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UEFA Champions League quarter-finals fixtures are set to get underway as Real Madrid and Liverpool lock horns at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
This is the first leg of the two-legged tie, and both sides will be aiming to grab a win and place one foot firmly in the semi-finals.
Real Madrid finished first in Group B with 10 points and secured a 4-1 aggregate win over Serie A outfit Atalanta in the round of 16.
Similarly, Liverpool finished top of Group D with 13 points and progressed into the quarter-finals after a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over RB Leipzig in their round of 16 tie.
Real Madrid and Liverpool now square off for the first time since their 2018 meeting in the final of the same tournament and this promises to be a heated contest.
In that encounter, Real Madrid came out victorious with a 3-1 win to grab their fourth Champions League title on the bounce.
However, since then, both sides have seen changes to their squad and will be aiming to progress into the next round of this tie.
Liverpool have struggled in the Premier League this season and will prioritize winning the Champions League to make up for their poor domestic run.
Real Madrid are still in the La Liga title race, but they will aim to do the double, making this clash a highly anticipated one.
On that note, we will look at five key battles that could determine the outcome of the game on Tuesday.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool: 5 key battles to watch out for
#1 Raphael Varane vs Diogo Jota
In the absence of Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid will rely on Raphael Varane to lead and orchestrate their back-line against Liverpool.
The Frenchman has been a key figure for Real Madrid this season, featuring in 27 of the Galactico’s 29 La Liga matches.
He has been arguably Real Madrid’s best defender this season as he averages 3.6 duels, 3.7 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per game in La Liga.
Diogo Jota has been one of the standout performers for Liverpool this season.
The Portuguese has settled brilliantly in the Liverpool attack since completing his move from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer.
Jota has scored eight goals in 13 appearances for Liverpool this season and with Firmino currently struggling to find his feet, Jota could be in line to start on Tuesday.
With Ferland Mendy taking on Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah down the left flank, that leaves Raphael Varane faced with handling the threat of Diogo Jota.
#2 Ferland Mendy vs Mohamed Salah
This is one of the most anticipated winger-fullback contests in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s shining light amidst their struggles this season.
With Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino struggling in front of goal, Salah has shouldered the club’s goalscoring responsibilities.
The Egyptian is currently second in the Premier League scoring charts with 18 goals. He has also bagged five goals so far in Liverpool’s run to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Salah will spearhead Liverpool's attack on Tuesday and will be up against Ferland Mendy on the left side of the Real Madrid defense.
The former Lille man has been ever present for Real Madrid this season and his impressive defensive contributions have been vital in Madrid’s hunt for the La Liga title.
To limit Salah’s impact on the game, Mendy will need to be at his absolute best.
#3 Benzema vs Fabinho
Liverpool will be without several key central defenders, including Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, meaning Fabinho could be tasked with handling the threat of Real Madrid’s in-form striker Karim Benzema.
The Frenchman has played the role of the leading goalscorer for Real Madrid this season, scoring 18 goals and making six assists in 25 league games so far.
9 goals
1 assistBack to his best 
He has contributed a whopping 47% of Real Madrid’s goal in the La Liga and has scored five goals in six Champions League games.
Should Real Madrid take something from the game, the 33-year-old will be one of the key players. However, he will go up against Fabinho, who has been impressive at the heart of Liverpool’s defense in the absence of the regular centre-backs.
#4 Luka Modric vs Thiago Alcantara
Luka Modric turns 36 in September, but has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to dazzle in the center of the park for Real Madrid.
He has scored three goals and created three assists in the league and has been vital in the Los Blancos’ title challenge.
Thiago Alcantara, meanwhile, has struggled to fully fit into the Liverpool setup since making his move from Bayern Munich.
However, during his time with the Bundesliga champions, he proved he can do it on the biggest stage after inspiring the Bavarian’s to a rare sextuple.
Both players are known for performing in the biggest games, and this will be one battle to watch out for.
#5 Toni Kroos vs Georginio Wijnaldum
This is the second midfield battle in the game as both teams have some of the finest midfield generals in Europe.
Toni Kroos, in particular, has stamped his name as one of the best midfielders in Europe and has been influential in Real Madrid’s recent success.
The German international has continued his impressive performances this season, scoring two goals and providing eight assists in the La Liga for Zinedine Zidane’s men.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum has been Liverpool’s most consistent performer this season. The 30-year-old has featured in all of Liverpool’s 30 league games this season and has been impressive so far.
His adept reading of the game and the ease with which he glides through the opposition's midfield makes him a valuable asset to Jurgen Klopp.
While he is not one to make a telling impact in front of goal, his defensive contributions have been outstanding as he provides an extra defensive shield for the Liverpool midfield.
His duel with Toni Kroos will be one to watch out for as both players can play huge roles that will ultimately determine the result.
