LIVERPOOL and Real Madrid contested last season's Champions League Final but one of them will bow out in the last 16 this year as they prepare to lock horns again.
Both sides have dipped since the Bernabeu giants edged that European showpiece, with Real Madrid trailing Barcelona in La Liga and Liverpool sitting eighth in the Premier League after a bad run of domestic results.
But these titans have still been performing well in Europe, with Jurgen Klopp's side winning five from six as Napoli pipped them to top spot in Group A and the European champions losing just once as they topped Group F ahead of RB Leipzig.
Liverpool's domestic form has picked up in the last couple of weeks, claiming successive 2-0 wins over Everton and Newcastle after a run of just one victory in seven games.
They still look vulnerable defensively though and Real Madrid will fancy their chances at Anfield after racking up four successive victories.
Two of those triumphs helped them land another Club World Cup crown and Carlo Ancelotti's men have followed that up with successive wins to nil back in Spain.
The next couple of weeks could define Real Madrid's season, with games against Atletico and Barcelona following this trip to Anfield, so Ancelotti will be determined to build some momentum.
How the bookies view it
Liverpool haven't impressed me this season so it could be worth backing Real Madrid to qualify before the first leg at a best 5/6 with William Hill. The best price for Klopp's side to reach the last 16 is 8/7 at VBet and the odds increase to 11/8 at BetUK if you back them for a win in this first leg. Real Madrid are 21/10 with SBK for an Anfield triumph while the draw pays 34/13 at VBet.
Head to head
Real Madrid hold the edge in this fixture, with that 1-0 in Paris last year making it five wins from their nine meetings. Liverpool have beaten them three times but only one of those victories came at Anfield, a stunning 4-0 triumph back in 2009.
Players to watch
Mo Salah has netted just once in his last seven games but is a player who often comes alive on the big stage. The Egyptian is 15/8 at SkyBet for anytime scorer while Unibet have him at 31/20 for over 1.5 shots on target.
Vinicius Junior was the matchwinner in last year's final and the Brazilian has been in electric form this year, with 17 goals for club and country. He could take advantage of Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive weaknesses and is 7/2 at William Hill for anytime scorer. Unibet also price him at a tempting 41/50 just to have a shot on target.
Anything else catch the eye?
We only saw one goal in that Paris, confirming my suspicion of a cagey game, and the last Anfield meeting ended in a 0-0 stalemate but I'd be surprised if we didn't see a few goals here.
Liverpool have been so open this season while every Real Madrid match in the group stage saw two goals at least. Ancelotti's side were also involved in some thrillers against English opponents in last season's knockout rounds so I like over 2.5 goals at 10/13 with SBK here.
Andy Robertson has looked back to his best in the last couple of games and plays with fire in the belly. He has been booked in two of his last four games and is 6/1 at Unibet for a card here which looks overpriced. He's also 17/20 with the same firm just to commit over 0.5 fouls and that looks a great option.
Liverpool won 11-3 on the corner count when Real Madrid last came to Anfield so it could pay to back them in that handicap here. BetVictor price Liverpool -2 at 11/8 and that seems worth a punt.
This UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool and Real Madrid will be played on Feb 21, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Liverpool vs Real Madrid prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
