Last season’s runners-up Liverpool will be out for revenge when they play host to defending champions Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.
Liverpool defeated Napoli 2-0 at home in their last group stage match, their fifth Champions League victory in a row this season. Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez netted in the win. They are undefeated in their last seven games at home in all competitions (W4 D3 L0).
Real Madrid’s last group stage match saw them triumph 5-1 over Celtic at home. Five players netted in the win. Entering Tuesday’s match, they have four straight victories in all competitions.
Real Madrid’s 13 points placed them first in their group, while Liverpool finished second on 15 points.
The previous fixture between the teams saw Real Madrid win 1-0 in the Champions League Final at Stade de France last season. Vinícius Júnior scored los Blancos’ lone goal in the 59th minute.
Real Madrid have got the better of Liverpool of late, unbeaten in their last four matches (W3 D1 L0). Liverpool are looking for their first win in fixtures between the two sides since November 2014. The Spanish side have outscored the English side 7-2 during their unbeaten streak.
Liverpool have been led by Salah in Champions League play. He is the side’s top scorer with seven goals, which is tied for the most in the competition in 2022/2023, three of those having been the critical first of the match. Júnior has been the leading attacking threat for Real Madrid, scoring on four occasions in the current Champions League campaign, including one match-opening goal.
Both sides have found success in the final third in Champions League play, as each have been on the scoresheet in every match in the competition this season.
Hosts Liverpool have been perfect at home this Champions League season with three wins in three contests at home with 6 goals scored and 1 conceded.
In matches on the road in the competition this season, Real Madrid have one win, one draw, and one loss.
In their last six matches in all competitions, Liverpool have won three, drawn one and lost two. They scored six and conceded five over that period, scoring first in four of the six contests. A majority of their goals (five) came in the first half, while their opponents netted three times in the first 45 minutes. Real Madrid have won five and lost one in their last six. They scored 17 and conceded five in that period, netting first in five of the six. They had six goals in the first half, while their opponents netted two times before the break.
