Liverpool vs Real Madrid: 5 players to watch out for | UEFA Champions League 2020-21
Liverpool host Real Madrid at Anfield in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals tomorrow night. The Reds were beaten convincingly in the first leg at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, as the record European champions carved open their backline with relative ease.
Nevertheless, Liverpool have a history of staging famous European comebacks, with their 4-0 victory against Barcelona in 2019 the pick of the bunch. Zinedine Zidane's men are amongst the most experienced sides in world football, but Los Blancos know they will have to be on their toes to withstand a Liverpool onslaught in Merseyside.
Jurgen Klopp confirmed in a press conference earlier today that Liverpool will go for it from the get-go and attempt to record a positive result, so there are indications that the German could field an attacking lineup.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, do not have a large pool of players to pick from, so Zidane is likely to name a starting XI similar to the one that played the first leg.
On that note, here are five key players who could decide the crucial encounter at Anfield.
#5 Thiago Alcantara | Liverpool
Thiago Alcantara will look to bag himself a belated birthday present by playing a key role for Liverpool against Real Madrid. The Spanish midfielder turned 30 earlier this week and has faced Los Blancos a handful of times as a professional footballer - be it with Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
Known for his passing range, press resistance and ball control, Thiago could add something different to Liverpool's midfield. He was benched in favor of Naby Keita for the first leg, but Klopp wasted no time in bringing him on before the half-time whistle as the Guinean struggled to get to grips with the pace of the game.
For the second leg, though, he is likely to be named in the starting XI and will look to use his experience in the competition to turn the tie in Liverpool's favor.
#4 Toni Kroos | Real Madrid
While Vinicius Jr stole the show in the first leg with a matchwinning brace, Toni Kroos was arguably the best player on the pitch for Real Madrid. The German midfielder provided one of the passes of the season in the first half, as Vinicius latched onto his brilliantly lofted ball to finish past Alisson Becker.
Having started alongside Luka Modric and Casemiro in central midfield, Kroos kept things ticking and was the coolest player on the pitch while evading Liverpool's press. The experienced midfielder was also one of the standout players on the pitch in El Clasico and will look to carry on his rich vein of form to spearhead Real Madrid into the semifinals.
Real Madrid have a handful of injury concerns, but with a calming presence like Kroos in midfield, Zidane knows his side have the ability to outplay most teams on their day.
Also Read: 5 things Liverpool need to do against Real Madrid in the second leg | UEFA Champions League 2020-21