A por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread

[minorthreat]

Group C

Real Madrid 6
AEK Athens 2
AS Roma 1
Racing Genk 1

Fixtures
Matchday 1: away @ AS Roma
Matchday 2: home vs. Racing Genk
Matchday 3: away @ AEK Athens
Matchday 4: home vs. AEK Athens
Matchday 5: home vs. AS Roma
Matchday 6: away @ Racing Genk

Matchday 1
Away vs. AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico, Rome

AS Roma 0

Real Madrid 3 (Guti 41, 74; Raul 56)

Madrid squad: Casillas;Roberto Carlos, Hierro, Helguera, Salgado;Cambiasso, Makelele, Zidane, Figo;Guti, Raul

Matchday 2
Home vs. Racing Genk

Real Madrid 6 (Zokora 44 [autogol]; Salgado 46; Figo 55 [p]; Guti 64; Celades 74; Raul 76)

Racing Genk 0

Madrid lineup: Casillas;Roberto Carlos (Raul Bravo 70), Hierro, Helguera, Salgado;Solari, Celades, Cambiasso (Morientes 67), Figo;Raul (Portillo 76), Guti

Next Match
Away vs. AEK Athens at Nea Philadelphia, Athens

Top Scorers
Guti 3
Raul 2
Figo 1
Salgado 1
Celades 1

[MadridForever]

The champions league begins against the same team that the last year. I hope that the final result of the competition is the same.;)

I think that the Real Madrid will play the first game with the same players that against Betis, that were:

------------------Casillas(Cesar)
Salgado---Hierro---Helguera------Roberto Carlos
Figo-------Makelele---Cambiasso------Zidane
----------------Raul----Morientes (Guti)

We will see if Casillas play all the important games this year or he play la liga and Cesar the CL.

Other doubt is Morientes, Guti played the first game against Español and he played against Betis.

About the Roma. Totti won't play because he is injured.

At the moment Figo is the player that is playing better and the last year his best game was against the Roma in Roma. I hope that he played like the last year.

A por la decima!!!

[dmar]

Guti will probably play instead of Morientes; maybe they're reserving him in CL to sell him.

A por la décima!

[Los Blancos]

Come on boys!!!

Lets do a repeat of the lesson from the last season's campaign.

Batistuta is not playing for them either as hes serving a one match suspension.

HALA MADRID!!!

[Mario]

why is not Capello in the bench, suspended too?

[dmar]

Originally posted by Mario
why is not Capello in the bench, suspended too?

I believe that was the reason.

By the way, another great game against a team that defended with 8 players.

[Ultra_Sur]

Halaaaa MAdrid!!!! ;)

[HalaMadrid]

First CL match at the Bernebeau.

[dmar]

Originally posted by HalaMadrid
First CL match at the Bernebeau.

and the debut of Ronaldo

[MadridForever]

Originally posted by dmar


and the debut of Ronaldo

Ronaldo has for a little ankle problem and he is doubt for the game.

Zidane and Makelele are also doubt. They have few
possibilities to play, less than Ronaldo.


The game will be a sold-out.

[MadridForever]

Confirmed, Ronaldo won't play. And Makelele and Zidane either.

Possible team:

-----------------------Casillas
Salgado----Hierro----Helguera-------Roberto Carlos
-----------------------Cambiasso
Figo----------------------------------------Solari
-----------------------Guti
----------------Raul-----------Morientes

These is my favourite team for today but Del Bosque can have another opinion. The key is if he prefer to play more offensive - Only Cambiasso in the middle or more defensive with Celades, Flavio or Solari in the middle with Cambiasso. If Solari play in the middle probably Macca will play in the left.

I think that as it's a home game and against a "theoretically" worse team, he can play only with Cambiasso.

Maybe he also can give a opportunity to Cesar.

[dmar]

Originally posted by MadridForever

These is my favourite team for today but Del Bosque can have another opinion.

mine too, but in the end it was celades instead of el moro

Originally posted by MadridForever
Maybe he also can give a opportunity to Cesar.

no way, he's injured

[MadridForever]

6-0!!!

