Real Madrid Suffer Another Huge Injury Blow Ahead of Liverpool Clash | OneFootball

Liverpool Eye Advantage as Real Madrid Suffer Injury Setbacks before UEFA Champions League Clash

Liverpool return to the UEFA Champions League in buoyant mood following their Premier League triumph under Arne Slot in 2024. The Dutchman’s first season at Anfield restored domestic supremacy and now his attention turns to Europe’s most demanding stage. The meeting with Real Madrid on 4 November promises the kind of intensity supporters cherish, an occasion where history and rivalry feel inseparable.

Slot’s men approach this tie with renewed confidence, but they understand how slender the margins are in Europe. Every minor incident before the opening whistle can prove decisive.

Madrid Hit by Defensive Crisis

Real Madrid’s preparations have been unsettled by a spate of injuries that threaten to derail their early season momentum. Dani Carvajal’s latest setback has compounded the disruption. The right-back limped out of the Madrid derby complaining of pain in his right calf, and medical tests later confirmed an injury to the soleus muscle. Reports suggest the Spaniard faces around four weeks on the sidelines, ruling him out of the Liverpool tie.

Carvajal had already been suspended for Madrid’s opening Champions League fixture, so his absence in November extends what has been a frustrating period. He joins Éder Militão, who was forced off in the same derby, and Antonio Rüdiger, currently nursing a hamstring problem. To complicate matters further, former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made a surprise summer move to the Bernabéu, is also sidelined for six weeks.

Xabi Alonso Demands Response

Head coach Xabi Alonso, himself a former Liverpool midfielder, cut a frustrated figure after Madrid’s 5-2 defeat to Atletico in the derby. His side conceded five goals in a bruising loss that damaged not only their league position but also the dressing room’s morale.

“It was a bad game, we didn’t play well either collectively or under pressure, we weren’t at the level we should have been,” Alonso admitted. “We’re in a building phase, today is our first defeat, and we have to draw conclusions from what happened, but there are no excuses, we’re hurt, it’s a derby, and a deserved defeat.”

He added, “We weren’t on our game, we were lacking a gear, and the defeat hurts.”

Those words underline a Madrid side that is wounded yet determined to rebound. Alonso knows that his squad must regroup quickly to avoid surrendering further ground in both domestic and European campaigns.

Opportunity and Caution for Liverpool

Liverpool will sense an opportunity. Their attacking unit, which has flourished under Slot’s fluid style, will look to exploit a reshuffled Madrid defence lacking key personnel. However, history warns against complacency. Real Madrid have repeatedly proved capable of rising from adversity in the UEFA Champions League, and their pedigree remains formidable regardless of injuries.

Anfield’s faithful will be aware that success on such nights often depends on focus, patience and seizing pivotal moments. With both clubs steeped in European tradition, their November clash could influence the trajectory of the entire tournament.