Despite murmurs of dressing room discontent, Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid are rolling. Their 4–0 victory over Valencia means they remain five points clear at the top of La Liga, but a tough away day beckons in Europe on Tuesday night.
Madrid have beaten Liverpool in a pair of Champions League finals since 2018, but the Reds prevailed in their previous head-to-head tussle. It was a rare triumph for the Premier League club, but one which indicated the directions the two teams would be heading in 2024–25.
A campaign without a major piece of silverware rendered Carlo Ancelotti surplus to requirements, and although Alonso has had some issues keeping everybody within his superstar-laden squad happy, his team look well set to compete on multiple fronts deep into the season.
Alonso endured a 5–0 battering on his maiden Anfield return as a manager with Bayer Leverkusen last season, so the man in the away dugout will be aiming to enjoy a more fruitful return this time around. To give himself the best chance of doing so, he could select the XI that beat Barcelona in the first Clásico of the season.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool (4-2-3-1)
GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian has played every minute of Madrid’s season so far, and there’s no doubt that he’ll be relied upon between the posts at Anfield.
RB: Federico Valverde—The Trent Alexander-Arnold homecoming could be a non-event. The former Liverpool star isn’t 100% fit, and Valverde is a sure bet to start at right back on Tuesday night. Alonso waxed lyrical over the Uruguayan after Saturday’s win.
CB: Éder Militão—Militão’s level of performance this season has been mightily impressive, given his two major knee injuries. Some would argue that he currently ranks among Europe’s best centre backs.
CB: Dean Huijsen—Huijsen was back for the Clásico two Sundays ago, and he’ll assume his spot alongside Militão here. Hugo Ektiké is the man Madrid’s centre-back pairing will be tasked with slowing down.
LB: Álvaro Carreras—The Spaniard has been a hit so far, and his first goal for the club was a memorable one. Next up is a duel with Mohamed Salah.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga—Camavinga was among those who were swallowed up whole by the Anfield atmosphere last season, and he’s set to return to Alonso’s team here after appearing off the bench against Valencia.
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—He’s been one of the staples of Alonso’s Madrid so far, and the Frenchman will partner his compatriot on Merseyside.
RW: Arda Güler—Madrid performed effectively without a nominal right-winger in the Clásico, and we could see a similar ploy from Alonso here. Güler will be tasked with impacting the away side’s build-up and helping them progress through the thirds.
AM: Jude Bellingham—Bellingham has been brilliant as of late, and he’ll be keen to impress in his homeland.
LW: Vinicius Junior—The Clásico drama has seemingly subsided, and Vini Jr heads to a ground where he’s previously run riot. The Brazilian also scored against Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool: Alonso Picks Similar XI to El Clasico.
