CL R16 - Real Madrid - (A) 26/02 - (H) 17/03

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I dont think RM will be happy with the draw. Says it all. We can beat them

Watch what they spend in January....

 

[madridfan123]

This Madrid team is finished.
Expecting a comfortable win over 2 legs, living off reputation now like the rags, albeit not that bad.

How is the Real Madrid team finished? Admittedly the team didn’t have good season last season but that was because solari and lopetegui were managers but the team is looking better each week now Zidane is back as the manager. New young hungry players like Rodrygo, Jovic , Valverde and Ferland Mendy have helped the older players like Kroos , Marcelo, Ramos regain their motivation and they’re back to their best. Last season for sure I’d have you down as favourites because the club was in a bad place with solari but Zidane is making the team play much better this season. We are actually in better form in the league than the team that won 3 champions leagues in a row. Benzema has replaced Ronaldo’s goals and this is all without Eden Hazard who was getting into form before his injury. This is a 50-50 game, maybe 60/40 to Real Madrid because the motivation and experience is there again but it will be really really tight game

 

[madridfan123]

I think we will smash Madrid. Pep knows how to wreck them. Either way, I am really excited about this draw. Feels like a proper CL knockout round.

But the last time pep played Madrid as manager it was 5-0 to Real Madrid on aggregate

 

[madridfan123]

KDB remains fit, you will piss these. Madrid lack the kinda midfield dynamism that City has in abundance. Like others have said, worst possible draw for Livershite.

This is wrong. Liverpool will beat atleti. They’re in transition and are a bit toothless up front with morata. And saying Madrid have no dynamism in midfield is incorrect when Fede Valverde, along with Kante and Gueye, arguably has the most energy and intensity in the whole of Europe

 

[madridfan123]

Thought they'd been shit but only lost 2 games this season.
Benzema has come into his own since Ronaldo fcked off and will have a field day if our defence isn't at it's best.

we were a bit shaky at the start of the season but are playing much better now, close to the form that the team won 3 champions leagues in a row in. You’re right in playing Ronaldo isn’t really missed because Benzema is scoring at the same rate Ronaldo did currently. I think people think we are “finished” because of our form last season, which admittedly was terribly under solari and lopetegui but Zidane has helped the club to go back in the right direction

 

[madridfan123]

Surprised by some of the negativity on here before a ball has even been kicked. Doesn’t send off the right message. We are the favourites going into this tie and for good reason. It’s a washed up Real side with an overhyped manager; a far cry from the team that Mourinho and Ancelotti once managed.

They suit the way we play. I can’t see them sitting deep and hitting us on the counter, especially not at home in front of their whiny and fickle fanbase, who will want them to attack. Get a result away and we are through—there’s no chance they’re getting a result at the Etihad.

This is plain wrong and written by a person who hasn’t seen us play this season, certainly not in the last few months. Sure we were really bad last season under solari and lopetegui but Zidane has helped the club to go in the right direction again with the introduction of young players like Fede valverde. Zidane has done more for this club as a manager than ancelotti and Mourinho so Zidane is not overhyped, he’s a great tactician.

And it’s silly to say we won’t win at the ethiad the same season that wolves and Man Utd won there and shaktar got a point , anything can happen

And another reason you haven’t seen us play is the point that we are always attacking. This is completely wrong, the bernabeu crowd are happy to see the team soke up pressure and counter attack at speed like we did against pep’s Bayern. It’s worth remembering that Zidane was ancelotti’s assistant when we beat Pep’s Bayern 5-0 and was a key part of the tactical plan. Make no mistake, if Zidane thinks the best approach to beat you is the counter attack, he will do that. It’s silly to say either team will smash each other, it could flip either way, we are getting somewhere close to our best and you will have injured players back then(as will we with hazard and Marcelo)

 

[madridfan123]

Watch what they spend in January....

It’s unlikely that we will spend anything in January. Maybe only a backup for the best defensive midfielder in the world Casemiro but we are otherwise covered in every position very nicely

 

[domalino]

Watch what they spend in January....

I don't think spending is going to fix any of their issues, they have all the players they could want, they're just a bit out of form or injured.

They are trending upwards to be honest, Benzema has started scoring prolificly, Valverde has fixed all their midfield issues, Hazard will be back from injury, Bale seems to be managing his games and injuries better.

Their problem is going to be Zidane and the psychological aspect. They're still a moments team that will play bad for 88 minutes but have 2 magic moments in the other 2 minutes...but they dont have the ultimate moment player in Ronaldo anymore.

 

[BosnianBlue]

If we are on top of our game, there is none we can't beat and we usually beat anyone in such game. We tend to not be on it quite often this season though so even far weaker teams than Madrid have a chance here and there.

 

[liamctid]

On the subject of tickets - Can't remember what it went down to for the semi final but my mate went out there without a ticket as it had already sold out. We had to get a wristband as well as your ticket, he managed to get the wristband off some bloke who was that leathered he couldn't get in the ground!

For me it's the best stadium I've been to, the two times we've played there the weather has been incredible too, both times have been a great occasion too - when Dzeko put us 1 up in 2012 it went absolutely barmy in the away end, the semi final was one of the most disappointing displays I've seen of City in the Mansour era, however semi final 2nd leg of the Champions League away to Real Madrid - doesn't get bigger than that does it? Madrid is an incredible city, much better than Barcelona in my opinion, the only downside as with any trip to Spain is the police are always looking to twat you.

Hard to gauge if there will be more/less demand as that game was the semi final but for this game people will have 2 paydays to save for it, plus there's high chance we'll be at Wembley the following weekend. Doubt it'll go to general sale, if you're not on the CL scheme you may be struggling.

Not booked anything yet but I'm more than likely going to go.