When it comes to experience of high-pressure European encounters, Real Madrid can hardly be placed in the category of innocent novices.
But even a club that can point to a trophy cabinet weighed down by nine European Cups, occasionally finds itself confronted with a new frontier, and Tuesday’s visit to Liverpool certainly has that kind of feel about it.
Having lost the tactical battle in the Bernabeu two weeks ago, Real’s players will duck under the “This is Anfield” sign with some trepidation before they embark on their attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit against opponents for whom the Champions League looks increasingly like a last chance of silverware this season.
One veteran of such occasions is expecting the magical atmosphere of Anfield on a European night to compromise Real’s chances of denying Liverpool a place in the last eight.
“Madrid haven’t played at Anfield and they won’t be ready for the atmosphere,” said the former Reds striker Ian Rush.
“They’ll say they know about it but look at Juventus in 2005. They said they were expecting it, but were blown away in the first-half. Chelsea were 1-0 down before they knew it that year too.
“When the players walk out onto the Anfield pitch in the Champions League it’s a completely different atmosphere to anything you’ll find anywhere else, and that could be the difference for us.”
Liverpool’s win in Madrid, courtesy of an unlikely header from Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun, underlined the vulnerability of Juande Ramos’s side, as well as making a mockery of pre-match comments from Real’s Dutch forward, Rafael van der Vaart, who had claimed the Merseysiders “were a little bit scared” by his club’s reputation.
In recent years it has been Liverpool, rather than Real, who have been performing like aristocrats of the European game.
As a result, their Brazilian left-back, Fabio Aurelio, believes Tuesday’s second leg is not one they will approach with any apprehension.
“If you look at the last few Champions League campaigns, Liverpool have been in the last four consistently,” Aurelio said. “And we have reached two finals in recent seasons. Where were Madrid? They are a great club with great history in Europe, but Liverpool are also famous in the competition.”
As a former Manchester Untied player, Real defender Gabriel Heinze knows how significant a role the “beautiful” atmosphere at Anfield can play in shaping the outcome of matches there.
“It will not affect us because we are used to playing in this type of atmosphere,” he said. “We just have to get a good result.”
A draw with local rivals Atletico Madrid on Saturday ended Real’s ten-match winning run in La Liga while Liverpool were enjoying a weekend off and keeping their fingers crossed that the rest will have helped Fernando Torres complete his recovery from an ankle injury he incurred in the first leg.
Delivering on such hyperbolic claims could be made easier by the return from injury of Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, a player who combines technical excellence with a feisty spirit, and has a habit of displaying both when it matters most.
