Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t always welcome at Anfield during his time with age-old rivals Manchester United, but the Portuguese winger is looking forward to lining up against Liverpool on that famous patch of grass again when Real Madrid meet them in the Champions League group stages.
The Reds were drawn against the current holders as well as Swiss side FC Basel and Bulgarian outfit PFC Ludogorets in Group B. Although they avoided a number of big hitters, the tie with the ten times champions of Europe is sure to be a memorable occasion. The last time these two sides met, Liverpool followed up a 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu by running out 4-0 winners at Anfield — something Ronalado is quick to point out happened before he joined Los Blancos.
“5-0? I was not there. It’s different” he said when asked about the Reds famous victory. “Every game has a different story. This year will be different so we are a different team, different coach. Liverpool are different too, so let’s see who’s going to be the best. It will be nice for me to face Liverpool. I’ve never played there since I came to Real Madrid. It’s going to be the first time and I’m looking forward to it. I know Liverpool is a very difficult stadium.”
The Reds are returning to Europe’s most prestigious club competition for the first time since 2009 after finishing runners up to eventual champions Manchester City last season. While the financial benefits and the ability to attract top class players goes a long way, it’s these kind of match-ups that really makes this competition special for the fans.
