The 2022 La Liga champions might not be able to defend the domestic title this season, so we could see an intrinsic shift in their priorities soon. With a three-goal advantage over Liverpool heading into the second leg, Los Blancos have a clear path to the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Home advantage and a comfortable lead means Jurgen Klopp has to move mountains to keep their UCL hopes alive. The EPL squad has to produce a miracle performance and build on their impressive domestic league performance.

Nitrobetting shares the latest news, soccer odds, and special features throughout the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League season. Let’s get a closer look at the upcoming Real Madrid vs. Liverpool face-off in this preview.

Real Madrid vs. Liverpool 2023 Champions League Round of 16 Leg 2 Info

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#RMCity pic.twitter.com/2H2pdH7eI4

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) March 10, 2023

• When: Wednesday, March 15 at 4:00 pm ET
• Where: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
• TV: ESPN
• Live Stream: Paramount+
• Soccer Odds: Real Madrid (+130) / Liverpool (+187) / Draw (+289)

READ MORE: Napoli vs. Eintracht Frankfurt 2023 Champions League Odds & Preview (Mar. 15)

Why is Real Madrid a safe bet to win?

The stars aligned for Madrid in the first leg of the matchup. Carlo Ancelotti holds an imposing three-goal lead over their English competitors. More than that, the club gets a home advantage this time and could play crucial to their quarter-final aspirations.

It’s easy to back Real Madrid in this situation. They outclassed Liverpool at Anfield in the first leg without a doubt. Based on the team’s form in recent weeks, the signs point us to another Madrid victory. The La Liga outfit recorded an unbeaten run in their last six games and have lost just one in their last ten fixtures. More than that, the head-to-head picture favors Los Blancos. They won six of the last seven meetings and haven’t lost any of the clashes.

With one leg in the quarter-final, we can look at how Ancelotti paints the picture. We could see major tweaks to their lineup given that they are currently fighting to get that top spot in domestic competitions and rivals Barcelona. With the injury woes of Karim Benzema, he is a prime candidate to sit out the game. Luka Modric could join the rotation as well.

So far, Madrid’s possible lineup looks like this: Courtois on goal, a back four including Alaba, Rudiger, Militao, Odriozola, midfielders Valverde, Camavinga, Ceballos, Asensio, with the duo of Rodrygo and Vinicius up front.

Possible Line-Up

• Courtois
• Rudiger
• Militao
• Alaba
• Nacho
• Camavinga
• Ceballos
• Modric
• Rodrygo
• Junior
• Valverde

Real Madrid’s Last 5

• Draw: 0-0 vs. Real Betis
• Loss: 0-1 vs. Barcelona
• Draw: 1-1 vs. Atletico Madrid
• Win: 2-5 vs. Liverpool
• Win: 0-2 vs. Osasuna

Why is Liverpool a safe bet to win?

Liverpool were previously reminded of last year’s Champions League final defeat to Madrid. The team conceded five goals in their first meeting and is definitely a disappointment considering they dropped the ball in front of Anfield. Notwithstanding, Klopp has another shot at revenge in the second leg. While the odds are against him and his men, their never-say-die attitude leads many to believe that the window of opportunity is there.

The Premier League outfit is coming off an incredible 7-0 victory over Manchester United in the first week of March. They have another clash with last-place team Bournemouth, which should inject more confidence into the team before taking on Los Blancos. There’s plenty of quality in this team. Although many say that this isn’t the same Liverpool team since the loss of Sadio Mane, several players continue to step up and try to fill the void.

Jurgen Klopp needs to name his strongest possible starting eleven here. The setup will look similar to their previous lineup, which features Alison in goal, and a back-four of Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Matip, and Robertson. Keeping the midfield and forward line alive are Henderson, Bajcetic, Elliott, 2022 World Cup winner Darwin Nunez, Jota, and star forward Salah.

Possible Line-Up

• Alisson
• van Djik
• Gomez
• Robertson
• Alexander-Arnold
• Fabinho
• Bajcetic
• Henderson
• Gakpo
• Nunez
• Salah

Liverpool’s Last 5

• Win: 7-2 vs. Manchester United
• Win: 2-0 vs. Wolverhampton
• Draw: 0-0 vs. Crystal Palace
• Loss: 2-5 vs. Real Madrid
• Win: 0-2 vs. Newcastle United

Real Madrid vs. Liverpool Betting Prediction

A three-goal deficit is tough to surpass, let alone do it on your opponent’s home ground. Everything looks to favor Madridistas, don’t jump the gun just yet. Elements of doubt remain when looking at Real’s figures and lineup. Their lineup for Wednesday might not be as effective as the opening leg. This is something Klopp can take advantage of early on. Darwin Nunez can get another early goal to cut the aggregate to two goals. He’s exactly what Liverpool needs to get back on track.

If all else fails for Madrid, their backline will have to tighten things up. Ultimately, there’s plenty of soccer to play and 90 minutes can deliver exhilarating moments and results.

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