Liga Preview: Real Madrid-Espanyol
Imagine a world without Real Madrid... A world where Serie A would still be the undisputed leading championship it used to be... And where superstars from Serie A would not flock year in, year out.
Imagine a world without Real Madrid... A world where Serie A would still be the undisputed leading championship it used to be... And where superstars from Serie A would not flock year in, year out.
Well, sorry for the brutal awakening: there is no such Real Madrid-free world.
On the contrary it's good to be a Merengues fan. Think about it: their president, Florentino Perez, is doing in real life what all Championship Manager players once did on his machine: build the perfect, star-clad, team. There seems to be no limits to Perez' ambitions on the transfer market, despite a blatant slump brought it back to the Middle Ages.
Year after year, Perez has patiently assembled a dream team of his own. There was first Luis Figo, then Zinedine Zidane, and now there is Ronaldo. How can you go wrong with such a trio of imported stars? Well, you can: getting the Ronaldos and the Figos is one thing; thinking about stregthening your defence is another. We shall not go over and over a problem that is widely reputed: Real look like a glass-ankled giant and should be careful not to endure the consequences like they did last year.
Espanyol might be more subtle than Real after completing a les glamorous but certainly more comprehensive transfer campaign.
Team news
Ronaldo will not make his debut against Espanyol, barring some unforeseen coup de théâtre. Meanwhile there are little chances a man like Fernando Morientes will play as he is disgruntled to be treated like a postal pack by the club. A similar team as the one which faced Feyenoord should be lined up on Monday night. The team travelled back from Monaco with no major worries but fear the tight schedule might harm their chances to play against Espanyol at the best of their capacities.
Espanyol are delighted to have some of their summer imports ready for debut: Cyril Domoraud, Alain Boghossian and Maxi Rodriguez are up, whereas former Zaragoza striker Savo Milosevic is injured.
Probable lineups
REAL MADRID: Iker Casillas, Michel Salgado, Fernando Hierro, Iván Helguera, Roberto Carlos, Figo, Esteban, Makelele, Zidane, Guti, Raúl.
RCD ESPANYOL: Sergio Sánchez, Mauro Navas, Cyril Domoraud, Toni Soldevilla, Iván Amaya, Alain Boghossian, Angel Morales, Maxi Rodríguez, Roger García, Albert Crusat, Raúl Tamudo.