Roberto Carlos believes Liverpool “should be worried” about taking on Real Madrid in the Champions League, speaking to Diario Libre, while giving his theory as to why Thiago Alcantara has struggled to make his mark at Anfield.
Neither Liverpool nor Madrid have set the world alight domestically this season but Europe is where two of the game’s bonafide superclubs come to life.
RB Leipzig and Atalanta were swatted aside with minimal fuss in the round of 16 and, with a place in the final four on the line, April’s titanic clash feels impossible to call.
However, if Liverpool can’t find a way to beat Brighton, Burnley or Fulham, what chance do they have against a Real Madrid side boasting the world-class talent of Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos et al?
According to legendary left-back Roberto Carlos, Liverpool should be quaking in their boots ahead of their first meeting with the Spanish giants since that 2018 match in Kiev.
“We have to be a little bit worried about Liverpool – but they should be more worried,” Carlos says.
“And we play the first leg at home. Real Madrid are in a really good moment and must decide the tie at home.
“The important thing will be for (Zinedine) Zidane to have all his players fit and ready, and that the injured players are back as soon as possible. It’s easy for him to be coach here because he has the best players at his disposal.
“If a game doesn’t turn out well, he has eight excellent players waiting in the wings who can step up.”
Thiago, meanwhile, will be under pressure to perform against the 13-time European champions after a difficult debut season at Anfield.
“Liverpool used to play into the forwards and (when) Thiago has arrived with his quality, his teammates have not adapted to his style of play,” Carlos adds of the former Bayern Munich playmaker.
“The problem is not Thiago, it is the change in style of his teammates.”
While Mo Salah doesn’t strike us as the bloodthirsty type, Liverpool’s Egyptian superstar will be desperate to make his mark in Madrid three years after he was forced out of the Champions League final after an infamous coming together with Real’s maniacal centre-half Sergio Ramos.
“Salah won’t go anywhere near Sergio!” Carlos quips. “I’m sure that will be an incident that will be talked about a lot running up to the game.”
He’s not wrong.
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