Jamie Carragher believes Manchester City’s dramatic defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals will benefit Liverpool in two ways heading into the final stretch of the season.
Madrid booked a spot in the final in Paris to play Liverpool with an incredible 3-1 win against City at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Rodrygo scored twice in two minutes to take the game to extra-time and Karim Benzema slotted home a penalty to give Madrid a 6-5 aggregate win.
Carragher believes Madrid will be an easier test in the final than City would have been, with Liverpool favourites to land their seventh Champions League title.
But the former Liverpool defender thinks the defeat could also help Liverpool in their pursuit of City in the Premier League, where Carragher believes the loss could have a psychological effect.
‘It helps Liverpool in two ways. I think psychologically it will be a huge blow for , not just because of the league,’ said Carragher.
‘I think any big club that expects to do well or certainly that situation Manchester City were in with one minute to go. Psychologically the game at the weekend it will be really tough. I still expect them to win that game against Newcastle.
‘But for Liverpool two things. They are not playing Man City which will be a massive relief to everybody. Manchester City are a better team than but also when you go to a final the thought of losing to a rival feels a lot worse to losing to a foreign team in Real Madrid.
‘Also, there’s not as much pressure for Liverpool to win the Premier League as such. If City still win the league and then you’ve still got them in the final, the pressure to make sure you win that one there it would have been huge.
‘I think they could (win the quadruple). Liverpool are favourite for the FA Cup in terms of who they are playing, they are favourites against Real Madrid and Manchester City are slight favourites in the leauge.
‘I think if Liverpool were playing Manchester City in the final of the Champions League I think Manchester City would have been huge favourites.’
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