As Real Madrid gets ready to play Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 encounter, Carlo Ancelotti gave his team a message.
Due to their 5-2 defeat at Anfield in the first leg against the defending champions, Liverpool will have a challenging challenge when they go to Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Despite the seemingly overwhelming challenge that Liverpool faces in the second leg at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is not expecting his squad to easily defeat Liverpool. Real Madrid gained a three-goal lead going into the second leg after rallying from two goals behind in the first leg at Anfield to win 5-2.
Ancelotti cites to his management of AC Milan in the 2005 final, where Liverpool memorably staged a comeback to win, as evidence that anything can happen in sport. He also mentions the quarterfinal second leg versus Chelsea from the previous season, which they lost 3-2 but advanced owing to their 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge. The goal for Ancelotti’s team is to attack and not take anything for granted.
The Italian remarked, “The message is fairly clear: don’t assume. “The players are aware that I believe it will be a close game since Liverpool will be here trying to influence the atmosphere.
We must correctly execute both our offensive and defensive strategies. We are considering the attack as well as defense.
It is a truth that no team has ever lost a knockout match at home by three goals in the first leg and come back in the second leg in the Champions League’s history. Carlo Ancelotti still thinks that his team must maintain a delicate balance despite this lead, though.
The match is more difficult for us psychologically than it is for Liverpool, he continued. “Liverpool come here to play their best from the first minute, no matter what. That was evident from the opening leg.
“We will strive to do everything we can right away, but we have more questions than the adversary.”
Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid striker who missed the team’s victory over Espanyol over the weekend, is now able to participate. Nonetheless, considering Real Madrid’s major counterattacking tactic, Vinicius Jr., who scored two goals in the first leg at Anfield, is anticipated to pose the greatest threat to Liverpool’s defense. Trent Alexander-Arnold, the right defender for Liverpool, will oppose the Brazilian winger and is probably going to be encouraged to get forward and support the assault. With earlier legends like Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, and Casemiro, Ancelotti thinks Vinicius Jr. can go down in Real Madrid history.
