Welcome Guest   |  Login   |   Signup
JG Logo
Fri, May 25, 2012
Archive Search

Place in Cup Final May Help Mourinho Lift Gloom at Real
Phil Seery | February 01, 2011

Real Madrid takes a 1-0 lead into its Kings Cup semifinal second leg against Sevilla. Striker Cristiano Ronaldo is already looking forward to a final with archrival Barca, which leads Real by seven points in league play. (AP Photo) Real Madrid takes a 1-0 lead into its Kings Cup semifinal second leg against Sevilla. Striker Cristiano Ronaldo is already looking forward to a final with archrival Barca, which leads Real by seven points in league play. (AP Photo)
Share This Page
0
0
0
0
Share with google+ :


Post a comment
Please login to post comment

Comments

Be the first to write your opinion!

Madrid. Jose Mourinho can ease some of the pressure building up against him should Real Madrid clinch its place in the Kings Cup final by beating Sevilla today in the second leg semifinal match.

Real lost 1-0 at Osasuna on Sunday to fall seven points behind Barcelona in the league and Mourinho hopes to forget that setback by defeating holder Sevilla as Madrid tries to win the competition for the first time since 1993.

Real holds a 1-0 lead from the first leg, courtesy of Karim Benzema’s goal, and hopes to make home advantage count as it bids to end a run of two years without a trophy.

Sevilla knows it will have to score at the Santiago Bernabeu to progress and will take heart from its 3-3 draw with Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday when it came from 2-0 down to almost win the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged the squad was frustrated to lose 1-0 at Osasuna on Sunday but is confident of reaching the final and seems to be thinking of a possible final match-up against archrival Barcelona, which holds a 5-0 first leg lead over Almeria in the other semifinal.

“The two best teams in Spain should be in the final although it wouldn’t be revenge [for the 5-0 league defeat at Camp Nou],” Ronaldo said.

“What had happened against Osasuna [being kicked and fouled] is not good for children or people who enjoy this game. I hate it. The other day at Sevilla they were about to break Iker’s [Casillas] head.”

A water bottle thrown from the Seville crowd hit Real captain Casillas in the head in the first leg of the semifinal tie and Sevilla players can expect a hostile reception at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho gave on-loan striker Emmanuel Adebayor his debut as a substitute at Osasuna and may be tempted to start him after his side fired blanks in the 1-0 loss in Pamplona.

Sevilla will be without first choice goalkeeper Andres Palop, who is suspended after being sent off in the Deportivo La Coruna draw, so reserve goalkeeper Javi Varas is set to start the biggest game of his career.

Barcelona put one foot in the final with the drubbing of Almeria at Camp Nou in the first leg and could rest key players for today’s second leg.

Despite his team’s 5-0 advantage, Barcelona star Pedro Rodriguez said his side would not be taking anything for granted.

“What happened at [Real] Betis is still fresh in our minds and we can’t get carried away,” Pedro said.

Barca lost 3-1 to second division Betis in the second leg of the quarterfinal after Pep Guardiola’s side had won the first leg 5-0.

Barcelona, which made it a record-equalling 15 consecutive league wins with a 3-0 victory over Hercules on Saturday, won the cup in 2009 as part of its historic treble.


Agence France-Presse