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-
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
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