adminMADRID. — Real Madrid have the unenviable task of beating city rivals Atletico Madrid tonight at the eighth attempt this season if they are to progress to a fifth consecutive Champions League soccer semi-final. The match kicks-off at 8:45pm. The European champions have failed to overcome Atletico in seven games since beating Los Rojiblancos in last season’s Champions League final, including last week’s 0-0 draw in the first-leg at the Vicente Calderon, and have also been struck by a series of injuries and suspensions to key players.
Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will miss out after limping off with knee and calf injuries respectively in the 3-1 win over Malaga at the weekend, whilst Marcelo is banned and Karim Benzema faces a race against time to be fit due to a knee problem.
With Real Madrid facing an injury crisis ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid attention will be on talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to lead them through but James Rodriguez may hold the key.
As well as the injury absences, attacking fullback Marcelo is suspended for the decider at the Bernabeu with the tie standing at 0-0 from the first game.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti must improvise by either playing two, rather than the usual trident, in attack as he has often done in the absence of Bale or by pushing Rodriguez forward on to the right wing to take the place of the Welshman.
Rodriguez has been in impressive form since his return from injury at the beginning of April with Real winning all four league games.
The Colombian stood out in a sluggish performance by Real in Saturday’s 3-1 La Liga win over Malaga when he scored a fine 25-metre goal, won a penalty and provided defensive cover in midfield.
Now, in the absence of Modric, who is set to be the player that Real will miss most against Atletico, it is Rodriguez who can provide similar passing and build-up play.
Ronaldo’s strike against Malaga brought up his 50th goal of the season but he struggled after Christmas without the support from midfield of Modric or Rodriguez.
“The best player was James because he gave a lot of quality to the team,” Ancelotti told a news conference after the Malaga victory.
Given those absences, the return to fitness and form of Rodriguez is a huge boost for Los Blancos.
The Colombian World Cup star has scored twice in four games after a two-month injury layoff due to a broken foot to take his tally to an impressive 14 in his first season at the Bernabeu.
“Before I was out I was scoring goals, playing at a good level and now I think it is the same,” he told Madrid’s website.
“I want to continue like this, using my characteristics to help the team achieve important objectives.
“We are all dreaming of getting through this round and if I can score as well then it would be great.
“The most important thing is to win and get through this very difficult game, but we are in our own stadium with our own fans. I think it could be a great game.”
Atletico will try to take advantage of the absentees to get some revenge for their defeat in last season’s Champions League final and are led in attack by Antoine Griezmann who is in a rich vein of form.
“He has scored important goals all season and is giving a lot to the team,” fellow forward Raul Garcia told reporters.
The Frenchman hit a double in Atletico’s 2-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.
“The final is in the past. It would have been nice to win but this is another match. The team is playing very well and we are in a positive mood,” added Garcia.
However, Real will be faced with arguably the best defence in Europe tonight.
Atletico have conceded just once in their last eight Champions League games and have shut-out their local rivals in four of their previous seven meetings this season.
“Atletico are an intense team that are very good at the back,” added Rodriguez. “There is always pressure. We have to manage it and we are going to do everything we can to win an 11th European Cup.”
By contrast, Atletico have a clean bill of health with striker Mario Mandzukic expected to shake off an ongoing ankle problem to start alongside the in-form Antoine Griezmann up front.
Diego Simeone’s men remain the underdogs in just their second Champions League quarter-final in 18 years, but midfielder Raul Garcia refuted the suggestion they have less to lose than the holders.
“I don’t think we have less pressure. It is the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the two teams want to go through.
“Time will give more value to what we are achieving. Now it seems normal to be in the quarter-finals, to get to the semis would be very important.”
Garcia maintained the Atletico party line of recent weeks in insisting there is no thirst for revenge after losing out in heartbreaking circumstances to Real in the Lisbon final last May.
However, he also dismissed the idea that Atletico now have a mental hold over Carlo Ancelotti’s men having beaten them over two legs in the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del Rey already this season.
“Lisbon is forgotten. We don’t live in the past. We would have loved to have won, but it doesn’t change anything. If we had won, we would still want to go through now.
“We have to forget the previous games this year too. They only serve to know that we are doing the right things. We always say the games that have already been played don’t matter.” — AFP.
Online Reporter