Real Madrid vs Ajax - Champions League, Matchday 6 - 04.12.2012 | 20:45

Date

Tuesday 04/12/2012

Time

20:45

Venue

Santiago Bernabéu

Matchday

6

Referee

Pavel Kralovec (República Checa)

Squad to face Ajax:

Goalkeepers: Adán y Jesús.
Defenders: Varane, Pepe, Coentrão, Carvalho y Nacho.
Midfielders: Khedira, Kaká, Özil, Modric, Callejón, Di María, Cheryshev y José Rodríguez.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema y Morata.

Final training session:

I expect those youngsters to get a nice run out.

I truly wonder why Jese is never invited...

Really? Jese is going through some "growing pains" right now, his petulance is hampering his progress a bit and he needs to get his head on straight. He's right where he belongs for now IMO.

I knew at first that he wasn't brought on for disciplinary reasons, didn't know he has still continued having problems. Guess that completely explains that.

Man he is missing out...

Mou's presser

Qualifying from this group is a success because we knew that a big team and title contender would be going out. The other two are through and that should be seen as a success because there was a big risk of being knocked out. We have played demanding matches and that's good because we play the most important matches of the match days, but that competitiveness means that you accumulate cards and means that players are on the verge of a suspension while other teams can handle these situations better and do, without being punished, what we did three years ago against Ajax. We are already qualified and we can go out to win the match and our players will play without any pressure. Denis, José Rodríguez and Morata might have the chance to come on from the bench and Nacho will make his Champions League debut. We want to win because we are not here to give anything away and we have to play at our best.

Adán, Nacho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Khedira and Coentrão will play. Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso will not play because they have two cards and I cannot risk them because I want them available for the round of 16 first leg. Arbeloa is suspended and cannot play.

We need to play every match with the same level of concentration and project our personality and ambition because they all mean as much as each other to me. We have to play to the best of our ability and with the aim of winning but sometimes we come across difficulties created by our opponents and how well they play like against Betis. I like emotional continuity. The footballing side is separate because we have good players, with a well defined and constructed style of play, which got us where it got us last season has taken us to two Champions League semi-finals. The emotional side of things is important and the injuries also do not help because we have lost important players following international breaks. We want to finish the year in the best way possible and then take advantage of the Christmas period to train well and hope that Marcelo, Higuaín and Albiol make their return as soon as possible.

I do not notice anything because I was watching Casillas and the other goalkeepers warming up with Silvino. I went out early because I was expecting lots of whistles and some sort of animosity towards me and I preferred that it happened before the match and was addressed personally towards me so that during the match they would support the team and have positive feelings and help their players and their team.

About PSG I will say that one of my assistants will go to watch the match tomorrow because they are a potential opponent. They’re playing against Porto and both of them could be drawn against us. That's the only thing that I am bothered about in Paris". When questioned about his relationship with the Atletico coach he said: “I have a very nice, polite and correct relationship with Simeone and Gil Marín at Atletico. Before the match I was talking to Simeone in the tunnel. We are rivals from the same city, but I do not have any problems with anybody from that team.

That is what friends are like, they always speak nicely about each other. Friendship is like that, always being there for your friends. Some people think that there is room for betrayal in friendship and others have a deep respect. His succession is a long way off and it will be ten years away because he is stronger every year. What would he want to retire for?

The difference is in the quality of the opponents. Manchester City are outrageously powerful and have many dangerous players and Dortmund are one of the best teams in Europe". Finally, about whether Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Real Madrid and about his selection as the best Ibero-American player he said: "It's a surprise for him to be chosen as the best Ibero-American player. I think it’s a big surprise, but a good one. Do you not want to know who's playing tomorrow? That's more interesting than knowing if Cristiano is happy or is going to stay.

http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satell...’ll_have_my_101st_Champions_League_match_.htm

What did he do?

Didnt he do something pretty nasty in a Spain U-19 game and stemmed from there?

Jese is not being invited because he plays in a position that is not on the first team

Jose and Karanka have said this on multiple occasions, hence all the Castilla/Toril issues.

Expect a thrashing.

5-0 or I chant get the fnck out of Madrid, Mou.

This is a delightful smokescreen but probably not true. This 9.5 not existing on the first team is is being overstated, especially when he doesn't play there all the time.

I especially like that Xabi is rested. The dude is overworked season after season.

That is one motherfin disguting color theme Ajax is wearing

1 nillll

Modri eh? I'd like to see our DM tackle like that

Get the feeling that it means a lot for Kaka to be wearing the armband. Dude is everywhere

Oooh, Kaka is out captain ha..

Ajax Sounders of Seattle

This bloke is one hell of a finisher, that other bloke ( short one ) is just a hell of a player ...

Callejon, lethal