Real Madrid 5-2 APOEL Nicosia

Through to the UCL semifinals with shower of goals led by Cristiano Ronaldo (2), Kaka, Callejon and Di Maria

Fernando Porrero / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Real Madrid sealed their passage to the Champions League semifinals with an impressive 5-2 victory over APOEL Nicosia at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Whites will fight with old UCL foe Bayern Munchen for a spot in the final.

Despite the first leg's 3-0 score, Jose Mourinho used a strong starting lineup tonight, with Sahin in midfield and Varane paired up with Pepe in the centre of defence. The Whites dominated from the start while APOEL waited for them in their half of the pitch. Higuain had a chance only two minutes into the match and Pardo cleared a Ronaldo shot two minutes later.

The Portuguese striker tallied the first by finishing a Marcelo cross with his right knee (26') and APOEL continued to pose little threat to Casillas' goal due to Real's strong pressure. Kaka scored the scond from an amazing shot outside the box, sending the ball through the top right corner of the goal (36'), and the Madridistas continued to dominate until half-time.

Callejon came on for Marcelo in the second half and Di Maria replaced Higuain on the 53-minute mark. Albiol came on for Granero just before Manduca managed to nutmeg Casillas (65') and the strike spurred the visitors to pursue an equaliser.

Cristiano Ronaldo dampened their spirits with an impressive free-kick strike, which was his eighth in the championship this season (74') and was a turning point in the match, which sort of became crazy from then on.

Callejon tallied a fourth on the 78-minute mark with a good shot on the area border and Solari netted another for APOEL from a penalty just two minutes later. Di Maria eventually sentenced the match with an incredible lobbed shot seeing that the goalkeeper was badly positioned (84').

► PLAYER MOVEMENTS

Real Madrid

• 1I. Casillas
• 4S. Ramos
• 3Pepe
• 19R. Varane
• 12Marcelo
• 11E. Granero
• 5N. Sahin
• 16H. Altintop
• 8Kaká
• 7C. Ronaldo
• 20G. Higuaín

Substitutes

• 14X. Alonso
• 10M. Özil
• 22Á. Di María
• 13A. Adán
• 9K. Benzema
• 18R. Albiol
• 21J. Callejón

Coach

 

José Mourinho

Apoel Nicosia

• 78U. Pardo
• 7S. Poursaitidis
• 3Paulo Jorge
• 4Kaká
• 98W. Boaventura
• 26N. Morais
• 23H. Pinto
• 10K. Charalambides
• 81Marcinho
• 21G. Manduca
• 8Aílton

Substitutes

• 31Hélder Sousa
• 20A. Adorno
• 17M. Satsias
• 9E. Solari
• 29N. Alexandrou
• 19M. Elia
• 22D. Chiotis

Coach

 

Ivan Jovanovic

Butragueño: "Real Madrid are not negotiating with anyone; we regard Higuain is a club player"

"This is the most critical month in the season and two titles are at stake, so we're not thinking about anything else"

Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Director of Institutional Relations Emilio Butragueño talked shop with Realmadrid.com and RealmadridTV, making clear "the club is not negotiating with anyone" and that Real Madrid "regards Higuain as a club player."

"We earned a fantastic result in the first leg against APOEL. They've had an amazing run in the Champins League and, despite our great advantage, we will have to concentrate very hard and show the greatest respect for them."
"This is the most critical month in the season in which we'll play games on Sundays and Wednesdays. Each of them will be like a final. The first of these was the match in Pamplona and the team responded in fantastic fashion. Many people thought we'd drop points but we didn't. We are about to face Valencia and Atletico Madrid in strong games. We'll play against the latter at the Calderon and we know it will be an extremely complicated match, but we're Real Madrid and we are capable of withstanding anything that is thrown at us. We have a large and solid squad, as proven by the performances of Granero and Albiol in Pamplona, and by Sahin's in Cyprus."

"Rumours seem to be inevitable. We are delighted with Higuain. He's scored 24 goals in 20 league games and just remember I was the league's top scorer with 19. He is a world class striker and we intend for him to stay here many years. He arrived here very young and we regard him as a club player. He has always behaved impeccably whether he plays or not."
"We have one of the best defences in the world and our numbers prove it. We're focusing on what most interests us right now and we only want our players to think about their jobs. When the season ends, the coaching staff will work to strengthen the team if necessary, but that is a long way away and what matters right now is to fight for the two titles at stake."

