Champions League: Real Madrid vs Manchester United discussion

Real Madrid vs Manchester United discussion.

Champions League last 16.

1st leg - Santiago Bernabeu - Wednesday 13th February.

2nd leg - Old Trafford - Tuesday 5th March.


Past 4 meetings:

Away: Champions League Quarter-final 2nd leg - 23rd April 2003: Manchester United 4-3 Real Madrid

Home: Champions League Quarter-final 1st leg - 8th April 2003: Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester United

Away: Champions League Quarter-final 2nd leg - 19th April 2000: Manchester United 2-3 Real Madrid

Home: Champions League Quarter-final 1st leg - 4th April 2000: Real Madrid 0-0 Manchester United



Injuries/Suspensions:

Real Madrid - Casillas.

Manchester United - Fletcher.


Manchester United last 5 results:

League: Manchester United 2-0 Everton
League: Fulham 0-1 Manchester United
League: Manchester United 2-1 Southampton
FA Cup 4th round: Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
League: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Manchester United



Manchester United Champions League results:

Group H:

Manchester United 1-0 Galatasaray
CFR Cluj 1-2 Manchester United
Manchester United 3-2 Braga
Braga 1-3 Manchester United
Galatasaray 1-0 Manchester United
Manchester United 0-1 CFR Cluj


1. Manchester United - 12 points
2. Galatasaray - 10 points
3. CFR Cluj - 10 points
4. Braga - 3 points




Predicted lineups:

Real Madrid:

-------------Diego Lopez
Arbeloa---Varane---Ramos---Coentrao
----------Khedira---Alonso
---Di Maria------Ozil------Ronaldo
--------------Benzema

Manchester United:

-----------------De Gea
--Rafael--Ferdinand---Vidic---Evra
----------Cleverley--Carrick
-----Valencia----Rooney----Kagawa
---------------Van Persie----





Robin van Persie has scored 23 goals in all competitions this season.




Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 36 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions this season. His former club will have to be wary of the threat Ronaldo poses.

Bayern for the lulz.

Should be a good game. But if we play like we're playing right now, well be going home early.

Future wrote:Should be a good game. But if we play like we're playing right now, well be going home early.

We did look good today in the Sevilla tune up game though. Hopefully we can carry the momentum into Wednesday and build a decent lead before going up to England

de gea wilo be easy to target from long range and set pieces ronaldo hattrick anyone?

the rest have to play good as well. anyone think ramos will start at rb and epep-varane in the middle? gosh I hope so

higgy and benz out at the same time one red carded the other subbed. he really isn't giving us any clues eh?

Haha nope. I think it will be Benz, he started in the barca game. Would like to see higgy in the right rather than Di Maria, callejon or Modric but prob won't happen. Hope he does get some minutes though.

Anyone scout United today? Didn't watch their match today

I'd like to see


What will Mourinho line up

Somehow I think Mou will stick Ramos at rb to help out DiMaria. I'd love if him and ronaldo switched wings constantly like they did vs city and valencia we played arguebly our best games then.

The only question mark is the striker position. does benz start or higuain or mou can even surprise us with callegoat.

I wonder will valencia start for united or welbeck that could give us an indication how fergie willl intend to approach the game. we need to score our chances because teams seem to be very efficient against us

Pretty sure he'll start Valencia on the right, to help Rafael. He knows how dangerous Ronaldo is.

Yeh, Valencia can help Rafael.

Benzema usually starts in the big games.

I'm confused Varane is injured or no?

Since Di Maria is playing I'll take.

Arbeloa-Varane-Ramos-Coentrao
--Khedira---Modric/Alonso------
Di maria--Ozil---Ronaldo
--------Higuain---------

To start the game. Not what I'd prefer but what works with Di maria at least. He gets the ball when he's on the pitch, best bet is to increase the probability of his being effective.

Hopefully Alonso is fit because I don't want Modric with him either.

if I had to choose I would put dimaria at lw. he plays best there especially for Argentina. ronaldo can have his free role from rw

halamadrid2 wrote:if I had to choose I would put dimaria at lw. he plays best there especially for Argentina. ronaldo can have his free role from rw

Yea but I'm trying to be realistic

Mamad wrote:I'm confused Varane is injured or no?

He was injured, however he's expected to be back for this game.

So I looked at all the goals they've conceded since December.From that I've discerned a couple things.

