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    Liverpool vs Real Madrid Wags, from models to a Little Mix singer, as the European giants meet in the Champions League

    THEY don’t call it the beautiful game for nothing.Excitement is at fever pitch ahead of tonight’s Champions League last-16 clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
    Excitement is at fever pitch ahead as Liverpool take on Real Madrid in the Champions LeagueCredit: AFP
    And these stunning Wags will be cheering on their other halves when The Reds take on Los Blancos in the first leg of their last-16 clash.
    As the saying goes, behind every man is a great woman, so we kick off the interest early with the lowdown on some of the players’ wives and girlfriends who provide them with much-needed support at home.
    From a doctor and architect to a world-famous singer and a reality TV star, this lot are in a league of their own . . .
    Mishel Gerzig – goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois
    Mishel Gerzig and Thibaut Courtois were first spotted together in 2020
    IT’S not hard to see why Israeli model Mishel, 25, caught the eye of the Belgian goalie, 30, who slid into her DMs on Instagram.
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    The pair were first spotted together in Ibiza after Belgium were knocked out of Euro 2020.
    This summer the happy couple got engaged, as Courtois dropped to one knee to ask for his beloved’s hand in marriage.
    Jordan Ozuna – striker Karim Benzema
    Karim Benzema’s Wag Jordan Ozuna used to be a waitress at Hooters
    Model Jordan used to work as a Hooters waitress in Las Vegas but is now signed to several US-based modelling agencies.
    The stunning 32-year-old has used her enviable figure to help promote State Management, Caroline Gleason Management, Tricia Brink Management, and The Salt Agency.
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    She joined Benzema at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where he was crowned the world’s best player.
    Sandra Garal – forward Marco Asensio
    Sandra Garal met Marco Asensio while working as a nightclub waitress
    SANDRA met Marco, 27, while working as a waitress in a nightclub in 2019.
    The Spanish couple managed to keep their relationship a secret for months.
    The 26-year-old, who studied architecture in Madrid, now models and has over 340,000 Instagram followers.
    Maria Julia Mazalli – forward Vinicius Junior
    Maria Julia Mazalli started dating Vinicius Junior in 2019
    AN eagle-eyed fan revealed the 22-year-old winger was dating Maria in 2019 after they each posted selfies in the same bathroom.
    The 27-year-old influencer found fame on Brazilian reality show, Holiday With The Ex in 2017.
    Natalia Becker – goalkeeper Alisson Becker
    Natalia Becker met Alisson Becker in their native Brazil in 2012
    BRAINY Natalia, 31, met Alisson, 30, in their native Brazil in 2012 while she was studying to become a doctor.
    They married in 2015 and moved to Liverpool three years later.
    They have three kids – Helena, five, Matteo, two, and Rafael, one.
    Larissa Pereira – striker Roberto Firmino
    Larissa Pereira and Roberto Firmino were married in 2017
    THE model married Roberto, 31, in their home country of Brazil in 2017 after three years together.
    As well as being a mum to their three daughters, the 30-year-old is an entrepreneur, having founded fashion brand BeValen Store.
    Rike Nooitgedagt – defender Virgil van Dijk
    Rike Nooitgedagt and Virgil van Dijk were childhood sweethearts and wed in 2017
    FIERCELY private Rike, 31, gave up her job as a fashion sales manager to support the 31-year-old Dutch ace when he signed to Celtic in 2013.
    The childhood sweethearts wed in 2017 and have kids Nila and Jadi.
    Rute Cardoso – forward Diogo Jota
    Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota are childhood sweetheartsCredit: rutecfcardoso14/Instagram
    CHILDHOOD sweethearts Rute, and Diogo, both 26, met at school in their native Portugal.
    Rute seems to have settled well into life in the UK and even admitted to being a fan of Peaky Blinders.
    The couple have a one-year-old son called Dinis.
    Perrie Edwards – midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Perrie Edwards have become one of the hottest showbiz couples
    THE Little Mix star and Alex, both 29, have become one of the hottest showbiz couples since they started dating in 2016.
    They welcomed son, Axel, in 2021, and Perrie looked incredible on the girl band’s recent Confetti Tour.
    Saffie Khan – midfielder Curtis Jones
    Saffie Khan and Curtis Jones went Instagram official in 2021
    THE couple went Instagram official in 2021, but it is believed they have been dating since 2019.
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    Saffie is signed to M Models Management and lives with Curtis, 22.
    The 20-year-old often shares snaps of her lavish holidays with her 40K followers. More

