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real madrid football tactics

Zinedine Zidane will line-up Brazilian defender Danilo at right-back to replace Daniel Carvajal. That will be the only change in Real Madrid’s starting eleven to face Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Los Blancos played a brilliant game against Barcelona last weekend and the French manager doesn’t want to change much in order to extend the good run.

Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo will complete the defence line. In midfiel, Casemiro will accompany Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will form the forward line, and Keylor Navas will keep goal as usual.

This will be Real Madrid’s starting eleven: Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema.

This will be Wolfsburg’s starting eleven: Benaglio, Vieirinha, Draxler, B.Henrique, Schürrle, Dante, L.Gustavo, Guilavogui, Naldo, Arnold, Rodriguez.

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Daniel Carvajal

Daniel Carvajal has warned his team mates that Wolfsburg will be a difficult task this evening as Real Madrid look to carry on their road to La Undecima.

Los Blancos take on the Bundesliga outfit in Germany first before hosting their opponents at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.

On the back of the magnificent win over Barcelona at the weekend, Zinedine Zidane’s men go into the tie as strong favourites. But having experienced playing against Wolfsburg from his time on loan at Bayer Leverkussen, Carvajal warned his team mates it won’t be an easy task to beat them.

Sitting down to talk to the Real Madrid website and the club’s TV station, the right back said: “I played there twice, I think I remember. Once in the league and once in the Cup. Both times we left with nothing, because they beat us in the two games. It’s a difficult ground to play at, they pressure a lot. They usually press you very high up. I’m sure it will be an uncomfortable match.”

He added: “We’re going there thinking that it’s only a game. We’re going to win, not thinking about the second-leg at our stadium. We have to go out as strong as possible for the first half hour, try to get on top of the opposition and to get a goals. We know that scoring away from home is very important so we’ll go for it.”

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Real Madrid left back Marcelo says the game against Wolfsburg this evening is like a cup final already.

Los Blancos take on the Bundesliga outfit in Germany in the first leg of the quarter final tie and will be hopeful of getting a positive result to take back to defend at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.

Wolfsburg are appearing at this stage of the competition for the first time and Marcelo told a press conference on Tuesday that the German side would be up for the game.

He stated: “They’re going to put us under a lot of pressure, as will their fans. This one isn’t a lesser game, it’s one that we’re approaching as if it was a cup final. We’re expecting a tough game in which they’ll put us under a lot of pressure. We’re clear on what we’ve got to do. We’re going to give our all to ensure we put in a good performance.”

And he continued: “It’s important not to concede. The team is in good shape, we’re very focused on what we’ve got to do and what our coach is asking of us. If we manage not to concede tomorrow it will be a big step in the right direction.”

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has urged his players to be focused throughout today’s game against Wolfsburg as the German team can cause plenty of problems.

Los Blancos go into the first leg of the quarter final tie as big favourites particularly on the back of the excellent Clasico win on Saturday evening. Their opponents meanwhile are appearing for the first time at this stage of the competition and have struggled in their domestic league this season.

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Zidane told his players they need to forget the euphoric of the win in the Camp Nou and focus on the task at hand now.

“This is a team that have made it to the quarter-finals. They’ve struggled in their league, but that counts for nothing. This is a Champions League game and that means a lot to any player. They’ve deserved to get this far and tomorrow we’re going to be up against it. We’re going to go out there as we always do, play our game with our brand of football and we’re going to prepare well for it,” he told reporters at his press conference.

Asked about the impact the result on Saturday could have, he added: “I came away happy to have won there and with the manner in which we did it. It’s not easy to win there and we know that. It was important for our morale as we continue fighting. Prior to that game I’d said that we were on good form. We won what was a difficult game and now we have to keep going because all of the games are going to be tough.”

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Real Madrid visit Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg tonight looking to build a first leg lead to take back to the Santiago Bernabeu next week as they continue on their quest to win La Undecima.

This is Real’s sixth straight quarter final appearance in the competition while their opponents are appearing for the first time at this stage. Having defeated Barcelona at the Camp Nou at the weekend, and with the Germans in poor league form, Zinedine Zidane will be confident his men can get the job done.

Los Blancos must be wary though – Wolfsburg did top their group that contained Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven this season while they also eliminated Spanish outfit Villarreal in the Europa League a couple of seasons ago.

In terms of team news, the hosts are missing Sebastian Jung, who has a knee problem, while Daniel Caligiuri (groin) and Bas Dost (foot) are both seen as doubtful for the game.

Defenders Pepe and Sergio Ramos should start at centre back while Raphael Varane nurses a calf problem. Further up the field, Isco and James Rodriguez could also find themselves on the bench again with Casemiro having impressed once more in the Clasico and likely to keep his place in the starting eleven.

Probable line-ups:
Wolfsburge:
Benaglio; Trasch, Knoche, Dante, Rodriguez; Gustavo, Guilavogui; Vieirinha, Draxler, Schurrle; Kruse
Real Madrid:
Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Modric, Casemiro; Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale

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Ex-Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says Zinedine Zidane changed his outlook on football and how he adapted his tactics in the early days of his managerial career.

