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Liverpool vs Real Madrid. The Reds vs Los Blancos. Two of the biggest and most storied teams in Europe. And, when these two teams lock horns at Merseyside on Wednesday, sparks are sure to fly. They always do, when European royalty go head to head. But, this time around, the disparity in quality and form suggests that the home team might get a drubbing at the hands of the defending champions. And, this is not without reason, especially after seeing how poorly Liverpool played against Queen’s Park Rangers.But, Liverpool have never lost to their most illustrious opponents in the Champions League. They hold the historical edge. The last time they met at Anfield, the Galacticos were torn to shreds by an inspired Liverpool side, led from the front by Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Fabio Cannavaro, were all part of a star-studded line-up that was blown away by Liverpool’s youthful exuberance and fearlessness.While they may not have a striker of El Nino’s calibre in the team anymore, they can certainly cause Ancelotti and his team a lot of headaches, if they play like they did last season. And, there are signs that show Liverpool may upset the odds this time too. Here’s why.
#1 El Clasico looming large
Liverpool and Ajax are going to be the beneficiaries of Real Madrid’s and Barcelona’s prolonged pre-occupation with the biggest match in club football, coming up this weekend. Madrid will be more desperate to win the crucial clash, with the match being played at Santiago Bernabeu. With their heads already half-turned towards Sunday’s fixture and what is in line, the clash on Wednesday is the perfect time for Liverpool to take on Madrid.
And, the Clasico this time around, is definitely among the most awaited, in a long, long time, with a host of background stories elevating the match, to something much, much more than just a 3-point fixture.
Messi on the brink of Telmo Zarra’s goal-scoring record, which Madrid would be looking to prevent, the return of Luis Suarez, which would be giving them nightmares, and the fact that defeat would mean giving Barcelona a seven-point lead, all mean that, the Liverpool match is nothing more than an afterthought, as far as the Los Blancos are concerned. Its up to the Reds to take full advantage of this scenario. And, they are more than capable of doing so.
#2 Depleted Madrid defence
Madrid’s defence has looked fragile and weak, even when they’ve had all their first-choice players fit this season. Their weaknesses on set-pieces have been well-documented, and Steven Gerrard’s immaculate distribution is definitely going to give them trouble. But, what makes the task even harder is the fact they might be without three of their best defenders on current form.
Sergio Ramos is probably the best defender in the world today, especially with Thiago Silva absent due to injury. His presence at the back gives the Madrid team a look of solidity that they sorely lack without him. Also, they’ll definitely miss his experience and leadership – he’s among the most vocal players on the pitch. His presence is a doubt, and that will hugely affect Real’s mentality going into the tie.
Raphael Varane is also a doubt for the match, after suffering from a bout of flu. Arguably their best defender after Ramos, when fit, with Pepe no longer being the player he once was, Varane being risked for the match ahead of the Clasico, looks doubtful, even though he has travelled with the team to Liverpool. Add to this the absence of Coentrao, who would’ve been a much better option than Marcelo in dealing with the pacey wingers of Liverpool, and the Madrid defence wears a severely depleted look.
And then, there’s the small issue of the terrible form of Iker Casillas.
#3 No Gareth Bale
While the Liverpool fans had the SAS, and later the SASAS, to solve all their attacking problems last year, Madrid had their own devastating trio, undoubtedly the best attacking triumvirate in the world. Bale-Benzema-Cristiano terrorised defences across Spain and Europe, leaving tattered opponents and hefty scorelines in their wake. Gareth Bale was a very important member of this trio, and had looked very, very good this season, until he was struck with a hip injury.
The Real Madrid No11 is a major doubt for the Clasico, and has been ruled out of the fixture with Liverpool. In his absence, Ancelotti has a dearth of options in the flank, with Isco being his most probable replacement. And, while Madrid may start out playing the 4-3-3, with James Rodriguez taking Bale’s position, it soon transforms into a 4-4-2, with Ronaldo and Benzema forming a strike-duo.
This is good for Liverpool, because when Ronaldo also moves in, Madrid lose any kind of width going forward, forcing their full-backs to undertake overlapping runs. This, coupled with their lack of holding midfielders to cover up for the full-backs, means that the Liverpool wingers are going to have a field day, with acres of space. Its up to them to exploit it.
#4 The Sterling-Coutinho combination
With Luis Suarez long gone, and Daniel Sturridge out for a further month, the onus in on the bright attacking duo of Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling to take the game to Madrid. And, while they are more than capable of doing so individually, it is when they sing from the same hymn sheet and attack in tandem, that Liverpool look most deadly. The weekend fixture against Queen’s Park Rangers and last season’s epic victory over Manchester City, are cases in point.
With Dunga coming back to the Brazilian National Team fold again, Philippe Coutinho is back in the Selecao set-up. The playmaker, who was unfairly omitted from Brazil’s squad for the World Cup, is among the brightest No10s in the world today. What stands him apart from the rest of the pedestrian playmakers is his speed and dribbling ability. Few players can dribble, run at defenders and pass like the Brazilian.
Raheem Sterling is arguably the single-most important attacking cog in Liverpool and England’s wheel. The 19-year old starlet has shot to prominence over the last year, with some magnificent performances making him a Madrid target, as per rumours. His partnership with Coutinho is a treat for the eyes, and they’re sure to leave their defence in sixes and sevens, if they play to their full potential.
#5 Anfield, the 12th man
The biggest factor in favour of Liverpool for this fixture, is the fact that it’s being played at Anfield. Scores of players, fans and pundits have admitted over the years, that there’s nothing like a European night at Liverpool’s home. And, when the opposition is as illustrious as Madrid, the stadium is only going to get louder.
The stadium has always been a fortress for Liverpool, with some of their most memorable European nights, including the 4-0 thrashing they gave Madrid, all happening on Merseyside. The Kop will be in full vigour and voice for the marquee clash, with You’ll Never Walk Alone and Fields of Anfield Road, sure to be ringing in the ears of the opposition players as well as the Madrid fans.
Epic European nights at Anfield have been many in number, with the clashes against Chelsea in recent years, the Gerrard wondergoal against Olympiakos and the 4-2 win against Arsenal in 2008, coming to mind. And, it is when the team faces adversity, a very likely scenario considering the quality of the opponent, that Anfield becomes a real Colosseum, a sea of Liverpool red, willing their team to never back down, and to fight tooth and nail. And, as long as the players have them on their backs, they won’t have to walk alone on Wednesday.
