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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Gorst

Darwin Nunez fit and teenager makes first Champions League start as Liverpool line-up confirmed for Real Madrid

Stefan Bajcetic makes his first Champions League start for Liverpool as they host Real Madrid in the last 16 with Darwin Nunez deemed fit enough to play.

Bajcetic, who is making just his 15th professional appearance, is part of an unchanged side as the Reds meet their conquerors from last season's Champions League final at Anfield for the first leg. He becomes the youngest player to start a Champions League knockout game for the Reds, aged just 18 years and 122 days.

Bajcetic starts alongside captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in midfield as Jurgen Klopp welcomes los Blancos to a full house at Anfield for the first time since 2014.

LIVE: Liverpool vs Real Madrid live score updates

Nunez has been passed fit after training on Monday following his withdrawal midway through the 2-0 win at Newcastle on Saturday evening with a shoulder injury.

The Uruguay international is expected to start off the left of the front three with Cody Gakpo leading the line down the centre and Mohamed Salah stationed on the right.

Klopp is able to call upon Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino from the bench as attacking options with Harvey Elliott, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Fabio Carvalho also part of the bench.

Joe Gomez is again preferred ahead of Joel Matip at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk, who returned after over a month out with a hamstring issue in Saturday's victory at Newcastle.

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Bajcetic, Henderson; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Milner, Keita, Firmino, Jota, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Matip.

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