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Real Madrid are set for an exciting encounter against their opponents in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, Liverpool. The Blancos drew the Reds in Friday's UCL draw ahead of the quarter-finals, where Chelsea drew Porto, Manchester City drew Borussia Dortmund, and Paris Saint-Germain drew defending champions Bayern Munich, a repeat of last year's UCL final.
The knockout ties are set to be played in the first week of April after the international break. Here, we take a look at the latest Real Madrid news ahead of their upcoming game against Celta Vigo.
Jurgen Klopp responds to Real Madrid draw
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he is 'excited' about drawing Real Madrid in the next phase of the UCL, albeit warning his side that it is a tough draw. Klopp's Reds faced heartbreak in Kyiv back in 2018 when they faced the Blancos as Gareth Bale's stunning display stole the show and handed Real Madrid the title.
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The German has responded to drawing the thirteen-time European champions Real Madrid, saying;
"It’s exciting, exciting. It’s obviously a tough draw but I am fine with it because if you look at all the other teams you think, ‘Oh my god’ because they are all strong and all have quality, that’s clear. I am really looking forward to the games. It’s only just over two years ago that we faced them and it was a tough night for us, so to get the chance to play them again is cool."
The Liverpool manager added;
"I know it’s a different round and whatever and we don’t know where we will play and stuff like this, but that’s all OK. If it will be Budapest, that’s fine. We are fine with that. The home game maybe hopefully at Anfield, that would be great as well. So, no, nothing bad to say – nothing bad to say actually, it’s just cool."
Klopp's Reds haven't been in the best vein of form this season as they currently sit in sixth place.
Marcelo hints at Cristiano Ronaldo reunion
Real Madrid veteran Marcelo has dropped a subtle hint on social media about a potential reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Brazilian star has been one of the Blancos' most important players over the last few years but has seen his playing time decrease gradually since Ferland Mendy's arrival.
Amidst reports of both Cristiano Ronaldo's potential return to Real Madrid and Marcelo's departure, the left-back dropped a cheeky hint on an Instagram post that talks about the link-up between the Portuguese forward and himself.
However, it is worth noting that it is unclear if Marcelo is suggesting he could move to Turin or if Cristiano Ronaldo could return to Real Madrid.
Roberto Carlos claims Mo Salah 'isn't going to get close' to Sergio Ramos
Another interesting dynamic of the upcoming UCL clash is the duel between Sergio Ramos and Mo Salah, who will meet for the first time since their rather infamous meeting last time around. The Spanish captain's challenge on the Egyptian led to the latter's injury and Salah had to be withdrawn in the first half.
After the draw, ex-Blancos legend Roberto Carlos has claimed that Mo Salah will not even try to get close to Ramos due to the outcome of the last time he faced the defender. Carlos was quoted as saying;
"[Mo] Salah isn’t even going to get close to Sergio [Ramos]. It will be an action that will be talked about a lot."
Salah is currently the highest scorer in the Premier League with 17 goals to his name, while Ramos made a return to the XI after a few weeks out due to injury. The Real Madrid captain marked his return to UCL action with a goal against Atalanta.
Vinicius Jr opens door to Cristiano Ronaldo return
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo will always be welcome at Real Madrid amidst growing speculation that he is set to return. The Portuguese superstar is set to weigh up his options at the end of the campaign on the back of a third successive elimination in Europe.
With the 36-year-old being tipped to reunite with Zinedine Zidane and co, Vinicius has fuelled the speculation even further by welcoming the prospect of him returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian expressed;
"Cristiano [Ronaldo] is a legend at this club. He has won a lot. I can’t say much because I don’t know what’s going on, but he will always be welcome."
During his nine-year spell at the club, Cristiano Ronaldo won a staggering four UEFA Champions Leagues, three of which came with Zidane at the helm.
