Liverpool have avoided a nightmare run of fixtures after the dates for their Champions League round of 16 clash with Real Madrid were confirmed.
The Reds will face a repeat of last season's final having been paired with the Spanish giants in the first knockout round during Monday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
The first leg will take place at Anfield on Tuesday, February 21 2023, with the return game taking place at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, March 15 2023.
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With two available midweeks for each leg, Liverpool could have been given the earlier week which would have seen the first leg take place in between the home Merseyside derby against Everton and a trip to Newcastle United, with the return match scheduled a few days after the visit of Manchester United.
Instead, the home leg is between the Newcastle game and a trip to Crystal Palace, with the second leg taking place between an away game at Bournemouth and a home match against Fulham.
Liverpool will be aiming to address a poor run of results against Real Madrid, who also beat them in the final in 2018, the quarter-finals in 2021 and twice in the group stage in 2014/15.
And Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said to liverpoolfc.com: "The first thing that we can say about this draw is it is proper Champions League. This is a tie that speaks for itself and one that we should all be excited about. I know we have played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie so now we can look forward to this happening.
“Real’s European record is the best around. We know this. But we also know that ours is not too bad. On top of this, we know that we have Anfield and everyone knows what this means. It is a really good draw. A really exciting draw.
“There is a lot of football to be played before this, of course, so we will focus on each game as it comes but yes, this draw has given us something special to look forward to.”
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