Real Madrid (H) - Wed 17th April, 20:00 | CL | Pre-Match Thread

[chesterbells]

I expect Real will play like Arsenal with a plan to park the bus and win on penalties. Because that's all they have to beat us.

It's going to be a hard slog.

You may be right, but I’m not sure if the club’s collective ego will allow them to do that.

 

[OntarioBlue]

I think the Dublin branch of the OSC meets in Chapiln's in Hawkins Street, just around the corner from Temple Bar

Brilliant thanks

 

[SWPISHOME]

9 spots fill themselves.

Stones and Walker are the unknown.

Pep basically said yesterday that Stones had some "niggles" but he's fine.

I think Stones is nailed on to start. I think Akanji will start at right back ahead of Walker. Akanji has been sensational lately.

I think the big decision for Pep is if he will go double pivot with Rodri and Kovacic?

 

[burning blue soul]

Much cheaper and better bear too

 

[MCFC1993]

Militao would be the other option for them. Just coming back from a knee injury and was brought on for the last few minutes in yesterday's game. Rumours beforehand said he might start to test his recovery so he might not be quite up to it yet.

Militao won't play, it's not just a knee injury, it's an ACL injury, played less than 10mins combined in the 2 games he's featured.

 

[Damanino]

huge fucking game, can go either way, but imo we owe them them one after the semis loss from 2022. we were better than them in both legs up until last 10 minutes where it all went to shit...
two goals by fucking Rodrygo.

now two fucking deflected lucky goals for them again.

that 2022 semis still fucking painful, we won 4-3 at home leg, missing quite a few chances especially Foden and Mahrez it could have been 5-3, 6-3 even easily.
than 2nd leg in Madrid we played well, bit more even game, and Mahrez scored around minute 70 we were 5-3 up aggr. score.
Grealish had a huge chance which was than saved by Curtois end of the studs, would have closed the tie 86th minute. and then they score 2 goals and we crumbled under pressure and in extra tie Real just killed us, we had no real chance anymore.

having said that the home game last year (4-0) and the year before them vs Real (4-3), we had numerous good chances both games, lets hope we just score enough of them again. I am sure we will concede too, but hoping a 2-1, 3-1, 3-2 type result. could even be 4-3.

us scoring a hugely important deflected fucking flipper goal would be well deserved after conceding these in tough games a lot.

 

[Gorbachev]

surprise prediction: KDB is an impact sub.

 

[ninjamonkey]

If Kovacic does start it won't be Grealish getting dropped, far too important for control of the game.

If Kovacic starts, one of Foden or Kev will give way, that's why I don't think he'll start.

Having somebody next to rodri is more important for control, every game this season we've left Rodri alone, we've looked wide open and easy to get at. In my eyes that's a non-negotiable, somebody has to be alongside Rodri. If not kovacic then it's bernardo but then you open up the supply line to vinicius if he's not doing his thing on the right. Maybe you can trust walker to handle him if hes fit and available and push bernardo central, I'm not sure thats wise from what we've seen of walker this season mind and without walker, thats not even a possibility.

These 3 would be set in stone for me and then there's a left wing and a 10 role behind Haaland for two more from kdb, foden, grealish, doku and alvarez. All those can make a respectable enough claim to start but I can't see beyond kdb and foden.

 

[Silva&Silva]

surprise prediction: KDB is an impact sub.

No way.

 

[jrb]