Champions League Preview: Liverpool Vs Real Madrid

Liverpool take a one-goal advantage into Anfield, their home. Can Real bounce back or will Liverpool be able to use their advantage and make sure that the night is one to forget for the Kings of Europe?

First Leg at the Bernabeu: Real 0:1 Liverpool (Yossi Benayoun 83’)

Liverpool seemed happy to defend and catch Real on the break. Madrid attacked, attacked and attacked without any end result. As far as I can remember, they really didn’t produce anything to trouble Pepe Reina.

Instead, Casillas on the other end had to deal with a long range shot from the ever-reliable Xabi Alonso. He also had to make a superb save to deny Torres in the first half. Higuain and Robben tried their luck from distance but unfortunately failed to trouble Reina.

Liverpool were then gifted a free kick by Gabriel Heinze. Fabio Aurelio stepped up to take it. His inch-perfect delivery found Benayoun, who headed the ball in for the away goal.

A lesson to be learned for the Kings of Europe

Real have been scoring for fun in La Liga and have brought down a deficit of 12 points to just four. I won’t be surprised if they manage to win the La Liga again. Liverpool, on the other hand, are giving points to everyone: Man City, Stoke City, and recently Middlesbrough, just to name a few.

It is amazing that a team that has been scoring for fun cannot even fire one decent shot to trouble Reina, whereas a team who have been busy conceding against the “so-called” lower teams manages to not only score, but also not to concede!

They also did all this without Gerrard, and when you look at the last half hour, without Torres as well!

Maybe this happens to be just another story of so-called “English Dominance in Europe.” Real had quite a few 1-0 wins in La Liga in January. I managed to catch a few of those games. The biggest problem was that Real failed to finish in those games.

Against the Reds, they were unable to even create proper chances.

Another knock-out stage exit will be rather embarrassing for Real, and a lesson to the club “Money can’t buy the Champions League.” Recently, however, Real have brought down their spending, but Ronaldo apparently is still a target for them.

The “rights and wrongs” at the Bernabeu

Liverpool didn’t really do any wrong in the first leg, so let’s just move through what Real did. Real attacked and held 56 percent of the possession to Liverpool’s 44. Real had eight shots wide, five on target. They also had seven corners to Liverpool’s one.

They did everything right, well, except the way they used their possession.

I don’t know whether it’s just me, but Robben gets to me these days. There is no doubt that he definitely has class and is energetic. He, at times, doesn’t pass the ball to his teammates and goes for it himself.

He dribbled well into the box at times but didn’t square the ball off to any of his mates. Robben is just not a team player for me. If Robben continues doing so, he should be taken off at Anfield.

Raul wasn’t allowed a wisp of the ball by Benayoun and Carragher. The midfielders, including Robben have to create more chances for the strikers, Raul and Higuain, as well as make more space for them. Real also have to take more advantage of set pieces.

Seven corners, and yet they failed to score!

Then comes the defence. I don’t why Fabio Cannavaro is deemed as great defender. Metzelder could have honestly done a better job. He did defend well, but take a look at Jamie Carragher at the other end. It’s an absolutely different story!

How Real can win the second leg

First of all, Robben has to PASS the ball! Secondly Higuain and co have to stop trying to shoot from outside the box and move into the box, in order to get into good shooting positions.

Thirdly, the defence has to improve, especially at set pieces, considering the fact that one of the shortest men on the pitch, Yossi Benayoun managed to score from Fabio Aurelio’s free kick.

Raul and Higuain need more supply in order to score. Real can also make good use of Van der Vaart for dead ball situations. Heinze hopefully will be on the bench.

Prediction

I don’t think Juande Ramos will make any particular changes. Liverpool will know that a goalless draw will be enough to go to the next round.

Final Score: Liverpool 0:0 Real