Match Result: Liverpool v Real Madrid
Liverpool are marginal favourites to win this Champions League showdown on Tuesday. It’s a high-profile encounter and the bookies give them a 40% chance of landing three points. The Reds began with a dramatic victory over Atletico Madrid before losing away to Galatasaray. However, they were able to secure three points at Eintracht Frankfurt when running in the goals.
Arne Slot’s side would benefit from another win if they’re to repeat last season’s top-eight finish which automatically qualified them for the last sixteen. They will have a tough job against a Real Madrid side who have been in the winning habit in Europe this term. Los Merengues have claimed three wins, scoring eight goals and conceding just one.
It's been a difficult season for Liverpool so far. They won their first five top-flight matches domestically before experiencing four successive defeats. It’s hard to make head or tail of them as a team, with Slot struggling to play against teams who have a direct and physical style. Perhaps they’ll prosper against a Real Madrid side who will want to play with plenty of artistry.
All is not lost for the Reds. At Anfield, they’re still a difficult nut to crack. The defeat to Manchester United was the only time that Liverpool have failed to land a victory on home soil. There is lots of attacking weaponry and Mohamed Salah often comes alive on Champions League nights, with Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo looking to fire from other attacking areas of the pitch.
Real Madrid have been largely red-hot this season. All of their games have been won with the exception of a Madrid derby where Los Merengues were toppled 5-2 after previously leading 2-1. There have been a spate of recent victories, with the latest being a 2-1 success against Barcelona in the Clasico.
Goals Under/Over
Over 2.5 Goals is priced at 1.44 by the bookies. That implies that there is a 70% chance of this happening and it’s hardly a surprise. Liverpool’s clash against Atletico Madrid was a 3-2 victory where we saw the best and worst of the Reds. Arne Slot’s side raced into an early 2-0 lead before being pegged back, only to score a late winner in that European clash.
We can easily see four goals being scored and Over 3.5 Goals could be a runner. That is trading at an attractive price and we know that both sides will be on the front foot. There have been a sum total of thirty goals scored in the space of nine Liverpool matches in the Premier League this term. Their three European fixtures have seen twelve goals notched and they’ll be up against experienced opposition.
There have been thirty-two goals scored across ten Real Madrid La Liga games. However, there’s been a more modest nine managed across their three European matches. The most recent success was a 1-0 triumph over Juventus although that was partly down to their opponents’ defensive ways.
BTTS
Both teams to score looks like the way forward. If you have an opinion regarding which side is going to win the game, this can be combined with the BTTS Yes option. Real Madrid have scored in every match in all competitions this term. They started the season with a 1-0 triumph over Osasuna although their goal rate is generally high and mighty.
In more recent clashes, Xabi Alonso’s side have been able to shut out opponents such as Juventus and Getafe. However, they are somewhat more modest from an attacking point-of-view compared to Liverpool. Kylian Mbappe is always a reason to assume that Real will find the net considering that the Frenchman has been a lethal goal machine.
There’s a greater than 70% chance that both teams will find the net according to the odds. It could well be a high octane encounter, with Liverpool nearly always scoring at Anfield. Considering that they’ve found the net against a largely impregnable Arsenal, they will feel confident of having some joy against opponents who could be caught wide open.
There will be extra motivation against one of the other Champions League favourites, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Xabi Alonso’s return to Anfield creating a hotter atmosphere.
First Goalscorer
Kylian Mbappe rarely fails to score. At the time of writing, the Frenchman has bagged eleven times in La Liga and notched a further eight goals in other competitions. The 26-year-old has only failed to score in two matches; a 2-1 victory over Mallorca and a 1-0 win against Juventus. There was a Champions League hat-trick away to Kairat Almaty and there have also been braces against Real Oviedo, Marseille and Levante.
Jude Bellingham has started to move through the gears and the English midfielder notched the winner against Juventus before finding the net in the Clasico game. Vinicius Junior has bagged six times for Los Merengues, although Liverpool have their fair share of goalscorers including the evergreen Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian hasn’t always been foot-perfect this season but he will surely be given the chance to rove on the right side of the attack. Alexander Isak continues to have false starts since his big money move from Newcastle, although that could pave the way for Hugo Ekitike to operate as the centre forward. Cody Gakpo will surely feature as part of a triple-pronged attack and the Dutchman is top quality.