Liverpool renew acquaintances with Real Madrid on November 26 as Los Blancos visit Anfield on Matchday Five of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.
Madrid proved to be Jurgen Klopp's kryptonite during his time in charge on Merseyside, with no wins from six games against the Spanish giants.
Alongside being knocked out of both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 tournaments, Liverpool's real mental block in this fixture comes from their 2018 and 2022 Champions League final defeats.
Klopp's side rode a wave of positivity on route to both only to be outmanoeuvred by Real Madrid's consistent ability to get the job done on the biggest stage in European football.
Now, Reds fans will hope that Arne Slot has better luck. The Dutchman has enjoyed a stunning start to life at Liverpool since succeeding Klopp, and given both Madrid's injury problems and their inconsistent form this season, this latest meeting feels like a good opportunity for the home side to exorcise some demons.
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid history, head to head
In total, Liverpool and Real Madrid have faced each other 11 times, with Real Madrid winning seven, Liverpool three, and one game ending in a draw.
Three of those 11 meetings have come in European finals, with Real Madrid tasting victory twice in the Champions League era, but the Reds emerged as winners in the 1981 European Cup final.
There was a major gap in meetings from then until 2009, before Rafa Benitez's side won home and away against his future employers in the 2008/09 Round of 16.
However, that proved to be the exception to the rule, as Madrid flexed their muscles in meetings under Klopp, with the defending champions proving too much for the German coach on multiple occasions.
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid past meetings
Liverpool wins over Real Madrid have been few and far between with Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane consistently getting the better of Klopp and his players before the German's departure in 2024.
Ancelotti in particular has been a scourge of Liverpool during his career, beating them in the 2007 final as AC Milan boss, with Real Madrid in 2022, and ending Everton's winless Anfield run in the Premier League in 2021.
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid: Past meetings
Date Competition Result Scorers
Mar. 15, 2023 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool Benzema (78)
Feb. 21, 2023 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid Nunez (4), Salah (14); Vinicius Jr (21, 36), Miliato (47), Benzema (55, 67)
May 28, 2022 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid Vinicius Jr (59)
Apr. 14, 2021 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid N/A
Apr. 6, 2021 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool Vinicius Jr (27, 65), Asensio (36); Salah (51)
May 26, 2018 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 1-3 Real Madrid Benzema (51), Bale (64, 83); Mane (55)
Nov. 4, 2014 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool Benzema (27)
Oct. 24, 2014 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 0-3 Real Madrid Ronaldo (23), Benzema (30, 41)
Mar. 10, 2009 UEFA Champions League Liverpool 4-0 Real Madrid 0 Torres (16), Gerrard (28, 47), Dossena (88)
Feb. 25, 2009 UEFA Champions League Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool Benayoun (82)
May 27, 1981 European Cup Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool Kennedy (81)
Last Liverpool vs. Real Madrid match
The last meeting of these teams ended in a 1-0 win for Real Madrid in the second leg of the 2022/23 Champions League Round of 16.
Karim Benzema's goal sealed a 6-2 aggregate victory following that dramatic 5-2 win for Los Blancos at Anfield in the first leg.
Liverpool vs. Real Madrid in Champions League finals
Liverpool fans of a certain vintage will remember Alan Kennedy's late winner in the 1981 European Cup as they became the first English side to beat Real Madrid in a continental final.
And despite the positivity of successive wins over the La Liga superpower under Benitez, the period since has seen seven defeats and a draw under Brendan Rodgers and Klopp.
Real Madrid's route to the 2018 Kyiv final saw them beat domestic champions from France, Italy and Germany (PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich) as Liverpool won their Premier League battle with City and survived a Roma fightback in the semifinals.
The final was remembered for a series of controversial moments, including Mohamed Salah's injury-enforced exit after tangling with Sergio Ramos, Loris Karius' error, and Gareth Bale's wondergoal off the bench.
In assessing the contest, an important element was the measure of how far Liverpool had come under Klopp and yet how much further they still needed to go to reach Madrid's ruthless level.
The 2021 quarterfinal meeting was almost forgettable, played at Real Madrid's training ground and an empty Anfield due to Covid-19, and the Spaniards again had too much.
A quickfire chance to turn the tide was offered to Liverpool in the 2022 final in Paris on a difficult night for the travelling Reds fans.
Disastrous planning and security outside the Stade de France saw thousands of supporters miss kickoff — as French police and stewards came in for major criticism of their handling of the game — with a 2023 inquiry blaming UEFA for the dangerous scenes and exonerating Liverpool fans.
Events on the pitch almost took a back seat as a result, with Vinicius Junior's goal proving the difference as the sense of Real Madrid having an unrivalled ability to turn up the tempo when needed proved crucial.
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Liverpool renew acquaintances with Real Madrid on November 26 as Los Blancos visit Anfield on Matchday Five of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.
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