Real Betis vs. Real Madrid: Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Preview
Mar 7, 2020
Luka Modric of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Real Madrid and Manchester City FC at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on February 26, 2020 in Madrid, Spain(Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images)
Real MadridvisitReal Betis in La Liga on Sunday following a potentially huge result in the title race.
Los Blancos' 2-0 Clasico win over Barcelona put them back on top of the table, but the two Spanish giants are separated by just one point and the Blaugrana could return to the summit with a win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Betis' form has collapsed in recent weeks, with no victories in their last seven in all competitions.
Zinedine Zidane's men arrive in Seville after their latest Clasico success. Madrid's victory over Barca could be the difference between La Liga's top two at the end of the campaign, but Los Blancos must re-establish the impressive form they displayed against all-comers earlier this season.
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 1: (L-R) Mariano of Real Madrid, Samuel Umtiti of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid v FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/G
February turned out to be a bad month for Madrid, as they lost 4-3 to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-final and then played out a surprise 2-2 La Liga draw with Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
A 1-0 loss followed at Levante as the wheels appeared to come off Real's season, and a 2-1 UEFA Champions League defeat to Manchester City in the round-of-16 first-leg compounded Zidane's agony.
However, as February passed into March, Real completed a professional job against Barca, once again providing them control at the top of the league.
Madrid's remaining fixtures allow them a relatively agreeable path to the title, but only if they don't slip against inferior opponents.
EIBAR, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Joan Francesc Ferrer 'Rubi'of Real Betis Balompie reacts during the Liga match between SD Eibar SAD and Real Betis Balompie at Ipurua Municipal Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Eibar, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serr
Betis are a team who are unlikely to offer significant resistance after watching their campaign crumble after Christmas.
The Andalusia club had started this season poorly, but just one defeat during a seven-match spell in the winter hinted Betis might finish the campaign flexing their muscles.
However, results have once again hit a brick wall. Betis are eight points above the relegation zone, and staying away from the drop will be their only ambition.
Rubi's men last won a game on January 19 after an impressive 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad, but Betis don't have the confidence to match Madrid if the visitors turn the screw at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Real Madrid's Eden Hazard Facing 2-3 Months Out After Successful Ankle Surgery
Mar 6, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid in action during the La Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Real Madrid have confirmed Eden Hazard has undergone successful surgery on his right ankle injury.
"Eden Hazard has successfully undergone surgery today in Dallas on a fracture in the fibula of his right foot. The operation was supervised by Real Madrid Medical Services. Hazard will now remain under observation until he gets the all clear to being his rehabilitation process."
According to Marca, the Belgian will now be sidelined for the next two or three months. As a result, he may not play again for Los Blancos this season. Real's final La Liga game of the season is scheduled for the weekend of May 23 against Leganes. If they manage to advance to the UEFA Champions League final, their season will end on May 30.
Hazard, 29, could face a race to be fit for UEFA Euro 2020 in the summer. The tournament kicks off on June 12, and Belgium's first Group B game is against Russia in Saint Petersburg on June 13.
Hazard has endured a frustrating debut season with Real after joining the Madrid giants from Chelsea in June for an initial £89 million fee:
Breaking: Eden Hazard has officially joined Real Madrid on a deal until 2024
He missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury and was then sidelined again for December and January with an ankle problem. Having started two games in succession, Hazard limped out of Real's 1-0 loss to Levante on Feb. 22.
If he does not return to fitness before the end of the season, he will finish the campaign with a disappointing return of one goal and one assist in 10 La Liga appearances.
In Hazard's absence, Zinedine Zidane will have to rely on the likes of Vinicius Junior, Isco and Rodrygo to fill the gap on the left flank.
Roberto Martinez Says Eden Hazard Will Play for Real Madrid Again Before Belgium
Mar 4, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid warms up prior to the La Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez said Eden Hazard will play for Real Madrid again before the national team, and he expects the winger to be at UEFA Euro 2020.
Martinez had previously put Hazard's recovery from a fractured ankle at three months, but he is confident Hazard will feature again for Los Blancos.
"The recovery deadlines are impossible to determine because you have to see the operation and determine the deadlines from there.
"The first two weeks are important, but knowing Eden and how he's worked on other small injuries he has had, we are sure that we will have him with us [at Euro 2020].
"We'll see him in Real Madrid's shirt before the national team's shirt."
