Preview
- Real Madrid vs Leverkusen
Real Madrid right-back Michel Salgado is hoping his side can put
Saturday's humiliation at the Nou Camp behind them when they host
Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday.
The 3-0 defeat in Barcelona was a hammer blow to the morale of
Mariano Garcia Remon's team - but the Catalan outfit are not the
only side to have put three goals past Madrid this season.
Bayer achieved the feat back in the middle of September. The German
side's 3-0 win was one of the early signs that all was not well at
the Bernabeu and marked the beginning of the end for Jose Antonio
Camacho, who resigned as first team coach less than a week
afterwards.
Salgado knows his side have a long wait before they have the chance
to avenge the defeat to Barca, but is eager to set the record
straight against Bayer on Tuesday.
``It is a shame we can't play Barca again tomorrow, so we will have
to take it out on Bayer. That is the most important game at the
moment,'' he said.
``We have talked about what happened in the Barcelona game and
reached the conclusion that we cannot allow it to affect us on
Tuesday.
``Tuesday night is what we are thinking about now, because
everything will be forgotten if we can beat Bayer Leverkusen,''
said Salgado.
A win for Madrid will see them mathematically through to the last
16 of the Champions League, whereas a draw would leave them needing
a win away to Roma on December 8 to make sure.
Defeat, however, could prove costly with Bayer through and Kiev
likely to join them. England captain David Beckham, who may play on
the right-hand side of midfield on Tuesday, knows three points is
the only option.
``We have not spoken about the Leverkusen game, we don't need to,
we need to win it full stop,'' said Beckham.
Ivan Helguera returns to the Madrid line-up after missing the trip
to Barcelona through injury with either Francisco Pavon or Walter
Samuel dropping to the bench.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen coach Klaus Augenthaler believes his side
will not have a better chance to beat Madrid than when the two
sides meet at the Bernabeu.
Like their opponents, Leverkusen suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat
at the weekend - at home to Schalke - and will be looking to get
back to winning ways in the Champions League.
``We have a great chance of reaching the next round in Madrid and
we have to make the most of it,'' he said.
``However, they will come at us and try to overrun us, especially
after the disgrace against Barcelona.''
Marko Babic is expected to be handed a place in the starting
line-up at the expense of Diego Placente, with the Croatian
providing more of an attacking option on the left of
midfield.