Champions LeagueThe opposition lowdown: Real Madrid

Season so far

Xabi Alonso's team are the current pace-setters in La Liga having won 10 of their 11 fixtures so far this season.

They sit five points clear of rivals FC Barcelona after a 4-0 home victory over Valencia last weekend.

Real have a 100 per cent record in the Champions League, meanwhile.

They began this stage with a 2-1 home defeat of Marseille, coming from a goal behind.

A 5-0 win on the road at Kairat Almaty followed and Los Blancos then beat Juventus 1-0 last time out in the competition.

Kylian Mbappe has already racked up 18 goals this season, including five in the Champions League.

Team news

The visitors confirmed the below 22-man travelling squad before their flight to Merseyside on Monday.

• Read full pre-match team news here

Previous meetings

This is the second year in a row the sides have clashed at Anfield in the competition's league phase.

In November 2024, the Reds emerged winners from an eventful encounter courtesy of goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.

Mbappe saw a penalty saved for Real and Mohamed Salah sent a spot-kick of his own wide.

The Spanish team have the upper hand overall, however, with seven wins to Liverpool's four from their 12 previous meetings.

They are the only pair of clubs to have contested three different European Cup finals; the Reds won in 1981 and lost in 2018 and 2022.

What they said

Real head coach Alonso

"It's a 'clasico' of European football [against] Liverpool because of their history in the Champions League. It's one of those games the fans really look forward to seeing. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and myself have our history here at Liverpool and it's always great to come to a place where they've loved you so much. We're coming to do our thing, which is to play well and come away with a good result.

"I think many of [the Real team] have already experienced [the power of Anfield], in a negative context most recently, but maybe not in the past. There are moments in the games where it's almost like there is a force where the stadium is vibrating and it can help the home team very much. These are players who know when it's a heavily charged atmosphere, they know how to respond well.

"I really believe in my players. We can talk about it as well but it's just the players who go onto the pitch, I'm on the bench, and sometimes you lose control of the game. But you have to try to prepare them mentally for these types of games, that's really important. And then the footballing quality and the personality of these players will be determining."

Pre-match stats

• Real are playing in the Champions League for the 29th consecutive season, a record they share with FC Barcelona, and have reached the semi-finals or better in 12 of the last 15 campaigns.
• They have lost eight of their last 23 away games in this tournament.
• Real had more goal attempts than any other team in the competition during the first three matchdays (75).
• This is Real's 63rd meeting with an English club - to date, they have won 26, drawn 16 and lost 20.
• Real will be aiming to become the first team to defeat Liverpool three times in European competition at Anfield. Barcelona and Atalanta have also won twice at the stadium.