Real Madrid centre-back Antonio Rudiger has admitted that the match between his side and Liverpool will not be a walk in the park for the Los Blancos.

The German also warned that they must start the game better, compared to the reverse fixture where Madrid were 2-0 down inside the first ten minutes of the game.

Madrid have a 5-2 advantage going into the mid-week fixture, but Rudiger is well-aware of the abilities Liverpool carry in its attack.

Speaking to the official Liverpool website ahead of Wednesday’s match, the German centre back said: “We have to make a better start to this game than we did at Anfield. We have to find the right balance between defending and attacking.

“It’s very important that we’re not caught napping in the first 15 minutes.

“We have to strike the right balance. It’s very important for us to not just go out and defend. We have to give our fans something to be happy about and we have to build confidence too.”

Rudiger added: “They’ve got a very good attack. They’ve played against a big side like Manchester United and scored seven goals. They’re a good team and we have to be mindful of that.”