Real Madrid welcome Espanyol at the Bernabéu / Real Madrid CF
Real Madrid received RCD Espanyol as a ‘forward’ this Saturday, making a hard and important commitment to Liverpool and once again FC Barcelona in the Champions League. The ‘Perico’ group, who leads the Barça squad and has been winless in his 23 years at the Santiago Bernabéu, has arrived with a need and urgency.
The recital in a resounding victory (2-5) at Anfield did not give Carlo Ancelotti’s men impetus, with a demonstration of character and ‘punching’. Leaving them in the league-mandated rise to win the title and fighting for the cup.
Two domestic draws (1-1) against Atlético (1-1) and Betis (0-0) and a loss in the first leg of the KO tournament against Barça (0-1) are a poor recent record. , only one goal is in favor.
And this defining moment comes at a defining moment of the season. Everything is at stake and every game is life or death. And Merengue will use an a priori ‘affordable’ commitment against Espanyol, who have not won at the Bernabéu since April 1996, to gain the ‘execution’, morale and momentum that will allow them to face that there is a need. A great week guaranteed.”
After their duel with Cornella, the Whites have plenty of cushion when they face Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday. But the current dynamic, devoid of the tension and attitude needed in this crucial part of the season, takes away the presumed tranquility that results (2-5) impart.
Just four days later, they travel to the Camp Nou to consider their candidacy to retain the league title for the first time since the 1989-1990 season. And history is an argument against it, because after 24 days, no one has come back from a 9-point deficit, the current distance from Barça, and declared champions.
The Whites will be the first to do so if they win a league that is Azulgrana after Round 13.
Against Esapunyol, Ancelotti will rest players like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in favor of Aurelien Chuameni and Dani Ceballos. Ferland Mendy and David Alaba are out, while Karim Benzema will miss his 14th game of the season with a sore ankle.
The Frenchman has scored a notable number of goals (18 goals in total) but has been plagued with irregularities on the course where injuries prevent him from seeing his most decisive version. I’m here.
Espanyol, meanwhile, have had a difficult time extracting something positive from the Bernabéu, who have failed to win in 25 league games after seeing their two-game winning streak come to an end in a 2-1 loss to Real Valladolid. I am facing a challenge. But it seems like a good time to “grit your teeth” and dig into the white blemish on the meringue team.
Source: Diario.Elmundo