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    Play Single Game Survivor while watching Liverpool v Real Madrid tonight – get predictions right to win cash!

    LIVERPOOL meet Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 tonight at Anfield, a repeat of last season’s final.With so much excitement around this blockbuster fixture, we’re offering fans and neutrals alike the chance to win some cash through Single Game Survivor!
    Simply make a few predictions around the game (first booking, first team to two corners, etc) and if you’re proved correct you’ll bank a wedge of the prize pot.

    CLICK HERE TO PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR FOR LIVERPOOL V REAL MADRID TONIGHT!

    What is Single Game Survivor?
    Single Game Survivor takes its inspiration from our Classic Survivor Game.
    In Classic Survivor, you pick a Premier League team to win each week. They win, you survive; they don’t, you’re out.
    And it’s exactly the same principle with Single Game Survivor (or SGS as it’s more snappily known), except that in this game you make picks during a single match – in this case, Liverpool v Real Madrid.
    Get your predictions right as the game goes along and you’ll survive; but get them wrong and you’re out.
    The pleasant twist? You get two lives to play with!
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    How do you make picks in SGS?
    Ahead of the match, we’ll serve up some questions for you to consider. Such as:

    Which team will score first?
    Which of these four players will have a shot on target first?

    And so on.
    Win these mini-battles to keep yourself alive!
    Credit: DREAM TEAM
    How do I win money in SGS?
    Now for the good bit.
    You get two chances to win in SGS, with the first cash prize coming if you survive until half-time.
    If your sharp football instincts help you survive until full-time, you take a share of the prize pot that remains.
    Why should I play SGS?
    QUICK MONEY With our two chances to make money – half-time and full-time – you might win money in just 45 minutes!
    TWO LIVES You get not one, but two lives as you chase down the cash!
    BEAT THE REST Test your knowledge against our thousands-strong community
    LIVE EXPERIENCE See your rivals eliminated and the prize pool increase during the match
    What’s the best way to follow SGS?
    Follow along live with us!
    Sign-in to your account and track all the key moments via our live tracker to see how they affect you and your rivals.
    You’ll also be able to see how the cash pot rises as players get knocked out!
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    Play Single Game Survivor for Liverpool v Real Madrid by grabbing your entries by Tuesday, 21 February at 8pm.

    CLICK HERE TO PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR FOR LIVERPOOL V REAL MADRID TONIGHT! More

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    More trouble for Graham Potter as Champions League rivals Borussia Dortmund are ONLY team in Europe with impressive stat

    PRESSURE is piling onto Chelsea boss Graham Potter, and an impressive stat boasted by Borussia Dortmund does not bode well for him. Chelsea are on the brink of elimination from the Champions League following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Germans in the first leg of their last 16 clash.
    Graham Potter is under intense scrutiny at ChelseaCredit: Reuters
    But Borussia Dortmund boast an incredible stat which could prove to be Chelsea’s downfallCredit: Getty
    Chelsea must now overturn that deficit at Stamford Bridge on March 7.
    However, it could prove to be too tough a task for the out-of-form Blues, with Borussia Dortmund flying high in 2023.
    The German title challengers are the only side in Europe’s Top 10 leagues to have kept up a 100 per cent record in all competitions since the turn of the year.
    They have won eight games from games in all competitions, and are now level on points with Bayern Munich and Union Berlin at the top of the Bundesliga.
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    Strike starlet Karim Adeyemi, who scored against Chelsea in the first leg, has been ruled out of the second leg.
    Despite this, Dortmund will not necessarily be weaker by his absence, with English wonderkid Jamie Bynoe-Gittens – dubbed the next Jadon Sancho – set to replace him in the line-up.
    Chelsea’s horror run continued at the weekend when James Ward-Prowse’s stunning free-kick earned Southampton a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
    Potter, who now sports the WORST record of any manager in Chelsea’s Premier League history, came under fire for his team selection in the fixture.
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    The ex-Brighton boss was questioned for starting kid David Datro Fofana, despite splashing £600million on new transfers.
    Thus far, Potter has been backed by owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, with the owners appreciating Potter has had to work with an injury-ravaged squad since replacing Thomas Tuchel in the dugout. More

