por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread 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
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!!!
por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread Guti will probably play instead of Morientes; maybe they're reserving him in CL to sell him. A por la décima!
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!!!
por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread I believe that was the reason. By the way, another great game against a team that defended with 8 players.
Re: CL Day 2: RMCF v KRC Genk, 25 Sept [R] 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.
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.
CL Day 2: RMCF v KRC Genk, 25 Sept [R] mine too, but in the end it was celades instead of el moro no way, he's injured
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
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
CL Day 2: RMCF v KRC Genk, 25 Sept [R] 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
little bit behind aren't we? Personally, I don't want to see Celades/Flavio ever again. Obviously either Makelele as a lone DMC or having Make-Esteban combo is the most likely. And for subs, i'd much rather see Solari on the left so he can push back and help out(Almost as an Edgar Davids), or having Guti as a Pirlo role with AC Milan, and he's proved he can play there too.
Re: little bit behind aren't we? Really? when? where? are you sure you know what position Pirlo has in AC Milan? he's a DM, plays in front of Maldini.
por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread Guti has played as "mediocentro" sometimes this year, though he didn't defend too much. The only time I saw Pirlo play was with Inter years ago, and then he didn't seem too much of a defender, too.
por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread You have the answer by your own, years ago he played for Inter as a forward withdrawn now he's a Defensive Midfielder in front of Anceloti's backline: Khakaber Kaladze on the left, Maldini and Nesta in the middle and Dario Simic on the right.
por la décima - the Real Madrid Champions' League thread yeah, yeah, I know... but I didn't see him defending then and I don't know if he's that kind of player... anyway I suppose that he has improved his defending because if he hadn't he probably wouldn't be playing in Italy... personally I see Guti as another kind of midfielder, one that actually plays in front of the defense but is much more of a creative player than a defender -one like Guardiola for example-