Liverpool – Real Madrid

Merseyside club will be closer to winning the first meeting with Madrid

The second toughest pairing in the Champions League last eight after PSG and Bayern will face each other in the first leg at Anfield. The FA did not spare Klopp's team too much by scheduling them an away match against a strong Newcastle side on Saturday evening. That said, the Reds handled a difficult opponent with honour, something that is far from always the case this season. Madrid come to this game with their pile of problems, but in the status of club world champions, which they won just over a week ago. Interestingly, both sides are among the five favourites to win the current Champions League title at the same odds of 12.0, but the home side have a slight edge in the odds going into this meeting. Liverpool reached a critical low point in terms of their form at the beginning of this year. The defeats to Wolverhampton and Brighton in the Premier League by a combined score of 0-6. Given that the Reds occupy a place in the middle of the English league table, even the great Jurgen Klopp could lose his chair because of such results. On the other hand, the last two fixtures in the English league have been nothing but positive for the Merseyside club's fans. First, Liverpool defeated Everton in the derby, and then, as the underdog, they cracked the best defence in the Premier League in the first half at Newcastle and achieved the final success. Despite Madrid holding firmly in second place behind Barcelona in the league, the problems discussed are almost as great as those of their rivals. There are injuries, management problems and Ancelotti's strained relationship with some players. Before departing for the Club World Cup in early February, the Royal Club lost 0-1 to Mallorca, demonstrating their propensity for missteps this season. Overall, Madrid have beaten Liverpool in head-to-head encounters more frequently over the past decade. That said, at Anfield, the Reds are unlikely to allow their opponents to take charge. It's a good bet that the Merseysiders will be closer to victory in the first leg.