Hazard will undergo surgery on the injury in Dallas on Thursday, and Martinez said he is "very calm and very positive" ahead of the procedure.
HLN's Kristof Terreur gave further insight into Real's decision to send him to the U.S. for an operation:
Real Madrid also got in touch with the medical staff of Chelsea before they made a final decision over Eden Hazard’s ankle. #cfc
In total, he has made just 15 appearances in his debut season for Real Madrid. In that time, he has scored once and assisted five goals.
Reflecting on Real's 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, Spanish football commentator Eduardo Alvarez noted their struggles in the final third in Hazard's absence:
Offensively this team is very limited, even more with Hazard injured again. It’s weird to say this, but if Real Madrid have anything to say this season, it will be through their defense
If he's to feature again for Real in La Liga this season, he'll need to return before their final fixture on May 24. The Champions League final is on May 30, but making it there doesn't look likely after their clash with City.
As for Belgium, only Jan Vertonghen has more caps than Hazard's 106 and only Romelu Lukaku has more than his 32 goals.
Martin Odegaard Says He Plans to See out 2-Year Loan Spell at Real Sociedad
Mar 3, 2020
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Martin Odegaard of Real Sociedad reacts during the Liga match between Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio Anoeta on February 28, 2020 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Martin Odegaard has confirmed he still plans to stay at Real Sociedad for the duration of his two-year loan spell rather than return to Real Madrid early.
The 21-year-old moved to La Real last July and has been superb in the 2019-20 campaign, netting four goals and providing five assists in La Liga:
Early last month he opened the scoring as his current side dumped his parent club out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage, and he scored again when La Real beat second-tier Mirandes 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final tie. The second leg takes place on Wednesday.
As well as being in line to win a first piece of major silverware since 1987, La Real are in the running to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League:
As a result of Odegaard's fine form, there has been some talk of him returning to the Santiago Bernabeu earlier than planned, but he has now said he wants to stay at the Anoeta Stadium for the duration of his loan spell and help the club reach their goals, per El Diairo Vasco(h/t Goal's Josh Heycock):
"When people ask if I will be here to play in the Champions League, I always say that I'm very happy here and that the plan is to play for La Real for two years. Playing against the best teams in the world is something that is great for a player and it's a dream for me.
"However, there are some very good teams in the fight, like Getafe, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia. Two things make me very excited, as we want to win the Copa del Rey and qualify for the Champions League."
Odegaard signed for Real just over five years ago after being linked with numerous other top European clubs.
He has made only one La Liga appearance for the Madrid giants, but loan spells at Heerenveen, Vitesse Arnhem and now La Real have indicated the Norway international could soon be a key part of the Los Blancos first team.
He is still remarkably young and likely only going to improve further as he gets more experience.
Odegaard has relished being La Real's key playmaker this term, an indication he will be able to handle the pressure when he finally returns to the Santiago Bernabeu:
Real Madrid have a wealth of talent out on loan, and Martin Odegaard is the pick of the bunch | @stighefootball
After his latest comments, it seems that will not be until after the 2020-21 season.
Spanish Press React to Bernabeu Going 'A Bit Crazy' After 2-0 Clasico Win
Mar 2, 2020
On a cold, blustery Sunday night—and despite it being the first Clasico to be visited by rain in a decade—Real Madrid's fans were in ecstasy at the final whistle, with many in the upper tiers of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium happily discarding their white waterproof ponchos so they could launch them on to the pitch below.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-0—thanks to a pair of goals that found their purchase more by chance than skill—to secure a first home win against their eternal rivals since 2014. It was a match high on drama but low on quality, played by two clubs that, as Ramon Besa in El Paisdescribed, are "prisoners of veteran teams."
Marca,Spain's biggest-selling sports newspaper, splashed a photo of a maniacal-looking Sergio Ramos, hair tossed and climbing on to the shoulders of Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior—after the Brazilian had opened the scoring midway through the second half—on its cover page with the heading: "And the Bernabeu goes a bit crazy."
Nineteen-year-old Vinicius Junior—who overtook Lionel Messi as the youngest scorer in the Clasico this century—was singled out for his performance by the press. He was the only player, for example, to receive nine stars in Diario Sport's player ratings.
