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Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to Liverpool for the first time since leaving for Real Madrid in today's Champions League match.
The England right-back, having recently recovered from a hamstring injury, is not expected to start and instead looks likely to be named among the substitutes.
Madrid — managed by former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso — are one of five teams to have won all three Champions League matches so far this season, while Liverpool have won two of theirs.
GO FURTHER
Trent Alexander-Arnold mural in Liverpool vandalised ahead of return with Real Madrid
In the days before winning the Premier League last season, Arne Slot spoke out frustratedly about ‘truly pathetic’ time-wasting from opponents. The same message can be received very differently whether you are winning or losing.
Until recently, he had never lost three games in a row. As a head coach, he is in uncharted waters, because his reaction to a really bad run of form had not been tested.
Slot did adapt to managing a bigger team in Feyenoord than AZ, winning over skeptics. And he has since done it at Liverpool as well.
What he has not proven is his ability to return to the right decisions when nothing seems to be working and the whole world is watching.
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As the seats emptied at a rainy Anfield, the overriding sound was from the Crystal Palace fans, “Can we play you every week?” being chanted as they celebrated a third victory of the season against Liverpool.
This was another painful night for Liverpool. The majority felt it was a sensible decision to rest key players with bigger games on the horizon.
Yet the Palace defeat still felt like an opportunity for Liverpool to get back on track. Instead, Slot chose to focus on what lay ahead.
There is certainly a willingness to stick by the manager and the team during such adversity, but the goodwill won’t last forever.
Liverpool are playing through a crisis and taking far too many beatings. It has to change.
Stretching back from their first meeting in the European Cup on May 27, 1981— a 1-0 win in which Alan Kennedy scored — Real Madrid have the better of this rivalry.
Liverpool won the first three matches but, as mentioned, Real Madrid won seven of the next eight.
Arne Slot's side did win their last meeting and will be hoping to repeat the trick at Anfield.
The last time the two sides faced off, on November 27, 2024, Liverpool recorded their first win since 2009 against the Spanish giants.
That ended a winless run of eight against Real Madrid (seven defeats, one draw).
Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored second-half goals to give Arne Slot's side the three points in a match epitomised by Conor Bradley's crunching sliding tackle on Kylian Mbappe (see above).
Arne Slot cannot yet solve the problems that he so clearly sees.
“Teams have definitely (found) a playing style against us,” he said at the Gtech Stadium after Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat by Brentford. “We haven’t found the answer. Going 1-0 down after five minutes doesn’t help. We simply concede too many goals. It definitely has to do with changing a lot in the summer. I didn’t expect four losses in a row.”
Nine league matches into 2025-26, Liverpool look like collapsing as defending champions, akin to five years ago. The results are bad — four consecutive league defeats for the first time since February 2021 — and the underlying tactical problems are even worse.
Real Madrid are the fifth team with a perfect record, but have looked less than convincing in slender home wins against Marseille on Matchday 1 and Juventus this week.
Their title odds have stayed at five per cent, marginally lower than Barcelona’s six per cent.
However, among the teams to have won all three games, their chances of finishing between ninth and 24th spot are the highest at 29 per cent.
They have been given a five per cent chance (one in 20) of winning the whole thing.
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Liverpool rediscovered some of their mojo with a thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, whose games have all ended 5-1 (one win and two defeats).
The result increased Liverpool’s top-eight chances to 64 per cent and they are less than one per cent likely to be knocked out at this stage despite their shaky domestic form.
But their rivals’ displays have meant the odds of adding the European title to last season’s Premier League one have dropped from 15 per cent to 12.
Which club will win the 2025-26 Champions League?
Throughout the season, we will publish projections — powered by Opta data — to show how teams are expected to perform.
These will update after each matchday, so check in each time to see how the latest results have impacted your team’s chances.
Read more below!
GO FURTHER
Champions League 2025-26 Projections: Who will lift the trophy in Budapest on May 30?
Madrid's three matches in the league phase have brought three wins out of three, albeit accompanied by a couple of unconvincing performances.
Madrid went behind against Marseille but Kylian Mbappe's double turned things around despite Dani Carvajal's late red card.
Mbappe continued his fine goalscoring form with a hat-trick in Kazakhstan before Jude Bellingham scored the only goal of the game from close range in a tight tussle against Juventus last time out in Europe.
Here is how Liverpool's three European matches so far this season have shaken out.
Their opening match brought no shortage of drama as two very early goals were cancelled out by a Marcos Llorente double, only for Virgil van Dijk to steal the winner in stoppage time.
Victor Osimhen scored the only goal via the penalty spot as Liverpool lost in Turkey, before Slot and Co got back on the horse with a thumping win in Germany courtesy of five different goalscorers.
Real Madrid are in fifth, the lowest of the teams to have won all three of their opening three fixtures, because of their goal difference.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are in 10th place, narrowly outside the top eight automatic qualification slots.
They have six points from a possible nine after two wins and a loss from their first three games. Arne Slot's men can overtake today's visitors with a win, but they will need to win two or more goals.
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You can get involved in the conversation by getting in touch with us.
Email: live@theathletic.com with any comments, thoughts, questions or observations and we will look to use what we receive in our live coverage.
How much longer can Liverpool keep losing before Arne Slot becomes ‘under pressure’? Should Xabi Alonso drop Vinicius Junior for his outburst after being taken off against Barcelona?
And which side is more likely to win the competition?
Let us know!
It's the same deal for tomorrow, with nine more fixtures, two of which at 5.45pm GMT, 12.45pm ET and the rest at 8pm GMT, 3pm ET. First up:
And then:
We'll see you tomorrow for our coverage too.
There is a decent slate of nine Champions League fixtures today, two in the earlier kick-off slot of 5.45pm GMT, 12.45pm ET and the rest at 8pm GMT, 3pm ET.
The earlier two are:
Followed by:
We will, of course, bring you key updates from all the other games.
… Anfield, Liverpool
Anfield has been the spiritual home of Liverpool Football Club since the 19th century.
It will be packed to the rafters come kick-off time and ready to make an almighty din for the visit of one of their biggest rivals in chasing the Champions League crown in Real Madrid.
Opened in 1884, it hosted Liverpool's local rivals Everton for eight years, and holds 61,276 people. Expect a near-sellout today.
There’s no better time to jump on board and join us with a subscription to The Athletic.
We have Champions League and Premier League action to bring you from the world of domestic football, as well as more World Cup qualifiers and AFCON on the horizon before the end of the year.
Plus there is the conclusion of the F1 season, NFL and NBA are in full flow and much, much more to keep you occupied.
You can, and should, sign up on an exclusive offer here.
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Here's how you can watch the action live, without foregoing our live coverage here, of course.
The action begins at 8pm GMT, local time in the UK.
That works out as 3pm ET and 12pm (midday) across the pond in the United States.
Hello everyone and welcome along to The Athletic.
Today, it's a mouthwatering Champions League clash between two of the biggest and best clubs in European football.
Liverpool and Real Madrid. The most successful English club in terms of major trophies and the record 15-time winners of this top continental competition, the Champions League.
Tonight they meet at Anfield. So much is on the line. Who will come out on top?
Stick with us to find out.
