Sergio Ramos: Red alert

Sergio Ramos lived yesterday two situations very common for him with Real Madrid. The defender scored the second goal of his team and the 40th of his career, at the Bernabeu Stadium. Minutes later, took the road to the shower after receiving two yellow cards in less than a minute. Another situation is not new for him at Madrid.

Sergio Ramos gets sent-off

Since he joined the white team in 2005, Sergio Ramos has ended matches prematurely 16 times, 12 of them in the Spanish League. No Madrid player has been sent off more times in league games than the Andalusian defender. Fernando Hierro saw 10 red cards, but played 439 games in the Spanish Championship. Ramos played his match 250 yesterday. Moreover, in the remaining 91 games in other competitions, he has received four more red cards: two in the Champions League and two in the Copa del Rey. The last, against Celta, with a four games penalty (five, due to the second yellow) for calling "scoundrels" to the referee.

Sergio Ramos has 111 yellow cards and 12 red in the First Spanish Division, allowing him to draw with Marchena, Carboni and Luccin as the ninth player who has seen more red cards in the history of the Spanish League. Interestingly, Sergio Ramos has never been sent off in a match of the Spanish national team, with which has played 99 international macthes.

Ramos' red card against Rayo is the seventh received by Real Madrid players in the 12 games played in 2013. The white team has played in inferiority against Rayo Vallecano (Ramos), Sevilla (Higuain), Valencia (Di Maria and Coentrao), Osasuna (Kaka), Celta (Ramos) and Real Sociedad (Adan). A dangerous routine.

Ricardo Kaka has still chances to repeat feat at Old Trafford

There was a time when Kaka conquered Old Trafford. It was on April 24, 2007, in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal 2007 against Manchester United, with the last Milan champion of Europe. Despite losing 3-2, that Milan, Kaka's Milan over everything, reached the Champions League final and avenged the humiliation of Istanbul (Final lost against Liverpool). In Athens, that team recaptured the glory.

Ricardo Kaka at Old Trafford (2007)

But with just two weeks to Real Madrid's trip to Manchester, the issue is keeping those good memories of Old Trafford. That performance gave him the 2007 Golden Ball ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. Kaka with open field, turned it over to a game in which, curiously, Cristiano Ronaldo had scored first. The Brazilian, with a spectacular physical deployment, was a nightmare to O'Shea, Wes Brown and Heinze. That day the Milan ended up losing 3-2 with a goal from Rooney in injury time, but Milan was finalist and Ricardo Kaka stunned the world.

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Rayo Vallecano (Spanish League, Day 24)

In keeping with the theme of Mourinho’s spectacular figures in his 100 Liga matches, Real Madrid earned its fifteenth victory in the championship and extended the run of 35 matches unbeaten at home. The whistle to start the match saw the spotlight move from the coach, because of his accomplishments, to his players, who had an exceptional first quarter of an hour. Due to their greatest quality, speed in attack, they put on an attacking display and took the score line to 2-0 thanks to goals by Morata and Ramos. However, an unfair sending off for the scorer of the second goal, who was shown two yellow cards in one minute, changed the tone of the match. The White’s, however, demonstrated they are able to play in these circumstances. Despite playing for 70 minutes at a numerical disadvantage, they were resolute in defence and gave Rayo no opportunities.

Morata celebrates the first goal of the match

Paco Jemez had warned in the build-up that his team was going to be courageous, and that is just how Rayo started, pressing high up the pitch but leaving too much space behind. Real Madrid accepted their proposal and showed themselves to be very comfortable from the beginning. With an unusual starting XI due to numerous injuries, the Whites were unstoppable in the first 18 minutes. The crowd were not made to wait long for the first goal. The third minute saw a move made in Real Madrid. A quick exchange between Kaka and Özil, who drove into the area, passes back and Morata, coming in from behind the strikers, scored with the first touch. The reserve team player’s second goal in his debut as a starting XI player in La Liga.

Despite conceding the goal Rayo were not daunted, but they were unable to keep possession long enough to make Mourinho’s players suffer. On the other hand, each time that the home side approached Rubén’s penalty area there was an air of danger. The second goal came in the twelfth minute. Özil’s free kick into the right hand side of the penalty area was met by Ramos, who beat Javi Fuego to the ball and headed at the near post. Real Madrid was enjoying how they were playing and the fans were enjoying the encounter. Even Essien got in on the act and dared to take a shot that was cleared by Ruben for a corner.

In the eighteenth minute Ramos was unfairly sent off after being shown two yellow cards in just over a minute. First, for a foul in midfield that did not deserve such punishment and in the following move for a handball after a cross by Casado. The numerical disadvantage changed the direction of the match. The Whites had to fall back, it was harder for them to steal possession and break quickly and their rhythm decreased. Mourinho felt obliged to restore balance to his team by bringing on Albiol for Morata. The match changed quickly from a speedy clash with chances. Rayo sought victory, but they were unable to breakdown a well deployed Real Madrid side. The visiting side’s clearest opportunity came right before the break, when a shot by Trashorras went over. Cristiano had a chance to score the third when he beat Rubén but was unable to finish after falling over.

Real Madrid took the initiative when play got back underway after the break. Aware that the result was not secure, the Whites went in search of more goals. Kaka and Cristiano were the protagonists of the second half’s first events. Rayo were not out of the contest, despite being less lively. They showed as much from time to time with fierce strikes by Lass and Dominguez.

Khedira had an opportunity in the sixty-sixth minute. A great move down the left by Kaka, who cut in to the area and passed to the German, whose shot was blocked by the defence and went out for a corner. The match was under control, but the goal was elusive. For this reason Mourinho brought on Di Maria for Özil. However, the team’s play was no longer as fluid. The effects of the performance against Manchester began to show. Despite this, the Whites were smart and showed themselves to be calm in defence, waiting to go on the counter attack for the goal that would seal the result.

The match became ugly in the final minutes. There were too many interruptions and too little football. The visitors tried desperately, although they were unable to cause Diego Lopez any danger. Callejón came on for Kaka, who had given an excellent performance, in the eightieth minute. There was to be no change to the scoreboard and Real Madrid were the better team in the two matches. The match in which they played offensively until the sending off of Ramos and the match in which it had to defend for 70 minutes, in which they showed themselves resolute and unbeatable in defence.

Summary

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Attenance: 63,000
Goals: 1-0, m.3: Morata. 2-0, m.13: Sergio Ramos.

Danger: Xabi Alonso has to rest

Xabi Alonso has to stop before the risk of further injury and the worst consequences: a major break. The inflammation he suffers in the pelvis area is important and, at this point in the season, the only treatment is rest, which will require little training.

Xabi Alonso and Jose Mourinho

Mourinho has a problem with the player because the pubis injury he suffers begins to be important. The Spanish Midfielder played with a sharp pain the game against Manchester United, especially when coming in contact with the ball and did it with the inside of the foot, a technical gesture which requires more effort from the muscles in the injured area.

If Xabi Alonso could start the match it was because from a few days ago his workouts are softer, due to a good work of physiotherapeutic discharge and possibly with the help of anti-inflammatory used to reduce the intense pain. After the match against Manchester United, Xabi Alonso suffered heavy pains. A kind of pain which does not allow everyday moves like bending over to tie the shoes. Even a simple sneeze becomes a pain.

Cristiano Ronaldo misses a strike partner

Neither cat nor dog, or anything else like it. The Real Madrid played the entire game against Manchester without a decent '9' in the field. Any resemblance between Benzema and Higuain with what was seen in the Bernabeu is purely coincidental. Without the help of a strike partner, Cristiano Ronaldo is guarded by the opposing team, so he cannot find spaces or opportunities, something that affects the Portuguese player and the whole team.

