Fabinho warns Liverpool ‘can’t be desperate’ in Champions League last 16 vs Real Madrid

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Fabinho warns Liverpool that Jurgen Klopp’s squad cannot get ‘desperate’ early on at Real Madrid. The Reds visit Los Blancos in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

The Galacticos sealed a 5-2 win at Anfield to take commanding control of the game despite falling two goals behind. Liverpool must now win the reverse meeting by four clear goals in regular or extra time to advance. The tie will go to penalties if they are level on aggregate.

Darwin Nunez (4’) and Mohamed Salah (14’) showed in the first leg that Liverpool can hurt Real Madrid early on. But Vinicius Jr (21’, 36’) drew his La Liga squad level before the break at the Premier League side. Eder Militao (47’) and Karim Benzema (55’, 67’) then delivered.

Fabinho warns Liverpool against being ‘desperate’ at Real Madrid on Wednesday

But Fabinho believes Liverpool cannot burst out of the gates striving to reply straight away at Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Brazilian feels the Reds must keep calm to plug away at their deficit. Otherwise, Klopp’s squad could struggle to implement their best style of play.

“We have to try to enjoy the game,” Fabinho has told LiverpoolFC.com. “I think it will be important to not concede [and] to be intelligent in the game.

“We can’t be desperate early in the game because I think we have to be calm in every situation. It doesn’t matter what happens in the game, we have to be calm and try to play our best football.”

Klopp’s squad have shown they can punish teams if they wait

While Liverpool scored twice early on at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of the last 16 Champions League tie, Thibaut Courtois gave Nunez and Salah a hand. The Belgian was too slow to react to Nunez’s flick. His awful touch then gifted Salah the ball to score again.

Vinicius Jr, Militao and Benzema then complete the type of comeback Liverpool must now seek at Real Madrid on Wednesday. But as Fabinho notes, Klopp’s squad do not need to be desperate early. The Reds have shown they can punish sides if they wait for their chances.

Liverpool humbled Manchester United 7-0 in the Premier League with Cody Gakpo scoring their first goal after 43 minutes. The Anfield natives then turned on the style with Nunez (47’, 75’), Gakpo (50’), Salah (66’, 83’) and Roberto Firmino (88’) firing home past David de Gea.