Today's game at old trafford has been billed as the greatest game yet to be held in 2013 so far between two of football's greatest managers still active in the game, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. Both of them with different tactics, personalities, style and in two different countries but if there is one things these unusual friends have in common it is the desire not just to win, but to win it all all the time every season!
Both managers will be leaving nothing to chance in this battle of tactics, ego and the chance to progress to the next stage of the champions league.
Mourinho's men will be brimming with confidence after knocking Barcelona out in style during last mid-week's Copa Del Rey Semi-final match and repeating the same victory on an early saturday kick off. Both games will ensure that Los Blancos come into this tie brimming with confidence and rearing to go especially after resting key figures like Ronaldo and Ozil (pictured above) who both will be needed to produce their best form in today's encounter if Madrid is to get anything from this game.
Manchester United will not be left without threat with the formidable partnership between wazza and Van Persie set to partner in attack today. The united warriors will want to prove that today's team lining up in front of the old trafford faithfuls is totally different from the team that received a trashing at the hands of Madrid in the 2003 quarter final exit that saw Ronaldo de Lima run riot in that round.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS BETWEEN BOTH CLUBS
Both managers will be leaving nothing to chance in this battle of tactics, ego and the chance to progress to the next stage of the champions league.
Manchester United will not be left without threat with the formidable partnership between wazza and Van Persie set to partner in attack today. The united warriors will want to prove that today's team lining up in front of the old trafford faithfuls is totally different from the team that received a trashing at the hands of Madrid in the 2003 quarter final exit that saw Ronaldo de Lima run riot in that round.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS BETWEEN BOTH CLUBS
1957 European Cup semi-final
First leg: April 11, 1957: Real
Madrid 3 Manchester
United 1
Second leg: April 24, 1957: Manchester United 2 Real Madrid 2
1968 European Cup semi-final
First leg: April 24, 1968: Manchester United 1 Real Madrid 0
Second leg: May 15, 1968: Real Madrid 3 Manchester United 3
2000 Champions League quarter-final
First leg: April 4, 2000: Real Madrid 0 Manchester United 0
Second leg: April 19, 2000: Manchester United 2 Real Madrid 3
2003 Champions League quarter-final
First leg: April 8, 2003: Real Madrid 3 Manchester United 1
Second leg: April 23, 2003: Manchester United 4 Real Madrid 3
THREATS AND POSSIBLE LINE UPS
Second leg: April 24, 1957: Manchester United 2 Real Madrid 2
1968 European Cup semi-final
First leg: April 24, 1968: Manchester United 1 Real Madrid 0
Second leg: May 15, 1968: Real Madrid 3 Manchester United 3
2000 Champions League quarter-final
First leg: April 4, 2000: Real Madrid 0 Manchester United 0
Second leg: April 19, 2000: Manchester United 2 Real Madrid 3
2003 Champions League quarter-final
First leg: April 8, 2003: Real Madrid 3 Manchester United 1
Second leg: April 23, 2003: Manchester United 4 Real Madrid 3
THREATS AND POSSIBLE LINE UPS
Los Blancos
The possible line up for the Madrid side could include the same team that faced Manchester united in the first leg.
Diego Lopez, Fabio Coentrao, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Sami khedira, Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema
Mourinho would probably not want to risk playing Iker Casillas who is just returning from injury for a dicey encounter like this. The threats for this madrid team is everyone, because they have such a lethal team that spring surprises week in week out. Varane and Ramos are both very good from set pieces, the full backs will want to spend more time in the united half of the pitch and Alonso will be the man sailing the ship from deep. Ronaldo will be the main focus of this game as he makes an emotional return to the stadium where he made a name for himself and Ozil will have to be in tip top shape to be able to pick those famous thru passes to Benzema and Ronaldo in that united box.
Red Devils
David De Gea, Rafael, Johhny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Tom Cleverly, Michael Carrick, Nani, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie
Nani, Valencia, Cleverly and Evans could find their way back in this game. The threats from both sides will come from the wings with both teams being tactical to catch the other on the counter. The midfield battle between Xabi Alonso and Michael Carrick will definitely be an interesting one to see who comes out on top at the end of this game. RVP will be seeking to redeem himself after missing out on some glaring chances during the first leg of the game in Madrid while Di Maria will want to make more of an impact than he did in the first leg.
This game has all the makings of an epic football encounter; the best strikers in the EPL, the best winger in the world, the best coaches in the world all in one pitch looking the same things, a win that will see them closer to glory at Wembley. The world like Mourinho said will pause with uneasy breath to watch this game.
