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Liverpool logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Oct 22, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

0-3

FT(HT: 0-3)
Ronaldo (23'), Benzema (30', 41')

Preview: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League Group B clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield.

Two of the biggest names in European football will meet on Wednesday when Liverpool welcome Real Madrid in the group stages of the Champions League.

The visitors currently top Group B with six points, but Liverpool are third after losing to Basel in their last European clash.

Liverpool will have fond memories of their last meeting with Real Madrid, however, after beating the Spanish side 5-0 on aggregate in the 2008-09 competition. The Reds were 1-0 winners in Spain, before triumphing 4-0 on their own patch.

The Premier League side have only won four of their 14 home games against Spanish opposition, however, losing four times in the process. That said, they enter this match having won their last two games in the Premier League.

Sunday's three points came in fortuitous circumstances, however, with Brendan Rodgers's side beating Queens Park Rangers 3-2 despite struggling for much of the 90 minutes.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, thumped Levante 5-0 in La Liga at the weekend. They have won their last seven games in all competitions since losing to Atletico Madrid in September and will therefore enter this match full of confidence.

Thus far in the Champions League, they have beaten Basel 5-1 at the Bernabeu and recorded a narrow 2-1 away win over Ludogorets to top the section.

The Spanish club, who won their 10th European Cup last season, are also unbeaten in their last three trips to Premier League opposition, including a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the 2012-13 round of 16 at Old Trafford.

The home side will be without the services of Daniel Sturridge, who has a thigh problem, while French centre-back Mamadou Sakho is also expected to miss out.

As a result, Mario Balotelli is expected to lead the line with support from Raheem Sterling, while Joe Allen could also return to midfield for the home side.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, are expected to be without Gareth Bale, who is struggling with a hip injury. Should the Welshman fail to recover, Isco is expected to feature, with James Rodriguez moving into a forward area.

German international Sami Khedira is available once again, but the midfielder is not expected to be involved from the onset.

Sergio Ramos is also expected to return to the XI after sitting out the recent international break and win over Levante through injury.

Recent form

Liverpool: WDLWW

Real Madrid: WWWWW

Possible starting lineups

Liverpool: Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Enrique; Allen, Henderson, Gerrard; Sterling, Balotelli, Lallana

Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Isco; James, Benzema, Ronaldo

Sports Mole says: 1-3


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Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his goal with Real Madrid's Portuguese defender Pepe during the Spanish league football match on October 18, 2014
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League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Monaco431010
4Dortmund43019
5Aston Villa33009
6Man City42117
7Brest32107
8Inter Milan32107
9Juventus42117
10B. Leverkusen42117
11Lille42117
12Arsenal32107
13Celtic42117
14Dinamo Zagreb42117
15AC Milan42026
16Feyenoord32016
17Barcelona32016
18Benfica32016
19Real Madrid42026
20Atalanta31205
21PSV41215
22Stuttgart31114
23Sparta Prague31114
24PSG31114
25Bayern31023
26Brugge31023
27Girona41033
28Atletico31023
29Shakhtar30121
30Bologna40131
31RB Leipzig40040
32Sturm Graz40040
33Salzburg30030
34Red Star30030
35Young Boys30030
36Slovan Bratislava40040


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