Jamie Carragher isn’t ruling out the prospect of Liverpool retrieving their huge deficit in opposition to Actual Madrid tonight, however he believes the Reds should rating first in the event that they’re to have any hope of staying within the Champions League.
Jurgen Klopp’s facet face a frightening job on the Bernabeu as they search to protect their European hopes after a 5-2 first leg defeat at Anfield three weeks in the past.
The percentages are very a lot stacked in opposition to us, however the 45-year-old referenced the 2005 closing in Istanbul when the Merseysiders got here from three objectives down at half-time in opposition to AC Milan earlier than triumphing on penalties.
Coincidentally, the Rossoneri’s supervisor that night time was Carlo Ancelotti, who can even be within the Actual Madrid dugout on this event.
Chatting with The Athletic forward of tonight’s conflict, Carragher known as on the present Liverpool crop to summon the spirit of Rafa Benitez’ facet of 18 years in the past, however pressured the necessity to get the primary objective.
He stated: “The problem going through Liverpool isn’t as massive because the one going through us again then. We solely had 45 minutes to show it round from three objectives down however this Liverpool workforce have 90 minutes. That’s why I’d nonetheless say Istanbul has the sting even when they pull this one off.
“The largest factor is that Liverpool have to attain the primary objective on the night time. That’s important. They’ve to start out quick. Pulling one again provides you perception and one thing to construct on. That’s what occurred to us with the header from Steven Gerrard.”
It’s onerous to disagree with something Carragher says right here. Sure, the duty going through Klopp’s workforce tonight is a frightening one, and if Actual Madrid have been to attain first then it actually would appear irretrievable, however as issues stand it’s not incomprehensible.
Proper now, the mission is to attain three objectives inside 90 minutes. Simply 10 days in the past, Liverpool managed six objectives in 45 minutes with a second half efficiency for the ages as they battered an in-form Manchester United.
Actual Madrid don’t are likely to do collapses within the Champions League, however the Reds mustn’t be daunted by the opposition. Certainly, they’ll take solace from the quick begin they made at Anfield, going 2-0 up inside 20 minutes earlier than the wheels got here off.
An identical state of affairs tonight would alter the complexion of the tie significantly, and even when takes till the early second half exchanges for us to interrupt the impasse, that might ignite one thing in us and provides the house facet just a few jitters, akin to what Chelsea did in final 12 months’s quarter-finals.
