The Daily bets, Banter & Accumulators thread II

Champions League : Schalke 04- Real Madrid


These two met at exactly the same stage of the competition last season (see notes under the "good luck" sign off), with Real winning 6-1 in Germany, courtesy of two goals each from Ronaldo, Bale amd Benzema, Schalke's consolation goal came deep in injury time from prolific striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. We spoke about him and his importance to the team, ahead of the trip to Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend, where he was suspended .....

However, it is the fact that the visitors entertain Real Madrid in the Champions League in four days time , allied to the news that they are without Klaas-Jan Huntelaar today which really caught my attention. You do not need me to tell you how big the visit from Real is and that will be a major distraction, KJH has 10 goals and three assists in 24 appearances this season, the only two road games which Schalke have won in the last two seasons without a contribution of some kind from him came against teams in the relegation zone and the visitors have won just 5 of 21 away starts without the Dutch striker since he joined in 2010-11. Hosts to beat a distracted opponent.

They lost that 1-0 , they do get KJH back this evening, but are short handed in other areas with long term injuries in midfield where they look mismatched, even against a Real side also missing players, with a 19 yo keeper in goal who is making his Champions League debut and has only 224 minutes of first team experience to his name and trying to play a 3-5-2 , a formation which has largely not worked in European football. It will require huge discipline from the wide men tonight especially, Frankfurt seemed to target Chritian Fuchs on the left, with a lot of play down that flank looking to exploit the space he left and the goal came via a missed challenge from him.

We are surely going to see a very defensive approach from the hosts, but I am not sure they can keep their shape for 90 minutes against the movement of the visitors front players and the crowd will be urging the home side forward and if and when they concede, they will be forced into opening up. Real are without Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez, Luka Modric , Fabio Coentrao and Sami Khedira, which is a lot talent to be missing, but a midfield three of Kroos ( surely up for this on this return to Germany) , Illarramendi and Isco ( who is having a wonderful season) look likely to dominate and the return of Pepe to defence is very timely, especially given the alternatives and Marcelo returned at the weekend after missing the debacle against Atletico.

Real have lost their way a little domestically, Ronaldo has only scored three goals this year, which is a drought by his standards, he split with his girlfriend and has just turned 30, which is always a difficult birthday for sportsmen, the lead up to it is usually particular tough. However, we are now two weeks removed and he should have realised that life goes on , which is what normally happens and a return to Champions League action should be just the fillip that he and the club need. They are hardly going to fear a return to Germany, having beaten Schalke, Dortmund and Bayern by a combined 17-4 aggregate in the knockout stages last season and I suspect the club will view this match as the real start of 2015, hopefully we will see a revitalised Ronaldo and a comfortable away win. 1.5 units Real Madrid -1.25 goals 2.04 asian line/Sportmarket.

source: clubgowi.com