Preview: Alexander-Arnold’s Anfield return headlines Liverpool vs Real Madrid | OneFootball

Liverpool FC vs Real Madrid – Champions League Preview

Date: Tuesday, 4 November 2025

Venue: Anfield

Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Liverpool returns to the grand stage of the UEFA Champions League after a morale-boosting 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa. Yet the calm is deceptive: next up is Real Madrid, and the stakes could hardly be higher. For Arne Slot and his squad, this feels less like another group game and more like a defining moment for their season.

Real Madrid: ??Return of a Familiar Foe & a Familiar Face

Real Madrid arrive at Anfield full of confidence. Under Xabi Alonso, they’ve asserted themselves as a European force again — win after win, cohesion built, goals flowing. Liverpool will know that history matters: Madrid have claimed seven of the last nine meetings between these clubs and will arrive in the hope of a famous travelling victory.

Adding emotion to the occasion is the return of Trent Alexander‑Arnold, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid this summer. He’s back at Anfield in opposition colours, and the reception is bound to be electric. He described the moment this way:

Madrid’s squad boasts depth, experience and European instinct — but they’ll also be aware that Liverpool at Anfield can still hurt when they organise themselves.

Liverpool: Renewal or Regression?

Slot’s side enters this clash at a fork in the road. After weeks of friction and poor results, the win over Villa felt like a temporary relief more than a resolution. Now, against Real, the challenge is magnified: can Liverpool produce a performance that signals maturity, structure and belief?

Injuries remain a concern. Key players such as Alexander Isak are out. Meanwhile, right-back Jeremie Frimpong is ruled out for several weeks alongside Alisson Becker.  Regardless, Slot is expected to field a strong XI, seeking to recreate the discipline and clarity that escaped them for too long.

Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1):

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB: Conor Bradley

RCB: Ibrahima Konaté

LCB: Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB: Andy Robertson

CM: Ryan Gravenberch

CM: Alexis Mac Allister

AM: Dominik Szoboszlai

RW: Mohamed Salah

CF: Hugo Ekitike

LW: Florian Wirtz

Real Madrid (likely 4-3-3):

GK: Thibaut Courtois

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

RCB: Éder Militão

LCB: Dean Huijsen

LB: Álvaro Carreras

CM: Fede Valverde

CM: Eduardo Camavinga

CM: Jude Bellingham

RW: Vinícius Júnior

LW: Franco Mastantuono

CF: Kylian Mbappé

How Will the Contest Play Out?

Liverpool must reclaim their identity: control the ball, press when out of possession, and defend with coherence. Real Madrid, meanwhile, will look for moments — quick transitions, vast spacing and the instinct to punish errors.

The unfolding narrative adds as much to the drama as the tactics. Alexander-Arnold’s return, Liverpool’s identity crisis, Real’s continental pedigree — it all matters. Anfield will be rocking; the question is whether Liverpool can match the moment rather than be overwhelmed by it.

Player to Watch: Mohamed Salah

After a revitalising performance against Villa, Salah must now step into Europe’s spotlight and deliver the cutting edge that has sometimes been elusive this season.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 1 – 1 Real Madrid