Reds look for Madrid miracle

Champions League talking points: Reds look for Madrid miracle

Jurgen Klopp needs to mastermind a Liverpool win at Real Madrid

Manchester City and Liverpool are back in Champions League action this week for their round of 16 second legs.

City face RB Leipzig at the Etihad and Jurgen Klopp’s Reds travel to Real Madrid. Porto’s clash with Inter Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt’s trip to Napoli complete this week’s games.

Here, we take a look at five of the top talking points.

The reds must climb the mountain
Liverpool face a Herculean task as they try to overturn a 5-2 first-leg deficit after falling to their record European defeat at home three weeks ago.

He’s made some incredible comebacks in the Champions League, overturning a three-goal deficit in the 2005 final against AC Milan in Istanbul and the 2019 semi-final against Barcelona, but if Klopp’s team could turn around their round of 16 tie final at the Bernabéu, it could be said that he would overcome everything.

true voodoo
Liverpool must end a 14-year losing streak to reach the quarter-finals for the fifth time in six years.

It was in 2009 that the Merseysiders last defeated Madrid, winning 4-0 at Anfield in the same phase of the tournament.

The Spaniards have proven to be the dominant force in seven meetings since then with six wins and one draw.

Two of those wins for Los Blancos came in Champions League finals, 2018 in kyiv when Gareth Bale scored twice and last season in Paris.

Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the Champions League final last season
Pressure across the city
City are heavy favorites to reach the quarter-finals for the seventh time in the last eight seasons after returning from Leipzig with a 1-1 draw.

A Champions League triumph with the Citizens remains Pep Guardiola’s engine, but his team must remain focused on the here and now against dangerous opponents.

Leipzig beat City at home in the group stage last season and the pressure is on the English champions to progress.