will be exactly 109 years to the day since the Titanic – the largest ocean liner at the time – tragically sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg.

Madrid will be hoping that headline writers all over Europe don’t have a field day come the late hours of Wednesday night.

Zidane’s Madrid squad are staying at the Titanic Hotel (left) for their trip to Merseyside

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