Everything is in place for tomorrows UEFA Champions League Cup Final that hails the end of the European Football season. Two Spanish Football Clubs, Real Madrid CF & Atletico de Madrid, will meet 19.45 (Lisbon, Portugal time) to fight it out between themselves to claim the maximum European Football title. Atletico de Madrid goes in on a roll after claiming last weekend the Spanish Liga Title & are full of hope & dreams to claim their first ever European Cup. The other opponent, Real Madrid, goes in with an almost "psychotic obsession" to claim their 10th European Cup, added pressure that could take its toll.
However, apart from the "brain factors", the talk is about the possible starting team line-ups with both Clubs hit by important injuries. Real Madrid go into Saturdays Final with Cristiano Ronaldo under a cloud, along with Pepe & Benzema. Added to all this Xabi Alonso cannot play due to yellow card accumulation & will sit with the crowd. Atletico de Madrid has two injury worries, the first Arda Turan who looks positive & Diego Costa who seems to have overcome a leg-muscle injury in a "mircale" fashion after visiting controversial Serbian Dr. Kovacevic.
Both sides have last training sessions planned & will test their doubtful players & then make the decision if they will start in tomorrows final. Local Football observers & media insiders have already speculated with the starting XI line-ups of both Real Madrid-At Madrid for tomorrows UEFA Championship Final. I will give my idea of what I think may be the starting teams for both Clubs after checking all the local media sources & counter-checking with all the last minute news coming out of Lisbon.
However, apart from the "brain factors", the talk is about the possible starting team line-ups with both Clubs hit by important injuries. Real Madrid go into Saturdays Final with Cristiano Ronaldo under a cloud, along with Pepe & Benzema. Added to all this Xabi Alonso cannot play due to yellow card accumulation & will sit with the crowd. Atletico de Madrid has two injury worries, the first Arda Turan who looks positive & Diego Costa who seems to have overcome a leg-muscle injury in a "mircale" fashion after visiting controversial Serbian Dr. Kovacevic.
Both sides have last training sessions planned & will test their doubtful players & then make the decision if they will start in tomorrows final. Local Football observers & media insiders have already speculated with the starting XI line-ups of both Real Madrid-At Madrid for tomorrows UEFA Championship Final. I will give my idea of what I think may be the starting teams for both Clubs after checking all the local media sources & counter-checking with all the last minute news coming out of Lisbon.
The speculated starting XI team line-up for Real Madrid is (4-4-2):
- Iker Casillas
- Carvajal
- Varane ( Pepe will not make it)
- Sergio Ramos
- Coentrao
- Illaramendi
- Modric
- Di Maria
- Isco
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Gareth Bale
Karim Benzema will start on the bench. The Frenchmen is adamant that he can start & will have a final exam this afternoon/evening, but there is doubt with the technical team.
The speculated starting XI team line-up for Atletico de Madrid is (4-3-3):
- Courtois
- JuanFran
- Miranda
- Godin
- Luis Felipe
- Tiago ( or Mario Suarez )
- Gabi
- Koke
- Arda Turan
- David Villa
- Diego Costa ( if not Raul Garcia)
Diego Costa will risk. However, predicting the line-up of Atletico de Madrid is difficult. Simeone seems to be playing "mid games" with his line-up & may well surprise. There is talk that Sosa could start & that perhaps Villa will not. Lets not forget Adrian could start if Costa finally fails to make it. Coach Simeone has more resources available & more possible line-up combinations to play around with.
In both cases, & at this relative early stage, the above announced starting teams from my part are pure speculations. The final XI will not be known until 45 minutes before the kick-off & I am almost certain there will be surprises from both teams.
Good luck to both Clubs & may the better team win.
Good luck to both Clubs & may the better team win.
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