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    Liverpool will need to help Alexander-Arnold in Vinicius Jr duel if they are to avoid Champions League final repeat

    LIVERPOOL are looking to put last year’s Champions League final nightmare behind them as they face Real Madrid once again.Jurgen Klopp claimed it was “torture” even watching the clash in Paris back on video.
    Vinicius Jr will be looking to terrorise Liverpool againCredit: Alamy
    Trent Alexander-Arnold may need some help from team-mates to contain ViniciusCredit: Getty
    The defeat was all the more agonising for the fact that the Reds dominated most of the match while Carlo Ancelotti’s side relied on an inspired Thibaut Courtois to see them through.
    But there was one individual battle in which Liverpool will have to do better this time around.
    Despite Karim Benzema winning the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Jr was the key man in the French capital back in May.
    The Brazilian scored the only goal as he stole in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, who appeared not to anticipate his run.
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    Former Reds boss Rafa Benitez knows a thing or two about beating Real Madrid, having secured a whopping 5-0 aggregate win in 2009.
    And he says the Reds holding midfielders and centre-backs will be key in stopping Vinicius.
    Benitez told The Times: “Vinicius Jr scored at the far post ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, but it is unfair to blame the Liverpool defender for the outcome that night.
    “If you look at the build-up, Real beat Liverpool’s press a number of times. This was not a goal where one player was caught out.
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    Vinicius Jr’s heat map from Real Madrid’s last game against Osasuna
    Trent Alexander-Arnold’s heat map from Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Newcastle
    “Vinicius can follow his rival, Alexander-Arnold, but he will not do that all game because it is not his mentality.
    “So if Real regain the ball and can then avoid the first pressing line of Liverpool, there could be a big gap for them to exploit.
    “Liverpool will know that this means the centre-back, Joel Matip or Joe Gomez, or the right-sided central midfielder, Jordan Henderson, must be alert to protect this space.
    “Also, when both teams play 4-3-3, the holding midfielder is an important position.
    “The player is free sometimes and both teams will want someone dropping into the No6 role and trying to disrupt their rhythm.
    “Real manage the ball well and can be dangerous on the counter-attack because they have pace and they are precise.
    “But if Liverpool can regain the ball quickly, that will make it very difficult.”
    Benitez also feels Stefan Bajcetic could prove an unknown quantity and secret weapon for Liverpool against Real Madrid.
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    He said of the Spaniard: “From the displays I have seen, he is tactically good, takes up good positions in midfield and can anticipate what is going on.
    “He will help Liverpool’s press.”
    Vinicius Jr has a fantastic record in the Champions League so far this season
    Trent Alexander-Arnold has been a little less impressive, as Liverpool finished second in their group to Napoli More

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    Carlo Ancelotti reveals he gave special gift to Jurgen Klopp after pair became close while both living in Liverpool

