Real Madrid vs Liverpool: Ancelotti tells his players to stay hungry

Real Madrid are still on track in their UEFA Champions League title defence but manager Carlo Ancelotti has warned his players against getting complacent as they head into the second leg of their round-of-16 clash against Liverpool FC.

On Wednesday, Los Blancos will host Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The defending champions hold a commanding 5-2 advantage from the first leg in Anfield, but even though they are favourites to advance, Ancelotti knows that anything can happen. He is drawing from personal experience last season to know that a first leg advantage should not lead to overconfidence.

It may be remembered that Real Madrid had to dig deep throughout every single round of the knockout stages last year on their way to lifting their 14th Champions League trophy. In the round-of-16, they lost the first leg 0-1 to PSG and were down 0-2 in the second leg before a masterclass from Karim Benzema produced a hat-trick that sent them through to the quarter-finals.

They then faced Premier League side Chelsea and started off strong with a 3-1 advantage after the first leg. However, Chelsea managed to mount a comeback and scored three goals in the second leg. It appeared as though Los Blancos had collapsed before late goals from Rodrygo Goes and Karim Benzema saved the day.

The Spanish giants also came from behind against Manchester City in the semi-finals, meaning they are well aware that being the favorites after the first leg does not always translate to positive results.

Real Madrid won the final against Liverpool 1-0 last season, and in what was perceived to be a possible grudge match at the last-16 this year, The Reds took a 2-0 lead in Anfield before the visitors unleashed five goals.

Despite the big advantage, Ancelotti has remained calm about the situation and thinks that his players should learn from last year's run to victory. "We have the experience of last year against Chelsea. We have an advantage, that's why we're favourites, but we have to play another 90 minutes with the same attitude as the first leg," he said, as quoted by Marca.

The Italian warned against the mentality of managing the game just because they are already sitting on a sizable lead. "We have to play 90 minutes at the top level," he added.

Ancelotti showed that he also prepared his firepower for the second leg against Liverpool by resting prolific forward Karim Benzema in their La Liga clash against Catalan side Espanyol last Saturday. They managed to secure a 3-1 win without the Ballon d'Or winner, and he should be available with fresh legs when they host Jurgen Klopp and his men on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are still seeking revenge against Real Madrid after years of failing to topple the most successful club in Europe. That tackle by former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on Mo Salah during the 2018 final is still etched in the memory of Liverpool fans.

In the 2020-21 season, Liverpool were again eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League. The two clubs clashed in the quarter-finals, with Los Blancos eventually taking a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Liverpool lost against the same nemesis in the final last season, and now they are on the back foot with a 3-goal deficit as they attempt to overcome the magic of the Bernabeu. It has been the venue for numerous enthralling European nights, and it remains to be seen which side will write history on Wednesday.

The English side are no doubt the underdogs in this battle, meaning their victory would be quite epic if they manage to pull it off. Meanwhile, Los Blancos are seeking a record-extending 15th UEFA Champions League title. They are dubbed the "Kings of Europe" for a reason, and they will be determined to stamp their authority against their opponents.