Starting team:


------------------------Casillas
Salgado------Hierro---Helguera------Roberto Carlos
Figo----------Cambiasso---Celades-----Solari
--------------------Raul---------Guti

Goals:
1-0: Zokora - Genk defender
2-0: Salgado
3-0: Figo - Penalty
4-0:Guti
5-0:Celades
6-0:Raul


Subs:
Raul Bravo for Roberto Carlos
Morientes for Cambiasso
Portillo for Raul


Bad first half. Very good second half. Salgado made his first goal in CL in all his life. And Morientes played his first minutes in the CL this year - Some people said that he would not play because the RM would sell him in december. Portillo also played his first minutes in Campions. Guti played as forward and after Morientes change he played as midfielder very well. Salgado played very well maintaining the great level of the last year. And Helguera is playing every day better as central defender, solving yerterday some Hierro mistakes.

I think that winning only one more game we are classified to the next round.

The best:
Helguera, Guti, Salgado

The worse:
Hierro, Celades

[Bill-DC]

Nice win. Didn't see the match but Hierro is running on fumes at, what 34 years old? I really hope Real Madrid addresses their lack of defensive depth during the Winter transfer period.

Bill

[dmar]

MadridForever, I agree with you in every bit of the game analysis.

Bill-DC, if we don't sell Morientes there's no way we get a new defender in Winter. Unless del Bosque decides to drop Hierro and give minutes to one of teh young defenders, like Pavon or Ruben.

[Merengue]

Originally posted by MadridForever
6-0!!!

* * * *


Bad first half. Very good second half. Salgado made his first goal in CL in all his life. And Morientes played his first minutes in the CL this year - Some people said that he would not play because the RM would sell him in december. Portillo also played his first minutes in Campions. Guti played as forward and after Morientes change he played as midfielder very well. Salgado played very well maintaining the great level of the last year. And Helguera is playing every day better as central defender, solving yerterday some Hierro mistakes.



The best:
Helguera, Guti, Salgado

The worse:
Hierro, Celades


I agree with this analysis (although I wouldn't categorize Celades as amongst the worst). Madrid looked like they were in a training match. They really weren't going all out but once they were able to get those 2 goals just before the half, it was all over.

Guti contineus to impress. His technique and ability to hold the ball are very valuable. Even if Ronaldo were healthy I think I'd stick with Guti as the starting center forward. Plus Guti, as mentioned, even moved back and played his original position of midfielder once Morientes came on. Moro also did well in his half of action. Overall an impressive performance by Madrid.

[dmar]

Originally posted by Merengue
Guti contineus to impress. His technique and ability to hold the ball are very valuable. Even if Ronaldo were healthy I think I'd stick with Guti as the starting center forward. Plus Guti, as mentioned, even moved back and played his original position of midfielder once Morientes came on. Moro also did well in his half of action. Overall an impressive performance by Madrid.

Interesting point you bring here. Guti is playing very well and I think that he and Ronaldo would benefit a lot of each other if they played together, not one instead of the other.

[Mario]

Morientes: I'm Happy At Real

Fernando Morientes has once again insisted that he is happy at Real Madrid, despite his prospects of a run in the first team being extremely low.

The summer signing of Ronaldo looked to have ended Morientes' career at the Bernabeu, and moves to Spurs, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Manchester United have been touted for the Spanish international.

Morientes has however tried to distance himself from moves to the Premiership when the transfer window reopens in January.

On the subject of Tottenham, he said: "I was flattered by their interest and I've been looking out for their results. But that does not mean that I have any thoughts of joining the club."

It is understood he asked his Real team-mate Steve McManaman about Tottenham after they made their move last month.

He added: "Manchester United may want a striker who has not played in the Champions League, but I'm happy to stay at Real."

Morientes would be unavailable for Champions League action for any other club after he featured for Real during their 6-0 demolition of Genk on Wednesday.

[Martin Cutler]

Originally posted by dmar


Interesting point you bring here. Guti is playing very well and I think that he and Ronaldo would benefit a lot of each other if they played together, not one instead of the other.

But if Guti and Ronaldo played together then where would Raul play? Playing 3 games a week between league and European matches, Real Madrid will need to use their bench if they want to avoid what happened last season (losing games due to fatigue). I think Del Bosque will need to rotate his players at times and thus Guti, Ronaldo and Raul (and hopefully Morientes and Portillo) will all get opportunites to play this year at forward.

[dmar]

Of course your point about fatigue and rotations is right. The problem is that in past years del Bosque hasn't done much of this. Specifically Raul played a huge number of games and his play suffered to the point that it would have been better if other one had played in his place -IMO-.
Plus, since there seems to be a lot of forwards (6 with Tote) and very little substitutes of guarantee for the midfield (for Cambiasso), it seems logical that Guti played there some games, as he is the only one of the forwards that can do this. Right now, I prefer him to Celades or Flavio.