    REAL MADRID boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he gave Jurgen Klopp a special gift after the pair became close while both living in Liverpool. Eight months after the Champions League final in Paris Ancelotti and his Madrid side are back in Liverpool as they prepare for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
    Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti shake hands before last season’s Champions League final.Credit: The Times
    Ancelotti and Klopp became close when the pair both lived in Liverpool.Credit: AFP
    The pair became close when they both lived in Liverpool during Ancelotti’s time managing Everton.
    Speaking to Sky Sport Ancelotti opened up on his relationship with Klopp.
    He said: “I have a good relationship with him. We spent a year and a half here in Liverpool during the pandemic.”
    The Italian also revealed that he gave the German a special gift.
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    He added: “We texted and exchanged gifts. He is a very lovable person. What was the gift? An electronic cigarette”.
    Real Madrid have a good record against Liverpool having beaten them in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals as well as knocking them out in the quarter finals during the 2020/2021 season.
    Liverpool haven’t beaten the Spanish champions in their last six encounters losing five and drawing one.
    Klopp’s men have struggled this season but big European nights at Anfield tend to bring the best out of them.
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    The Anfield outfit head into the first leg on the back of consecutive wins in the Premier League and seem to be finding their stride again.
    Ancelotti is the most decorated manager in Champions League history having lifted the trophy four times, twice with AC Milan and twice with Real Madrid.
    The first leg takes places at Anfield tonight with the second in Madrid on Wednesday, March 15. More

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    Man Utd and Chelsea transfer target Victor Osimhen broke Cristiano Ronaldo jump record and plays like Didier Drogba

    MANCHESTER menaces Erling Haaland and Marcus Rashford are the talk of the Premier League — but a star 1,500 miles away is causing a stir in Italy.Nigeria hitman Victor Osimhen has scored 19 in 23 games for runaway Serie A leaders Napoli and has been compared to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba by none other than old boss Jose Mourinho.
    Victor Osimhen is in red-hot form for Napoli this seasonCredit: AFP
    He has been compared to Chelsea legend Didier DrogbaCredit: AP:Associated Press
    If the Blues have their way, Osimhen could follow in Drogba’s footsteps this summer should Todd Boehly prise him from stubborn Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
    The new Chelsea owner is considering a £110million summer swoop, as revealed by SunSport earlier this month.
    Nigeria hero and ex-Everton forward Daniel Amokachi reckons Lagos-born Osimhen is a blend of THREE legendary African strikers — not just Ivorian Drogba but also Liberia talisman George Weah and Nigeria star Rashidi Yekini.
    The 1994 World Cup star told SunSport: “Osimhen is a reflection of Rashidi Yekini, Didier Drogba and George Weah.
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    “That’s what makes him different. All those players never gave less than 100 per cent.
    “He’s the same. He’s strong, he shoots very good, he’s technically sound, he’s got speed. He’s the best No 9 in the world.”
    Osimhen, 24, is spearheading Napoli’s charge to their first Scudetto since Diego Maradona inspired the 1990 title triumph.
    Tonight, Osimhen will be gunning for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
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    He won Serie A’s player of the month for January — scoring an outrageous goal against Mourinho’s Roma — and could be Player of the Year.
    But with long limbs and a spindly frame, he looks more like a basketball player than a footballer.
    He broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the highest jump in Serie A earlier this month with an astonishing 2.58metre leap.
    His pace and strength are too much for defenders to deal with on top of his superb link-up play and movement into space.
    Osimhen scores all types of goals, whether they be poacher’s tap-ins, headers and long-rangers off each foot and even from almost impossible angles, as he proved with his effort at Sassuolo on Friday.
    It has been some journey to the top for the striker, though, with regular injuries and even at one stage a bout of malaria impeding his progress.
    Osimhen recorded the highest jump in Serie ACredit: AFP
    He broke the previous height set by Cristiano RonaldoCredit: AFP
    Osimhen has the third best minutes-per-goal ratio in Europe this season
    He moved to Wolfsburg in Germany as a 17-year-old, before heading to Belgium with Charleroi and then on to France with Lille.
    It was there, he played alongside ex-Southampton star Jose Fonte.
    The pair struck up a friendship, despite their 15-year age gap, and still stay in touch.
    Euro 2016 winner Fonte, 39, told SunSport: “Apart from being a great footballer, he’s a very nice guy who wants to listen and get better every day.
    “He likes to laugh, tell jokes and have fun. He’s a hard worker but he’s very sociable.
    ‘NIGHTMARE TO PLAY AGAINST’
    “It’s a nightmare to play against him because he doesn’t stop running.
    “He’s fast, he’s tall, he’s competitive, he’s aggressive, he doesn’t shy away from tackles and cherishes defenders being physical with him.”
    Convincing Napoli to sell will not be easy, with just over two years remaining on his contract.
    De Laurentiis stated publicly that the forward, who wears a protective mask after breaking a cheekbone and eye socket in November 2021, is not for sale.
    Amokachi, 50, who now works as a special advisor to the Nigerian sports minister, said: “It’s rare Napoli release players. He’s a fans’ favourite. I don’t see them letting him go.
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    “But if they do, Osimhen can fit into any league in the world.”
    While Fonte added: “He’s not the final product, that’s the scary thing — he’s getting better and better.”
    The Nigerian enjoyed his spell with LilleCredit: Getty
    Napoli are determined to keep hold of their main manCredit: Getty More