It was thrilling for him—his "greatest night as a Madridista," he announced—and vindication. He so often walks a tightrope between "genius and ridicule," as Francisco Cabezas wrote in El Mundo. Last night's goal was only his fourth in 36 league games for Real Madrid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOyEr0rC4DQ
More than the goal, however, Vinicius Junior was applauded for his energy, his fearlessness, his infectious spirit and, above all, for not being Gareth Bale. The Welsh star, who was once the most expensive footballer in history, spent the night as an unused substitute and was dismissed byDiario AS's Luis Nietoas a "hologram player."
Vinicius Junior's goal—which took a fortuitous deflection from Gerard Pique, who was roundly whistled at whenever he touched the ball, as is customary during his appearances at the Bernabeu—came after a dozen minutes of sustained Real Madrid pressure.
The white wave of attacks on Marc-Andre ter Stegen's goal began close to the hour mark when the German goalkeeper was forced into parrying a curling shot from Isco—who marked his 300th official appearance for Real Madrid with a fine performance—just around the post.
Thibaut Courtois, Ter Stegen's counterpart, has endured renewed criticism over the past week for some soft goals he let in during defeats to Levante and Manchester City. However, the former Chelsea keeper was immense. He and Vinicius Junior were the only two players to receive four-star ratings from Mundo Deportivo, which said Courtois "closed the shutters" on several Barcelona attacks.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane can also feel a measure of redemption. After a pre-match run of three games without a win, he has been lambasted for his tinkering, especially for dropping Toni Kroos for the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
This time Zidane got it right, returning Kroos to the team's midfield, choosing Vinicius Junior over Bale and riskily bringing back Marcelo into the starting XI for strategic reasons. The aging wing-back has been a liability in defence over the last couple of seasons, but he chipped in with a last-ditch tackle to prevent Lionel Messi from scoring late in the second half and celebrated as if he'd scored a goal himself.
"Zidane redoubled the dose of pepper on Real Madrid's left side with the inclusion of Marcelo instead of Ferland Mendy, a more defensive alternative," wrote Orfeo Suarez in El Mundo. "He wanted to provoke chaos on the left with two unclassifiable players."
Zidane also made an unlikely hero out of Mariano, a striker who has been in the wilderness. Zidane surprisingly preferred him to Luka Jovic—who, at this rate, will go down as one of the most expensive mistakes in Real Madrid's history—in the matchday squad.
Forced to give over his No 7 jersey to Eden Hazard at the start of the season, the Dominican-Spanish striker has yet to start a game this season. Before he entered the fray against Barcelona in injury time, he'd only played 44 minutes of football. (Incidentally, Hazard missed the game because of an ankle injury that will be operated on in Dallas on Thursday, as Marca's Hugo Cerezo and Jose Felix Diaz reported.)
On Sunday, Mariano made every second count. Like Cinderella's late, decisive arrival at the ball, as alluded to by Nieto in his Diario AS match report, Mariano showed great ambition in bearing down on goal from a difficult angle with his first touch on the ball, and he profited from a miscued shot that caught Ter Stegen unawares at his front post to round off the night's scoring.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who wore the No. 7 jersey with unrivalled distinction at the club, was a surprise visitor to the Bernabeu—his first visit back to the stadium since he left for Turin in the summer of 2018.
Taking advantage of the suspended Juventus vs. Inter Milan game, which was called off because of coronavirus fears, his presence in a private box was commented upon widely by the press. It provoked "an outbreak of longing and melancholy" in Diario AS columnist Elias Israel, who added: "A Clasico without CR isn't what it used to be...Real Madrid doesn't have a player [anymore] to fill the stage".
Both of Catalonia's sports newspapers, Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo, ran with editorial lines that argued "Barca deserved more," to quote the headline on Santi Nolla's lead article in Mundo Deportivo, chiefly because they squandered several goal-scoring chances in the first half before being overrun in the second period.
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 1, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo
Diario Sport even scored Barcelona's players better than Real Madrid's, 68 points to 62. The Madrid-based Marca saw things the other way around, scoring it 25 to 10 for the starting XIs in Real Madrid's favour, which was fair enough given Los Blancos' dominance was reflected in stats like corner kicks (8 to 2) and shots on goal (13 to 9).
Besa lamented the torpor that is bedevilling this Barcelona team: "They have no wings to dribble or disorientate [the opposition], full-backs that are flaky and their football is like a spin cycle, waiting to jell with Messi or synchronise with the [aimlessly floating Antoine] Griezmann.
The performance of Griezmann—whose inability to dribble is at odds with the type of tiki-taka football his coach Quique Setien is trying to evangelise—was savaged: neither Diario AS nor Marca gave him a star in its player ratings. Marca's pen portrait made fun of him for ballooning a first-half goal chance "into the clouds."
