Tuesday 21 October 2014 08:13, UK
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists his side cannot become too focused on stopping Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League this week.
Rodgers says the Spanish giants have so much quality throughout their team that to concentrate on stopping one player would be folly.
One player Rodgers will not have to deal with is Gareth Bale, who Sky sources understand will be missing on Wednesday night because of injury.
Ronaldo arrives at Anfield on the back of breaking at 71-year La Liga record by scoring 15 goals in the first eight matches of the season.
"He's a player off the charts. His evolution in recent years, the way how he has become a goalscorer has been amazing," Rodgers told Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague in an interview for Spanish newspaper AS.
"We need to know to stop him but there is danger in other parts of the field. You have (Luka) Modric, (Toni) Kroos - wonderful technicians who can play short, long.
"I'm also a big admirer of Sergio Ramos (another injury doubt as he has not featured since October 5) since his young days at Sevilla where he came through the system before making a move and then making to over 100 caps for Spain.
"It is a magnificent achievement and he is fast, strong and has personality. I love it.
"They have amazing talents all over the field and they have the technique to play in small spaces and when the space opens up there is no one better on the counter-attack in Ronaldo and Bale because, they are two players that could be in the Olympic 100 metres final.
"They are as strong a team now as they have been for many years. They have everything, big experience, big players, speed, technique and a great manager in (Carlo) Ancelotti, a good man who works with players and who is a good person.
"And they are the reigning champions as well and they will want to defend their title."
Regarding Bale, it had been reported that the Welshman picked up the injury during Wales' 2-1 win over Cyprus last week, but Balague says the winger actually hurt himself in training on Friday.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti left him on the bench for Saturday's La Liga match with Levante, which Real won 5-0.
A statement on the club's website read: "After tests carried out on Gareth Bale by the Real Madrid Sanitas medical services, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury in the right pyramidalis muscle. His progress will be monitored."
Watch Liverpool play Real Madrid live on Sky Sports 5 on Wednesday at 7.45pm.
