If you came away from Liverpool’s first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid with any excitement, you’re probably a blue nose! Let’s face it – The Reds face a massive uphill battle to overcome the defeat and make it to another European semi-final.
The season has been a bit of a write-off, and nobody seems to have any hope that Jurgen Klopp and his boys will rectify matters come the end of the season. It’s tempting for fans to assume the worst but, in reality, there are things to be hopeful for. Yes, the result isn’t as bad as it appears, and this is why.
The Away Goal Rule
There isn’t a rule that has changed the game in a more influential way. Unlike the Video Assistant Referee, also known as VAR, pretty much everyone agrees that away goals in Europe’s premier tournament makes it the best competition in the world.
Sure, the talent on show is immense, but teams need reasons to go out and take games by the scruff of the neck. Scoring away from home means they have the upper hand and are more likely to go through. Liverpool aren’t the favourites to qualify for the semis, but Salah’s fierce finish does give them a glimmer of hope. After all, the Champions League odds rank them as 20/23 favourites to beat Madrid at Anfield in the second leg.
Scoring two and not conceding against this Madrid outfit isn’t beyond the realms of probability. Usually, it would be considered as very doable, considering the firepower Liverpool have at the top of the pitch.
Previous Experience
It isn’t as if the club hasn’t been in this position before. There are several fixtures that fans and pundits can point to that act as character witnesses. Of course, the difference this time is that this squad has been there and done it themselves.
Yes, the fateful game at Anfield against Barcelona, where Liverpool managed to bang in four goals without reply, was only two years ago. As a result, the majority of the squad played in that campaign, making them perfectly placed to use the experience to overcome adversity against more Spanish opposition.
Virgil van Dijk will be a big miss because he’s a rock at the back. Still, there’s nothing to say that this Real side are more dangerous than the Barca team that included Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and failed to score.
4th Place
All in all, it will be a bit of a shock if Liverpool manage to pull it off in the second leg. That’s why they are 14/1 to win the entire tournament and 11/2 to reach the final. Compared to Man City, they are well behind in the bookies’ eyes.
That might not be a bad thing, though, as they are in danger of missing out on the Champions League for 2022. Getting knocked out isn’t nice, but it makes it imperative to qualify through the Premier League to have another go at immortality. Arsene Wenger once claimed it was a trophy in itself, such is the importance of fourth place. With three fewer games to play in an already mammoth season, The Reds would only a single goal to focus on, making it more attainable than if they had a potential semi-final and final to worry about.
With an away goal and experience of a similar situation, there’s a chance Liverpool could beat Real Madrid and move to the next stage of the Champions League. If they don’t, it could set us up nicely for next season.