Wednesday, 23 October 2013

REAL MADRID-JUVENTUS PREVIEW

REAL MADRID-JUVENTUS PREVIEW….LOS MERENGUES LOOK SET TO QUALIFY FOR THE KNOCKOUT ROUNDS WITH THREE GAMES TO SPARE


Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid continue the club’s pursuit of La Decima tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu. An ambition that has grown taller since Vicente Del Bosque led the whites to Title no 9 eleven years ago. Since then, it had been difficult to even reach the quarter-finals until a certain Portuguese master came along and took them to three straight semi-final appearances, only to be stopped by Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund-all Bs and former European Champions. The club is saddled with the burden of delivering a record 10th European cup and fans have waited so long for this to happen. No less than ten managers have tried since the departure of VDB. None has even reached the Championship match.

In Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid possess one of the best managers in the history of the game. He has won the Champions League as a player and a manager and also reached the final-All with Silvio Berlusconi’s AC MILAN. Last time out, his PSG team gave a good account of themselves in the competition…only exiting on away goals to almighty Barcelona who later collected a spanking from eventual winners, Bayern Munich. The Italian has done well since he started work at the Capital and bar a painful defeat at home to Atletico, his team have given a good account of themselves. Some might point out to matches v Elche, Levante and others also. The 32 time La liga Champions sit third in the League three points behind leaders, Barcelona and one behind 2nd placed Atletico Madrid.

Tonight’s visitors are Antonio Conte’s Juventus. The Old Lady of Italian football got stung by Beppe Rossi on Sunday at the Artenio Franchi in Florence. The former Villareal marksman scored the first hat-trick of his tupsy turvy career v the defending Serie A Champions in a match they had no right to win after going two goals down. Another Spaniard, Joaquin Sanchez added a well taken goal to further dent the Turin giants pride. The Italians were beaten by Real in the Champions League final fifteen years ago and matches between them have been exciting and keenly contested. Former Captain, Alex Del Piero had one of the finest nights of his Legendary career here at the Bernabeu..so there’s no reason why Carlos Tevez cannot do the same with the same iconic NO 10 jersey.
Juventus have only two points from two games played and face elimination if they don’t at least take three points from the double header v Los Blancos. Roberto Mancini’s Gala have Copenhagen to play over two legs and if they win both, trouble looms for the Bianconeri. Paul Pogba has been bullish in the build-up to this game. Confidence is sky high in the Italians camp that they can spring a surprise or two in Spain and finish the job off in Italy. This is by far Conte’s toughest test as manager of the Turin based outfit.

Los Merengues saw off Schuster’s Malaga at the weekend despite Willy Caballero’s heroics but it is the drop in form of Isco that is a source of concern to Carlo and Zizou. The ex-Malaga playmaker had everyone on their feet at the beginning of the season. Now, he seems to have lost that spark. No better time to regain it than tonight. While Isco Alarcon has been dwindling, Angel Di Maria has been soaring. The Argentine wing wizard is now an ever present in Ancelotti’s starting eleven. His performance v the Danes in Matchday two is one of the best individual displays ever witnessed in the Champions League. The peak of the show was his amazing rabona assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2nd goal that night. His place is secure even with the return of Bale. The whites go into today’s encounter knowing they can seal qualification with a win and results go their way in the other match. It will be something great as there are three more matchdays to play.

PREDICTED LINEUPS-

REAL MADRID-
Iker, Arbeloa, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, ILLARRA, SAMI K, ISCO, CR7, BENZEMA, DI MARIA

JUVENTUS-
Buffon, Padoin, Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Tevez, Marchisio, Llorente

San Iker is set to replace Diego Lopez between the sticks tonight with Varane set to come in for Pepe. Ancelotti will know more than to under estimate his former employers. The midfield should be fine against the likes of Pirlo and Arturo Vidal who was left out of the starting eleven at Fiorentina for arriving late from international duty. The Chilean should be re-instated into the starting line-up. Upfront, the Tevez-Llorente partnership is showing signs of cliquing. Conte can change either of them (The latter most likely) for the diminutive Giovinco otherwise known as the ‘Atomic ant’.

Ohireime P Eboreime
TWITTER-ohiskaka1990                               

No comments:

Post a Comment