Real Madrid will be facing CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 second-leg, and are the favourites to qualify for the next round.
The league leaders are currently on a high, as they haven’t tasted defeat in their last 10 games in all competitions. The Spanish giants have drawn their first-leg against the Russian juggernauts, with the final score-line 1-1.
However, with the best form ongoing for Jose Mourinho’s men, beating Madrid will be a tough http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Job-c18684 for the Russian side, as they pay a visit to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Madrid could have picked up a win against Moscow on February 21st, but Pontus Wernbloom scored an equalizer for the home team, hence keeping the tie alive for the Russian side.
After accepting that he wants to continue with Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho would want the Spanish giants to qualify for the next round of the competition.
Madrid’s arch-rivals scored 7 past their opposition in the round-of-16 second-leg, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 scoring 5 goals.
However, Lionel Messi’s competitor, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristiano-Ronaldo-c9629 can still boast a 32-goal tally in La Liga, as Lionel Messi is still 2 goals behind the Portuguese captain.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Xabi-Alonso-c37045, Moscow might have to face embarrassment at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Leonid Slutsky believes that stopping Madrid would be very hard for his side. While addressing the press, he was quoted as saying:
“Real scores a lot of goals even they play without key players. To play against them at their home will be a spectacle,” Slutsky said.
“They have very quick players. So, we need to be very sharp in defence and try not to give them enough space.”
“It’s way too difficult to stop them from scoring but we will try to get an away goal. A few teams can perform at a high level with a variety of tactical manoeuvres. Moreover, they have some of the best players. However, I still believe in miracles.”
Moscow will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeeb.
On the other hand, the Ivory Coast star striker, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seydou-Doumbia-c33175 is expected to perform at his best, as Moscow only need a single goal at the Bernabeu, in order to put pressure on Madrid.
However, Madrid are not only favourites to win this home game; in fact, they are also favourites to win the UEFA Champions League title this season. Therefore, beating them at the Bernabeu will be a task almost impossible for a team like CSKA Moscow.
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