Real Madrid and Liverpool will be battling for a spot in the Champions League semi-finals in what promises to be a very interesting and intense showdown between two of the greatest European clubs.
‘Los Blancos’ will play the first leg at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano, where they will try to get a positive result before traveling to England for the reverse fixture at Anfield.
The hosts are the most successful team in the history of the competition with 13 titles, four of which (including three in a row) came in the last seven years.
However, since superstar Cristiano Ronaldo left the club, they have been knocked out in the round of 16 in the last two seasons, losing to Ajax and Manchester City respectively.
Madrid’s difficult path to get to quarter-finals
Zinedine Zidane’s men had a difficult group stage, together with Borussia Monchengladbach, Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk and at one point many believed the Spanish giants wouldn’t make it to the knockout stages, But Madrid proved why they can’t never be overlooked by beating their opponents when most needed.
Liverpool want revenge
Meanwhile, Liverpool go into the match with their 3-1 loss in the 2018 Champions League final in their minds. The Reds, who are fighting to be among the top four in the Premier League, are far away from leaders Manchester City and will try to get a good result against the Spanish giants.
However, Madrid have won eight and lost five of their previous 13 two-legged knockout ties with English clubs and they have been quite solid in LaLiga, where they are only three points away from leaders Atlético Madrid.
Ramos and Hazard, out
Real Madrid will play with a depleted defence as captain Sergio Ramos will miss the game due to a calf issue, as will full-back Dani Carvajal.
The other bad news for Zidane is that Eden Hazard, who was recovering from a muscular problem, won’t be available for this first encounter against Liverpool.
Raphael Varane didn’t play against Eibar in the Spanish league, but will be in the heart of defence, while Toni Kroos and Vinicius Junior are also expected to play from the start.
The Salah, Mané and Firmino connection
As for Liverpool, Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk will all miss the showdown.
Caoimhin Kelleher and Divock Origi could return to the bench, while Georginio Wijnaldum could replace James Milner in midfield.
Although Jota scored twice against Arsenal, the Portugal international may start on the bench once again, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino in the attacking line.
What time does the Real Madrid vs Liverpool match start?
The 2020/2021 Champions League quarter-finals first leg between Real Madrid and Liverpool will be played at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano and will kick off at 21:00 CET on Tuesday 6 April 2021.
That’s 20:00 in the UK, 15:00 ET and 12:00 PT.
Find out what time Real Madrid vs Liverpool gets underway where you are in the world.
Where can I watch Real Madrid vs Liverpool?
No matter where you are on the planet, you can see what channel the Real Madrid vs Liverpool match is available on here.
Spain: Mitele Plus, Movistar Liga de Campeones, Movistar+.
United Kingdom: BT Sport App, BT Sport 2, BTSport.com.
United States: TUDN.com, ZonaFutbol, Univision, Univision NOW, TUDN USA, TUDN App, Paramount+, TUDN Radio.
Is the Real Madrid vs Liverpool game online?
Real Madrid-Liverpool is available in most nations through the rights holders’ online platform, if they have one. The best option is to check who is showing the game in your country and if they have an online service or iOS/Android app to watch it on.
For example, CBS Sports Network has the rights of the Champions League for the US and you can watch the games on CBS All Access.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool: AS English live coverage
You can also follow our live text commentary, with all the key statistics, here on AS English. We will be building up to the match throughout the day before giving you a minute-by-minute account as it unfolds.
