Kick-off: 2000, 15/03/2023
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
TV: BT Sport
Liverpool need a miracle to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit against Real Madrid but could salvage some pride with a win in Spain.
The Whites don’t need to do anything silly if falling behind and may have one eye on Sunday’s El Clasico clash with La Liga leaders Barcelona.
We’re going with the Reds to prevail on the night at 8/5 for our first Real Madrid vs Liverpool prediction.
Whites may suffer dip in focus
Real will feel they have already done enough to reach the Champions League quarter-finals after their sensational victory at Anfield.
Liverpool got off to a flying start when leading 2-0 inside 15 minutes thanks to Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah but their joy was short-lived.
The Whites went on to run the Reds ragged, with Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema both hitting doubles and Eder Militao also netting.
Carlos Ancelotti commented: “Winning like this isn’t easy, above all because of how the match began.
“But we never lost confidence and little by little we won control of the ball. Vinicius Junior produced an incredible performance.”
However, Real then had a reality check with some disappointing domestic results, drawing twice in La Liga either side of a Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona at this venue.
Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Espanyol was more like it, but they desperately need to beat Barca at Camp Nou next weekend to close the gap at the top.
That could prompt a slight dip in focus here, so we like Real Madrid vs Liverpool odds.
Reds are Jekyll and Hyde outfit
Liverpool’s form since the first leg has epitomised their whole campaign, with performances ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to then Premier League basement dwellers Bournemouth was a damaging blow to their hopes of getting back into Europe’s elite club competition next season.
However, the Reds had previously shown what they are capable of with a magnificent 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United.
Looking ahead to this contest, Virgil van Dijk said: “We have almost an impossible job in Madrid, but we’ll give everything to represent the club as good as we can.
“It’s not been the easiest season so far but the only way to get out of it is to stick together and that’s the message – even now.”
It isn’t easy to predict which Liverpool team will turn up at the Bernabeu and many will focus on a poor domestic away record.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have lost seven times on the road in the Premier League and crashed out of both domestic cups in away ties.
However, let’s not forget a 7-1 rout of Rangers at Ibrox and a 3-0 triumph over Ajax in Amsterdam in the group stage of this tournament.
We’re hoping the Reds will react well to the pressure being off and 9/1 for a 2-1 success.
Additional stats
Player statistic
| Karim Benzema (Assist: Vinícius Júnior) |
 |
79' | ||
| 90+4' |  |
Konstantinos Tsimikas |
Match statistic
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