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Real Madrid versus Liverpool was tipped to be one of the more evenly contested ties in the 2020-21 Champions League quarter-finals. Raphael Varane tested positive hours before the game and that shifted the odds in Liverpool’s favor, albeit marginally.
Before kick-off, all the talk revolved around how Liverpool will try to avenge their loss against Los Blancos from the 2018 final.
Instead, the match added another chapter in Real Madrid’s glorious history against Liverpool. The 13-time Champions League winners looked like they were sweeping away with the tie in the first leg itself but an away goal from Salah kept the visitor’s semi-final chances alive.
Reds fans will be hoping for yet another memorable comeback, and given their history, they have every right to do so. But things won’t be as easy as it seems and Jurgen Klopp will have to take care of a few things before they can dream of a turnaround.
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So what exactly can Liverpool do at Anfield to script arguably their biggest win of the season?
Formation & Team Selection:
First things first – Thiago Alcantara is a must have in the second leg. The difference in Liverpool’s performance was evident when Thiago took the field just before half-time.
He gave Real Madrid a taste of their own medicine, switching the play from one flank to another, thereby disturbing their formation. According to fbref.com stats, Toni Kroos orchestrated 5 switches out of the 24 Real made all night. Thiago pressed 3 switches in the 45 minutes of his play that led to the away goal.
Not starting Firmino was another mistake Jurgen Klopp committed. Knowing his admiration towards Firmino and not seeing the Brazilian’s name in the starting line-up did come as a surprise.
While Diogo Jota’s purple patch cannot be neglected, the quality that Firmino brings to the front three is beyond measure. His awareness of pressing defenders, knowing when to make the move and when to hold himself, has been a key component in Liverpool’s success against big teams.
The Brazilian forward understands Mane and Salah very well and their telepathic understanding could well be the X-factor in the second leg.
Tactical Changes in Midfield:
On paper, Liverpool’s starting XI in the 1st leg looked balanced. Diogo Jota carried his good scoring form and Naby Keita was introduced in the line-up due to his pressing attributes and ability to find gaps. But nothing of that sort happened. The midfield duo of Kroos and Modric didn’t let Keita get a sniff of the ball.
To give a perspective of his possession game, according to stats on Fbref.com, Naby Keita managed only 21 live passes and covered 47 yards of progressive distance. Only late substitutes Roberto Firmino and Xherdan Shaqiri had numbers lower than the Guinean midfielder.
Starting with Thiago Alcantara and Roberto Firmino will evidently translate into tactical repairs for the Merseyside team. With Firmino leading the attack, Klopp’s Liverpool can revert to its customary pressing – not allowing the rival center backs to hold the ball for too long.
As they have done in the past against teams such as Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germain, Liverpool's attackers often target defensive midfielders from the opposition ranks, thereby disrupting their fluency.
Real Madrid dominated the midfield in the first round and will look to repeat their performance at Anfield. Liverpool cannot afford to give them too much space and hence need to find the right midfield combination in the second leg.
James Milner's experience could prove handy in such a scenario. As shown against Barcelona, he can not only suffocate the opposing midfielder by being a sticky marker, he can also fill in the gap behind the full-backs when Arnold and Robertson join the attacking men high up the pitch.
Real Madrid’s midfield made effective use of the long balls to Vinicius Jr and exploited the inexperienced pairing of Phillips and Kabak at the back.
To avoid a repeat of the first leg, Fabinho could remain a few yards behind to help the center backs. In a nutshell, while facing the attack through quick passes, Liverpool can align their defensive formation as 4-4-2, with Milner covering the vacant space of Arnold as the right back fills the right side of the midfield spot.
The 6-time Champions League winners can tackle the long ball and aerial threat by shifting to a 3-men defense of Phillips, Fabinho and Kabak in center.
The Liverpool Mindset:
The second leg of the quarter-final is going to be about nerves and mental strength as much as the performance on the field. Thanks to their fighting spirit in past seasons, Jurgen Klopp famously called his bunch of boys "Mentality Monsters."
Liverpool has been in this ‘do-or-die’ situation in the past. They are well aware of the things at stake. If there was any right time to live up to the nickname "Mentality Monsters", it is this.
The challenge is steep as the opponent is the most successful team in the history of the tournament but Liverpool love to do it the hard way. If they do turn up with a fire in their belly, it could well be another memorable European night in the folklore of Anfield.
