Real seek Anfield revenge

Tuesday, March 10, 2009, and Marca’s editors are sure they are onto a winner.

‘This is Anfield, but so what?’ says that morning’s front cover of the of Real Madrid-backed sports paper, riffing on the famous players’ tunnel sign at Liverpool’s stadium, and claiming that Madrid’s players would not be intimidated in the slightest in that evening’s game.

The Spanish giants were on Merseyside for a Champions League last 16 second leg, and confident of overcoming a 1-0 result from the first meeting at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, when Reds coach Rafa Benitez had overseen one of his typical tactical masterclasses.