Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah is probably the happiest player ahead of tonight’s UEFA Champions League fixture considering that his “adversary” Sergio Ramos won’t be available due to a calf injury.
The two share a bitter-sweet experience that dates back to 2018 final which saw Mohammed Salah forced off the pitch in the first half after Sergio Ramos pulled him to the ground which led to the Egyptian dislocating his arm.
Liverpool have found a way to make up for their misfortunes in the league with their impressive run in the Champions League this season but they take on a familiar foe who has been victorious over them in recent times.
Both clubs had a hassle-free passage into the last eight as Liverpool dispatched Leipzig 4 nil on aggregate while Real Madrid didn’t have to break a sweat as they thrashed Atalanta 4-1 on aggregate.
Both teams are not bereft of quality players ahead of tonight’s match but the question is which team will take the first bragging rights?
Here is what you need to know;
This is the first UEFA Champions League meeting between Real Madrid and Liverpool since the 2018 final, which the Spanish side won 3-1. This was the third consecutive UEFA Champions League tournament Real Madrid had won, while Carlo Ancelotti is the only manager who has won the competition as often as Zinedine Zidane (3).
Liverpool have lost each of their last three games against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and have only suffered four consecutive defeats against an opponent across all European competitions once previously – four versus Benfica between 1984 and 2010.
Real Madrid have won the first leg of eight of their last nine UEFA Champions League knockout ties, losing the other 2-1 at home to Manchester City in last season’s last 16.
In their only previous two-legged knockout European tie, Liverpool won 5-0 on aggregate against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League – Madrid’s biggest ever aggregate defeat in a two-legged knockout tie in the competition.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has won each of his last five games at the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League, including all four of his games at this stage while in charge of the Reds (two versus Manchester City in 2017-18 and FC Porto in 2019-20).
Real Madrid have won their last three UEFA Champions League matches, last winning four in a row back in April 2018 when they had a run of five.
Stats via Opta.
