Notable statistics of Liverpool - Real Madrid match
Liverpool lead the group before the start of this round of matches, with 4 wins from 4 matches against AC Milan, Bologna, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, defending champions Real Madrid have 6 points from 4 matches, ranked 18th out of 36.
Liverpool won their first seven games of the 2021-22 Champions League season, which was also the season they finished runners-up, after losing to Real Madrid in the final.
The Red Devils can again count on Mohamed Salah, who scored twice against Southampton last weekend and has now been involved in 66.7% of their Premier League goals this season (10 goals, 6 assists). The Egyptian has also provided at least one assist in each of his last three Champions League games.
While Salah’s tendency to cut inside from the right is well known, he is also adept at creating decisive plays from other areas of the pitch. Liverpool have scored five goals from crosses in the Champions League this season, with the last three coming from Salah.
Slot has preached the importance of control since taking over from Jurgen Klopp, but Liverpool's pressing remains fierce and could be the key to a fiery game at Anfield.
Ryan Gravenberch has been pivotal on that front, winning back possession more often than any other central midfielder in the Champions League this season (30 times), while also registering the highest pass completion rate (93%) of any Liverpool player.
Real Madrid are set to be Liverpool's toughest test of the season. Carlo Ancelotti's side warmed up for the trip to Merseyside with a 3-0 win over Leganes in LaLiga on Sunday, but were dealt a huge blow when Vinicius Junior suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out at Anfield.
This season, Vinicius has made a huge contribution to Real Madrid with 12 goals, 6 assists, and created 43 chances - the highest number in the team.
However, Los Blancos have coped well without Vinicius in the past. Since the start of last season, they have won 41 of their 57 games in all competitions when the Brazilian has featured (71.9%), but have won 75% of their games (12/16) when he has been absent. Madrid have also scored slightly more goals per game (2.4 vs 2.3) without the winger.
Real Madrid have lost two of their last three UEFA Champions League games, as many as in their previous 28 (W20 D6).
If they are to stop that run, Mbappe could be crucial. The Frenchman has scored 49 goals in 77 Champions League games and has the chance to become the fourth player to reach 50 goals in the competition, after Ruud van Nistelrooy (62 appearances), Lionel Messi (66) and Robert Lewandowski (77).
Head to head record Liverpool - Real Madrid
Real Madrid are the team Liverpool have lost to the most in European competition, having been beaten by Los Blancos seven times, including heartbreaking defeats in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals.
The last time the two teams faced each other was in the round of 16 in the 2022-23 season, when Madrid beat Liverpool 5-2 at Anfield before progressing with a 1-0 home win.
That away win made Madrid the first team in Champions League history to come back from two goals down to win by three, as well as the first away team to score five goals at Anfield in a European match.
The Liverpool vs Real Madrid match will take place at 3:00 a.m. on November 28.
