Real Madrid's group, with Ol. Lyon like last year...

Group E

Real Madrid (SPA)
Olympique Lyon (FRA)
Steaua Bucharest (RUM)
Dinamo Kiev (UKR)

And the matches...

13.09. Lyon-Real Madrid,
26.09. Real Madrid-Dinamo Kijev,
17.10. Steaua-Real Madrid,
01.11. Real Madrid-Steaua,
21.11. Real Madrid-Lyon,
06.12. Dinamo Kijev-Real Madrid.

Hala Madrid!

good luck for us!!! (well for the players mostly)
but we didn't get a very hard group, so i hope we'll make it.

Yes the grup isn't very hard but we can have surprises... remember what happened with lyon last year... The kicked our a** (sorry...). And I can't believe RM is in the same group with Steaua Bucharest!!!!!! I am sooooo angry!!!!!!!! Real is coming to my country and bucharest is so far from me. It's about 12 hours by train or car!!!!! And i'll have school when they'll play! And the ticket is so expensive!!!! :((((((( it isn't fair!!!! I wanna die!!!!!!!!

Champions League rivals

These are the teams Real Madrid will face in the group stage of the 2006/07 European Cup

Real Madrid will come across some familiar faces when they play Olympique Lyonnais and Dynamo Kiev in the group stage of the 2006/07 Champions League, as both were group stage rivals of the Whites in 2006 and 2005, respectively. On the other hand, Steaua Bucharest has never played Real Madrid in this competition.


Olympique Lyonnais



The French team has come a long way in European football. As French League champions five years running, the side follows French football tradition and places strong emphasis on their attacking game. The team is a melting pot of youth and experienced veterans.
The team managed by Gérard Houllier, legendary Liverpool coach, is an offensive-minded, dynamic squad, paving the way for the team reaching the Champions League quarterfinals in each of the last three years. Olympique Lyonnais' stand-out player has to be the Brazilian international midfielder, Juninho Pernambucano, who is not only one of the world's best free kick specialists, but who is also so good that he participates in nearly every play. You should also keep an eye out for the Frenchman, Wiltord and the recently signed, Alou Diarrá, who bring both spead and balance to the French side.


Steaua Bucharest



At first glance, Steaua may look like a pushover, but this team was a semifinalist in last year's UEFA CUP, only to be defeated by Middlesbrough in a terribly-played second leg match. Despite having only been founded in 1947, this Club has been one of the most successful in Romania. They have won more Leagues and Cups than any other team in the country. However, Steaua's greatest achievement came on 7 May 1986 when they won the European Cup after defeating Barcelona in a penalty shooutout at the Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. The Catalan side weren't able to put one shot into the back of the net. Steaua won the European Supercup that same year after beating Dynamo Kiev. The Eastern European team also reached the 1989 final at the Camp Nou, but lost to Milan.


Dynamo Kiev

Winners of two UEFA Cups. Dynamo are the breeding grounds for the Ukrainian national team that reached the quartefinals of the 2006 World Cup. Seven Dynamo players were called up by the national squad: Shovkovsky, Nesmachniy, Rebrov, Rotan, Husyev, Vashchuk, and Milevsky. They are a rugged team and have a tremendous home advantage: the weather. A trip to Ukraine in the winter can be a first stiff test to overcome. Everyone still remembers Shevchenko's Dynamo squad, the team that eliminated Real Madrid in 1999 and that won 4-0 at Barcelona's Camp Nou. There is little left of that team. Only Rebrov, who enjoyed little success in the Premiership, has returned to finish out his career in Ukrainian football.

www.realmadrid.com

yea, i agree that madrid isn't on a hard group..
But I'm afraid we'll be surprised!!
juz pray for them (especially 4 Casillas) but i'm sure they'll make it,
coz they'll have the greatest goalkeeper in da' world!! :real madrid:

Lyon squad list

Salgado stays home; Adán and Javi García make the teamsheet

Real Madrid coach, Fabio Capello has named the 20 men he will take to France for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Olympique Lyonnais. Salgado suffered a bruised left knee ligament in Sunday's match against Levante and will not make the trip. The Madridista right fullback has been replaced by Javi García, while goalkeeper Adán has been included in lieu of Casilla.

On Tuesday at 11 am CET, Real Madrid are scheduled to leave Valdebebas en route to Lyon. Capello has called up 20 men for the team's Champions League debut. With the exception of Míchel Salgado and Casilla, who have been replaced by youth teamers Javi García and Adán, the teamsheet is comprised of the same players who traveled to Valencia for Sunday's match against Levante. The Madridista right fullback suffered an injury that is less severe than originally thought. Following a medical checkup, Salgado was diagnosed with a bruised-sprained internal lateral ligament of the left knee. His status for next weekend's match against Real Sociedad is questionable, and depends on the how quickly he recovers.
Capello has every First Team player at his service, other than injured Salgado and Ronaldo, and Helguera who was left off the squad list due to a coaching decision.

REAL MADRID TEAMSHEET:

Goalkeepers: Casillas, Diego López, and Adán.
Defenders: Roberto Carlos, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Raúl Bravo, Pavón, Mejía.
Midfielders: Javi García, Diarra, Emerson, Cicinho, Guti, Reyes, Beckham.
Forwards: Raúl, Robinho, Van Nistelrooy, Cassano.
Not called up: Helguera (coaching decision), Salgado (injured), and Ronaldo (injured).

Real Madrid arrive in Lyon

Countdown to the Champions League match on Wednesday @ 8:45 pm CET

The Madridista expedition arrived in France at 1 pm led by President Ramón Calderón. Over one hundred fans awaited their arrival in the gates of the Lyon international airport. Beckham and Diarra monopolised attention and flashes. The team will set up camp, waiting to train for the first time in the Stade Gerland at 7 pm.

After a one-and-a-half-hour flight, the French culinary capital welcomed the team of Real Madrid with an extremely pleasant temperature, at 26ºC [79ºF], and the warmth of the over 100 supporters who came to greet their heroes at the airport. Beckham, who led the White's popularity chart in Lyon, started signing autographs the minute he crossed the gate. Up there with him was Diarra, former Olympique Lyonnais footballer and a true idol for the local crowd.
The squad convened at 10:15 am in Real Madrid City. The commute from Valdebebas to Terminal 4 of Madrid's Barajas International Airport is a mere 15 minutes. A good pack of fans had also gathered here to bid their players farewell, wish them the best of luck and, of course, get a snapshot or an autograph. Fabio Capello has called up all available first team players for the Lyon meeting except Ronaldo and Salgado, who are recovering from their respective injuries, and Helguera, once again out due to technical reasons.

This evening, at 19:00 hours, the squad will train on the pitch of the Gerland stadium, which hosts the first leg of the tie between the group's two most prominent sides, and the ones which should logically go on through to the next stage in tight competition for the first spot. This will be the only training session that Fabio Capello's men will have in preparation for the match beside the mild Monday morning session.

The expedition was led by RM President Calderón, who was also joined by General Sporting Boss, Montenegro-national Pedja Mijatovic, and General Director of the Presidential Cabinet, Miguel Ángel Arroyo. Also travelling with the aforementioned were five Board members.

Real Madrid begin their European path, in what has often been branded "their competition", and they aim to make it very clear from game one against Olympique Lyonnais that they are one of this season's hot favourites.

Olympique Lyonnais-Real Madrid

Same bill, different teams

The 2006/07 Champions League begins for the new Real Madrid. The Whites will make their season debut in the top European tournament in Lyon's Gerland stadium for the second year in a row, this time with five new signings and a new sporting project in mind. Same bill, different teams. The Champions League, the competition Real Madrid has won more times than any other team side, will kick off for the Whites at 8:45 pm CET.

Everything is ready for Real Madrid to make their debut in this season's Champions League. The group stage has been drawn, the groups are set up, and now it's time for the First Matchday to start. The two strongest players in Group E, Real Madrid and Olympique Lyonnais, face each other in France first. Olympique have played five French League matches, whereas Real Madrid have only played two. This year, both teams are diffferent to those which faced each other last year, especially the Whites.

Diarra changes teams
His signing for Real Madrid weakened Olympique Lyonnais, who relied on him heavily in the midfield. He is the only drop from the line-up that started against Real Madrid last year, but a noticeable one at that. The starting lineup for the Whites will be very different this time around. Five new players and a new coaching staff have arrived to the Club this season. At this point, this match is definitely their best chance to prove things are copacetic at the Spanish Club.

