Benzema also out for Alonso-less Real
Reuters - Tuesday 09 March 2010, 14:45
MADRID - Real Madrid striker Karim
Benzema has failed to recover from injury in time for the visit
of his former club Olympique Lyon in the Champions League on
Wednesday.
The France international has been struggling with a groin
problem and was left out of Manuel Pellegrini's squad on Tuesday
along with the injured Royston Drenthe and Pepe, and suspended
Marcelo and Xabi Alonso.
Real need to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit, and to beat a
side who have drawn on their only two previous visits to the
Bernabeu in this competition.
The absence of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, one
of Real's most consistent performers of late, does not help
Pellegrini resolve his toughest decision, which is who to play
in the middle.
The attack-minded Guti and Rafael van der Vaart came on as
second-half substitutes and helped inspire Real to their 3-2
comeback win against Sevilla on Saturday, and would be popular
choices on Wednesday, but the Chilean gave little away.
"The last 20 minutes of the first half against Sevilla were
very good as well (as the second half)," he told a news
conference.
"That midfield has played together eight or nine times and
won praise for its performances against Barcelona and Valencia
among others. I'm not affected by criticism.
"The atmosphere at the Bernabeu will be special and we need
to try and make the most of this. It is a narrow deficit we face
and I believe we can overturn it to make the quarter-finals."