Fear The Worst: Liverpool could rest stars for the Real Madrid game – report

There is a feeling of ‘Liverpool fans, look away now’ about this one. Liverpool are struggling in the league and in Europe. But if, after the encounter with Real Madrid this evening, they win their last two games in The Champions League group stage then they should go through to the knockout stage regardless of the result in Spain.

With Chelsea to come in the league at the weekend reports suggest that Brendan Rodgers is planning to rest Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling for the game at The Bernabeu. The Express reports:

Liverpool manager Rodgers admitted he is ready to confront the reigning European champions here tonight without Gerrard

Rodgers – who is also considering taking Raheem Sterling and Dejan Lovren out of his starting line-up – said he wants to test the depth of his squad in the Bernabeu against a team he described as the “best in the world.”

The season is of course a marathon not a sprint and Brendan Rodgers has to plan ahead. But these are the sorts of games that Liverpool fans have been waiting for for 5 years and the idea of sending a weakened side out in Spain is very disappointing.

If they do take a battering then it could do more harm than good as confidence will be even lower. But a good result against arguably the best side in the world right now could be the catalyst for a great improvement.

We wait to see how the teams line up. It’s completely understandable that Gerrard should be rested at the age of 34. But weakening the side further could easily backfire on Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.