Nat Phillips on Treating Real Madrid Like “Just Another Game”

A month ago, Liverpool’s season looked all but over. The club’s form in 2021 had progress in Europe looking daunting and even a top four finish in the league—an assumption to start the season—seem nearly impossible.

Today, they’re at least back in the top four race, just two points off Chelsea. They’re also on their way to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter finals. And Nat Phillips has played no small role in that.

From fifth or sixth on the club’s centre half depth chart to start the season, Phillips has partnered with new January arrival Ozan Kabak in recent weeks—and Liverpool’s form has improved. Now, it’s time to face Madrid.

“They certainly are [iconic],” Phillips told UEFA when asked about preparing for Liverpool’s opponents. “That shows in what they’ve achieved as a club, the trophies they’ve won and the level they’ve maintained.

“But when you’re coming up against them, you don’t look at that. Liverpool are on the same level in terms of what they’ve achieved. So when you’re going into a game like that you’ve got to treat it like just another game.

“Obviously you’re going to be coming up against top players, [but] you’ve got to treat every game like you’re going to be coming up against the best opposition you’ve ever faced. It’ll be no different in that game.”

Just another game, then, but a game that could determine whether the Reds keep alive their chance of silverware this season—and whether, just maybe, Phillips ends up writing himself into Liverpool folklore.