- Hazard will miss his 10th straight game due to injury on Tuesday vs. Liverpool
- Hazard returned to training earlier this week, but was ultimately left out of Real’s 21-man squad
- Liverpool (+152) are slight favorites to pick up a win on the road
Later this week, Liverpool will take on Real Madrid in one of the most highly-anticipated Champions League clashes of the season. The first leg, which will be played on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabeu, will mark the first time the sides have faced off since the 2018 Champions League Final.
Real Madrid won the previous meeting, 3-1, but Los Blancos will be shorthanded for the rematch on Tuesday. Despite speculation that he could be healthy and ready to return for the quarterfinal tie, Real Madrid have left attacker Eden Hazard out of the 21-man squad for Tuesday’s game. Hazard has missed each of the last nine games due to injury, but he did return to training late last week.
Hazard Must Be “Patient”
Manager Zinedine Zidane said that the former Chelsea star must be “calm” and “patient” following the news that he would miss Tuesday’s game against Liverpool. The 30-year-old has played in just 36 games for Real Madrid since arriving from Chelsea in a blockbuster move in 2019. Hazard was supposed to be the long-term replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, but a rash of injuries has largely left Hazard unable to make his mark with his new club.
📋✅ Our 21-man squad for the match🆚 @LFC! #UCL pic.twitter.com/1Px28QcI5T
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 5, 2021
Hazard and defender Sergio Ramos have both been ruled out of the game against Liverpool, but Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Marcelo, and Raphael Varane have all been included in Real’s matchday squad.
Real Madrid started the season poorly, but they do come into the quarterfinal matchup in excellent form. Zidane’s side are unbeaten over their last 11 games in all competitions, a stretch that includes nine victories. Real are now just three points adrift of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid through 29 matches in the league.
When asked whether he feels as though his side is being underestimated, Zidane said,
“Well, I think so. In the end, we deserve trust. What we can focus on is the day-to-day job. This team never gives up on anything.” Of Hazard’s lengthy injury spell, Zidane said, “I need all of my players all the time and want them to all be fit and healthy and I don’t like it at all when they’re injured and what we want more than anything is to have Hazard back as soon as possible.”
No New Injuries for Liverpool
Liverpool have dealt with no shortage of their own injuries this season after winning the Premier League last term. The Reds did pick up a 3-0 win over Arsenal over the weekend, however, which has Jugen Klopp feeling optimistic about his team’s chances of finishing in the top-four at season’s end. Liverpool advanced to the quarterfinal round of Champions League after easily getting past RB Leipzig in the last round.
Seven players that started the 2018 Champions League Final for Liverpool – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah, and Gini Wijnaldum – are fit and ready to take part in Tuesday’s rematch. The game is currently listed as a pick’em at BetOnline, with Liverpool slight +152 favorites to win the game on the moneyline. Real are at +180 on the moneyline, while the draw checks in at +245.
Liverpool are just sixth in the Premier League on 49 points, though they’re slightly behind Tottenham Hotspur on goal differential for fifth. Fourth-place Chelsea are also just two points clear of both teams, which means Klopp’s side still have more than enough time to make up the necessary ground.
When asked about his personal clash with Klopp, Zidane replied,
“He’s a great coach. He’s coached for a long time and he has experience. He’s done very good work throughout his career, and everyone does their job their own way.”
With Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, and Jordan Henderson all out injured, Klopp is having to rely on a makeshift combination in central defense. Fabinho has filled in admirably all season long, while Nat Phillips has excelled in a replacement role in recent weeks. That combo is expected to start again on Tuesday in Madrid.
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