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    I went from Champions League glory with Chelsea to Thomas Tuchel’s scapegoat – but now I’m loving football again

    TIMO WERNER conquered Manchester City in the Champions League with Chelsea — and now he is out to do it again with RB Leipzig.The German star has spoken out about his Blues agony and taken a swipe at former boss Thomas Tuchel for having a short memory over his previous achievements.
    Timo Werner failed to ever really hit top gear at ChelseaCredit: Getty
    The striker is back loving his football at RB LeipzigCredit: Reuters
    Werner took a swipe at former boss Thomas TuchelCredit: Reuters
    But having escaped his two-year Stamford Bridge spell to return to Leipzig last summer, the 26-year-old forward has come full circle having rediscovered his love for football.
    Ahead of City’s last-16 clash in Leipzig on Wednesday, he told SunSport: “I had a very good first six months at Chelsea, which was what the supporters and club expected of me.
    “I scored the goals and played good games.
    “When you come from the kind of success I had in Germany or with Chelsea — playing nearly every game in the first season, winning the Champions League in 2021, scoring in the semi-final against Real Madrid, making a lot of goals.
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    “Then all this gets a little bit forgotten by the manager, it was not really fair.
    “That was also a reason I had to move back to Leipzig, to get the enjoyment again.
    “I didn’t feel that any more but you need it to be successful.
    “In the end a manager likes some players more than others — it’s completely normal and you have to accept that.
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    “Maybe yes, in the end I just wanted out.”
    Werner started up front as Chelsea beat City 1-0 in Lisbon to become European champions in May 2021.
    But Romelu Lukaku’s £97.5million arrival from Inter Milan just three months later left him doubting countryman Tuchel’s faith in him.
    He added: “The biggest problem was he put a striker like Lukaku in front of me in the second season after I won the Champions League by nearly playing every game in the first squad.
    “That was the toughest moment for me to get a player, a very good player, in front of me for 120million euros.
    “Romelu was a big striker and had to play after costing so much and I didn’t feel honoured enough.
    “Maybe that was also a reason why I had ups and downs.”
    In the end a manager likes some players more than others — it’s completely normal and you have to accept that.Timo Werner
    Werner scored 12 and assisted 15 in 52 matches during his first Chelsea campaign before 11 goals and six assists came in his second and last term.
    He was most prolific in the Champions League — scoring eight in 17 across two seasons, including the opener in the Blues’ 2-0 semi-final first leg win over Real Madrid in 2021.
    His meagre return in all competitions could have looked different had he not had a staggering 38 goals chalked off for offside.
    But, having been brought in under Frank Lampard, Werner feels hard done by from his successor Tuchel for focussing on his missed sitters, rather than his ability to affect high-stakes games.
    After 18 months under Tuchel, Werner insists there is no bad blood.
    But he said: “The manager who brought me in Lampard was sacked a few months later which was not the best for a player who joined the club after talking to this manager.
    “In the end I missed some chances and was unlucky with VAR decisions.
    “You could see my confidence dropped.
    “From the outside it was easy to scapegoat me, whether that was from the media or coaches, whatever.
    “But at least the fans were always behind me, they supported me. I can’t say anything against them.”
    Moving to London in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis was also a factor given the forced isolation on the then-24-year-old player.
    He added: “In the first months, nothing was open, I was always sitting at home, spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve alone, to be always on games, of course that was tough.
    “Maybe you can say that was one of the reasons it didn’t work for me.
    “Maybe with a proper life, friends and family around me it would have been different.
    “It’s easy to point the fingers on those things, it is what it is now.”
    Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was keen to sign Werner the same summer he moved to Chelsea.
    Asked if he wished he had moved to Merseyside instead, he said: “It’s hard to say, the door was never really closed in those two years before I joined Chelsea.
    “At the time there were a lot of points that didn’t make my move to Liverpool happen.
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    “Covid was a big thing, a lot of clubs were unable to spend money while Chelsea were able to go all-in for players.
    “But to regret something? It’s too late.”
    Werner helped Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 over Manchester CityCredit: Getty More

