Real Madrid vs Racing Santander Online Football Preview: La Liga

Sports Betting Review — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:41:29 -0500

Real Madrid v Racing Santander

Nov. 21 - Estadio Santiago Bernabéu

Kick-Off: 20:00 CET/19:00 GMT

Real Madrid

Ahead of this Real Madrid vs Racing match, Cristiano Ronaldo is on the verge of returning to action.

The Portuguese playmaker has been doing light training and is expected to be back to full training by Friday, prior this Real Madrid-Racing Santander match. Still, it is highly unlikely that Ronaldo will feature after missing nine games with the injury.

While Real Madrid will welcome back their star midfielder, they will certainly feel they have enough firepower to deal with Racing. Real Madrid have won back-to-back derby matches in La Liga against Getafe and Atletico Madrid.

In Real’s 3-2 victory over rivals Atletico, Manuel Pellegrini’s men looked to be cruising to an easy victory ahead 3-0, but Sergio Ramos was sent off and Atletico was able to cut the score to 3-2 with 10 minutes remaining.

Still, Real Madrid showed their class and held on to the three points which shows promise ahead of this match.

Racing Santander

Racing Santander have had a disappointing season so far. The club that showed so much promise over the past few seasons has won only once in the league this season.

Racing’s latest match was one to forget, as Athletic Bilbao walked all over them en route to a 2-0 derby victory. Racing never got going in the match and Bilbao won deservedly.

Oscar Serrano is one of only a handful of Racing players that have showed signs of life this season. The striker has gathered a team-leading three goals through 10 games.

Racing will hope that his energy spreads throughout the team in this match, as they have looked uncharacteristically weak to start the season.

Prediction

Los Blancos won both Real Madrid and Racing Santander matches last season, by the scorelines of 2-0 and 1-0 respectively.

Simply put, Real are the better team and Racing lack form, and this should show on Saturday.

Real Madrid v Racing Santander Prediction: Madrid 3 - Racing 1.

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La Furia Roja Lessons: Was Pellegrini Watching?

Rami J — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:28:10 -0500

The international break actually provided us this time with something we rarely see, the team mates who play there football every week are playing against each others;

I actually hate those international friendlies, to me even though they are important to the national teams, but still it means no La Liga, but this time i actually waited for the

Albicelestes take on La Furia Roja last Saturday. Regarding the outcome of the match it was a joy to watch, after all they are my favourites teams in the world.

But the most important thing is the chance to see Higuain take on Casillas, or how Pique and Puyol will stop Messi? It is something we never got the chance to see, well until last Saturday.

It was a game well controlled by Spain from the start to finish, even though Argentina tried to put a fight in the second half and gained a penalty that was well put by-who else than Messi?

Well it ended 2-1 to Spain but I hope Pellegrini was watching that match, becuase there are points for him to not just take notes, he should put it in action for the sake of Real Madrid.

1) Xabi Alonso: Well I will start with him because whoever watched the match immediately knew who excellent he was and he is actually the same guy Real Madrid bought from Liverpool last summer.

He had great control, great vision, passed the ball with ease and as smoothly as anyone can imagine, well actually he never lost that, the only thing that was different is he played as a central midfielder, and not a holding midfielder.

He was bought to link the defense with the attack, well he did it really well, but why not with Real Madrid, the answer is the role given to him and Lass is wrong, they actually should switch parts, Lass should play behind him, that's all.

2) Sergio Ramos is playing better with the Spanish team than Real Madrid, why is that? Well he is getting the support from the midfield whenever he is attacking, and the cover up from defense as well,something to analyze by Mr Pellegrini.

3) The control of the ball in the midfield leading to control the match completly, i think this is what out coach meant when he said we need to control, well up until now we aren't, we are improving but slowely, and i think we need to work fast on that.

4) Now this is a point for the classico match coming in two weeks time, Pique is slow,he makes up for it in his good positioning and anticipating the play, but he struggles against fast players, and we saw how the defense was a little shaky when Puyol was withdrawn, because he really cover up for everyone mistakes.

5) If Busquets get to start, instead of Yaya, then we should have a better chance to stop Xavi and Inesta. Because the ability of Yaya is the same as Lass for us, and they would loose a lot in the midfield if that happen.

6) This game showed that Gago is blessed to play for Real Madrid all this time, he was so bad that even my own brother said to me how come he is in the national team, he is the worst player I have ever seen. Well the fact is i knew that, and i think everyone in the world knows that, but Mr Pellegrini for a strange reason doesn't know that.

i am with all the voices of selling him in the January transfer market, he is not worth the white jersey, period.

The last note is that Higuain needs space to run, in order to perform his great football, i wish he gets the confidence from Pellegrini, he need that,he actually deserve it.

Hala Madrid!

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Bleacher Report - Real Madrid

Real Madrid vs Racing Santander Online Football Preview: La Liga

La Furia Roja Lessons: Was Pellegrini Watching?