Messi—who had previously scored 15 goals in 21 games at the Bernabeu, which the Spanish media had been calling "Messi's garden" over the weekend—put in a quiet shift. He was labouring "half-injured," which caused him to uncharacteristically cough up two chances when put clean through on goal.
Barcelona's team is noticeably ageing. They look jaded, which was epitomised by the sight of a half-fit Jordi Alba—who was once famed for his speed—being outrun by Real Madrid's Fede Valverde. Five of Barca's starting XI against Real Madrid are in their thirties, excluding Ivan Rakitic—who came on as a second-half substitute—and the injured Luis Suarez.
They are worryingly fragile away from the Camp Nou, too, as they've now dropped more points than they've won on the road—18 collected from a possible 39 points. It's advantage Real Madrid. Their win pulls them a point clear of Barca (and crucially with a better head-to-head record) at the top of the table.
There is a way to go yet, though, with more twists and turns to come. With 12 games remaining, and neither side convincing, both sides will inevitably drop more points in a contest that former Real Madrid player and manager Jorde Valdano accurately described on Onda Cero as "a race between two lame men."
Report: Real Madrid Star Eden Hazard to Have Leg Surgery in Dallas
Mar 2, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid warms up prior to the La Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard will reportedly have surgery to repair his broken fibula in Dallas.
According to ESPN FC's Rodrigo Faez and Alex Kirkland, the procedure will take place on Thursday or Friday. It's unclear whether the surgery will add to his recovery time, which was previously believed to be about two months.
HLN's Kristof Terreur also reported the news:
Real Madrid have a good relationship with some NBA / NFL specialists. Dr. Daniel Cooper, head of medical of the Dallas Cowboys, is a consultant for Real. The Carrell Clinic has a few ankle/foot experts like Dr. Eugene Curry, who did surgery on Dirk Nowitzki.
The former Chelsea star missed out on Sunday's 2-0 Clasico win over rivals Barcelona, continuing what has been a disappointing debut season in the Spanish capital.
He's been sidelined since suffering the injury in the 1-0 loss to Levante on February 22, his second appearance after returning from a previous injury stint.
Per the report, the decision to have surgery was mutually made between club and player, and the objective is to have Hazard make a complete recovery, rather than rush him back.
With just nine starts in La Liga so far, Hazard's first season with Real has not gone to plan:
Eden Hazard has missed as many games for Real Madrid this season as he did in seven seasons with Chelsea 🤕 pic.twitter.com/PYI3vQVLmy
The 29-year-old had been linked with Los Blancos for a long time, but he finally made the move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu last summer.
Expectations were enormous after a final Premier League campaign in which he scored 16 goals and added 15 assists, dragging the Blues to third place. No other team-mate scored double-digit goals in the league.
But the injury bug hit early, ruining his pre-season and postponing his La Liga debut until the September 14 clash with Levante. He scored his first and only goal in the competition against Granada in October.
Real lead La Liga by a single point following Sunday's win over Barcelona, courtesy of a league-leading defence that has conceded just 17 goals. In the UEFA Champions League, they're in danger of an early exit after a 2-1 home loss against Manchester City in the round of 16.
At this stage of the season, there's little use in rushing Hazard back into action. By the time he's fully recovered and fit to play, the campaign will likely be as good as over, and preparations for the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament may already be under way.
Belgium will be among the favourites for the title if Hazard is at his best, but their chances of winning silverware will take a massive hit if their top attacking option doesn't recover in time.
Eden Hazard 'Very Focused' on Playing Again This Season, Says Roberto Martinez
Feb 28, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid looks on during the Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has said Eden Hazard is "very focused" on playing for Real Madrid again this season following another injury setback in his first term at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Hazard, 29, had only recently returned from almost three months out of action when he suffered a distal fibula fracture during Saturday's shock 1-0 loss at Levante.
It's understood Real are yet to make a decision on whether their €100 million signing will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Martinez told Cadena Ser radio (h/t ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia):
"He is someone that never falls apart.
"He is very strong mentally, but he is sad because he was very eager to show Real Madrid fans what he is capable of at such an important stage of the season.
"We've been in contact. We are very sad. Now we have to look ahead and hope he recovers as soon as possible. He is very focused on wanting to recover for the end of the La Liga season. He is already looking ahead."
