Saturday, 26 February 2011

Preview: Deportivo vs Real Madrid

Deportivo vs Real Madrid shields


There was nothing of "Superdepor" and still remained the curse of Real Madrid in Riazor; 19 years without a win. Since last seaso the spell does not resist. Deportivo, which is twenty seasons in the First Spanish Division, fight in the League with the purpose of avoiding relegation positions which is three points away. And it's not a bad year for Galician team, not at all: it is what it is. Subsistence economy and Miguel Angel Lotina acting as mother of large family, smiling in front of adversity.

Therefore, Real Madrid visit a team that gave up the money first and then the magic. Add the lows: Manuel Pablo, Saul, Valeron and Xisco (notice that nothing is superfluous). Join the statistics: one win in the last four home games (1-0 against Villarreal) and 21 goals scored (only Racing Santander has scored so few).

The outlook for Deportivo would be dark but there are signs of recovery, others would call green buds. Guardado appears recovered from a succession of muscular injuries that left him playing only half an hour in the last four months. Today he could play as starter. And apart from the muscles back together, what better sign that the goal of Aranzubía (Deportivo goalkeeper) in Almeria, the best episode to say that since it the novel changed.

While Deportivo lives calling good spirits, Real Madrid walks with giants tread. Only the closeness of the match against Olympique Lyon suggests a minimal risk. By exhaustion and concentration, or rather, by the relaxation that follows the maximum concentration. Mourinho is expected to oxygenate the team that played on Tuesday in the Champions League with Albiol, Marcelo and Lass, who will break Carvalho (presumably), Ramos and the injured Khedira. It would be logical that Benzema, impeccable in Gerland, keep the job, otherwise he will never know what to do to be a starter at Mourinho's Real Madrid.

The tone of the coachs words in the hours before, show the spirit of each. Lotina, skeptical and ironic joke with the possibility of fielding Aranzubía as striker and bragged of having beaten Mourinho, although it was a friendly match. Portuguese complained about the schedule, the privileges of others, rumors of signings. The soap opera had already said: "Rich also cry". A lot.