Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho confident of progressing to Champions League quarter-finals
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is optimistic about his side’s chances of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Spanish giants will take an away goal back to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg of their last-16 encounter against
Lyon, after the first leg in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899 ended with a score of 1-1.
Real Madrid will feel that they should have won against the spirited French side, especially since the visitors dominated long stretches of the match. The Galacticos went ahead in the 65th minute through substitute Karim Benzema’s effort. Madrid
held on to that lead until the 83rd minute, before Bafetimbi Gomis equalised for Lyon with a close range volley.
Madrid manager Jose Mourinho conceded that his player’s had a tough time in Lyon, but he was optimistic that Real Madrid have what it takes to turn things in their favour at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mourinho said, “I feel like I watched a real Champions League match: hard and well contested with very few clear chances due to the defensive rigour on both sides. In the second half we managed to find spaces and, to begin with, we were closer to a second
goal than Lyon were to an equaliser.”
He added, “But it sets things up well for the second leg, where we will hope to qualify in front of our supporters.”
Despite the draw, Real Madrid are confident of progressing to the final eight of the Champions League. The Spanish giants have that all important away goal, and if they can keep Lyon from scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu, they are guaranteed to go through
to the quarter-finals; something they haven’t achieved for the past six seasons.
However, Lyon are still in with a real shot of pulling off a huge upset in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011. It would not be first time either. Last season, it was the French side who knocked Real Madrid out of the competition.
Anything can still happen when the two sides meet in the second leg on 16th March.
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