Fabio Capello has said very little concerning the eleven players he will start in the match. "There are many options," said the Italian coach during a press conference, "Tomorrow you'll know my decision." With Salgado injured, Capello will have to change the defence around. The midfield will probably be the same as of late. The Italian manager is also probably wondering whether to pair either Cassano and Raúl, or Robinho and Reyes in attack. He played each duo on either half in the match against Levante.

This will be a match of figures. It will be played on Cannavaro's 33rd birthday, and Raúl and Van Nistelrooy will have the chance of making ground on Shevchenko's goal-scoring record. Raúl and Van Nistelrooy are 1 and 5 goals behind the Ukranian striker respectively.

The five-time champion French side
Real Madrid will make their debut in the Champions League against Lyon for the second time in two years. Having won the French League five years in a row, Olympique Lyonnais rule over French football with an iron fist and have demonstrated to be superior to every other French team. Without Diarra, but with six new players -Squillaci, Källstrom, Toulalan, Hima, Idangar and Alou Diarra- Olympique Lyonnais currently share the top spot of the League table with Olympique Marseille.

They know Real Madrid is more solid
Lyon's players know they will face a different Real Madrid. They know that with the arrival of Capello as manager and of new signings Cannavaro, Emerson, Van Nistelrooy, Reyes and, especially, Diarra, the Whites are a much more solid team. "Real Madrid have a different structure this year. They are more defensive and more solid. We will be happy to win 1-0," said Lyon's Juninho Pernambucano and Malouda.

Lyon's possible starting team
Lyon coach, Gerard Houllier, didn't line up Malouda and wingers Réveillère and Abidal in their last League match against Troyes, which OL won 2-0. If they play against Real Madrid, Lyon's line-up could be the following: Coupet on goal; Réveillère, Squillaci, Cris and Abidal in defense; Tiago, Toulalan and Juninho in midfield; and Govou, Fred and Malouda up ahead. Coupet, Abidal Malouda and Wiltord played for France against Italy in the recent 2008 European Championship qualifying match, as well as in the World Cup Final. Lyon's latest signing, Alou Diarra, also played the World Cup final with France.

Lyon's coach warns his players
"It is a different Real Madrid from last year's, but I don't really worry that much about our opponents because we have a good team. Real Madrid will be less romantic, stronger and harder to play against. Their defence is different and the team overall is very good. The most important thing is to believe in ourselves. We have the means to play a good match," warned Gerard Houllier. With these words, he evidences the respect he has for Capello's Real Madrid. Everything points to this being the best match of the first week of this season's Champions League.

Starting lineups confirmed

Cicinho for Salgado

Champions League debut for Real Madrid. Capello's team will step out onto the field with the expected starting eleven safe Míchel Salgado, who did not travel to Lyon after bruising the internal lateral ligament of his left knee on Sunday. He will be substituted tonight by Cicinho. Iker Casillas on goal; 4-man defence with Cicinho on the right, Cannavaro commanding, Sergio Ramos alongside the Italian in the centre, and Roberto Carlos down the left; the boss baton in midfield will be held by Diarra and Emerson, with David Beckham on the right, Rául on the left, and Cassano as second forward; finally, Van Nistelrooy as striker and spearheading the attack.

OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS: Coupet; Cris, Müller, Réveillere, Abidal; Toulalan, Tiago , Juninho, Malouda; Govou and Fred.

REAL MADRID: Casillas; Cicinho, Cannavaro, Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Diarra, Emerson, Beckham, Raúl; Cassano and Van Nistelrooy.

www.realmadrid.com

O. Lyonnais 2-0 Real Madrid

The Whites unable to play their game against a centered Olympique
Real Madrid got off to a bad start in the Champions League. Capello's boys tried from the initial whistle, but Lyon seemed to play by heart, very compenetrated. Fred and Juninho were the match's most outstanding players. The second group stage meeting is set for 26 September against Dynamo Kyiv at the Bernabéu, when Real should think of 'righting the ship'.

The only variation in the starting eleven was the inclusion of Cicinho as right fullback for injured player Salgado. Capello placed his full trust on the same eleven men that had started during the first two La Liga games. The game started out with a hard-fought clash in midfield between Diarra and Emerson versus Toulalan and Juninho. And it seems the scales were tipped in favour of the local boys from the very beginning, whether it was through a number of harsh tackles or with the support of the crowd, on fire tonight. Olympique let on their intentions early on with Juninho taking a free kick six minutes into the match that Casillas saved with some hardship.

The French side take the lead
Real were trying to take control of the game, but they were losing balls continuously and also allowing ample space for the opponents to play. This initial domination led to Lyon's first goal: in the 11-minute mark, OL took the lead in the scoreboard after Juninho floated an overhead pass leaving Fred to battle it out all alone in front of Casillas. The Brazilian striker lobbed the ball over Real Madrid's stopper following yet another defensive slip-up and pinned the first goal of the night. The Juninho-Fred joint venture had definitely gathered all their talent and concentration in tonight's match, and were gaining momentum as they repeated the combination just one minute later, but to no avail this time around. Casillas cleared the ball. It marked the beginning of the 'Lyon-denial recital' of the Madridista keeper.

With Capello on the sideline giving his boys instructions, Raul and Cassano interchanged positions constantly to try to open up the French defense, but neither did this approach produce any positive results for the Spanish side. The Italian forward was very active, offering himself and attempting to lose his man at all times, but the rival defenders stopped his impetus, sometimes legally and others in harsh violation. Van Nistelrooy was an island: he wasn't even receiving any of Beckham's long passes.

Lyon continued to do what they know best, performing solidly and with clear-cut ideas: they leveraged their game by playing both down the wings and through the middle. Govou made alarm bells go off again in minute 26 with a powerful shot from outside the box; less than five minutes later, Real conceded the second of the evening. The ball circulated meekly in front of the Madridista box, going from Fred to Govou and onto Tiago's feet, who had slid inside the area and whipped a wonderful left-footer past Casillas and into the back of the net. Two zero.

Sensational Casillas
Not much changed until halftime. Madrid was lost in a fruitless attempt and Lyon seemed to manufacture chances on goal without much effort. Casillas saved his team on three occasions by Réveillere and Fred, bar a shot by Malouda which rattled the woodwork. Hoping halftime would let the Whites take in some air and clear their heads, Capello put Reyes in for a limping Cassano. Real Madrid's coach was looking for Reyes' speed, who immediately put Coupet to the test (minute 50).

With Guti coming in shortly after, Reyes took over Beckham's natural space down the right wing. "Here's hoping the tests might bear some fruit," must have thought Fabio Capello. All the while, Juninho continued to scare the living daylights out of the Spanish defense and keeper with his free kicks. Still, Madrid continued to push forward with cross passes, free kicks and a weak shot on target by Raúl.

Lyon sought to break away and counterattack swiftly seeing Real Madrid's impending needs and incapacity. The danger during this second half came more from distance shots (Tiago, 68') and the free spaces left by the Madridistas whom, neverheless, never gave up. Van Nistelrooy had the best chance, when he managed to slide past the defense and into the rival's box, but it was not meant to be. It is a bitter Champions League debut... but there are five games left in the group stage to remedy this awful start.

MATCH REPORT:

2 – OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS: Coupet; Cris, Müller, Réveillere, Abidal; Toulalan, Tiago , Juninho (Kallstrom 72’), Malouda; Govou (Clero 81’) and Fred (Wiltord 77’).
0 – REAL MADRID: Casillas; Cicinho, Cannavaro, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Beckham (Guti 54´), Diarra, Emerson, Raúl (Robinho 68`); Cassano (Reyes 45’) and Van Nistelrooy.

GOALS:

1-0, min. 11: Fred lobs the ball over Casillas.
2-0, min. 31: Tiago, inside the box, with a cross kick.

REFEREE: Wolfgang Stark, Germany. Booked Ramos (31'), Réveillère (37'), Roberto Carlos (45'), Cannavaro (60') and Diarra (90’).

HIGHLIGHTS: First matchday for Group E of the 2006-07 Champions League group stage played at Lyon's Gerland stadium in front of 42,000 spectators.

www.realmadrid.com

hwaaah............ Madrid!!
:real madrid:

Real Madrid-Dynamo Kiev preview

The team's progress needs to carry over to the Champions League

The Champions League makes its return to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Tuesday, and Real Madrid host Dynamo Kiev with the lone objective of winning the three points in play. The team is improving day by day and they want their good patch in the League play to carry over to the continental competition. Ronaldo is the surprise addition to the squad list.

