UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Liverpool vs Real Madrid - Match Preview And Prediction 21/02/2023

Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the last season’s showpiece, due to a second-half strike from Vinicius Junior. Can they assert their dominance over the English giants once again? Or will Liverpool gain their revenge this time around? Let's take a closer look at both sides.

Liverpool booked their place in the last 16 by finishing second in Group A, level with Napoli on 15 points. Indeed, the Liverpool won five of their six group games earlier in the campaign and scoring 17 goals while conceding six in the process.

Liverpool head into this clash after series of successive 2-0 victories over Everton and Newcastle United and they sit eighth in the Premier League table. Although Liverpool have struggled for consistency this season, they can take confidence having lost just three of their past 19 Champions League encounters.

Real Madrid after losing just one of their six group matches finished atop Group F – one point clear of RB Leipzig. Real Madrid scored over 1.5 match goals in all four of their group-stage victories, securing top spot with a 5-1 whipping of Celtic on Matchday 6.

Real Madrid claimed a 2-0 win against Osasuna in their last league fixture. Safe to say they have won 16 of their 22 La Liga matches this term. But they are still eight points behind league leaders Barcelona in the La Liga table, so they will be desperate to give their all in the Champions League this season.

Head-to-head: Following last season’s final victory, Real Madrid have won five of their last six Champions League meetings with Liverpool. They defeated Los Blancos twice in 2009, but Real Madrid are unbeaten in six Champions League games against Liverpool since then.

Team news: Liverpool, currently without the injured duo of Thiago Alcantara and Luis Diaz, while Ibrahima Konate and Darwin Nunez are doubts for Tuesday.

Karim Benzema's fitness has been questioned, but he is expected to be available. Toni Kroos, Ferland Mendy and Aurélien Tchouaméni are out for the fixture due to injury.

Liverpool might have turned their predicament around in recent weeks, Real Madrid’s record against the Reds in Europe is difficult to ignore. 

PREDICTION: Real Madrid will leave Anfield with a slender first-leg lead, as the visitors look set to record a narrow clean-sheet victory.