Copa del Rey Preview: Real Madrid-Sevilla
04/02/2004
Copa del Rey Preview: Real Madrid-Sevilla |
Revenge is very much on the agenda as
Real Madrid prepare to host Sevilla at the Bernabeu in this Copa del Rey
semi-final first-leg.
Jose Antonio Reyes and co embarrassed the Merengues 4-1 at the Sanchez
Pizjuán earlier this season, and there will be a few Madrid players looking
to set the record straight tomorrow night.
Another incentive for Real is that they have not won the Copa del Rey for 11
years. Too long for a club of this magnitude.
Some slack defending saw Carlos Queiroz's side go in 2-0 down at Valladolid
on Sunday, but you can never rule this side out and they came back to win
thanks to two goals from Ronaldo and a penalty from Luis Figo.
Sevilla have won just one of their last seven league games and are only five
points above the drop zone. But any side featuring the talents of
outstanding Brazilian full-back Daniel Alves, his marauding fellow
countryman Julio Baptista and Uruguayan poacher supreme Dario Silva is
unlikely to go down.
LATEST TEAM NEWS
Real Madrid: for the first time in a while, Queiroz can field a
full-strength side, with Roberto Carlos having recovered from injury. Caesar,
though, will play in goal, with Casillas rested.
Sevilla: Darío Silva, Torrado and Redondo were rested for the weekend's 1-0
defeat to Deportivo La Coruna, but all should return to the starting line-up
for this clash.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid: César; Salgado, Roberto Carlos, Helguera, Raúl Bravo; Guti,
Beckham; Figo, Zidane, Raúl; Ronaldo.
Sevilla: Esteban; Daniel Alves, Javi Navarro, Pablo Alfaro, David; Redondo,
Martí, Torrado, Antonio López; Julio Baptista, Darío Silva.
Stewart Coggin