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    Jurgen Klopp forced to endure ‘pure torture’ ahead of Liverpool’s crunch Champions League last 16 clash vs Real Madrid

    JURGEN KLOPP revealed the “pure torture” of watching back last season’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.But the Liverpool manager is hoping that his team can finally inflict some pain on Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the last 16 at Anfield on Tuesday.
    Jurgen Klopp rewatched last season’s Champions League final ahead of Tuesday’s gameCredit: PA
    Los Blancos defeated Liverpool 1-0 in ParisCredit: Getty
    Liverpool are gunning for revenge from May’s 1-0 defeat in Paris and Klopp has been boosted by back-to-back Premier League wins against Everton and Newcastle.
    He said: “I hadn’t watched the final again until the weekend.
    “Then I realised immediately why I hadn’t watched it back — because it was proper torture.
    “We played a good game and could have won the game.
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    “And that is the decisive word, ‘could’… they scored a decisive goal and we didn’t.
    “Real do not worry when other teams have a chance and they do not lose confidence. They know their chance will come. They are a team we can learn from.
    “But we have now had two wins. We feel it, we see it. It helps the mood massively.
    “Four weeks ago it would have been different but life is all about timing.
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    “We need to play two super games to go through. We have to be at our best to stand a chance.
    “For Real Madrid it is different — even if they don’t play their best they still stand a chance.
    “That’s what is special about them.”
    Klopp is hoping for a red-hot atmosphere at Anfield, knowing that his side may need all the help they can get.
    He said: “I can’t wait for the game.
    “Going to the Bernabeu will be tough too. But who cares? It is the Champions League.
    “One of the biggest games in the world.
    “It will be a top game and I’m happy we can play now. I expect Anfield on their toes. I am really happy for the fans, that they saw us in a better shape the last couple of games — that they have a bit more to look forward to. Let’s go together again.”
    Liverpool’s main injury worry is over striker Darwin Nunez, who suffered a shoulder issue against Newcastle.
    He is likely to need a late fitness test but he did train on Monday. 
    Klopp said: “We have to see how he can deal with the pain.”
    Los Blancos will be without two key midfield stars as both Aurelien Tchouameni and Toni Kroos are sidelined through illness.
    Left-back Ferland Mendy was already out, having missed the last month with a thigh issue.
    Read More on The Sun

    La Liga champions Real won 2-0 at tenth-place Osasuna at the weekend — with goals from Federico Valverde and Marco Asensio.
    In their midfield for that game, Luka Modric was joined by former Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos and France star Eduardo Camavinga.
    Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti are set to meet againCredit: Getty More