Real Madrid 2 - 0 Zaragoza [06/01/07]

[Robinho4Ever]

La Liga Preview: Real Madrid - Real Zaragoza:

It's back to business in La Liga after the two week mid-season break and, for most clubs, the business end of the campaign begins now.

Real Madrid will be looking to pick up where they left off in 2007, but their opponents, Real Zaragoza, will be hoping that the turn of the year will bring an upturn in fortunes.


More Of The Same, Please

Los Merengues ended 2007 in the best possible fashion when they beat arch-nemesis and title rival Barcelona 0-1 just two days before Christmas. The precious win - just their second at the Camp Nou in 25 years - not only opened up a healthy seven point lead at the top, but it also brought back a sense of self-belief at the club never before seen in a long time.

The reigning champions entered the break with an impressive run of seven competitive games without defeat, six of them victories. In the league, they have been virtually untouchable at the Santiago Bernabéu. The last time they dropped points was against Getafe back in early March '07. Ever since, they have reeled off 15 consecutive wins, seven from last term and eight from this campaign. It is a streak that began, incidentally, after the unforgettable 3-3 draw at Barcelona in last season's clásico.

However, coach Bernd Schuster didn't quite get the resounding result he was expecting to kick off 2008. On Wednesday, his near-second string side needed a 92nd minute winner from Guti to prevent their second leg Copa del Rey clash with Segunda B outfit Alicante from going into extra-time, as the Spanish giants ran out 2-1 victors.

The German trainer will be demanding a more imperious display from his strong squad this time. He hopes to build not just on the winning streak, but also on their markedly improved performances in December.


New Resolutions Needed

In contrast to Madrid's form, Real Zaragoza have not won since the 31st of October, losing three of their last seven Liga games and drawing the other four. Add to that, they suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to third division club Pontevedra in the first leg Copa del Rey match back in November, a tie which they only just rescued in the return leg last Thursday when Sergio García scored in the dying minutes to make it 3-1, averting an embarrassing elimination via the away goals rule.

Los Maños have made significant improvements to the squad during the summer with such formidable arrivals as Ricardo Oliveira, Roberto Ayala, Peter Luccin and Matuzalém, but Víctor Fernández's side are failing miserably to replicate last season's form that saw them finish in 6th place. Injuries have played their part, but so too has poor form.

If they don't put an end to their wretched winless run early in the new year, another chase for a UEFA Cup spot could be over very soon and they might even find themselves suddenly battling away in the relegation zone. Amazingly, they're just three points clear of it.


TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

In-form defender Pepe has overcome a bout of flu and he is also making good progress in shrugging off the muscle strain he picked up in the first training session in the new year. If he fails to regain 100% fitness come kick-off, then Gabriel Heinze should deputize at centre-back, with Christoph Metzelder still struggling to recuperate from his own injury.

Schuster has no other injury or suspension worries but that doesn't mean there aren't any selection headaches. He will have to mull over who to line up in midfield. The likes of Guti, Robben, and Higuaín are all eager to earn a chance to impress the coach.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Casillas - Sergio Ramos, Pepe/Heinze, Cannavaro, Marcelo - Sneijder, Diarra, Baptista - Raul (c), van Nistelrooy, Robinho


Real Zaragoza

The Blanquillos will welcome back a cluster of players who all missed the final league game of 2007: Pablo Aimar, Luis Cuartero and David Generelo are all back from injury while Gabi returns from a one-match ban.

Saturday morning saw news that Diego's red card from midweek had been rescinded, leaving him free to face Real Madrid.

Ex-Madrid keeper César Sánchez looks doubtful as he continues to nurse an injury he sustained in the match against Valencia a fortnight ago, despite his best efforts throughout the Christmas break to make a full recovery.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Madrid - Júlio Baptista

There are few Madrid players such as Casillas, Pepe and Robinho who are in the form of their lives, but it is the Beast who has turned himself into an instant Bernabéu hero with his stunning winner at the Camp Nou in el Clásico two weeks ago. The hard work now begins for the 26 year old as he looks to fend off fierce competition from his colleagues and cement a regular place in the first team.


Real Zaragoza - Ricardo Oliveira

The Brazilian, on loan from AC Milan, will have Milito alongside him for this one. But make no mistake, the ex-Betis frontman is anything but a secondary player, having tallied nine goals already in all competitions, just one behind his Argentine strike partner.

Hala Madrid !! Lets open 2008 with a win (in La Liga, we have already won Alicante in the Copa ) ...

[Robinho4Ever]

Pepe To Miss Zaragoza Game::

Pepe will miss Real Madrid's home tie with Real Zaragoza on Sunday after failing to recover from a muscle strain.


Pepe picked up the injury in Real's first training session back after the Christmas break and Bernd Schuster does not want to risk the Portuguese defender when he is not one hundred percent fit.

He will instead be rested for Sunday's game in anticipation of their Copa del Rey tie with Mallorca in mid-week and will join fellow defender Christian Metzelder on the sidelines.

Gabriel Heinze has returned from injury and Bernd Schuster is likely to slot him straight into the team alongside Fabio Cannavaro in central defence.

Jordi Codina, Míchel Salgado, Royston Drenthe, Javier Balboa and Roberto Soldado all fail to make the match-day squad due to Bernd Schuster's selection, with two or three of them looking certain to leave Real in January.