The Champions League makes its return to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium at 8:45 pm CET on Tuesday. Real Madrid want to right the ship in their competition after getting off to a bad start against Olympique Lyonnais. There are five matches left to battle it out for the top spot in Group E, and tonight the Whites have their first opportunity to prove to Europe that what happened in Lyon was a fluke.
In order to do so, Real Madrid boss, Fabio Capello has had to make some changes to the starting eleven. With Míchel Salgado and Cicinho injured, the Italian coach has been obligated to move some of his defencive pieces around to ensure absolute stability in that area of the pitch. Raúl Bravo was the solution against Betis, but Capello has also been considering Sergio Ramos and Mejía.

Not only will there be changes to the right fullback position. With Van Nistelrooy having just become a father, Ronaldo was added to the teamsheet. The Brazilian star has moved up his return to the squad list two weeks and hopes to get some playing time. Although he's not at 100%, the Brazilian is more than capable of getting his team out of a jam.

Forward progress
The second half against Real Sociedad and many parts of the match against Betis made it clear that the team is looking more and more like the team Capello wants: Collective play, solid defence, and speed from the midfield to the rival's box. The squad will try to put these same premises, including even more quickness, into play tonight.

Needy Dynamo
After losing at home against Steaua Bucharest in Matchday 1 of the Champions League, Dynamo Kiev have come to the Spanish capital desperate to tally some points. The Ukrainian League runners-up have some issues after drawing their last two League matches.

Their best player, Rebrov, who scored the only goal against Steaua, will not play. That goes for the 23 year old Brazilian, Kleber, as well, as he has yet to recover from a knee injury. Dynamo's primary offensive weapons are the Brazilians Diogo Rincón and Carlos Correa, one of the team's top scorers.

With England's Graham Pool officiating the match, the Madridistas start their push to the top of Group E tonight at 8:45 pm CET.

www.realmadrid.com

we won!! we won!! we won!! and it was a great win too! 5-1!! its been a long time since we won with that big difference!! well anyway i'm so happy. Cas was totally great! he had a bunch of great saves as usual :D !! :real madrid:

Real Madrid 5-1 Dynamo Kyiv

Raúl and Van Nistelrooy score twice; Ronaldo returns home

The loss to Olympique Lyonnais two weeks ago is long forgotten, and Real Madrid are now in the second spot of Group E of the Champions League after blowing out Dynamo Kyiv 5-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Van Nistelrooy celebrated the birth of his daughter with two goals and Ronaldo enjoyed several minutes of playing time in his return to the field of play. It couldn't have been a better appetizer before Sunday's derby against Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid made their Champions League home debut with the primary objective of leaving behind the bad taste left after losing to Olympique Lyonnais in Matchday 1. And boy did they ever! There were several changes to the Madridista starting eleven. Avaro Mejía replaced Cicinho at right fullback after the Brazilian tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday's League victory over Betis. Capello didn't want to toy with the Ramos-Cannavaro connection, as their presence in the middle of the defensive line is proving very fruitful for the Italian coach. The duo have allowed one goal in the first four games of national competition.

The two teams spent the opening minutes testing the waters. Real Madrid dominated, but Dynamo Kyiv stood attentive for a counterattack. The Ukrainian side created the first threat of the match when Shatskikh came face to face with Casillas, but the sure-handed Real Madrid keeper, who had several more great saves, kept the scoreboard level. Nearly 15 minutes into the game, Roberto Carlos almost put the home side ahead with a free kick after Guti was fouled just outside the box. But the celebrations weren't long in coming, and what a better way to get the party started.

Dad opens the scoreboard
Diarra was just as sensational as he was on Saturday against Betis. The Mali native crossed a brilliant ball into the box for Van Nistelrroy, but an aware Shovkovskiy made the save despite the Dutch striker having beaten his marker. But the recent father didn't make the home fans wait much longer. Reyes' shot was blocked by the defence, but the football landed at the feet of Roberto Carlos. The Ukrainian keeper left the ball at a dead stop in front of an open goal, and Van Nistelrooy netted the easy score, which he dedicated to his daughter who was born in Madrid on Tuesday morning. The Dutchman tried to surprise Shovkovskiy three minutes later, but the ball sailed just wide of the post.

As the minutes ticked by, Madrid steadily moved forward in search of more reasons to celebrate. A goal by Raúl was the perfect cause. Reyes centered a spectacular pass to the far post that the captain headered into the net. His 52nd goal in European competition drew him level with Shevchenko as the continent's top goal scorer, but they shared the lead for only a few minutes. Oddy enough, it was Raúl who scored against Dynamo the last time these two teams met two seasons ago.

The Whites were devouring Dynamo Kyiv with suffocating pressure on the Ukrainian defence and great ball movement. Meanwhile, the visitors tried to take advantage of the open spaces between the lines, but all their efforts died when the ball would reach their innocent attackers and the presence of an undelible Iker Casillas. The Madridistas scored their third goal in injury time. Reyes met Diarra's center pass and struck it perfectly with his left foot to score.

Raúl, all-time top scorer of the Champions League
The second half began with a lethargic Real Madrid and a Dynamo goal just two minutes after kickoff. Milevskiy made the most of a bad Casillas block to score the goal of honour at the Bernabéu. Van Nistelrooy responded one minute later by headering a Beckham cross that Shovkovskiy saved on the goal line. The Madridistas' total domination produced the fourth goal after an individual play by Raúl, who was left alone in front of the goalkeeper. It was the second goal of of the night for Real Madrid's captain and the Champions League all-time top scorer.

Raúl's second must have made Van Nistelrooy jealous, and the latter wanted his brace in the European clash. The Dutch striker took on Shovkovskiy, and the Ukrainian keeper tackled him with both hands. Penalty, red card, Van Nistelrooy's second, and a standing ovation from the Bernabéu crowd. Dynamo and Shatskikh, the visitor's most oustanding player in attack, continued to have goes, but neither the defence nor Casillas were going to let them spoil the Madridista party. Capello wanted to reward his players, and in one move, the Bernabéu errupted for both Van Nistelrooy and his replacement, Ronaldo, who was given a great welcome home. The Brazilian star had 20 minutes of playing time, and they were enough to show that he's not 100% recovered, but that he's as hungry as ever to starting tallying goals.

MATCH SUMMARY:

5- REAL MADRID:Casillas; Mejía, Cannavaro, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Guti, Emerson, Diarra, Reyes (Beckham, 45’); Raúl (Robinho, 84’) and Van Nistelrooy (Ronaldo, 71’).
1- DINAMO DE KIEV: Shovkovskiy; Gusev, Sabljic, Gavrancic, Nesmachniy; Diogo Rincón (Aliyev, 81’), Corrêa (Rybka, 69’), Yussuf, Belkevich; Milevskiy and Shatskikh.

GOALS:

1-0, min.19: Van Nistelrooy takes advantage of a poor clearing attempt by Shovkovskiy.
2-0, min.26: Raúl header.
3-0, min.45: Reyes.
3-1, min.47: Milevskiy.
4-1, min.60: Raúl off an individual play.
5-1, min.70: Van Nistelrooy penalty kick.

REFEREE:Graham Poll (England). Internatiional referee since 1996. Red card to Shovkovskiy.

HIGHLIGHTS: Matchday 2 of Group E of the Champions League played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

www.realmadrid.com

i heard reyes got injured, do u know what kinda injury he suffered?

oh yeah great win by real :real madrid:

yes, but it's nothing serious, i think.... on real madrid site it sais about this only in spanish and it sais that he missed today's training becaus eof his injury. I will read it all and i'll try to translate it for you... :)
And yep... good job real!!!! :real madrid: I hope this score will be against Atletico and especially against :D Barcelona!

yeah u gotta beat barcelona, they r 2 sure of themselves.

go madrid :real madrid:

dont get me started with barcelona!!! ukh.....

lol

now where shall i start.................

lol!

if u need some help!! don't hesitate!!

Real Madrid just arived ro he "Henry Coanda" airport in Romania
(Bucharest)... Reyes, Cicinho and Salgado didn't come.... (9 PM)

Steaua Bucharest-RM preview

The Champions League; best possible scenario for a Real Madrid recovery

The Champions League is Real Madrid's favourite competition, and they are sure to use tonight's scenario to regain their fans support by playing as they used to. At 8:45 pm CET (live on Realmadrid.com), the team will demonstrate that the match against Getafe was an accident, and put their qualification to the second round on the right track.

