MADRID - Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas believes the European champions have a side with the potential to be one of the all-time greats and it will be with likely trepidation that an off-colour Liverpool visit the Bernabeu today.

Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Real have been in majestic form with 46 goals in their last 11 games as they have torn apart opposition in Spain and Europe, with another win today guaranteeing progression to the Champions League last 16.

"This team can make history, there are good ingredients," Casillas told reporters.

"We are hoping to win the top trophies. We have a good mix of youngsters and older players that can show them what it is to be Madrid and how they need to play."

Real lead the group with nine points from three games while Ludogorets, Liverpool and Basel have three points.

Liverpool's return to the Champions League for the first time in five seasons has been far from smooth sailing and though defensively they have looked shaky, their main worry is in attack for the trip.

England striker Daniel Sturridge is nursing a calf injury while the unpredictable Mario Balotelli has looked laboured and Rickie Lambert lacks Champions League experience.

"We've worked very hard over a couple of years to get to this level," manager Brendan Rodgers told the club's website. "To play Real Madrid at the Bernabeu tells us that we've been doing OK. But of course we're in a transition phase. We want to be better and we need to be better.

"We're still very much in the group to qualify, which is the objective. It's a big ask playing against arguably the best team in the world at the moment."