Champions league: Real Madrid vs. Roma

It is going to be interesting to see how Roma go into this match. They won the first leg of this Champions League tie at their stadium in Rome by two goals to one, but traveling to the Bernabeu will prove a much tougher task for the Italian side.

Real Madrid go into this match knowing that they need to score at least once. At the weekend they won three very important points away to Recreativo de Huelva, and are now five points clear at the top of La Liga. They had more problems than predicted to overcome struggling Recreativo, and it was Brazilian sensation Robinho that proved the key ingredient. He came on in the second half and scored two vital goals for the Meringues, his first just thirty seconds after he had entered the field of play. Robinho had missed the last three matches which curiously all ended in defeats for Real Madrid, including the first leg tie against Roma. Coach Bernd Schuster will also be able to count on Portuguese defender Pepe (a wall with legs) and Guti is back after missing the Recreativo game, but it isn’t all good news for the German coach. He has some very important absentees for this match. Van Nistelrooy is still out through injury and wasn’t able to recuperate on time. Also out is Sergio Ramos through suspension which will be a great blow for Real Madrid. Robben will be unable to play for a month due to an ankle injury he picked up after an awful challenge in the Recreativo game, while Christoph Metzelder, Javier Saviola and Wesley Sneijder all have longer recovery times.

For Roma this game could not really come at a better time. They are still second in the Serie A of the Italian league, and have been able to cut the lead between leaders Inter to six points. The weekend saw them crush Parma by four goals to one at home and now they travel to the Bernabeu stadium with an almost full squad. The only injury is to defender Marco Cassettia, but this could prove costly. I imagine seeing Real Madrid going for all out attack from the first minute before Roma have had time to settle into the game, and with Gago and Diarra in midfield ready to lay off the ball to Guti to pick out either Raul or Robinho, the goals will come.

I’m going for a Real Madrid victory here. With the Bernabeu full to the rafters and the fans playing their part, I doubt if Roma will be able to hold out for the full ninety minutes without conceding at least one goal.

Prediction: Home win (2-0)