FORGET THEIR FORLORN hopes of catching Barcelona in the race for La Liga. Forget even their impending double Clasico matches against their great rivals.
Tonight is the biggest game of the season for Real Madrid.
Failure to progress past the last sixteen in Europe for a sixth consecutive season is something the residents of the Bernbeau cannot contemplate. Real went out and hired Jose Mourinho to specifically avoid such a doomsday scenario.
Madridistas will, as always look to Cristiano Ronaldo for inspiration but it is former Lyon man Karim Benzema who is in form. The Frenchman scored twice at the weekend and is a revitalised figure in recent weeks after struggling in the early part of the season. It is new French coach Laurent Blanc who should take a share of the credit for the resurgence of Benzema.
Upon taking the role, Blanc immediately made him his main striker and that faith has restored his once faltering confidence. He scored Real’s goal in the first leg against Lyon and his former club may suffer again in his presence.
Lyon are not without hope though. The memories of ousting Real at this stage last year are still fresh and the manner in which they fought back in the first leg, equalising late on through Batafmi Gomis, will also encourage them. The fact they need to score is a hindrance however as Mourinho’s Madrid are set up like no other to counter attack.
Should Lyon score early than the jeers and catcalls may reverberate around the Bernbaeu and make Real jittery. It is unlikely though. Madrid to progress.
Probable teams -
Real Madrid: Casillas, Ramos, Carvalho, Pepe, Arbeloa, Alonso, Khedira, Ronaldo, Ozil, De Maria, Benzema
Lyon: Lloris, Reveillere, Cris, Lovern, Kolodziejczak, Kallstrom, Toulalan, Gourcuff, Pjanic, Lopez, Gomis
This unfortunately is the deadest of dead rubbers. The instant Nicolas Anelka breached the feeble Copenhagen defence in the first leg, this tie was over. The Danes were hampered by their mid-winter break but the step-up in class would have been too much either way.
Chelsea can use the game to get Fernando Torres to start scoring again or give some minutes to rising star Josh McEachran. It says it all that Bill and the boys will be watching events in Spain and not London. Copenhagen recovering from two goals down at the Bridge to qualify would be akin to Ireland beating England in cricket.
Oh come on… cricket may figure in tomorrow’s match report. When describing the score. The Blues by at least three.
Probable teams-
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Lampard, Ramieres, Malouda, Torres, Drogba
Copenhagen: Wiland, Jorgensen, Antonsson, Wendt, Pospech, Claudemir, Bolanos, Kvist, Vingaard, Gronkjaer, N’Doye