Pepe: "The team is doing a great job and we must keep up the good work to reach far in the Champions League"

"I give myself body and soul for the Real Madrid shirt and to thrill all those who come to watch us play"

Diego Jabalquinto / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Pepe gave a press conference the day before facing APOEL at the Bernabeu.

"Our road to the final is very long and we only have to focus on playing our game and defeating our opponents. We'll eventually see if we reach the final."

"We all have defects as people, but I don't think I have any to prevent me from being a Real Madrid defender. I give myself body and soul for this shirt and to thrill those who come to watch us play."

"I feel fine in Madrid. People are affectionate towards me and I have great affection for them. I have a contract with the team and I expect to see it through."
"I wasn't sent off against Villarreal; I was suspended. I was defending my team and everything I did in the match was to help the team take three points, but it wasn't possible in the end. We must continue to work hard. Referees are there to judge situations and we're there to play. I just want to help my team win its games."

Twenty men tabbed for duty against APOEL

Pepe and Callejon make the cut

Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

J

ose Mourinho has included 20 men on his squad list for tomorrow's 20:45 CET match against APOEL. Pepe, Callejon and Castilla goalkeeper Tomas Mejias have made the cut. Lass, Khedira and Carvalho are injured.

PRE-MATCH GATHERING
Tuesday 3 April @ 20:30 CET. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

NEXT TRAINING
Thursday 5 April @ 11:00 CET. Real Madrid City. Behind closed doors.

Dream May Turn 'Real' For Kerela's Young Footballers

Of all the foreign clubs Kerala's sports authorities got in touch with to help promote football in the state, Real Madrid was really prompt. "We had written to clubs across Europe and Latin America," said Amith Mallick, director, sports and youth affairs department, government of Kerala. 

A representative of the world's richest football club by revenues was in the state a few days ago to hold talks with sport officials to set up a coaching centre. 

The Spanish club, which sets up social-sports academies worldwide through the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF), was looking to do in Kerala what it has already done in countries such as Egypt: offer training to children in the age group of 10-14 for a fee.

"The state has to offer and upgrade infrastructure facilities and Real Madrid will offer football training for a fee," Mallick told ET, adding that the government is yet to enter into an agreement with RMF whose representative Manuel Tarreno Rodriques held talks this week with the state government and the Kerela Football Association (KFA). 

Mallick said the club has insisted on "certain benchmarks", and that include dietary provisions and additional facilities such as dressing rooms in the stadium chosen as the venue for football coaching. 

Real Madrid has multiple coaching packages on their menu. One of them, said Mallick, promises a "thrice in a week" training for selected young players. 

"The coach (from RMF) will train camp participants twice-in the morning and in the evening-on all these three days," Mallick said, confirming a few details of the talks Rodriques had with the state sports minister KB Ganesh Kumar, him and officials of the KFA. 

"Now we are waiting for them (Real Madrid) to get back to us. They placed their demands and it shouldn't be a problem for us to meet them," Mallick said, emphasising that Rodriques was "quite impressed" by the quality of play of footballers in the age group of 10-13. 

"He was of the view that in that age group, the quality of the game is on a par with global standards. It is later that they fall behind," he quoted Rodriques as saying. 

He neither disclosed the pay package for the coach nor the modus operandi of selection of players, saying "things are still at a preliminary stage". 

While a few local media reports said Real Madrid was in talks to set up "a football academy" in the state, Mallick said, "It is how you perceive it." Essentially, the club will offer training services and the state government will provide infrastructure and pay for the coach's services. 

Rodrigues flew down to the Kozhikode airport in the state and was taken to playground in Malappuram before making it to Kochi. 

The state authorities have suggested a few likely venues for the coaching centre: Panampilly Nagar Sports Hostel in Kochi and Areekode in Malappuram and a stadium in Alappuzha. 

RMF's mission is to educate youth through sports. RMF Social Sports Schools specifically target disadvantaged children at the risk of social exclusion. 
There are critics of the move, both in and outside Kerela. While a few football aficionados see 'no point' in bringing a few overseas coaches, Simon Kuper, renowned author of Socceronomics, is skeptical too.


"I think Kerela would do much better to spread soccer training as widely as possible, for instance, offering fields and coaches for anyone who wants to play rather than payng Real Madrid lots of money. just get lots of kids playing, train some coaches in basic Dutch or German methods, and some kids will become very good, but Real Madrid won't give Keel a magic fix" Mr Kuper told ET.