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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
#3 Mohamed Salah | Liverpool
Mohamed Salah has been one of the most consistent attackers in world football since moving to Liverpool and could well be the difference-maker on the night. The Egyptian king often steps up to the plate when his team needs him the most and scored a crucial away goal in Madrid that has seemingly kept Liverpool in the tie.
As the two sides lock horns at Anfield, the onus will once again be on the 29-year-old to produce the goods in front of goal. With Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane misfiring this season, Salah has rescued Liverpool almost single-handedly at times and will look to produce another magical moment in Europe.
Salah has a score to settle against Real Madrid after the unfortunate events of 2018 and will look to get his name on the scoresheet at Anfield tomorrow night.
#2 Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid
Vinicius Jr was the hero of the first leg and will once again look to wreak havoc against the likes of Nat Phillips and Ozan Kabak. The Brazilian winger's devastating pace was on display several times in Spain, as he ran the Liverpool backline ragged and scored a match-winning brace.
With Eden Hazard missing, Vinicius was tasked with being the difference-maker against an injury-ravaged Liverpool side. He did so in some style and followed it up with another memorable performance against Barcelona in El Clasico, as he finally managed to show signs that he's coming of age.
The 20-year-old is one of the most exciting players in world football and will be one to watch again when the two sides meet at Anfield.
#1 Karim Benzema | Real Madrid
Karim Benzema has been one of the best players in the world in the 2020-21 European football season and has led Real Madrid's charge since the turn of the year. The Frenchman has aged like fine wine and continued scoring goals consistently for Los Blancos, with Zidane counting on one of his most experienced players domestically as well as in Europe.
Benzema didn't get his name on the scoresheet in the first leg, but he ran the show as the focal point of the attack and troubled the Liverpool backline with his movement and guile on the ball.
The experienced striker will look to score another important goal for Real Madrid and take them through to the UEFA Champions League semi-final, as Los Blancos look to conquer Europe for a staggering 14th time in their history.
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