Soldado is the surprise admission from Schuster's squad, as he performed well against Alicante in the Spanish Cup on Wednesday and was expected to be part of his plans for Sunday's clash.

There are already interested clubs swooping around the Bernabeu for those players who are out of favor at the moment and it is thought that Schuster would be more than happy to see a few of his fringe players leave the club, even those such as Drenthe, who only joined in the summer.

Real's eighteen man squad for the Zaragoza tie will be as follows: Iker Casillas, Dudek, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo, Miguel Torres, Gago, Guti, Diarra, Sneijder, Baptista, Robben, Robinho, Higuaín, Saviola, Van Nistelrooy and Raúl.

Shit !! Fuc* !! now Heinze will play I prefer him on the left side ...

[Trim]

Zaragoza have not impressed much this season.

They were much tougher last season.

Real Madrid have won all home matches thus far..

.. and I bet the record will continue, because I can't really see Zaragoza pulling a surprise.

[Podolski]

What? they say Soldado is the suprise admission but he's not on that list.
I agree with Trim. I also think schuster made a good decision on pepe, even though I wanted to see him.

[Pennywise]

Schuster told that Pepe had played if the match had been VERY important like a final or against Barcelona. However, weird that both Heinze, Metzelder and Pepe struggled before this match. Looks like Heinze will be ready.

I don't think Real Madrid 2008 will take so many points as in 2007 and I fear Barca will come closer and closer. Zaragoza will surprise at BErnabeu and sooner or later, Los Merengues have to lose home.

[Pennywise]

Real Madrid - Real Zaragoza 2-0

Van Nistelrooy
Robinho

Bad performance by Real Madrid tonight. Zaragoza did not deserve zero points IMO. Thanks to Casillas that all the points went to the hometeam.

[Dragoen]

Originally Posted by Pennywise

Real Madrid - Real Zaragoza 2-0

Van Nistelrooy
Robinho

Bad performance by Real Madrid tonight. Zaragoza did not deserve zero points IMO. Thanks to Casillas that all the points went to the hometeam.

Why does it always turn out the same way when Real plays crappy? I don't want to know how many points Real would have now without Casillas.

[Podolski]

Originally Posted by Pennywise

I don't think Real Madrid 2008 will take so many points as in 2007 and I fear Barca will come closer and closer. Zaragoza will surprise at BErnabeu and sooner or later, Los Merengues have to lose home.

pessimist again
we won 2-0. It wasn't an easy match but we took our chances, Zaragoza really didn't, they had so many aswell. Heinze got injured.. we are really running low on centre halfs now..
Robinho and Van Nistelrooy with the goals
my ratings

Casillas 9 - Man of the match, saved everything (which was quite alot) thrown at him.
Torres 6 - Was ok, wasn't much of a threat going forward though.
Canna 7 - Got really battered in this match but kept going on, made some good tackles.
Ramos 5 - Not his best, got a yellow, was sloppy and made a mistake which could have been very costly.
Marcelo 6 - was decent.
Diarra 6 - worked very hard but his passing let him down again
Baptista 7 - good, made some good passes and had a great run down the middle where he showed his strength by still managing to make a good pass despite getting tripped up 3 times
sneijder 4 - very ineffective, can remember hearing his name only once
robinho 9 - set up one goal, scored the other (which was a good goal)
raul - 7 worked hard and was good
van nistelrooy - 8 did his job and scored

[Trim]

Good win, bravo!

Robinho is simply phenomenal.

[Pennywise]

Originally Posted by Dragoen

Why does it always turn out the same way when Real plays crappy? I don't want to know how many points Real would have now without Casillas.

Because they've a keeper in worldclass and worldclass players like Robinho, Van Nistelrooy, etc..

You know, the hallmark of big clubs is that they take points on a bad day, because they have such good players that can create goals at their own (like Robinho, like Van Nistelrooy) when the team actually are playing bad. The small clubs do not have such players. That's why we can see clubs like ManUtd, Chelsea, Inter, Barca, Madrid, etc.. are winning on bad days, and often with some luck.

But Real Madrid are deserving La Liga leaders and they haven't play much bad matches so far this season. I can mention a couple of horrible and a few 'middle of the three' performances.


Btw, 100 % Werder - In Germany

[Dragoen]

In the Offense they have world class players. But the defense is just so bad at the moment. That is waht I mean. It just don't show up in the statistic because of Cassilas. When I watched the Game Real vs Werder I was most of the time pissed because the real madrid defense played so bad although the people around me told me I should be happy about it.^^


btw good to hear that I am not the only here that doesn't think Bayern is the best.

[Pennywise]

Real Madrids defence have actually been good this season when all players have been available. Ramos - Pepe - Cannavaro - Heinze is a strong defence...but today both Pepe, Metzelder and Heinze went out..and the midfield did not the job tonight. But of course, Casillas is pure class.


Hehe, I have supported and followed Werder Bremen since I was a child, in Germany and I hope they will win this season since they're scoring so much goals....but I have to admitt that Bayern may are a bit stronger this season, even they're equal with Werder today.

[Pennywise]

Heinze out for two months. Not good news.

[Podolski]

at least we're getting pepe back soon..

[Trim]

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