Real Madrid players and coaching staff members have said they "have to move on" and "learn from" their "mistakes" on numerous occasions since their first League defeat on Saturday against Getafe. Seventy-two hours later, they have the chance to turn this around in a competition they know very well. They will face a complicated rival, who also have three points in the group stages so far. Both teams have never faced each other in a European competition. The winner will be a step closer to the second place on Group E's table, and to group leader Olympique Lyonnais.

Team harmony
This was apparent during the squad's official training session in Steaua Bucharest's stadium. Players and coaching staff are aware of the importance of tonight's match. The team worked hard for sixty minutes in a session that had them divided into two groups to do exercises, finishing off with a half-pitch practice match. Capello and Ramos said in a press conference on Monday morning how important the match was. "We have to play like Real Madrid, and believe in who we are," said the Italian coach. "Steaua is a good rival with which to improve our image," added the Sevillian defender.

Focused on stopping Guti
"Guti is their most dangerous player," said Steaua Bucharets's coach, Cosmin Olariou in another press conference. Bucharest's boss saw the clash with Getafe live, but knows that's not the Real Madrid his team will play against on Tuesday. "They're going through a bad moment," said Olariou, "but they are still Real Madrid. They frequently change their style, they're very strong, and they are capable of individual plays that can change the final score in an instant."

The key to Steaua Bucharest
"Their strength is their teamwork," said Gica Hagi, who played three years for Steaua Bucharest. "They are similar to Getafe in that they have a very solid defence and they are good at counterattacking," said Mejía in an interview to Realmadrid.com on Monday. Capello has told his players to be aware of the set plays taken by centre backs Goian and Ghionea, and to keep an eye on Dica in the attack, who is capable of scoring goals and is also very good at set plays.

Background
This will be the first time both teams meet, despite the fact that the Romanian side has played twenty European competition matches against Spanish teams, of which they won seven, drew four, and lost nine. Real Madrid have won the five knock-out stages they have played against Romanian teams. Their last game in Romania was a UEFA Cup match during the 1992/93 season against Timisoara. Real Madrid drew the away match and won the home match 5-1. Fabio Capello has coached teams for 118 matches, but he has never faced a Romanian side. He will have the opportunity to do so for the first time in his career at 8:45 pm on Tuesday.

Steaua Bucharest 1-4 Real Madrid

The team react to Saturday's defeat with a shower of goals



Real Madrid cleared doubts from people's minds by playing well and scoring lots of goals in a Champions League match. Real Madrid dominated in order to help their qualifying for the Second Stage of the competition with goals by Ramos, Raúl, Robinho and a spectacular chip by Van Nistelrooy. This will prepare them to face Sunday's match against Barcelona the best possible way. Real Madrid will face Steaua Bucharest again in two weeks in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Raúl, Cannavaro, Ramos and Robinho were the new players on the starting eleven, different from that devised by Fabio Capello on Saturday against Getafe. Their incorporation helped the Whites dominate the match practically from the very beginning. Real Madrid defended more in the first few minutes of the match due to the pressure exerted by Steaua Bucharest and their crowd, but after a few minutes, Capello's team positioned themselves correctly on the field. It was soon obvious that most of the Romanian side's worries were going to come from the left wing, when Roberto Carlos and Robinho each had a chance on goal.

Goal boosts morale
Real Madrid's first goal arrived at the time the Whites needed it most. Guti took a corner kick that Sergio Ramos headed, defeating Bucharest's goalkeeper. This goal was an example of Madrid authority, and it boosted the team's morale. It managed to silence the home crowd, but above all, it managed to calm the Whites down and made them realise that they were on the right path to earning the three points of the match. The goal was the beginning of the visiting team's dominance. Guti was master of the midfield, and he directed his team to his fancy; the defence was advanced and didn't experience many problems; Robinho and Roberto Carlos kept pressuring Steaua; and Emerson and Diarra understood each other well. All this led to two more Real Madrid chances on goal -one was a weak shot by Robinho, and the other a fast turn-over by Van Nistelrooy that ended in a corner kick- and the match's second goal.

Raúl keeps scoring
After the first thirty minutes had gone by, Real Madrid's captain took advantage of a clear the local goalkeeper had done of a Van Nistelrooy shot, and managed to score the second goal of the game. It was a fast and precise play, like Capello likes them to be, where Robinho and Emerson looked for the goal to happen. The second goal was scored in the 33rd minute, and it evidenced that tonight's Real Madrid had nothing to do with the team that faced Getafe on Saturday. Raúl keeps increasing his Champions League scoring record.

Steaua did what Real Madrid allowed them to. Bostina and Dica were the Romanian side's most dangerous players, and Casillas only had to save one shot kicked by Steaua's number '10'. The defence stood firm, with Iván Helguera using well the second chance Capello has given him. By half time, Real Madrid had shown they were far superior.

The beginning of the second half looked very much like the first. Real madrid kept dominating, and the Romanian side had even less strength than before. Robinho kept trying hard from the left wing, and was eventually rewarded with the match's third goal. He ran down the wing and shot with his right leg, scoring thanks to the slight aid of one of Steaua Bucharest's defenders. Real Madrid's number '10' responded well to being a starter, and the Romanian crowd applauded his efforts.

Steaua react
The Romanian coach made two changes, and his team reacted in an isolated play in which neither Emerson nor Cannavaro were able to clear the ball. Badea scored Steaua's goal by taking an easy shot close to the goal line. This was the best moment the local team had in the match.

But it was just a mirrage, because Van Nistelrooy soon gave them a big blow with an impressive goal. Raúl had had a good chance before, but it was the Dutch striker who managed to chip keeper Fernández. The extraordinary goal sentenced the match. Ronaldo had a chance of scoring the fifth in the very last moments of the game, but it wasn't to be. In fifteen days, Real Madrid will have a chance of finishing the Group Stages as group leader, by facing Steaua again in Madrid.

MATCH REPORT:

1 – STEAUA BUCHAREST:
Fernández; Saban (Thereau 57’), Goian, Ghihonea, Marin; Incolita, Paraschiv (Oprita 78’), Lovin (Petre 62’), Bostina; Dica and Badea .
4 – REAL MADRID
Casillas; Ramos, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Raúl, Emerson, Diarra, Robinho; Guti (Beckham 70’) and Van Nistelrooy (Ronaldo 78’).

GOALS:

0-1, 8': Ramos scores a header from a corner kick.
0-2, 33': Raúl scores by taking a clear by Fernández.
0-3, 55': Robinho scores after an individual play down the left wing.
1-3, 64': Badea scores close to the goal line.
1-4, 75': Van Nistelrooy scores by chipping the keeper.

REFEREE: Roberto Rosetti (Italian). Booked Dica (27’) and Goian (74’).

HIGHLIGHTS: Third Champions League Group Stage match.

www.realmadrid.com

Steaua Bucharest squad list

Beckham's back



Fabio Capello has called-up eighteen players for the Wednesday night Champions League meeting. Beckham is back on the squad list after his absence in Tarragona and Emerson will be able to feature having recovered from his ankle sprain. The team meets for pre-match preparation this evening at 8:30 pm CET.

No surprises in the squad list. Cicinho is now the only injured player. Salgado and Cassano will be absent for technical decisions. The rest of the squad has been called up by Capello. A total of eighteen players who will be responsible of attempting to win this match, something that would surely more than pave the way to qualify for the Last 16 stage fo the Champions League.

Salgado out of list
The coaching staff has decided that it is still too soon for the Galician fullback to make his comeback. He only trained last Friday for the first time since his almost 2-month absence following his injury in Day 2 of the League against Levante. He is doing better with every passing day and little by little he will definitely be in Capello's squad lists for the different competitions.

David Beckham is definitely back
The English winger has recovered from the knee niggle and groin strain that aborted his trip to Catalonia for the match against Nastic. And so... he will be able to feature against Steaua if the manager sees it fit.
Also back after injury is Emerson. The Brazilian international suffered a mild ankle sprain during the last League match in Tarragona and has been working with the Club's physios to make a prompt recovery and be able to rejoin group discipline. Mission accomplished: this mornig, he trained normally with the rest of the squad.

