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Real Madrid will be looking to seal a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals as they travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool.
Real Madrid have one foot in the Champions League semi-final as they look to drive home their two-goal advantage from the first leg. Liverpool were played out of the park by Los Blancos last week as the Merseysiders' season threatens to go from bad to worse.
Real Madrid have several injury concerns and though they have been in terrific form over the last two months, Zinedine Zidane simply cannot afford to have any more of his players ruled out through injury as they are already running short on options all across the pitch.
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Winning against Liverpool at Anfield is no easy task but the good thing for Real Madrid is that they don't need to. But they cannot afford to lose big either. As such, they will field their strongest available XI tonight and let's take a look at what that might look like.
How will Real Madrid lineup vs Liverpool
Goalkeeper
Real Madrid will undoubtedly go with their dependable no. 1 Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian international has done a commendable job for Zinedine Zidane's men since the start of the season.
He didn't have much to deal with in the first leg against Liverpool but with mostly second-choice defenders in front of him, Courtois could be tested more tonight.
Real Madrid defenders
Real Madrid's backline is in shambles. Except for Ferland Mendy, Zinedine Zidane is without all of his other first-choice defenders. Sergio Ramos is yet to recover from a knee injury and the captain will be sorely missed yet again.
His partner Raphael Varane tested positive for coronavirus and will be unavailable tonight as well. Dani Carvajal has been ruled out once again and his deputy Lucas Vazquez sprained his ACL in El Clasico after colliding with Sergio Busquets.
As such, Zinedine Zidane is expected to start Alvaro Odriozola at right-back. Eder Militao will continue to partner Nacho at centre-back. Ferland Mendy will take his usual spot at left-back. They will have their work cut out for them against a talented Liverpool frontline.
They will need to be on high-alerts as Liverpool will be relentless in attack throughout and they won't be afforded a moment's peace.
Real Madrid midfielders
Real Madrid dominated Liverpool in the first leg and that was largely due to how good their midfielders were.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric absolutely bossed it in midfield and Liverpool will need to restrategize because they cannot afford to give the Real Madrid midfielders the same amount of space and room if they want to turn it around.
Luka Modric has now assisted in three successive Champions League games and despite being 35-years-old, the Croatian has been as industrious as ever in midfield and his contribution will be crucial towards Real Madrid exerting an ample amount of control over proceedings tonight.
Zidane will go with his trusted midfield trio once again. Casemiro will start in defensive midfield and Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will operate in front of him. Casemiro will be crucial to blunting Liverpool's attacking impetus.
If Liverpool decide to go with Fabinho, Wijnaldum and Thiago, Real Madrid could once again replicate their heroics from the first leg. But if Liverpool choose to add someone like James Milner who is hell-bent on hounding his opposition counterparts, to their midfield, something could give for the Merseysiders.
Real Madrid forwards
Zinedine Zidane deployed Fede Valverde on the right in El Clasico this past weekend. However, he is expected to go with Marco Asensio against Liverpool. Asensio has been in great form of late and scored a goal in each of the four games prior to coming off the bench against Barcelona.
Karim Benzema turned in yet another impressive performance against Barcelona and now has 10 goals and an assist from his last nine appearances. Benzema will lead Real Madrid's attack tonight and he will cause a lot of problems to a relatively inexperienced Liverpool centre-back partnership.
Joining Benzema and Marco Asensio in attack will be Vinicius Jr. The young Brazilian has stepped it up in recent weeks and was Real Madrid's standout performer in attack against Liverpool in the first leg.
He scored both their opening and closing goals of the game and his pace was causing all kinds of problems for Liverpool defenders. Even with Eden Hazard out injured, Real Madrid have faced no problems in attack.
In fact, even if the Belgian international was present, Zinedine Zidane would have chosen to go with Vinicius Jr. for just how effective he has been on that left-wing over the past few games.
Zinedine Zidane's defence is injury-riddled but their midfielders and attackers have been playing some great football and that ought to be enough to help them seal a berth in the UEFA Champions League semifinal.
