After the Champions League last-16 draw on Monday, a majority of fans and pundits alike crowned Liverpool’s clash with Real Madrid as the tie of the round.
For starters, it remains intriguing to see whether the Reds will exact revenge in the much-awaited fixture, after tasting defeat in the Champions League final in May at the hands of Los Blancos.
Furthermore, both sides tend to always be box-office in Europe, due to their rich histories in the competition.
Additionally, it would be interesting to see how the tie unfolds, considering how both sides have been on opposite ends of the spectrum from a form perspective.
While Jurgen Klopp’s men have shown signs that their cycle may be coming to an end, Carlo Ancelotti’s troops arguably look a touch better this season.
However, the Merseyside-based side have showcased a tendency to still have the minerals to beat any side in the world on their day, as exemplified by their shock victories against Manchester City and Napoli.
Taking all the aforementioned factors into consideration, Graeme Souness gave his verdict on the draw from Liverpool’s standpoint.
“It’s what the name [of the Champions League] conjures up. Even when they’re [Liverpool] not going well domestically, they seem to turn up in those games”, he said live on talkSPORT (8/11), as relayed by Anfield Watch.
The former Reds midfielder continued, “But it really depends what Liverpool will be playing. When I saw Liverpool in the first half yesterday [against Tottenham Hotspur], that’s as good as it gets.”
“That was a team that was bang on it, they were fabulous. You’d say, they would be happy to play anyone in this competition if that was their standards and level of performance.”
“But in the second half, they played second fiddle to a Tottenham side who had upped their aggression and they found it hard to live with, so, it really depends on what Liverpool turn up.”
As Graeme Souness said, Real Madrid could well be in for a surprise if Liverpool are purring when both sides meet in 2023.
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