While Kylian Mbappé awaits his moment to shine from the left flank after Vinícius Júnior’s injury, Liverpool are more than ready to seek revenge. After losing two finals (2018 and 2022) and being eliminated in the Round of 16 (2023) and the quarterfinals (2021), the Reds dream of finally exacting the vengeance they have long sought and proving they are currently Europe’s best team, topping both the Champions League and the Premier League standings. 

Real Madrid arrives at Anfield, home to the leader of the new Champions League league format, having overcome a crisis after defeats against Barcelona (0-4) and Milan (1-3). However, their recent wins came against less challenging opponents — Osasuna (4-0) and Leganés (3-0) — and they face Liverpool without their most impactful player, Vinícius Júnior.

The Brazilian suffered a left hamstring injury that will keep him out for about three weeks, right at a critical moment in the season. With two wins and two losses in their four Champions League matches, Real Madrid has two decisive away games ahead: first at Liverpool and then in Bergamo, leaving them with almost no margin for error.

With Vinícius sidelined, the spotlight is now on Kylian Mbappé. This will be his big moment since joining Real Madrid. Until now, he had always shared the pitch with 'Vini,' but this Wednesday, he will be the primary offensive reference in a Champions League campaign Mbappé is eager to conquer.

Mbappé comes into the match after his first test as a left winger with Real Madrid, in a game against Leganés where he scored, breaking a 36-day scoring drought, and demonstrated that this is his ideal position.

More involved (43 passes attempted, 36 completed, and five shots), with more space to dribble (9 successful attempts out of 12), Mbappé showed a return to his roots. After the match, the Frenchman acknowledged that he might need to change positions at Anfield and play more centrally: "That's the story of my career, I don’t mind," he said. However, Vinícius’s absence gives him the keys to a Real Madrid full of doubts due to injuries.

Dani Carvajal, Éder Militao, David Alaba, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Rodrygo Goes, and Vinícius Júnior are the six confirmed absences for Carlo Ancelotti, who is also uncertain about Lucas Vázquez. Lucas will push his recovery to decide whether he can play.

If Lucas is unavailable, Fede Valverde might once again play as a right-back. In defense, Ancelotti is debating whether to give academy graduate Raúl Asencio his Champions League debut at Anfield or deploy Ferland Mendy as a center-back alongside Antonio Rüdiger, leaving Fran García as the left-back. If Asencio starts, Mendy would return to left-back after two games on the bench.

In midfield, Eduardo Camavinga is a lock, with Luka Modric gaining momentum for a starting role alongside Jude Bellingham. The final midfield spot will be contested between Dani Ceballos and Arda Güler.

Up front, everything will revolve around Kylian Mbappé, likely supported by Brahim Díaz, with Endrick as an option off the bench after playing just 20 minutes across Real Madrid’s last seven matches.

Liverpool, meanwhile, has amassed 31 out of 36 possible points in the Premier League and 12 out of 12 in the Champions League. The Reds have enhanced Jürgen Klopp's legacy under Arne Slot’s leadership. In 12 matches, they have built an eight-point lead over Manchester City, the second-largest gap in that timeframe in Premier League history.

Players like Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo have improved significantly in their second year with the team, while Ibrahima Konaté has finally become a reliable partner for Virgil van Dijk. Mohamed Salah remains the star, with ten goals and six assists, making him the Premier League’s top goal creator.

However, Salah issued a statement to the club three days before the match against Real Madrid: "I’m disappointed. It’s almost December, and I haven’t received any renewal offer. I’m more out than in," he told NBC, referring to his contract, which expires in June, along with those of Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has been sidelined for three weeks.

Neither Alexander-Arnold nor Alisson Becker, who has been out for two months, will be available on Wednesday.

If Real Madrid wants to exploit Liverpool’s weaknesses, they should target the flanks. On the left, Andy Robertson has shown inconsistency, while on the right, without Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley, a 21-year-old academy player with only 15 minutes of Champions League experience, will step in. 

Probable lineups:
Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley, Van Dijk, Konaté, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Díaz, Gakpo.
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois; Fede Valverde, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asencio, Ferland Mendy; Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modric, Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham; Brahim Díaz, Kylian Mbappé.

Referee: François Letexier (France).
Stadium: Anfield (Liverpool).