The winger's start to life in Madrid was delayed after he suffered a hamstring injury on the eve of the current league campaign, and he's racked up just 15 appearances for Real thus far.
Manager Zinedine Zidane sympathised with the player following his most recent injury, via Football Daily:
The Belgium boss may have concerns over the player's involvement at UEFA Euro 2020, which kicks off on June 12 and will take a month to run its course (the final takes place at Wembley Stadium on July 12).
However, Martinez seemed assured regarding Hazard's involvement in the competition: "No. I'm not worried. It's 15 weeks [until then], and I'm confident that Eden will play for Madrid this season. How he arrives at the European Championship is a different matter, but I'm certain he will play before the end of the campaign."
ASreported soon after Hazard's latest injury that he was expected to be sidelined for around two months, while Martinez told reporters his recovery would take "at least three months."
Alvaro Romeo of the Totally Football Show touched on the impact of Hazard's absence:
🎙️FROM THE POD🎙️ Manchester City face Real Madrid tonight, but Real are in an uncertain state: patchy form, no Eden Hazard & as @Alvaro_Romeo explains, they're leaking goals & don't have the "eagerness" to score them #UCL#RMCity
Zidane has had to make do without the player for much of this season and so hasn't had a real chance to adopt him into his plans.
Gareth Bale continues to be used in a bit-part role even when fit for Real, and AFP's Tom Allnutt praised Vinicius Jr.:
Vinicius in good form before Hazard came back, changed the game v Atletico. Probably Hazard was the plan to play his role in this system but he's earned his chance.
Los Blancos could have done with an extra injection of star quality when they succumbed 2-1 at home to Manchester City on Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash.
Real will hope to avoid a third straight defeat across all competitions when they host Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday.
Sergio Ramos Says His 'Head and Heart Already on El Clasico' After UCL Red Card
Feb 27, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid v Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 26, 2020 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Sergio Ramos is already moving on from being sent off during Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.
Ramos was dismissed four minutes from time after tripping City striker Gabriel Jesus on the edge of the box. It marked the fourth time the centre-back has been shown a red card while participating in Europe's premier club competition.
However, Ramos isn't about to stew over the incident for long, quickly turning his focus to Sunday's game against bitter rivals Barcelona in La Liga. Real's skipper tweeted (h/t Matt Atherton of the Daily Express): "After a very difficult night, there are two options. We can think about yesterday's defeat or work on tomorrow's win. I choose the latter. Head and heart already on el Clasico. #HalaMadrid @realmadrid"
Ramos may be defiant about his next move, but there's no doubt his infraction against City has harmed Real's chances of going through. Los Blancos intend to appeal Ramo's suspension for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, per Cadena SER (h/t MailOnline's Jonathan Spencer).
Even if the ban is overturned, questions will persist about whether Ramos can still be an asset at this level. The 33-year-old appeared off the pace against City, routinely struggling to cope with the speed, strength and movement of Jesus.
Ramos' clumsy foul on the scorer of City's opening goal not only gave him some unwanted numbers, but it also served as a fitting indictment of a calamitous performance which also included being beaten in the air when Jesus headed in:
A dip in form has come at the worst time for Ramos and Real. Not only is the club facing an uphill battle to reach the last eight in Europe, Zinedine Zidane's team has lost ground in the domestic title race.
Drawing 2-2 at home against struggling Celta Vigo before losing 1-0 in Levante led to Real slipping off top spot. Barca seized the initiative thanks to a 2-1 victory over Getafe before last week's 5-0 win against Eibar at the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi scored four against Eibar to take firm control of the scoring charts in Spain's top flight:
Messi's form should concern a Real defence toyed with by City. So should the improvement shown from Antoine Griezmann.
The Frenchman appears to be settling as a Barca player following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid last summer. Griezmann has found the net in two of his last three matches, including scoring the equaliser in Tuesday's 1-1 draw away to Napoli in the Champions League.
Ramos has enjoyed success in this legendary fixture before, and he remains a forceful leader:
However, there have been signs the veteran's powers are on the wane. Those signs will give Barca hope of extending their lead at the top to five points.
City will also feel optimistic about finishing the job in Europe, with or without Ramos in the Real lineup.
Casemiro: 'The Tie Isn't Over' After Real Madrid's 2-1 Loss to Manchester City
Feb 27, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Casemiro of Real Madrid controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at Bernabeu on February 26, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alejandro Rios/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Casemiro believes if any team can come back from a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City, it is Real Madrid.
