UEFA Champions League – Match Preview: Auxerre verus Real Madrid
Real Madrid travel to France on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 to take on Auxerre in what is expected to be a goal filled encounter. Auxerre sealed their spot in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League after winning their qualification
playoff against Zenit Saint Petersburg. Their surprise win over the Russian giants has put them amongst the European elite and possibly the only group of death in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League this season. Auxerre’s group includes the likes
of Real Madrid, A.C Milan and Ajax Amsterdam.
The French giants will not be relishing the fact that they are hosting the most famous and successful club in the world as Real Madrid look to show Auxerre how the big boys play in the UEFA Champions League. Madrid are one of the
outright favourites to progress till the final match of the currently on-going Champions League competition. In the summer transfer window, Madrid made many impressive and expensive summer singings but the most talked about signature at the club was of the
ex-Chelsea and Porto manager, Jose Mourinho.
After knocking out Barcelona in the 2009-2010 UEFA Champions League, Jose Mourinho led his Inter Milan side to their first European Cup title in over fifty years. Now the Portuguese national has embarked on yet another ambitious
mission in his short but glorified managerial career thus far. Jose was appointed Real Madrid’s manager after the club parted ways with Manuel Pelligrini and since his arrival; he has brought in some key stars to the Madrid line up. Real signed Germany’s FIFA
2010 World Cup midfield duo Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira from Werder Bremen and Stuttgart respectively.
They also brought in Pedro Leon from Getafe and Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea. These reinforcements have strengthened the Real Madrid squad as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema along with Gonzalo Higuain look to
win their first European Cup ever with Real Madrid. Jose has been very shrewd in his tactics thus far, against Ajax in their first group stage match of the season, Madrid turned out with an incredibly attacking line up. Despite missing a host of chances, Real
Madrid defeated the Dutch giants by two goals to nil. Throughout the match, Madrid controlled possession and thus dominated the game.
Madrid are currently unbeaten in their last five competitive matches, out of which four have ended in wins for the Los Blancos. In their first match of the season, Real Madrid played out a boring one all draw against Mallorca but
since then Mourinho’s side went on a run of four straight wins. Madrid’s last league match ended in a goalless draw as it was away to Levante Valencia. But against Auxerre, the men in white are expected to come out in full force. Madrid have not got many injury
problems for this game as only Ricardo Kaka is sidelined with a long term knee injury, the Brazilian midfielder is expected to make his comeback sometime around December, 2010.
Auxerre on the other hand lost their first UEFA Champions League match against A.C Milan. It was a hurtful defeat for the French giants who have made peace with the fact that they might not actually qualify from the group. Nonetheless,
they will be looking to contain the Real Madrid attack on Tuesday and the best way to do that will be to organize their defence in a disciplined manner. Auxerre drew their last Ligue 1 match against Nancy Lorraine and therefore they don’t come into this match
with the best form.
However, Auxerre’s main hope of glory will be to earn a place in the Europa League season. That can be achieved if they finish third in their UEFA Champion’s League group. In all reality, Real Madrid are favourites to win against
Auxerre, anything but an emphatic victory will be seen as a failure for Jose Mourinho’s side whereas Auxerre will be hoping that they can somehow limit the score line to respectable figures.
Tags: