UEFA Champions League 3rd round qualifier round Schalke 04 - Athletico Madrid
As nicknames go it’s one that Atlético Madrid would probably do anything to rid themselves of, but the tag of Pupas - the jinxed one - has just become all to appropriate for the club. When something can go wrong it usually does go wrong as far as Los Rojiblancos are concerned. In fact, when something goes right it more often than not goes wrong! Take last season for example. Like many before it was touted as ‘the year’ for the team to finally pull their socks up and achieve something. Unlike many before, they actually did achieve something, finishing in 4th place and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in over a decade. A feat which was incredibly overdue, but one which could now be forgotten about incredibly soon too. For when the teams were drawn for qualification fate was to yet again deal Atlético Madrid a tricky card, this time in the form of last year's quarter-finalists Schalke
FORM GUIDE
Schalke have enjoyed a decent pre-season this year despite been beaten narrowly by Bayern Munich and Besiktas. They have been victorious against Rangers, Bahrain, Homburg and Aachen. Atlético on the other hand have had a poor pre-season. They failed to win any of their four games on a tour of Mexico and have only picked things up recently, beating Alcala and Rayo Vallecano back in Spain.
Last Five Results
Schalke:
22nd July: Schalke 4 Bahrain 1
26th July: Besiktas 2 Schalke1
27th July: Bayern Munich 1 Schalke0
1st August: Aachen 0 Schalke 4
9th August: Homburg 0 Schalke 3
Atlético Madrid:
16th July: Cruz Azul 1 Atlético Madrid 0
19th July: UANL Tigres 2 Atlético Madrid 2
23rd July: Toluca 1 Atlético Madrid 1
2nd August: Alcala 0 Atlético Madrid 4
5th August: Atlético Madrid 4 Rayo Vallecano 2
Schalke 04
The loss of Rafinha is undoubtedly the biggest blow to Fred Rutten but he will also be without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and defender Mladen Krstajic for the first leg. Both players are likely to remain injured for the match which will mean Rutten will need to reshuffle his defensive line. Consolation for the coach will come from the pre-season form of new signings Jefferson Farfan and Orlando Engelaar. The Peruvian is settling into the team well and is likely to start the match upfront alongside Gerald Asamoah. Engelaar on the other hand could well partner Fabian Ernst in central midfield to provide a strong backbone to the side.
Possible Starting XI: Schober; Altintop, Bordon, Westermann, Kobiashvili; Engelaar, Jones, Ernst; Farfan, Kuranyi, Asamoah.
Atlético Madrid
Javier Aguirre will field nearly a full strength side in the Veltins-Arena on Wednesday with only Sergio Aguero missing due to Olympic commitments. The Mexican has decided to leave unsettled midfielder Maniche out of the squad and is likely to play new signing Paulo Assunção and Raul Garcia in the centre of the pitch. The main decision for him though will be whether to start Leo Franco or Gregory Coupet in goal for the game. Both players have pre-season matches under their belts so it will be interesting to see which one Aguirre considers his first choice. New signings John Heitanga and Tomas Ujfalusi should start their first competitive game together in defence, with Luis Perea and Antonio Lopez flanking them.
Squad: Leo Franco, Gregory Coupet, Luis Perea, Juan Valera, Tomas Ujfalusi, John Heitinga, Pablo Ibáñez, Antonio López, Mariano Pernía, Maxi Rodríguez, Luis García, Raúl García, Paulo Assunção, Ignacio Camacho, Miguel de las Cuevas, Cléber Santana, Simão Sabrosa, Diego Forlán, Florent Sinama-Pongolle Possible
Starting XI: Coupet; Perea, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Lopez; Maxi, Raul Garcia, Paulo Assuncao, Simao; Forlan, Sinama-Pongol
Schalke - Athletico 1-0
FORM GUIDE
Schalke have enjoyed a decent pre-season this year despite been beaten narrowly by Bayern Munich and Besiktas. They have been victorious against Rangers, Bahrain, Homburg and Aachen. Atlético on the other hand have had a poor pre-season. They failed to win any of their four games on a tour of Mexico and have only picked things up recently, beating Alcala and Rayo Vallecano back in Spain.
Last Five Results
Schalke:
22nd July: Schalke 4 Bahrain 1
26th July: Besiktas 2 Schalke1
27th July: Bayern Munich 1 Schalke0
1st August: Aachen 0 Schalke 4
9th August: Homburg 0 Schalke 3
Atlético Madrid:
16th July: Cruz Azul 1 Atlético Madrid 0
19th July: UANL Tigres 2 Atlético Madrid 2
23rd July: Toluca 1 Atlético Madrid 1
2nd August: Alcala 0 Atlético Madrid 4
5th August: Atlético Madrid 4 Rayo Vallecano 2
Schalke 04
The loss of Rafinha is undoubtedly the biggest blow to Fred Rutten but he will also be without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and defender Mladen Krstajic for the first leg. Both players are likely to remain injured for the match which will mean Rutten will need to reshuffle his defensive line. Consolation for the coach will come from the pre-season form of new signings Jefferson Farfan and Orlando Engelaar. The Peruvian is settling into the team well and is likely to start the match upfront alongside Gerald Asamoah. Engelaar on the other hand could well partner Fabian Ernst in central midfield to provide a strong backbone to the side.
Possible Starting XI: Schober; Altintop, Bordon, Westermann, Kobiashvili; Engelaar, Jones, Ernst; Farfan, Kuranyi, Asamoah.
Atlético Madrid
Javier Aguirre will field nearly a full strength side in the Veltins-Arena on Wednesday with only Sergio Aguero missing due to Olympic commitments. The Mexican has decided to leave unsettled midfielder Maniche out of the squad and is likely to play new signing Paulo Assunção and Raul Garcia in the centre of the pitch. The main decision for him though will be whether to start Leo Franco or Gregory Coupet in goal for the game. Both players have pre-season matches under their belts so it will be interesting to see which one Aguirre considers his first choice. New signings John Heitanga and Tomas Ujfalusi should start their first competitive game together in defence, with Luis Perea and Antonio Lopez flanking them.
Squad: Leo Franco, Gregory Coupet, Luis Perea, Juan Valera, Tomas Ujfalusi, John Heitinga, Pablo Ibáñez, Antonio López, Mariano Pernía, Maxi Rodríguez, Luis García, Raúl García, Paulo Assunção, Ignacio Camacho, Miguel de las Cuevas, Cléber Santana, Simão Sabrosa, Diego Forlán, Florent Sinama-Pongolle Possible
Starting XI: Coupet; Perea, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Lopez; Maxi, Raul Garcia, Paulo Assuncao, Simao; Forlan, Sinama-Pongol
Schalke - Athletico 1-0
posted by Midnight Sun @ 01:59,
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