SQUAD LIST:

Goalkeepers: Casillas & Diego López.
Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Pavón, Mejía, Roberto Carlos, Raúl Bravo & Helguera.
Midfielders: Emerson, Diarra, Guti, Reyes, Beckham & Robinho.
Forwards: Raul, Van Nistelrooy & Ronaldo.
Not called up: Cicinho, Salgado & Cassano.

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1-0: Mission accomplished

Real Madrid qualify for the Last 16 stage of the Champions League



Good enough. The Whites go through to the next stage thanks to a hard fought victory over a feisty Steaua Bucharest and the victory of Olympique Lyonnais over Dynamo Kyiv. The Merengues has the best opportunities, although the match was tough and there was uncertainty until the very end. Nicolita scored an own goal, the only one of the night. Olympique await in two weeks for the final group outcome.

The atmosphere far surpassed any typical group stage encounter, spiced up by the thousands of Romanians in the stands who came to see their country's top team and who did not stop shouting and supporting one single minute. The match was Real Madrid's first chance to mathematically go through to the Last 16 stage. They had to win and wait for Olympique Lyonnais to do likewise in their home match against Dynamo. It wasn't going to be an easy chore, as Capello and Guti had already warned on the eve. It was plain to see that they were absolutely right, with the game completely tied up in midfield as the match unfolded.
From the initial whistle, the Romanians positioned themselves comfortably on the pitch, denoting their know-how and good tactical sense: they waited for their rival, with two very compact lines in front of their box... crouching down, waiting to break away quickly and kill their prey in counterattack. And so, they waited. They controlled in defense and did not renounce any attacking possibility. The first chance was theirs, in minute 10, with an incursion down the wing. But the cross found no strikers to kick the ball in.

Real Madrid lined up the same eleven that thrashed the Eastern European team two weeks ago. But the home team was thick tonight, finding it hard to bring their ideas to fruition. The battle was being fought in midfield, where Diarra, Emerson and Guti were unable to deploy the fast-paced and direct game that's so much to the liking of Capello. As has happened in the last games, only Robinho tried anything different down the left wing. He and Roberto Carlos were the first ones to shoot on goal. It was from outside the box, but none of the shots brought any danger for Steaua.

Raúl moved throughout the width and length of the field of play, trying to find free spaces and looking to surprise the defense, but the Romanians responded with solid defending and fast breaks. Eighteen minutes into the game, the referee had refrained from calling anything in two controversial plays, one in either box. The second immediately gave way to the first counterattack of the Madridistas. Raul quickly put the ball in play after a foul. Guti opened up the game to Robinho, near the sideline, but the winger was unable to connect with Van Nistelrooy, who was waiting all alone in front of the goal. This marked a turning point in the first half: the Romanian team shaped up, kept control of the ball, and denied Madrid any chance as they built up their opportunities. None of them were truly dangerous, until Badea forced Iker Casillas to perform a superb diving save after 38 minutes.

The best chances
The first half ended on a good note, with the best chance of the match for Real Madrid. Diarra crossed from the right and Van Nistelrooy headed the ball. The Romanian keeper saved the header with his hand and the subsequent kick of the Dutch striker with his foot. The third and final try was kicked out by Cannavaro. The Madrid-Steaua comparative stats were revealing at halftime: 7 for 8 shots, only 3 of which were on target for both sides.

The second half started just like the first. This time, it was Helguera who missed the clearest of chances. He shot wide a cross by Ramos with his whole body practically inside the opponent's goal. The Romanians were still alive and kicking, but their pace had decreased somewhat. The ball was now entirely in the feet of the Spanish side, with Guti in command.

The best was yet to come. The match was about to go crazy with the first goal, an unfortunate play by Nicolita who passed back to the keeper with the bad luck of scoring an own goal. What hadn't materialised in head-on opportunities came after a misfortune, with the ball tamely trotting its way into the back of the net. Things started looking up and Real Madrid suddenly got very ambitious, first with a header by Ramos after a free-kick by Beckham, who had come in for Diarra, followed by a penalty called on Van Nistelrooy. But, incredibly once again, the Dutchman sent his penalty shot wide, all the way to the second stand. Although it was already planned, Ronaldo came in for Ruud Van Nistelrooy right after the missed penalty. Madrid continued to dominate, with chances trickling down to the very last second, and with a very active Ronaldo on the left wing. Both the number '9' and Guti could have signed the second of the night already in injury time, but it was not to be and the match remained a single goal win.

MATCH REPORT:

1 – REAL MADRID
Casillas; Ramos, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Raúl, Emerson, Diarra (Beckham 58’), Robinho (Reyes 85’); Guti and Van Nistelrooy (Ronaldo 73’).
0 – STEAUA BUCHAREST: Cernea, Goian, Oprita (Coman 84’), Petre, Nicolita, Marin, Paraschiv (Lovin 80’), Ghionea (Thereau 80’), Stancu, Dica and Badea .
GOALS:
1-0, min. 69: Nicolita, own goal.

REFEREE: Konrad Plautz (Austrian). Booked Nicolita (36’) and Cernea (66’).
HIGHLIGHTS: Fourth match of the Champions League group stage played at the Santiago Bernabeu.

2-2, Ruud misses winning chance

Van Nistelrooy missed a penalty in 89' that would have given Real Madrid the victory



Real Madrid have gone through to the second round of the Champions League, but as second of their group. The Whites fought hard throughout the entire match, and were about to turn the score over from being 2-0 down, but it just wasn't to be. Goals by Diarra and Van Nistelrooy, respectively, equalised the score, and the Dutchman's 89' penalty kick was stopped by Coupet, preventing the Whites' victory. Real Madrid face Dynamo Kyiv in two weeks time.

This was the fourth head-to-head match between Real Madrid and Olypmique Lyonnais in two seasons, with the first three games resulting in two defeats and one draw for the Whites. Fabio Capello lined up the most frequent starting eleven seen so far this season with hopes of beating the French side and taking over the top spot in Group E. Cannavaro, finally recovered from his injury, found his way into the starting eleven but had to wear a thigh band, and Robinho returned as a starter on the left wing. The highly-anticipated clash was expected to be one of the best you can get in the Champions League nowadays, and despite Lyon missing important players such as Wiltord, Govou, Fred and Benzema -the visitors are still a very compact team that can play virtually blindfolded.

Lyon get off to a strong start
Real Madrid started playing better than the visiting side, applying good pressure on their rival's midfield. In the first ten minutes, Emerson and Diarra controled important Lyonnais players like Toulalan, Juninho and Tiago, while Robinho, Raúl and Guti flowed exceptionally well in the attack. The first ten minutes gave fans high hopes for a victory, but they were soon dashed by John Carew. The Norwegian striker, who put a lot of pressure on the Madrid back line from the opening kick off, pulled off a beautiful play in the eleventh minute. He dribbled the ball on his own from the midfield and didn't stop until it hit the back of Casilla's goal.

Real Madrid couldn't manage to put goalkeeper Coupet to the test, their only chance being a header by Raúl on the edge of the box. On the 20-minute mark, Guti had to be replaced by Reyes due to injury, which allowed the fans to catch a glimpse of what the team might look like on Sunday against Valencia. The substitution meant the Seville native would play down the right wing and Raúl as centre midfielder. Meanwhile, Carew continued causing trouble for the defense and proved hard to handle for Fabio Cannavaro. On one occasion, he crossed the ball for Tiago to score, but Casillas managed to make the save. Minutes later, he was again able to dart down the pitch, but was again denied of a score.

Real Madrid fight back
Real Madrid had lost control of the ball and the match. Things weren't going as Fabio Capello had planned, especially after Malouda scored Lyonnais' second goal. The always effective Juninho served a terrific free kick that the French international scored after getting by both Ramos and Casillas. The Whites were two goals down after thirty minutes of play. Things were looking tough for the home team, but the match was far from over. Reyes knew what had to be done, and a play he threaded down the left wing nearly ended with a score. Coupet managed to stop the shot and neither Raúl nor Van Nistelrooy could hit the rebound. Reyes then threw in a corner that hit on Van Nistelrooy, but that Diarra headed into the goal. The goal gave the Whites a boost and served as a warning to his former teammates that there were more than 45 minutes left to be played.

Give and take
Tempo and emotions ran wild following halftime. Real Madrid had no other option than to attack. Lyon sat tight and opted to wait for a chance to counter. Both teams had several chances on goal, but Ramos, Robinho, Carew and Malouda all failed to score. Anything could happen. The match was there for the taking by either side and the crowd appreciated the excitement both teams were providing.

Van Nistelrooy misses a penalty
Real Madrid's gas lasted only 20 minutes and fatigue began taking its toll. Capello decided to substitute Cassano for Emerson, but Olympique Lyonnais' ability to press forward gave them growing confidence. The Whites' only hope could only come from a set piece, and that chance finally came. In the 83rd minute, Van Nistelrooy scored by taking the rebound of a header missed by Raúl off a corner kick. It was hard to equalise against a team that stands undefeated so far in the Champions League, but they managed to do it. Real Madrid could have completed the perfect turnaround had Van Nistelrooy not missed a penalty in the 89th minute. A real shame. Coupet's magical hand saved the day.

MATCH REPORT:

2 – REAL MADRID:
Casillas; Ramos, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Raúl, Diarra, Emerson (Cassano 74’), Robinho; Guti (Reyes 20’) & Van Nistelrooy.
2 – OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS:
Coupet; Reveillere, Cris, Squillaci, Abidal; Toulalan (Diarra 91’), Tiago, Juninho; Clerc, Malouda & Carew.

GOALS:

0-1, 11': Carew beats Casillas in an individual play.
0-2, 30': Malouda scores from a free-kick taken by Juninho.
1-2, 38': Diarra scores a header from a corner.
2-2, 83': Van Nistelrroy scores from a rebound shot on the post by Raúl.

REFEREE:
Terje Hauge (Norway). Booked Toulalan (19’), Revelleire (49’), Juninho (54’), Roberto Carlos (74’), Cannavaro (83’),Raúl (90’) & Ramos (93’).
HIGHLIGHTS:
Matchday 5 in Group E of the Champions League. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

what do you think about 1/8 final draw? real will play against bayern munchen. i hope real will win that!

Since i know real madrid they always beat bayern (especially in CL) ... anyway seeing their last matches and results i woudn't be so sure about it now... ANyway i really hope they'll win it ... even if i don't see many chances in going in the final ... like the passed years...

Champions League draw results

Real Madrid to face Bayern Munich in the Last 16



Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will face each other in the second round of the 2006/07 Champions League. The German side are a classic rival of the Whites' in the competition and will once again prove to be a tough rival on Real Madrid's way to winning their tenth European Cup. The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will receive Bayern Munich either on 20 or 21 February 2007, while the return game will be held in Munich on 6 or 7 March.

2006/07 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 DRAW:

Porto (POR)-Chelsea (ENG)
Celtic (SCO)-AC Milan (ITA).
PSV Eindhoven (HOL)-Arsenal (ENG).
Lille (FRA)-Manchester United (ENG).
AS Roma (ITA)-Olympique Lyonnais (FRA).
Barcelona (SPA)-Liverpool (ENG).
REAL MADRID (SPA)-Bayern Múnich (GER).
Valencia (SPA)-Internazionale Milano (ITA).

www.realmadrid.com

Bayern Munich

The return of an historical rivalry



Real Madrid and Bayern Munich know each other perfectly well, despite not having faced each other in a European competition in a long time. The classic clash returns when both teams happen to be going through a very different phase. Real Madrid are living a time of change and successful progress, while the Germans rely mostly on their waning stars, but still prove to be a dangerous team with a lot to offer. The Champions League returns to the Bernabéu and Real Madrid will fight hard to win their favourite trophy once more.

Bayern Munich will be Real Madrid's rival in the last 16 of the Champions League. The German side are an "old foe" of the Whites, against whom they've played some of the most vibrant and exciting final rounds of the competition in recent years. Bayern still have some of the players they had in their ranks when they faced Real Madrid three consecutive years. They are an aggressive and creative side that stands strong in their new stadium, the Allianz Arena, but that proves much weaker in away games.

Bayern Munich may not be the dominant team of the Bundesliga, but they are still strong, currently holding the fourth position behind Werder Bremmen, Shalke 04 and Stuttgart, who are complicating things for Felix Magath's men in a competition that relies heavily on regularity. Nevertheless, they are only three points away from the top spot and they are the best performing team in home games.

The principal difference to the team this season is the absence of their star, Michael Ballack, who is currently playing for Mourinho's Chelsea. His substitute is a young Polish player named Lucas Podolski, a left footed forward with a natural instinct to score. He is normally accompanied in the attack by veterans Pizarro and Roy Makaay.

Their midfield is guarded by two important players, Van Bommel -known to Spanish crowds for his brief spell at Barcelona- and Schweinsteiger -who has a similar style to Effenberg's. Their defense is comprised by Lahm as left back -the best in his position after Roberto Carlos- Sagnol as right back and Lucio. Legendary keeper Oliver Kahn still guards their goal.

The Teutonic squad also holds other quality players, such as Sebastián Deisler, -who has never really had the chance of shining due to his frailty- Owen Hargreaves Salihamidzic -one of the surviving members from the classic clashes with the Whites- and Roque Santa Cruz, a very good attacking alternative for the Germans.

The first match will be played in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium either the 20 or 21 February 2007, and the return game will take place in Munich on the 6 or 7 March. The winners of the second round of the competition will enter a new draw held on 9 March in Athens to decide which teams face each other in the quarterfinals.

Bayern Munich
Established: 1900
Stadium: Allianz Arena. Capacity: 66,000
Coach: Felix Magath
Captain: Oliver Kahn
European Cup appearances: 24, 10 of which were in the Champions League

Track Record

20 German Leagues
13 German Cups
5 League Cups
2 Intercontinental Cups
4 European Cups
1 Cup Winners' Cup
1 UEFA Cup

Performance in the Champions League in recent years:

2005/06: Last 16
2004/05: Quarterfinals
2003/04: Last 16
2002/03: Second Group Stage
2001/02: Quarterfinals
2000/01: Winner


THE TEAM:

1 Oliver Kahn Goalkeeper 37
22 Michel Rensing Goalkeeper 24
29 Bernd Dreher Goalkeeper 40
2 Willy Sagnol Defender 29
3 Lucio Defender 28
5 Daniel van Buyten Defender 28
18 Andreas Görlitz Defender 24
21 Philipp Lahm Defender 23
25 Valérien Ismael Defender 31
30 Christian Lell Defender 22
6 Martin Demichelis Midfielder 26
7 Mehmet Scholl Midfielder 36
8 Ali Karimi Midfielder 28
17 Van Bommel Midfielder 29
19 Julio dos Santos Midfielder 23
20 Hasan Salihamidzic Midfielder 29
23 Owen Hargreaves Midfielder 25
26 Sebastian Deisler Midfielder 26
31 Schweinsteiger Midfielder 22
36 Stephan Fürstner Midfielder 19
39 Andreas Ottl Midfielder 21
10 Roy Makaay Forward 31
11 Lukas Podolski Forward 21
14 Claudio Pizarro Forward 28
24 Roque Santa Cruz Forward 25

Coach: Felix Magath

www.realmadrid.com

Classic European match

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have faced each other 16 times, each team winning half of the ties



Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will hold yet another rerun of their age-old meetings in February and March, making this tie a true classic of European football. In total, both teams have faced each other on 8 ties/16 games, always in the top European torunament, whether it was the European Cup or the Champions League: Real Madrid went through on 4 occasions, same as Bayern, although one of them was during the group stage.

The Spanish and the German teams are two of the most time-honoured European teams. Real Madrid has a total of nine European Cups (6+3), while Munich is fourth in this top-seeded ranking with four triumphs. In total, both sides have played each other on sixteen occasions in Europe and it has always been in the top European tournament, whether it was the extinct European Cup or the current Champions League. The match record favours the German team, with five wins for the Whites, two draws and nine victories for the Teutons. The scoring department is also partial to the Bavarian team, with 26 goals scored and 19 allowed. All in all, both teams have paired up eight times in eight different ties, although, to be more exact, one of the German victories was during the 1999/2000 group stage, but it was Real Madrid who ended pulling off their eighth top European win that season. The last match-ups have proved auspicious for Madrid, who have won three of the last four ties.

1975/76. European Cup, semifinals. The first leg at the Bernabéu was a one all draw, with the Germans winning 2-0 in the return leg and gong through to the final.

1986/87. New bavarian victory, once again in the semis of the European Cup. Bayern Munich won 4-1 in the first leg and Real Madrid were unable to make a comeback at home: 1-0.

1987/88. Real Madrid got their revenge served on a cold platter just one year later. It was in the quarterfinal stage of the European Cup: 3-2 loss in Munich but 2-0 comeback in Madrid.

