Mourinho's quiet approach bearing fruit for Real
Reuters - Tuesday 24 April 2012, 01:59
Real Madrid look like being
crowned kings of Spain but need to overturn a 2-1 Champions
League semi-final first leg deficit against Bayern Munich on
Wednesday to continue dreaming of European glory.
Coach Jose Mourinho was lured to one of the world's richest
clubs to build a dynasty that would end Barcelona's pre-eminence
and he struck what could be a decisive blow in La Liga's title
race with a 2-1 victory over the champions at the Nou Camp on
Saturday.
With a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga and four
matches left, Real now divert their aim to Barca's European
crown.
Mourinho's team will need to replicate the defensive rigour
and clinical finishing that did for Barca if they are to reach
next month's Champions League final in Munich.
Normally outspoken and provocative, Mourinho has recently
shunned several news conferences, leaving number two Aitor
Karanka to handle the media with anodyne responses.
The rules of European football's governing body UEFA dictate
the head coach must speak to the media before the home game
against Bayern.
However, the lack of controversy seems to have benefited his
team, particularly ahead of the 'Clasico' which they won for
only the second time in 11 attempts with Mourinho at the helm.
"We were able to rid ourselves of the pressure we felt in
previous encounters," Real captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas
told reporters.
"We have taken a big step forward. We aren't the finished
article yet but we have given ourselves a big lift for the
upcoming games."
RONALDO DELIVERS
Leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo displayed less of the
petulance that has contributed to his failure to deliver on big
occasions in the past and broke away to grab the winner against
Barca, his 54th goal in all competitions this season.
With Ronaldo working better as a team player, Real are
confident they can maintain a 100 percent home record in this
season's competition and edge closer to a record 10th European
Cup victory.
That could involve having to beat Barca again in the final
if Pep Guardiola's side overcome a 1-0 deficit at home to
Chelsea in the other semi-final second leg on Tuesday.
Mourinho, in his third successive Champions League
semi-final, is eyeing a third triumph in Europe's elite club
competition after his victories with Porto in 2004 and Inter
Milan in 2010, the latter after a 2-0 final win over Bayern at
the Bernabeu.
His opposite number on Wednesday, the hugely experienced
Jupp Heynckes, also knows the Spanish capital well having led
Real to European Cup glory in 1998.
Bayern, who have won three out of four semi-finals against
Real, have a slender advantage thanks to Mario Gomez's late
strike in the first leg and arrive boosted after Franck Ribery
grabbed a stoppage-time winner at Werder Bremen on Saturday.
MORALE BOOST
Hours later Borussia Dortmund sealed a second consecutive
Bundesliga title that killed off any lingering hopes of an
unprecedented German treble for the Bavarians.
The win over Werder was the perfect dress rehearsal if they
are to achieve the ambition of playing in the Champions League
final in their own stadium on May 19.
"Now we can travel to Madrid with confidence to tackle the
biggest of challenges," said former West Germany international
Heynckes who will have a full squad to choose from.
"The team showed in the first leg we can play at the same
level with them and we go to Madrid with a lot of confidence
because we are in a position to score away from home. I am
optimistic and so are my players."
According to media reports Bayern wingers Ribery and Arjen
Robben were involved in a row a week earlier - but a handshake
on Saturday looked to have sealed a reconciliation at just the
right time.
Frenchman Ribery has even more motivation to reach the final
after missing out in 2010 due to suspension.
Probable teams:
Real Madrid: 1-Iker Casillas; 17-Alvaro Arbeloa, 3-Pepe,
4-Sergio Ramos, 15-Fabio Coentrao; 14-Xabi Alonso, 6-Sami
Khedira, 10-Mesut Ozil; 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 9-Karim Benzema,
22-Angel Di Maria.
Bayern Munich: 1-Manuel Neuer; 21-Philipp Lahm, 17-Jerome
Boateng, 28-Holger Badstuber, 27-David Alaba; 30-Luiz Gustavo,
39-Toni Kroos, 31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 25-Thomas Muller,
7-Franck Ribery; 11-Ivica Olic.
Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary).