The Daily Star Ireland
This summer marked a significant shift for Liverpool with the departure of Jürgen Klopp, a key figure in the club’s history. His Dutch successor, Arne Slot, quickly won over both players and fans. Under Slot’s guidance, Liverpool has taken control of the Premier League, leading Manchester City, the four-time defending champions, by 5 points.
Apart from an unexpected 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in September, the Reds have enjoyed impressive victories over teams like Bournemouth, Wolverhampton, Crystal Palace, and Chelsea, alongside a solid 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
A recent win against Aston Villa has helped them maintain their top position. Liverpool is also performing well in cup competitions, including a 2-1 win over Brighton and an undefeated run in the Champions League, where they lead their group after a dominant 4-0 victory over Leverkusen.
On the other hand, Real Madrid has been struggling. Their recent 3-1 loss to AC Milan in the Champions League has added to their troubles, following a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico, where Real Madrid was thoroughly outplayed, especially in the second half. The last time Real Madrid suffered such a heavy loss to Barcelona, they went on to win both La Liga and the Champions League. However, this season, Barcelona appears much stronger, and Real Madrid’s defense of their 36th La Liga title is under serious question. Despite a 4-0 win over Osasuna before the break, injury concerns are mounting with three players sidelined during the match.
For Liverpool, there is good news as some key players are recovering. Eliott has already returned to training, with Chiesa and Jota expected to follow soon. Alisson, who has been ably replaced by Kelleher, is also on track to return. However, Alexander-Arnold remains sidelined, and his return date is uncertain.
Luis Diaz, who has been in excellent form with 5 goals and 2 assists in the league and a hat-trick in the Champions League, may line up alongside Gakpo or Nunez, who scored before the break. Salah, with 8 goals and 6 assists in the Premier League, will undoubtedly be a key figure in the attack. Liverpool’s defense, led by Konaté and van Dijk, and the impressive Gravenberch in midfield, remains the strongest in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s injury list continues to grow, with Militao and Carvajal ruled out for the season due to serious knee injuries, alongside Joan Martinez. Additionally, Lucas Vasquez and Rodrygo have recently been injured, joining Courtois, Tchouaméni, and Alaba in the treatment room. Despite some of these players resuming training during the break, including Rodrygo and Vazquez, Real Madrid is being cautious with their recovery. Courtois, however, is expected to return to action soon.
The team will also rely on Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy, and Kylian Mbappé, who is in good form, as well as Vinicius Jr., who earned a second-place finish in the Ballon d’Or and scored a hat-trick against Osasuna. Jude Bellingham, who also scored in that match, has started his season strongly.
Prediction
With Liverpool’s recent run of form, including eight wins in their last nine games, they have surged to the top of the Champions League standings, having won all five of their home matches during this period. In contrast, Real Madrid has struggled in away games, losing 10 of their 13 matches on the road this season.
Prediction: Liverpool 2 – 1 Real Madrid.
