[Champions League] Real Madrid vs JUVENTUS (11/05/08) (8 Viewers)

[Alen]

That's some pretty damn long odds. We're 9/2 on bet365, which seems a bit more reasonable.

Almost tempted to have a flutter on Juve now.

I checked, it's 5.50 in decimal odds. Much more reasonable than what Expekt (a very respectable bookie, btw) offers, but still huge.

I've never seen these odds for a Juve win. I'm into betting for a long long time and this is the first time we're considered to be such underdogs.

 

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[v1rtu4l]

I've never seen these odds for a Juve win. I'm into betting for a long long time and this is the first time we're considered to be such underdogs.

better bet now, because after we win in madrid we wont be the underdog anymore

 

[Sadomin]

I'm tempted to put something on a draw.

 

[BIG DADDY!!!]

Wrong. Mellberg has shut down better players than Robben and Van Nistelroy before. He is better than Grygera defensively but he offers zero offensively and in addition he is not a natural fullback. So as a whole, Grygera absent is a minus but you won't have to worry about Mellberg getting schooled or anything. There will be hoofing though and that's what I don't like about Mellberg at RB.

And since Melberg doesnt go forward this will give Camo, Giovinco, Marco or whoever Ranieri decides to play RM more freedom to go forward.

 

[Sadomin]

Manninger
Mellberg - Legrottaglie - Chiellini - Molinaro
Camoranesi - Tiago - Sissoko - Nedved
Amauri - Del Piero

Pretty much picks itself. Only question mark is Camoranesi.

 

[Red]

Looks good.

I'm not sure if I'd risk starting Camo in this game, I'd probably stick with Marchionni.

 

[Sadomin]

At the same time, I can't forget his performance against Real Madrid at Delle Alpi '05.

 

[Red]

True.

I just don't feel this game is important enough to take any chances on his fitness.

If he is properly recovered, I would start him.

 

[Osman]

No Grygera? Shit, Mellberg should stay back as much as he can, Robben's speed on Mellberg's side will be a big problem.

Mellberg is NOT slower then Grygera. And he IS a better defender and man marker then Grygera. Grygera's defending and positioning is quite sketchy, he is a better RB because he is balanced two player who can go forward (sucks at crossing), while Mellberg is just built to defend, not attack.

But the actual defending, he is better then Grygera, so I have no idea how its perceives that Grygera is stronger there, its clearly the opposite (I mean he has had enough times where he couldnt cover his wing and screw up as much as Molinaro, or when Seedorf toyed with him in such a pathetic way in the Berlu cup, to realise Grygera's defending isnt strong at all). The issue as an RB, Mellberg isnt good because he wont attack much, but we will hardly attack away against Real, when we played bunker against them at home. And he is more suited to man mark Robben because he is actually competent at defending (he has stopped several top class strikers in the past, if his task only to defend, he will do it well enough).

 

[Lion]

a Momo slide tackle on Robben should be enough to kill him anyway. Same to VDV

 

[Zaim]

@ Osman, That's why I said he should stay back as much as he can, as in he shouldn't go forward cause they can counter fast. And I do think Mellberg is slower then Grygera.

 

[ajoz]

3 November 2008
Final preparations prior to departure for Madrid

Ranieri’s men were on the training field on Monday morning in a session which saw all the available players preparing for the Champions League tie away to Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The team will in fact leave Turin on Tuesday morning and will have their next training session at 19:00hrs at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium following a press conference scheduled for 18:00hrs.

Neither Cristiano Zanetti nor Zdenek Grygera will form part of the bianconeri’s squad for the Champions League gala encounter. The former will train with the Primavera on Tuesday and Wednesday while the Czech defender will join the squad on Thursday.

Here is the complete list of those players forming the squad departing for Madrid. The list includes 4 players from the Primavera.

3 Chiellini
4 Mellberg
8 Amauri
9 Iaquinta
10 Del Piero
11 Nedved
12 Chimenti
13 Manninger
16 Camoranesi
20 Giovinco
22 Sissoko
28 Molinaro
29 De Ceglie
30 Tiago
31 Nocchi
32 Marchionni
33 Legrottaglie
36 Castiglia
40 Rossi
41 Ariaudo

juventus.com
______________________________
should Camo be starter..??

 

[Osman]

Mellberg is slowish when turning, but actual speed, you will be suprised to find he is pacy enough. And that post wasnt for you alone, even if I quoted you.

Several others saying how Grygera being out is a bummer because he is a better defender. When actually, Grygera positioning is way sketchy at times for me (and I dont easily forget his awful defending most of last season), and Mellberg is considerably at basic defending. Its suitable to play an RB that can only defend, when defending is all we going to do mostly in this game.

 

[Zaim]

Osman, I agree about Mellberg being a better defender. I prefer Grygera, because he's a better balanced RB like you said, but I guess we'll be sitting back in defence most of the time during this match.

 

[Zé Tahir]

ffs, what's taking zanetti so long ?...

& Where the hell is Zebina?

 

[Byrone]

& Where the hell is Zebina?

Just to think 2yrs back we were bitching about players like legro & zebina.How things have changed!

 

[JCK]

Very few didn't bitch about Zebina and I am one of them and I still wish he'll be back.

 

[sateeh]

i have the feeling that Marchisio is not fully fit, so i hope we don't need to play him and Tiago can play the full 90mins with the same work rate.

 

[ajoz]

& Where the hell is Zebina?

Zebina: he's getting better. He suffered quite a serious injury to his left Achilles tendon, underwent therapies and has buckled down and worked hard. He is currently training separately from the squad. He will be missing two or three training sessions, because of the special therapy regimen he's following, after which he will need to rest for a few days. He may be able to take up training as normal and for good from Monday onwards.

*quotation from juventus.com

 

[delpierofan82]

Camoranesi is ready