Liverpool vs Real Madrid prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-11-26 20:00.
[p]Liverpool continue to fly high on all fronts after a thrilling 3-2 win over Southampton at the weekend extended their lead at the top of the Premier League standings, a position they also find themselves in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) table courtesy of a perfect start (W4). The similarities don’t end there, as the driving force behind their success has arguably been their possession of the best defensive record in both competitions.[/p]
[p]The Reds now undoubtedly face their toughest task of the season, when they host Europe’s most successful club and reigning UCL champions, Real Madrid, who they’ve lost seven of their last eight H2Hs against (D1), including two UCL finals. Against no other team have Liverpool tasted defeat in more continental matches against, jeopardising their hopes of winning their first five games of a major European competition for only the second time in their history.[/p]
[p]Real Madrid make the trip to Anfield following dominant 4-0 and 3-0 victories over Osasuna and Leganés respectively in La Liga, but it is in the UCL where they’ve uncharacteristically struggled this season. Los Blancos have lost two of their four league-phase matches (W2), including a 3-1 defeat at home to AC Milan in their last such outing, which has come as a great surprise, since they won the competition going unbeaten last term for the first time in their illustrious history![/p]
[p]They’re now in danger of breaking an unwanted record, as never before have they lost three matches in a single group stage/league phase before. Despite all that adversity, manager Carlo Ancelotti will probably still be the coolest man in Anfield, having seen it all against Liverpool, whom he’s beaten eight times in 11 attempts in the UCL (D1, L2).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Mohamed Salah’s fine season continued with a brace against Southampton at the weekend, and he’ll be out to avenge the fact that the two UCL games that he’s lost when scoring have both been against Real Madrid (W33, D2). No matter how potent Liverpool’s attack has been over the years, Thibaut Courtois has been up to the challenge, having kept four clean sheets in his last six appearances against them for Real Madrid and Chelsea (W5, D1). [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Liverpool have scored first in nine of their last 11 games, winning ten of those encounters. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]