Los Blancos were beaten late in the UEFA Champions League against the Sky Blues on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
They were leading the first leg of their last-16 tie 1-0 after Isco's goal on the hour, but then Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne scored in the last 12 minutes to put the Sky Blues in the driving seat to advance to the quarter-finals:
Real must go to the Etihad Stadium for the return leg on March 17 and win well if they are to keep their dream alive of taking a fifth Champions League title in seven seasons.
Casemiro was bullish after Wednesday's game about Real's ability to get the right result in Manchester, per Marca:
"The tie isn't over. If there's a team that can come back, it's Real Madrid. We had a fantastic first 75 minutes, and we didn't do what we had to do for 15 minutes and they came back. This isn't over, but there's lots of work to do."
Real's schedule is unrelenting. They host Barcelona in the second El Clasico of the season on Sunday in a potentially defining fixture in La Liga's title race:
Casemiro added that Los Blancos must focus on the Blaugrana before a "very difficult" visit to England.
City have a potential advantage over Real in that they have no title race to focus on.
It is not what Pep Guardiola and his side would have wanted before the start of the season, but the Champions League has become their main focus as they are 22 points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table.
As such, Guardiola may well decide to rotate his squad to ensure his key players are in peak condition for the visit of Real and any potential further rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
Real manager Zinedine Zidane will not have that luxury. He will not only need to put his best side out for Sunday's match against Barcelona but also for the subsequent league fixtures against Real Betis and Eibar that take place before the second leg.
Vinicius, Zinedine Zidane Talk Gabriel Jesus 'Push' After UCL Loss to Man City
Feb 27, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at Bernabeu on February 26, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr. has said "everyone knows" Gabriel Jesus pushed Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos in the lead-up to Manchester City's equaliser in their 2-1 win at Real Madrid on Tuesday. Real manager Zinedine Zidane also hinted the contact constituted a foul and said "that moment was key."
Isco broke the deadlock in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Jesus headed City level before Kevin De Bruyne converted a penalty in the 83rd minute.
Vinicius told reporters after the game: "Jesus commits the foul, and everyone knows it was a foul. They always take decisions against us. I didn't need to see it again in the dressing room. It was a foul. Every game it's the same."
Jesus made contact with the back of defender Ramos just prior to scoring the equaliser, but a check with the video assistant referee cleared the Brazilian (U.S. viewers only):
Zidane, who said he spoke with referee Daniele Orsato about the incident, added in his post-match press conference:
"He said there wasn't anything, he hadn't seen anything, there was no push. It's the referee's decision and that's all. What annoys me is what we did, playing well and then 10 minutes at the end changed the game. The mistakes we made, it hurts, we don't deserve it, but that's football. That moment was key."
Los Blancos went ahead on the hour mark and led for 18 minutes before Jesus struck. They will also be without Ramos for the second leg after he was sent off for a last-man foul on Jesus four minutes from full time (U.S. viewers only):
Jesus acknowledged there was contact between him and Ramos in the buildup to his header but told Movistar (h/t ESPN FC'sAlex Kirkland): "Football is a contact sport. I didn't push him. I barely put my hands on him. It's not a foul."
Ramos has been guilty of the same kind of gamesmanship in the past:
Ramos getting a taste of his own medicine from Jesus tonight. Sly push in the back for the goal, then runs across him to get him sent off. #MCIRMA
The visitors ended up with the greater share of clear scoring opportunities following Real's late collapse. England star Raheem Sterling played an important role off the bench, having a hand in Jesus' equaliser before he won the penalty that decided the first-leg result, footage via BT Sport (UK viewers only):
City became the first English team to beat Real at the Bernabeu since February 2009, when Liverpool clinched a 1-0 win away in that season's UEFA Champions League round of 16.
De Bruyne—who was named man of the match following his goal and assist—praised his team for their reaction after falling behind:
A stunner from this man tonight... check-out @DeBruyneKev's verdict!
Guardiola described Jesus as "so fast and so good" in his post-match comments but was cautious of a second-leg comeback: "If there's one team in the world that can overcome it, it's [Real Madrid] with their experience and their history. Hopefully we can give a good performance and go through."
Real have lost two games in a row following Saturday's surprise 1-0 defeat at Levante, and they have won just a single match in their past five outings across all competitions.
City may fancy their chances of advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals for a third straight year after the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17, when Ramos' absence could prove key.