The Italian was Zidane’s boss at Juventus in the 1990’s and while they didn’t lift any silverware together, Ancelotti admits it was having Zidane in his squad that made him abandon a strict 4-4-2 formation to having a creative player tuck in behind a front two.

He used the blueprint he developed at Juve to great success at AC Milan where another ex-Real player, Kaka, was used in the same role as Zidane. At the San Siro, Ancelotti lead his team to much success including the Seria A title and Champions League.

Speaking to Goal.com, Ancelotti, who worked alongside Zidane in his first season in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu, said: “The first time that I met Zinedine Zidane was in the first year in Juventus and I found a fantastic player.

“Zidane was the key for me to change my idea of football because I was always used to playing 4-4-2. At Juventus I changed my system, to play a player like him behind two strikers because I didn’t want to change the position. He was really fantastic.”

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ander herrera

Real Madrid could have seen in Ander Herrera a cheap option to reinforce their midfield line, given that Florentino Perez’s first choice Paul Pogba seems to be too expensive for Los Blancos.

Both Perez and Zinedine Zidane see Pogba as the perfect man to strengthen the team next summer. However, Juventus are not willing to sell the France international for less than 100 million euros, and that’s an amount that the Los Blancos president is not willing to spend.

According to Spanish website Fichajes.net, Herrera could be the man Los Merengues will target if Pogba’s signing fails.

The Manchester United man has great talent, and could be ready to leave Old Trafford should the Red Devils fail to qualify for the Champions League. According to Transfermarkt, the Spaniard’s market price is 28 million euros, but United would request a bit more to let him go.

– More Real Madrid transfer news

Herrera signed for United in the summer of 2014 on a 36-million-euro move from Athletic Bilbao. He has spent two seasons at Old Trafford, making 62 appearances and scoring 13 goals. He could be a good back-up for Luka Modric and would add depth of squad.

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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has taken another pop at Real Madrid by suggesting tonight’s Champions League quarter final opponents for Los Cules – Atletico de Madrid – are tougher than the Santiago Bernabeu side.

Pique scored in the Clasico at the weekend but was on the losing side as Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo netted for Zidane’s team to secure a memorable win at the Camp Now.

The defeat for Luis Enrique’s men ended their 39-game unbeaten run and also means the gap at the top of the table is reduced to six points with seven games remaining. Real are a point behind second-placed Atletico in the table.

Speaking ahead of the match, Pique said he believe Atletico are a tougher nut to crack than Real.

“Emotionally it’s a defeat like any other. We went 39 games without losing and at times it happens. Onwards. We’re ready to play another game on Tuesday and to do very well. Tomorrow is a unique opportunity to have a great game and leave the bar very high,” he said.

And he added: “We’re not scared, but they are having a great season. It’s going to be more difficult than Saturday.

“They are the second best team in Spain, according to the league standings. But in the end it depends on us, that we have the ball, the support of the fans… If everything comes together, we’re unstoppable.”

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Former Barcelona stirker Thierry Henry has hailed Zinedine Zidane for getting Real Madrid’s tactics right in the Clasico win at the Camp Nou on Saturday.

Real were hammered by their fierce rivals at home in the autumn when ex-boss Rafa Benitez ditched his conservative approach and went all out attack – a plan that backfired spectacularly as they lost 4-0.

But on Saturday, Zidane’s men looked solid at the back and kept their composure at 1-0 down after Gerard Pique gave the hosts the lead. Real responded through Karim Benzema and despite being reduced to 10-men when Sergio Ramos was sent off, won the game thanks to late Cristiano Ronaldo strike.

Speaking about the performance, Henry, who played alongside Zidane in the France team, said: “I like the way Zidane set up the team. They were not scared, they put pressure on when they needed to and kept their composure at 1-0 down.

“Zidane understood he had to take care of the midfield, especially against Barcelona. People wanted to know if tactically he could do something against Barcelona and he did.”

Asked about whether the defeat could affect Los Cules in the league, the former Arsenal striker added: “You never know, but I don’t think Barcelona will let the league go away. The key game is against Atletico, you never know what can happen and that could have an effect on the league, but I think they will be OK.”

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Former Barcelona and Real Madrid midfielder Michael Laudrup believes the Nou Camp side could be vulnerable after their defeat in the Clasico at the weekend.

Los Blancos beat their fierce rivals 2-1 thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. Gerard Pique had given the hosts the lead in the second half but the defeat ended the 39-game unbeaten run.

Los Cules still lead La Liga by six points ahead of Atletico de Madrid – and seven points from Real – with seven games to go. They also face Atletico in the Champions League quarter final first leg this evening.

And speaking to Sky Sports, Laudrup, who played 167 league games for Barcelona and 62 for Real, said Luis Enrique’s side could be vulnerable after their defeat at the weekend.

“Knowing Barcelona and the Catalans there will be a little doubt. ust one loss can create doubts, we will see in the coming week. I still think the league is done, but I want to see the impact in the coming games. Real deserved the win. In the second half they were the better team, even going down 1-0, then down to 10 men. Real come out with a lot of confidence while Barcelona have to play Atletico next,” he commented.

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