High intensity and cool heads can stun Real

Liverpool can play a fairly high defensive line and have enough quality in attack to push, press and create chances, but at the same time they need to be compact and make sure Real Madrid cannot keep the ball so easily. In the first leg, I was expecting Liverpool would play with high intensity, high pressing, especially against Toni Kroos (below left) and Luka Modric, but they did not do that. Kroos hurt them with his passing, but even Thibaut Courtois [Real’s goalkeeper] was playing the ball behind the defenders too easily, so they have to make sure they do not let that happen again.

Sometimes you can start too high and then it is easy for the other team to play in behind. I am not saying they have to play deep, but a little bit deeper – and I am talking maybe only five metres – means you can attack the ball instead of letting it bounce and then have to start running back.

So adjusting just five metres, especially for some of the goalkicks, maybe that is enough to stay compact, ensure they cover each other and press the player in possession of the ball.

Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane will be missing again and Lucas Vazquez is now out with a cruciate injury, so we should not ignore the possibility that Zinedine Zidane (above) may play five at the back, as he did against Atalanta in the previous round. He has got so many absentees that he may be more comfortable playing a back five to avoid problems with communication between the defenders, but if Madrid play with five it is even more important that Liverpool have a clear idea about how to attack those players and exploit the situation.

Dani Carvajal, if he returns, has been out for a couple of months injured and Alvaro Odriozola has not played a lot of football for Real, so if Zidane changes players, Liverpool have to put them under pressure. You have to make them play. Their understanding may not be the same.