Liverpool vs Real Madrid: Match Preview, Predictions, and Lineups

 Liverpool vs Real Madrid: Match Preview, Predictions, and Lineups

                                                                                 

Two of Europe’s biggest football giants, Liverpool and Real Madrid, face off on Wednesday night in the Champions League. This marks their fifth game in the newly reformatted competition, with high stakes for both teams.

Liverpool enters the match as the only team with a perfect record in the tournament so far, boasting victories over Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen. In contrast, Real Madrid has had a tougher campaign, losing two of their four matches. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be eager to secure a win at Anfield to stay in contention for automatic qualification to the last 16.

Match Details

• Location: Anfield, Liverpool, England
• Date: Wednesday, November 27
• Kick-Off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
• Referee: François Letexier (FRA)
• VAR: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)

Recent Form

Liverpool:

• Southampton 2-3 Liverpool (24/11/24)
• Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa (09/11/24)
• Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen (05/11/24)
• Liverpool 2-1 Brighton (02/11/24)

Real Madrid:

• Leganés 0-3 Real Madrid (24/11/24)
• Real Madrid 4-0 Osasuna (09/11/24)
• Real Madrid 1-3 Milan (05/11/24)
• Borussia Dortmund 5-2 Real Madrid (22/10/24)

                                                               

Team News

Liverpool:
The Reds have a few key injuries. Goalkeeper Alisson remains sidelined, with Caoimhin Kelleher continuing to deputize. Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas are also out due to injuries, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to training and could feature in the matchday squad. Federico Chiesa is nearing full fitness but isn’t expected to start.

Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Kelleher; Bradley, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Jones, Díaz; Núñez

Real Madrid:
Los Blancos have been hit hard by injuries, with Vinícius Júnior out for the rest of 2024 due to a hamstring injury. Eder Militão, David Alaba, and Aurélien Tchouaméni are also unavailable, leaving Real Madrid thin in defense. Dani Carvajal’s long-term absence may see Federico Valverde continue at right-back. Rodrygo remains a doubt, leaving Dani Ceballos or Endrick to potentially step up in attack.

Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):
Courtois; Valverde, Asensio, Rüdiger, Mendy; Modrić, Camavinga, Bellingham; Díaz, Mbappé, Ceballos

                                                       

Score Prediction

Liverpool heads into the clash as slight favorites, given their perfect Champions League record and Real Madrid’s mounting injury woes. Vinícius Júnior’s absence is a significant blow for Madrid, which could allow Liverpool to exploit vulnerabilities in their lineup.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Real Madrid