European football returns to Anfield this season after a short-break as Liverpool welcome Real Madrid to Merseyside in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg. Jurgen Klopp's side will be desperate for a positive spin on this season as they continue to address their domestic form but first have to beat La Liga's champions for the first time since March 2009.
The Reds are the favourites ahead of the European night, under-the-floodlights of Anfield at 5/4 with Betfred while the Club World Champions are 21/10 and a draw is 12/5. This will be the fifth time the sides would have met under Klopp meeting in two Champions League finals - including last year's - and a quarter-final tie in 2021 with the German yet to secure a win against the Galacticos as Reds boss.
Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to mount a decent defence for the European title this season, especially so soon after becoming Club World Cup Champions. Madrid saw of Al-Ahly, Flamengo and then Al-Hilal in a eight-goal thriller in the final in Morocco thanks to notable performances from Brazilian Vinicius Junior who arguably kept Ancelotti's job safe for the rest of the season at least.