1. Di Maria-Ozil-Ronaldo
----------Higuain-------

Will be the most tactically suited lineup. Ronaldo switching to the right would make it better as it would avoid long shots and get Ozil more space to operate in. At the same time, Ronaldo on the left has no defensive responsibility and Di Maria can cover for Arbeloa while Ronaldo leaks on counters and in the normal run of play.

2. What will define the game is our off the ball organization. It's going to be difficult. We traditionally approach Barca games by being compact and by forcing the ball wide- usually to be thwarted by Messi and Iniesta. United however have issues through the center- their players (even Scholes) always look for an outlet.

> Ramos and Varane will have their hands full covering Van Persie and Rooney- Ramos will likely be the one to come out and cover Rooney. They need to pay attention particularly to his early runs because I think the best approach is to give Scholes and Cleverly the option to exectute the over the top ball.

>Coentrao needs to stay at home on Valencia for the most part - but he can afford to overplay on the inside because that's an important source of initiation. They actively look for Valencia as an outlet so it's important that Coentrao simultaneously cover his man while also not allowing him to settle into a rhythm of attack. That to me involves covering the passing lane first and the man 2nd.

>I don't know who plays of the left - If it's Kagawa then Essien might be better , if it's Young - Arbeloa can just man mark. I rather he get the ball and be useless than Arbeloa over play and give him space.

>Khedira usually presses his man very directly . I don't think he needs to. They are looking for the wide areas anyway so hovering back and threatening outlet passes is probably the best approach. Alonso will play as he normally does - trying to break up play. He has no one to cover actively unless Khedira allows Cleverly to move into his space- so he can help Coentrao cover Valencia by standing in the passing lane.

>Di Maria,Ozil and Higuain should do what they usually do run hard at the defenders off the ball. All of them are mistake prone and the entire defense lacks co-ordination and a clear identification of roles. Moreover they are tentative to making the back pass. Higuain and Di maria could be very effective here.

Crossing to Ronaldo when he's in the box or low crosses across the face of goal is probably the best staple tactic if they take away all forms of early attack. Loading the box on set pieces on both ends is also probably a good idea. But overall I think the best approach would be to count on them making mistakes and effectively capitalizing on them....at least for the initial stages.

ggreat analysis there josh.

I have noticed their fullbacks struggling against traditional wingers doing 1-2s. happened against liverpool, spurs, everton etc. so for that reason I am begging for dimaria to play on the left he is going to completely tear that side apart with our without valencia.

another thing I have noticed is how they have been playing only 2 midfielders recently, if they do that against us they are in trouble. jones and evans went out injured as well which gives them some defensive headaches. I expect the to recover tho.

united like many teams play through the wings something we have been struggling with see sociedad and dortmund, rvp is very efficient as well which may kill us judging by the mistakes we are capable off. they set pieces are mostly spot on so our marking should be better than it has. I am confident lopez can get our box sorted only ronaldo has scored on him on set pieces since he came

also as pochetino said degea is not comfortable with long shots. if ronaldo decides to shoot alot I wont be against it. he has very poor precense inside the box as well not hesitating to run out to punch balls eventho he fails 70% of the times. Epep and Ramos should be important in these situations. considering these twos repps degea only need to fall with no contact and the reff will blow for foul.

so all in all id like to see a ramos-varane-epep-cacktrao partnership with alonso helping out the left side of the defence. the other one should be ok.

as for the rest id play the same front. I would let benz clear his head he doesn't look as sharp as last season both for us and france. this will behiggys ultimate chance. if he fails I can't see him starting another big game after this.

marca reporting we will play our usual lineup btw. arbeloa

I think that's wrong. The long shots thing is if you have players who follow up effectively. Unless Callejon starts we don't. He is the best long shot stopper in the world bar none.

If they play with 2 midfielders, then Rooney will probably drop back etc when attacking and defending.

Rooney drops back but his instinct is to spray and run. One of the centrebacks is going to cover him once he doesn't get too far out. If he does I don't mind, Alonso will maybe have to foul him a couple times - but the further he is from goal the better.

If he drops back then I think it should be Alonso and Khedira's job to track him. Just like how we'd deal with any AM in a 4-2-3-1.

I think Ramos has dealt with this enough to know how. It's in Ramos best interest to stay as close to his man as possible or he loses him.

It's a constant visual marker so that Ramos don't lose him. That is not to say Ramos should go to the halfway line but within reason he should be the one covering Rooney.

It will mean Varane gets left on an island covering Van Persie but Varance will be fine.They don't have anyone else moving into the box regularly.