UEFA Champions League
1st Knockout Round 1st Leg
Wed 25th February 2009, 7.45pm @ Santiago Bernabeu
Liverpool and Real Madrid, two of the European heavy-weights meet for the first leg of a crunch fixture between two sides following similar paths this season. Both Madrid and the reds lie in second place and 7 points off their respective league leaders. Both sides have been dismissed out of their domestic cup competition and both sides have a proud European heritage – with Madrid on 9 titles and the reds on 5.
Steven Gerrard has made the trip over to Madrid and is expected to start on the bench against the Spanish heavy-weights. Madrid are in a hot vein of form having won the last 9 league games whilst Liverpool, although unbeaten in 15, have drawn 8 out of their last 13 league fixtures.
History
A couple of friendly matches apart, Liverpool have strangely only ever met Real Madrid on one occasion before, in the famous 1981 European Cup Final in Paris, when Liverpool won their third European Cup after a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Betting
Real Madrid are favourites for this fixture.
Liverpool 4/1
Draw 2/1
Real Madrid Evens
Liverpool are 14/1 to win the European Cup out-right. You can get around 22/1 for a Liverpool 2-0 win and we like the look of 9/1 for Gerrard to get the last goal.
Paddy Power are offering an impressive free £20 bet when you place a £10 bet. Bargain! The offer is here.
TV
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 2 in the UK. Streams and TV Links are in the forum.
Opposition Links
Madrid Forum
Real Madrid Shirts
Pre Match Discussions
http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=14079.0