Carlo Ancelotti expects Liverpool to battle against all odds

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is making no assumptions about what lies ahead against Liverpool despite Jurgen Klopp's side facing a seemingly impossible task in the Bernabeu.

The Champions League holders bounced back from two early goals at Anfield to win 5-2 and that three-goal cushion – coupled with the fact they have only once failed to score in their last 66 European home matches – appears to have put them on the verge of the quarter-finals.

However, Ancelotti, who as AC Milan manager famously suffered a remarkable 45-minute comeback by Liverpool to win the 2005 final, is taking nothing for granted and can also point to last season’s quarter-final second leg at home to Chelsea – which they lost 3-2 but progressed by virtue of their 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge.

If anything, Ancelotti wants his side to go on the attack.

"The message is quite simple: not to assume," said the Italian.

"The players understand that I think it will be an open match as Liverpool come here trying to change the dynamic.

"We have to do both things, attacking and defending, properly. We will not just defend, we are thinking about the attack."

No team in Champions League history has ever lost the home leg of a knock-out tie by three goals and recovered.

Nevertheless, Ancelotti insists his side have the more difficult balancing act.

"From a psychological level, the match is more complex for us than Liverpool," he added.

"Liverpool come here to give it their all and do their best from minute one, whatever happens. We saw that from the first leg.

"We will try to do all we can from the beginning but we have more questions than the opponent."

Striker Karim Benzema is fit after missing the weekend win over Espanyol but it is winger Vinicius Jr – who scored