UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Free-scoring Real Madrid head into Tuesday's UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool knowing a win will see them through to the last 16.
There appears to be no stopping ruthless Real, who have claimed 11 consecutive victories in all competitions ahead of the Group B encounter against Brendan Rodgers' side at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Granada were the latest side to feel the force of the European champions' stunning form as they were consigned to a 4-0 home defeat on Saturday.
Carlo Ancelotti's men now sit top of La Liga, after Barcelona were beaten by Celta Vigo, and they also boast a 100 per cent record in Europe's premier club competition.
Real blew Liverpool away with three goals in the first half at Anfield a fortnight ago and there was no way back for the Merseyside club, who were beaten 3-0 and have won just one of their last four matches.
Ancelotti's men are striving to become the first team to win the Champions League two years in a row and will take some beating on current form.
Goalkeeper Iker Casillas is optimistic that the Madrid giants can make it another season to remember after winning both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey in the 2013/14 campaign.
He said: "We're enjoying a great period and I hope that at the end of the season we pick up major silverware like we did last year.
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"We have good young players and more experienced guys who help the youngsters so that they know what Real Madrid is all about. We have the ingredients to win major trophies and make history, and I hope that's the case.
"This Madrid side is a team that began to be created after winning the Copa del Rey and the European Cup last year. We know that important players have left, but other important players have joined and you have to gel. The new players are doing well and we're getting positive results."
Cristiano Ronaldo broke yet another record at the weekend by becoming the first Real player to score in eight successive Liga games and the Portugal captain now has 50 goals this year.
Ronaldo was also on target at Anfield and, with Liverpool enduring an indifferent start to the season, will fancy his chances of adding to his tally.
While Real take on all comers, Liverpool are already 12 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea after losing 1-0 at Newcastle United on Saturday.
They face a battle to progress from Group B, as they sit third in the table and level on points with both Ludogorets and Basel with three games remaining.
"We worked very hard over a couple of years to get to this level and playing Real Madrid in the Bernabeu is a wonderful game for us and we are still in with a chance of qualifying," said Liverpool manager Rodgers.
"We know it's a big ask against probably the best side in the world."
Real could welcome back Gareth Bale, who trained on Sunday after recovering from a hip injury, while it remains to be seen if Dani Carvajal will be fit after the defender sustained a hamstring injury at the weekend.
Liverpool will once again be without striker Daniel Sturridge (thigh), while Mamadou Sakho is also still nursing a thigh problem.