Real Madrid will entertain Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday night at the start of 10 days that could well determine the outcome of their season.

Before the return leg in Anfield next week, Madrid also face FC Barcelona in 'the Clasico,' knowing that a win in that game would give a massive boost to their La Liga title hopes as league leaders Atletico Madrid continue to lose gas like a deflated balloon.

The game will be played in Madrid's Valdebebas training ground after the Spanish government reopened its permission for flights from Britain to Spain at the end of March after three months of restrictions due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

That ban on flights meant European games between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea and Real Sociedad and Manchester United had to be played in neutral venues, an obvious disadvantage for the Spanish teams involved.

Liverpool travel to Madrid with their hopes of retaining the Premier League title already forgotten long ago, as injuries to key defenders Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip ripped a hole in their back line.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson is also out for the game, although Liverpool boss can at least take some comfort from Fabinho's return to central midfield alongside Thiago Alcantara and his side showed signs they are returning to form with a 3-0 win away to Arsenal on Saturday night.

Sergio Ramos is the big absentee for Real Madrid, which means he won't be able to renew the confrontation with Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah, which ended with Salah having to leave the pitch with a dislocated shoulder in the 2018 Champions League final.

Raphael Varane will partner either Eder Militao or Nacho Fernandez at the heart of the Real Madrid defense, while Lucas Vazquez will continue at right back.

Fede Valverde is struggling for fitness, but with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro in the Real Madrid midfield, he would have probably had to settle for a place on the bench anyhow. Meanwhile, Eden Hazard will probably be in the bench as he looks to come back from another muscle injury.

Karim Benzema will be the main threat for Real Madrid with the French striker finding the net in his last seven games, including Saturday's 2-0 win at home over Eibar. 

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