UCL Preview: Liverpool vs RB Leipzig, key stats, line-ups, odds, prediction

Mohamed Salah-Shaqiri-Liverpool

After an impressive first-leg showing Liverpool return to Hungary, looking to seal qualification to the next round when they face RB Leipzig for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League tie.

Stadium: Puskas Arena (Budapest)

Key Statistics

Liverpool have lost the last six games they played as the home team.

However, they are unbeaten in 11 UEFA competition games against German clubs (W8, D3).

They have kept five clean sheets in five of their last seven CL knockout matches when playing as the home team.

RB Leipzig on a run of eight consecutive wins in their domestic competitions.

They have kept six clean sheets from their last nine games in all competitions.

They have kept three clean sheets in their last three games played as the away team.

Liverpool

Despite winning the first leg, 2019 Champions League winners and current PL defending champions, Liverpool have looked a shadow of their real selves in recent times. The Reds have been woeful in their domestic league and have lost their fear factor, losing to lowly Fulham in their last league outing. 

They will welcome the distraction of the Champions League when they travel to Budapest, hoping to bring an end to a run of two loses from their last two games. 

Jurgen Klopp‘s side have been finding it difficult to score goals since the beginning of February. The hosts have played eight competitive matches since February, but have scored just six goals while conceding 12 times in all competitions. They have kept just two clean sheets since then, with their clean sheet against Leipzig one of the two in that period.

They will hope that their Premier League form does not follow them to the Champions League as they seek to reach the semi-final for the third time in four seasons. 

Possible Liverpool line-ups

Alisson Becker; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Nathaniel Phillips, Andrew Robertson; Curtis Jones, Georginio Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcântara; Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané.

RB Leipzig

Leipzig may have lost the first leg of the tie, but the German side remain a formidable team on their day and will head into this with a feeling that they can win against the struggling English champions.

The German side sit second in the Bundesliga and are one of Germany’s most in-form team heading into this tie. Julian Nagelsmann‘s side are difficult to break down and only lost to Liverpool in the first leg because of individual mistakes at the back. 

They will hope to cut out those lapses in concentration while trusting their impressive attack to deliver the goals as they look to book a place in the semi-final for the second season in a row. 

Possible RB Leipzig line-ups

Peter Gulácsi; Tyler Adams, Nordi Mukiele, Dayot Upamecano, Lukas Klostermann; Marcel Sabitzer, Kevin Kampl; Dani Olmo, Emil Forsberg, Yussuf Poulsen, Christopher Nkunku.

Betting Odds

Liverpool : Draw : RB Leipzig :: 2.30 : 3.60 : 2.90

Prediction

Liverpool 1—2 RB Leipzig