Klopp mocks Real VARdrid, this is the plan during the World Cup to win the Champions League

There is so much time left until 21 February, specifically at Anfield, that we hardly realise that there really isn't that much time for Liverpool and Real Madrid to prepare for the Champions League last 16 tie. You might think, yes, there is time, but the truth is that the World Cup has changed everything and the recovery of players, especially in view of that match, is going to be very limited, with Los Blancos severely damaged in this respect with respect to the Premier League giants.

For example, there is a precedent from 2018 and an image from just a few hours ago of Luka Modric that may perfectly represent the problem Madrid have. At the World Cup in Russia (2018) the Croatian midfielder reached the final and then, on his return to Madrid, it took him almost a season to regain his form. This campaign he does not have that much leeway, far from it, and four more seasons behind him. Against Belgium, after the match, he could not even talk about the effort, and he has at least one more game to play, in the Round of 16 against Japan.

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But Modric's situation is not the only worrying one at Madrid, and yet this one at Liverpool is far less so. To put into perspective the serious damage that the World Cup could have for Real Madrid in the Champions League tie against the English team, one fact: up to seven Reds first-team players are resting from the World Cup, while only four Madrid players are: Kroos, Mendy, Benzema and Alaba.

Mo Salah, Thiago Alcántara, Luis Díaz, Diogo Jota, Firmino, Harvey Elliott and Andrew Robertson, all theoretically first-choice for Jürgen Klopp (based on what they have seen this season and the weight they have carried during the season in the northern England team) in the clash against Madrid, have not gone to Qatar and are therefore taking that burden off their legs, with the corresponding rest that that entails. 

<strong>Liverpool recover World Cup injured players</strong>

The return leg of the tricky tie will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on 15 March. Madrid are already back in training and will gradually be getting their squad together to put the World Cup to one side and look ahead to the campaign ahead for Madrid, but this fact undoubtedly plays in Liverpool's favour.