MADRID, SPAIN - Tuesday, April 6, 2021: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum (L) during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg game between Real Madird CF and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. (Pic by Propaganda)

Raphael Varane remains absent as Real Madrid confirm squad for Anfield trip

Real Madrid will remain without defender Raphael Varane for their trip to Liverpool, with Zinedine Zidane forced to make changes to his 21-man Champions League squad.

The Spanish outfit will descend on Merseyside for Wednesday’s quarter-final decider, where the Reds need to overcome a 3-1 deficit to progress.

An away goal netted by Mohamed Salah provides embers of hope for another famous European night in addition to a morale-boosting and timely 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield.

It remains a tough test for Liverpool but they will be eager to capitalise on Real Madrid’s costly El Clasico triumph which took a number of casualties and saw Zidane concede his side were “physically at the limit.”

And Lucas Vazquez drops out of the trip to Anfield after a season-ending knee injury, while Varane remains sidelined after his positive COVID-19 test which emerged on the day of the first leg encounter.

MADRID, SPAIN - Tuesday, April 6, 2021: Real Madrid's Toni Kroos (L) and Liverpool's Nathaniel Phillips during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg game between Real Madird CF and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. (Pic by Propaganda)

They will sit sidelined back in the Spanish capital along with Eden Hazard, who is yet to be considered fully fit, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal.

And their replacements in Real’s 21-man squad are defender Victor Chust, who was an unused sub in the first meeting, and 20-year-old attacking midfielder Marvin.

While there were doubts over Fede Valverde, who did not train with the team on Monday, and Toni Kroos due to knocks picked up in their win over Barcelona, they have both been named but may require late decisions over their ability to feature.

Zidane’s absences present a conundrum in his defensive line, but it could just a case of replacing Vazquez with Alvaro Odriozola in a back-four as he did in El Clasico.

Either way, Liverpool need to beat what is in front of them and show that they have learned their lessons from their first-leg defeat.


Real Madrid’s squad for Liverpool trip

MADRID, SPAIN - Tuesday, April 6, 2021: Real Madrid's head coach Zine?dine Zidane speaks with Carlos Henrique Casimiro during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 1st Leg game between Real Madird CF and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. (Pic by Propaganda)

Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Altube

Defenders: Militao, Nacho, Marcelo, Odriozola, Mendy, Chust

Midfielders: Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Valverde, Isco, Arribas, Marvin

Forwards: Benzema, Asensio, Vinicius Jr, Mariano, Rodrygo