1999/2000. Two ties. In the Last 16 group stage, Bayern Munich were far superior, winning 4-2 at the Bernabeu in a true exhibition of football, and 4-1 in Munich's Olympiastadion. Both teams managed to go through to the quarterfinal stage and paired up anew during the semifinal of the Champions League: Madrid snatched a two zero victory in a perfect game by the Merengues at the Santiago Bernabéu and lost 2-1 in Germany. The Whites ended up winning their eighth European Cup in the final against another Spanish side, Valencia, whom they beat 3-0.

2000/01. New German-Spanish meeting in the Champions League semifinals. Bayern Munich managed a 1-0 upset at Madrid's home turf. The return leg saw the Whites capsize once more, this time losing 2-1. The Germans eliminated the reigning champions and went on to conquer the title themselves.

2001/02. Once more, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid held a face off and once again, the Germans proved a good-luck charm for the likes of the team from the Spanish capital, who went on to celebrate their ninth and last European Cup. Real Madrid defeated the Germans in the quarterfinals losing 2-1 in Munich, but making a memorable comeback in Madrid, winning 2-0 ina match that is sure to go down in the annals of memorable football games.

2003/04. Last tie to date, which also saw the Whites go through to the quarterfinals. Real Madrid drew 1-1 at Munich's Olympic Stadium and won 1-0 at home, in the Bernabéu. Los blancos pasaron a cuartos de final.

Ramos and Diarra out; Cannavaro makes the list

Sergio Ramos and Diarra will not play against Bayern Munich on Tuesday. The Mali native's absence was expected as he hasn't trained all week, and Sergio Ramos was unable to recover from a knock he received to his foot on Saturday against Betis. With the exception of Raúl Bravo taking Ramos' place, it's the same list of 20 players who were called up for last Saturday's match.



Sergio Ramos (bruised foot) and Cannavaro (back) were doubtful for tomorrow's Champions League match against Bayern, but the Italian defender trained today and has found his way onto the squad list. Meanwhile, the Sevillian native did not recover on time and will have to wait for the return leg to take on the German team.
Coach Fabio Capello has called up a total of 20 players; the same as those who he named for the Betis match with the exception of Raúl Bravo for Ramos. Diarra is still recovering from a hard tackle by Skoubo during the match against Real Sociedad, while Cassano and Miñambres were left off the list due to a technical decision. Castilla's Torres has been included once again.

Roberto Carlos and Marcelo are also available to play for Capello (Roberto Carlos did not play against Betis as a precautionary measure before tomorrow) and we will find out whether either of them are in the starting eleven moments before kickoff. With Ramos out, Torres will most likely fill in at right back, while one of the two Brazilians will take over on the left side of the back line.

The rest of the team is in good physical form and will meet tonight at 8:30 pm CET for pre-match preparations at the Mirasierra Suites Hotel.

SQUAD LIST:


Goalkeepers: Casillas and Diego López.

Defenders:Salgado, Raúl Bravo, Cannavaro, Pavón, Mejía, Roberto Carlos, Marcelo, Torres and Helguera.

Midfielders: Emerson, Gago, Beckham, Guti, Reyes and Robinho.

Forwards: Raúl, Van Nistelrooy and Higuaín.

Not called up: Cicinho, Diarra and Sergio Ramos (injured), and Cassano and Miñambres (technical decision).
Pre-match preparations: Monday 19 February @ 8:30 pm CET at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Next training session: Wednesday 21 February @ 11 am CET at Real Madrid City.

Real Madrid 3-2 Bayern Munich

Whites superior to Bavarians in a magical Champions League evening
The magic came by way of the fans, the drive showcased by a team that stepped out onto the turf convinced of its possibilities, and a skipper that always delivers as promised on big nights. Tonight, Raul scored twice, displaying the indomitable spirit for which he is famous throughout the Old Continent. But Bayern never surrendered and struck back twice. This way, the Round of 16 tie is wide open and as almost everyone predicted, it will be decided on 7 March at Munich's Allianz Arena.

As the anthem of the Champions League competition resounded on the PA system of the Santiago Bernabéu, the venue filled with an atmosphere of valour, drive, honour... history in the making filled the very last corner of the Madridista Colosseum. Two huge banners that spread accross both ends of the stadium summarised a shared feeling: “The Tenth beckons us” -as Madrid fight their way to the tenth European Cup- and “We are the 12th player.”

The fans showed great determination and verve as they witnessed their team come storming forward in the search for the first goal of the evening. Real Madrid's ideas were clear and concise: move the ball from side to side through Gago, the midfielder who orchestrated the game, and Guti, the playmaker. This worn down Bayern Munich, a side that had many doubts in defence. The Whites launched their attacks preferably down the flanks, with Guti playing it down the wings for David Beckham. With 4 minutes on the clock, Van Nistelrooy was the first to test one of Madrid's old foes: Oliver Kahn.

Real Madrid dominated all the facets of the game. Youth fullback Torres delivered the goods in his Champions League debut at the Bernabéu. But the first dent came by way of Real Madrid's number '7'. Beckham grabbed the ball in midfield. He fed it through the middle, where Van Nistelrooy pitched a wonderful control past his marker as he perfectly devised Raul losing his man and running across Bayern's box into the open space. His pass left Raul and Kahn to square off yet another in a long list of historical one-on-ones. The top scorer of the Champions League -56 goals, including tonight's two- did not falter and put the ball away on the back of Ollie's net: 1-0 only eleven minutes into the game.

Meanwhile, Bayern were unable to find their spot in the turf and only Van Bommel was able to get past the tight Madridista web in midfield testing his long range shot. After the first fifteen minutes, an overwhelmed Hitzfeld opted for a tactical change and repositioned Van Bommel right in front of his four-strong defense. This way the performance of the Germans hiked up a notch, but Real Madrid's push and shove continued to prove too much for the Bavarians to counteract. Their only option, as is customary in these situations, were the set pieces. And by way of a free kick came the equaliser: Lucio headed a lucky lob to Casillas' far post (min.23).

The crowd rage on: their team is no pushover
But uncertainty was not in tonight's menu during this first half and the reaction of the Whites was well worthy of Europe's elite competition. Whenever the Germans tried to play, the Bernabéu struck back with a loud angry roar and deafening whistles, which stopped Munich in their tracks and gave the locals wings to soar. They stole the ball, they drove it upward nimbly and they got their reward. Once again it was the Englishman who set up his teammates with a set piece. He took a corner kick and crossed the ball to Iván Helguera, who rose to the challenge and over two defenders. He hit the ball with the crown of his head past Oliver Kahn and over the defender on the far post. Raúl patiently waited for the ball to drop and lodged it in the back of the net (min.28).

The night was vibrant and Real Madrid were determined to show why they were the top scoring team in the group stages and Ruud Van Nistelrooy -third top scorer of the competition with 52 goals- wanted to join in the party. In his umpteenth set piece, Beckham -who played an outstanding first half- served a ball that combed Helguera's head and fell at the Dutchman's feet, who had made a wonderful diagonal movement into the keeper's box. Score Van Nistelrooy, score Real Madrid.

Van Bommel tarnishes the evening
Becks continued to stir things up with his long passes in the second act. He pitched a 40 metre-long ball to Higuaín on the 48-minute mark that the Argentine failed to reach having pulled a muscle that strained him in mid-run. The Englishman kept shining with his free kicks, forcing Kahn to make a great dive in the 51st minute.

The bad news came thirty minutes to the end of the game when Roberto Carlos had to leave the pitch with a niggle to his calf muscles. The Whites pulled back, the pace to the game diminished and counterattacks started to take the spotlight of the encounter.

Bayern never gave up, but their few chances were thwarted by Casillas, who first saved a shot by Makaay -completely lost is mediocrity all night long-, followed by the German's most dangerous play of the evening: Pizarro feinted in the box and kicked a complicated ground ball that Iker didn't hesitate to block (min.77).

Nevertheless, Real Madrid's output in 80 minutes made them falter with exhaustion in the final minutes of the clash. Munich stepped it up, with Van Bommel pulling rank and shooting a powerful ball into the back of the net, leaving the score atb a promising yet uncertain 3-2. March 7 will determine if Real Madrid will continue hosting any more magical Champions League evenings.

