Liverpool vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League team news and line-ups ahead of Anfield blockbuster

Arne Slot is releshing Liverpool’s biggest week of the season with games at home against Real Madrid and Manchester City – who have been the two best teams in Europe over the last five years.

“It is a big game, I think Real Madrid, Manchester City dominated Europe and the league for a few years now combined with Liverpool so it is a special week for us, especially because we play two times at home,” he said.

“If you are at Liverpool you always play big games but, yes, these two are special because these three clubs have dominated the league and Europe recently.

“I wasn’t aware of the fact we played them so many times. I was aware of the fact that two years ago they – I say ‘they’ because I was not part of it – were 2-0 up.”

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits Real Madrid carry a different aura into Champions League matches than other clubs which can give them a psychological advantage.

The Spanish club have become something of a nemesis for the Reds in recent years, beating them in the 2018 and 2022 finals in a sequence of eight matches in which they have won seven and drawn one.

Asked about whether Real have an advantage in that respect Slot said: “I think they might do.

“I cannot talk for all the other teams they face but when I worked at my former club (Feyenoord) I said many times we should take the (example) of Madrid, that they always find a way to win.

“They can win it in different ways and that is probably one of the reasons – apart from them having so much quality – that they won this tournament a lot.

“I can only speak for myself but maybe the players feel the same. They can win by being dominant and outplaying the opponent, but if it is a difficult game they always find a way to win the game or go to the next round.”

Florentino Perez may have been keen to grandstand at Real Madrid’s general assembly on Sunday, but some of his stars have been more concerned with just standing still. Almost literally. One player recently complained to friends – and anyone else who would listen – that the forward line does not run enough. It is not just one star’s gripe, either.

You only have to watch some of the matches. Madrid don’t look as finely honed as in recent seasons – and it’s not difficult to see what has changed.

Preview by Miguel Delaney

The best team in Europe against the best team in Europe? Real Madrid’s case to be deemed the outstanding side last season felt almost watertight. They were Champions League winners, albeit displaying their now familiar habit of flirting with an exit before staging acts of escapology. They won LaLiga by eight points, losing a solitary game out of 38.

The meaningful prizes do not come from being the best in autumn – this time two years ago, Napoli were arguably the finest team on the continent, yet only managed to reach the last 16 in Europe – but Liverpool were alone in possessing a 100 percent record after the first four matchdays of the revamped Champions League. They have an eight-point lead at the Premier League summit. They have won 16 of 18 matches under Arne Slot.

Big-match preview, by Richard Jolly

For Real Madrid, the big news is that Vinicius Jr will miss the match after picking up a hamstring injury in the weekend’s win over Leganes. In addition, notable absences for Los Blancos include Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, who have both suffered ACL injuries, as well as Aurelien Tchouameni and Rodrygo, who was absent for the game at the weekend.

Kylian Mbappe could lead the line in the absence of Real’s Brazilian duo, with Brahim Diaz the other option if the Frenchman is to play in his favoured position on the left. Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler will likely provide the support in attack, with Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga anchoring the midfield.

Ancelotti will likely have to go with a makeshift back four, with Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy the only two regular starters available – Fede Valverde covered at right-back last week, with academy prospect Raul Asensio used at centre-back.

Liverpool have no new injury concerns after the win over Southampton, with Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota the only notable absentees for Arne Slot’s side.

Conor Bradley will likely deputise for Alexander-Arnold at right-back, with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk likely continuing at centre-back with Andy Robertson on the left.

In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones could both retain their places, though Alexis Mac Allister could replace Jones as he did at the weekend.

In the more advanced positions, Slot has the ability to chop and change between Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo on the wings, though Dominik Szoboszlai and Mo Salah will likely keep their places after encouraging performances against Southampton. Up front, Darwin Nunez remains the only viable option to lead the attack.

Liverpool will face Real Madrid at 8pm GMT on Wednesday, 27 November at Anfield in Liverpool, England.

The game will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 7pm GMT. Subscribers can also watch via the discovery+ app.

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Premier League leaders Liverpool host Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight to start what is probably the biggest week of Arne Slot’s tenure so far.

The Reds sit eight points clear of Manchester City in the league ahead of facing the champions on Sunday, but first they must square off with the European champions at Anfield as they look to stay top of the competition’s new league table.

Slot’s side were perhaps lucky to mount a comeback away at Southampton last weekend, but it is a win that continues their near-perfect start to the season.

And a victory against Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid side would be another indicator of Liverpool’s credentials, as well as the ideal way to prepare for a potential title-decider this weekend.