Klopp's reaction when he learns he will play Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16

As the results of this season's six UEFA Champions League fixtures were coming in, it was looking increasingly likely that Liverpool would have to face a tough opponent in the last 32 in February, after some complications in Group A, where Napoli beat the Reds to the top spot on goal difference.

The odds on a possible meeting with Bayern Munich in the last few days did not materialise, with Jurgen Klopp and his men aiming to face the competition's most successful team, Real Madrid, an opponent with whom they have some unresolved debts from the final in France at the end of May.

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Liverpool fans were obviously keen for their side to face Bayern Munich and their former star striker Sadió Mané from the start, as Merseyside was eager to see the Senegalese play again at what was until recently his home ground at Anfield, turning the English side's fortunes around in the draw and now having to concentrate on finding a way to beat the Spaniards in a couple of months' time.

The two sides do have a little history of meeting at this stage of the competition, as in the 2008-2009 edition, the Reds faced the Spaniards in the Round of 16 under similar conditions, with the Merseyside outfit taking the whole series on that occasion by winning 4-0 at Anfield and by a narrow 5-0 aggregate scoreline at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Revenge of the Paris final

After that great feat, Liverpool have not been able to find a way to beat the Merengues in the six times they have faced them, losing the quarter-finals of the 2020-2021 edition, as well as the 2018 and 2022 finals, the latter being where the Reds had the best chance to do something during the 90 minutes of the game, but a solitary goal from Vinícius Junior denied them the possibility of lifting the Orejona almost half a year ago.