MATCH REPORT:

REAL MADRID - 3: Casillas; Torres, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos (Raúl Bravo, min.59); Beckham, Gago, Raúl, Guti, Higuaín (Robinho, min.52); Van Nistelrooy.
BAYERN MUNICH - 2: Kahn; Sagnol, Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm; Demichelis (Salihamidzic, min.45), Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger (Scholl, min.79), Hargreaves; Podolski (Pizarro, min.60) and Makaay.
GOALS:
1-0: (min. 10): Raúl beats Kahn
1-1: (min.23): Lucio heads in
2-1: (min.28): Raúl finishes off Helguera's header
3-1: (min.34): Van Nistelrooy taps it in
3-2: (min.88): Van Bommel from long range

REFEREE: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium). Booked Demichelis (min.38), Schweinsteiger (min.55), and Hargreaves (60').
HIGHLIGHTS: First leg of the Round of 16 of the Champions League held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in front of a capacity crowd of 82,000 spectators. The presidents of both clubs, Ramón Calderón and Franz Beckenbauer, saw the match from the Presidential Balcony.

whoops, sorry....
later i realized that's not related to Real Madrid.....
where can i post EVERYTHING bout the champions league......?

sorry

I deleted your post. You can post articles about CL in the Misc. Football forum. There is a special topic (pinned) about CL.
Anyway, I'm glad Liverpool won!
But Real won't have an easy match in Munchen! :(

but they won......!! 3-2 :D :D

Bayern 2-1 Real Madrid

Bayern Munich end up against the ropes against a Real Madrid that deserved better
The young Allianz Arena -München Arena tonight- already has its own great story to tell: the victory of the home team against Real Madrid, who overcame the shellshocking first goal by Makaay, eagerly fought for the draw and never put their arms down, not even after Lucio's second goal. In the dying seconds, Sergio Ramos almost equalised the game to put Madrid ahead in the tie, but his strike was disallowed by the referee. The crowd carried the local team all evening long, even after they lost their place following Van Nistelrooy's goal from the penalty spot and even when they ended up against the ropes in their very home turf. The Whites kept their heads high and went down fighting but luck was not on their side. Now it's time to think of their Saturday La Liga match in and against Barcelona.

The Munich Arena stadium, as it is named on UEFA competition nights, is already very impressive from outside, beholding it from a distance of 10 kilometres, when one makes out its red-coloured, UFO-shaped profile from the freeway. But inside, it is even more impressive, especially when one takes into account the shrill PA announcer and the 158,000 watts to fray tempers. When the Madridistas stepped out onto the field of play, the “pressure cooker” that the local footballers had been claiming from their followers for two weeks was at its boiling point. Everything was perfectly planned out in the books to achieve a deafening clamour, the sort of inferno they had dreamed of. The visitor had to counteract such display with the type of full-on football that silences any local crowd. Fact: no team has beaten the Germans in the Champions League at this stadium since it was first inaugurated in 2005.

Early goal, blow and turn of the tide
The plan produced the desired effect. As an extension to the party on the stands, Bayern Munich took the earliest imaginable lead in the scoreboard: it was second 15 when, in a flash, the “injured” Salihamidzic -he had been a serious doubt until the very last minute- took Roberto Carlos by surprise with a swift run down the flank. His cross was impeccable and it was tapped into the back of the net by the type of unforgiving striker that always makes the best of this kind of nicely wrapped gifts: Roy Makaay. A stunner! A gift of a goal with just one minute played and the tie was now lost.



The German barrage lasted precisely the time it took Real Madrid to take control of the ball, although they were at 6s and 7s for some time there. It wasn't until the 20th minute that Bayern would come biting back, with Casillas deflecting a one-on-one against Podolski. Six minutes later, it would be Makaay who would follow suit... as a prelude of the goalkeeping recital of the Spanish stopper tonigt. Meanwhile, Madrid passed and passed, with Gago orchestrating the game of the Whites and Emerson and Diarra as his faithful deputies. The battle for the midfield that Capello had anticipated was fully in control of Madrid, but they had nothing to offer in attack. They had not found their range yet and they were definitely not testing Oliver Kahn's gloves. The only runs in came by way of the right wing, which was precisely the one that everyone would have thought weakest, with the absences of Beckham, Reyes and Cicinho. Two crosses by Van Nistelrooy and Higuaín from this side did not find anyone on the end of them. Real Madrid were not creating chances and they desperately needed someone to drive the ball forward and feed it to the attacking front. With 30 minutes on the clock, Guti stripped down and came in for Emerson.

It was the beginning of a whole new game
With the Madridista youth player inside the pitch, the Spaniards continued to dominate, but you could sense the danger lurking now. The last five minutes of the first act witnessed up to seven run-ins, each one with added danger: first, with the first shot of Real Madrid with 38 minutes gone performed by Higuain, although it looked more like a rugby conversion; second, similar situation and same result by Van Nistelrooy just three minutes later; next up, the best play of the evening, with Raúl, Roberto Carlos, Higuaín and Guti combining, the Argentine with a final backheel into the Spanish playmaker, who missed the final shot after the beautiful one-two; then, with no time to react for the locals, Van Nistelrooy put disappointing power on the header to a perfect cross by Guti from the corner of the box; and finally, the clearest chance following a stupendous control by Raúl, who shot powerfully but the ball caught right up off the corner of the woodwork. You could smell the goal in the air, but Bayern were saved by the bell.

The second half started to the tune of the first act, with the clearest opportunity for Van Bommel, but once again Casillas was a class act. But the game had changed completely. Madrid picked up where they had left off and continued to create chance upon chance. Cassano, who had come in for Higuaín, shot wide from the border of the boxline with everything in his favour. Following that, it was Guti who forced Oliver Kahn to save an excellent attempt on target with the head. It was Real Madrid's best passage of play, with Bayern defending in an orderly fashion and looking to break on the counter as fast as possible and to take full advantage of the set pieces. As time was consumed, one could understand better and better why the local players had asked their crowd so much passion in the days prior to the return leg. They needed their twelfth man to crush the spirit of Real Madrid, which was far superior in the technical department. And so, the Arena came to understand this because the home fans rose to the occasion as they started chanting and waving flags -there was one on each seat- in unison to give their players the necessary courage. Their price would be collected in the form of a goal after a master set up from the corner kick. Lucio scored the second of the night for the Bavarians and left Madrid to free fall.

Heads held up high
Capello's men didn't give up but they now needed two goals for the comeback. The first would come after the linesman awarded a penalty on Robinho. Van Nistelrooy took it and put it in. Still, before his shot, both Diarra and Van Bommel were sent off following what could hardly be branded as sensible refereeing. Yet another adversity... but the Madridistas would not stop fighting until the very end. It was not meant to be, though, but at least they got to silence a stadium that felt the dregs of disaster looming upon them as the crowd waved goodbye to the most awarded team in Europe. It was especially the case after Sergio Ramos whipped the ball into the back of the net in the last minute… but the referee rightfully disallowed the goal as the defender had handballed it before taking his shot. Bayern Munich signed off and went on through to the quarterfinals. Madrid will have to put their hearts and minds in the League from this point forward, especially in view of the game awaiting this next Saturday in and against Barcelona. The best thing, once again, were the 3,500 undying fans, who never stopped supporting their team against the colossal force of the Arena power.

MATCH REPORT:
2 - BAYERN MUNICH: Kahn; Sagnol (Görlitz, 84’), Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm; Salihamidzic, Van Bommel, Hargreaves, Schweinsteiger; Makaay (Pizarro, 68’) and Podolski (Demichelis, 87’).
1 – REAL MADRID:Casillas; Torres, Sergio Ramos, Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Emerson (Guti, 31’), Diarra, Gago (Robinho, 74’), Raúl; Higuain (Cassano, 46’) and Van Nistelrooy.
REFEREE: Lubos Michel, Slovakia.
Booked Sergio Ramos, Van Bommel, Podolski and Guti.
Sent off Van Bommel and Diarra after showing them two yellow cards in the 81st minute.
GOALS
1-0: Min. 1: Swift run in by Salihamidzic down the right and his cross is pushed in by Makaay.
2-0:: Min. 66: Lucio heads a corner to the back of the netcorner.
2-1: Min. 82: Van Nistelrooy, following a penalty shot.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Return leg of the Champions League Round of 16. 3-2, first leg result. 4-4 aggregate score, with Madrid out on away goals. Munich Arena stadium hosted the event with an attendance of 66,000 spectators, 3,500 of which were Madridistas. The pitch was in perfect playing condition. It rained during the game and the temperature at the time of the game was 8ºC.

www.realmadrid.com