Higuain replaces Benzema last Wednesday

As in all big games the last two seasons Benzema started the clash but wandered across the lawn with the body present. His lack of intensity, his indolence in pressure the opponent and his desperate lack of character made ​​him an insignificant player in the white attack, a dead weight that appeared and disappeared as if by magic.

Benzema played 59 minutes, with the next shocking figures; a shot, a play in the rival area, a cross to the opposite area, two steals, six turnovers and an assist. Then came Higuain, who did not improve at all like his predecessor on the grass. It was the first Mourinho's change when the white team cried out for a more midfielder (Modric) to give some air to an exhausted Real Madrid.

'Pipita' Higuain demonstrated again that the European Champions League is not his thing. He moved more than Benzema, but not better. He made some interesting moves to the wings, but never generated danger or concern in the Manchester United defensive line. Higuain played 31 minutes, with these numbers; two shots (one on goal), a play in the rival area, three crosses in the opposite goal area, two losses and no recovery. Cristiano Ronaldo needs more. A little bit more.

1-1: Real Madrid's curse in Europe

The four times that Real Madrid got the result of 1-1 at home in the first leg of a European competition knockout round, never managed to go round. A fact not encouraging for the visit of next March to English soil to face an almost Premier champion, Manchester United.

1987/88 season: Real Madrid could not defeat PSV Eindhoven

The precedents are the next: Semifinals of the European Cup of the season 75-76 against Bayern Munchen. Drawn match in the first leg at the Bernabeu and in the second leg the German team won 2-1. Season 87-88, Real Madrid got the same result in the white stadium against PSV. In the second leg the result was 0-0. The Dutch entered the final of the European Cup and won it against Benfica. That year, Real Madrid eliminated Bayern Munich, Napoli and Porto, by that time, current champions of the competition.

One season later, after tying 1-1 on the first leg of the semifinals of the European Cup against Milan, the Italian team defeated Real Madrid 5-0, an historic result in the second leg. And finally, in the quarterfinals of the season 98-99, Dynamo Kiev was the team that knocked Real Madrid by 2-0 in the second leg. Andriy Shevchenko was the star of that Ukranian team.

Now Real Madrid will face its decisive week in few days. On February 26, Mourinho's team will play the second leg of the Spanish Cup semifinal against Barcelona. On March 2, at the Camp Nou, white team could give away the title of the Spanish League to Barcelona and on March 5 at Old Trafford, a decisive match in the European cometition. We'll see.

Real Madrid 1 - 1 Manchester United (Champions League, Last-16, 1st Leg)

Real Madrid kept trying until the end but will travel to Manchester following a 1-1 draw that does not reflect what was seen on the field at the Santiago Bernabeu. In fact, the Whites, who hit the post in the first half, had 28 shots, 14 of them on target. An incredible amount. The great performance by De Gea, who had one of the best matches of his career, was testament to that. Welbeck, with the English team’s first shot on goal, put the visitors in front in the 20th minute. The corner should not have been given as it was Kagawa who touched the ball last before it went out of play. Ten minutes later Cristiano Ronaldo levelled the match with his head in a moment that was reminiscent of the goal that won his team the last cup title against Barcelona. The Whites deserved more. It will all be decided at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid will play for passage in Manchester

A great match in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Real Madrid and Manchester United played each other in the stand out tie of the Champions League round of 16 and the match did not disappoint anyone. It was a delight to watch because of the style of play, levels of performance and entertainment value. Neither team went out on to the field to leave anything to chance. Even less the home team, who after five minutes of play had already had three shots and found the post with the last one. Khedira in the 2nd minute and Di Maria in the 4th were the players that had the first two scoring chances while Coentrao had the most noteworthy. A Cristiano Ronaldo cross that Ferdinand cleared before the Whites’ left back hit the ball with his right foot. De Gea’s finger-tip save and the post prevented the first goal of the match but not the home crowds’ roars of support, which reached boiling point and gave even further encouragement to their team.