The prodigal son, Rafa Benitez, returns to his spiritual home with a Liverpool team that has been faltering recently in Premier League play, but remains dangerous in the Champions League as the past few years have shown us. He brings with him a gaggle of Spanish internationals, including Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina.

Real Madrid comes into the match in sterling form, unbeaten in winning 9 straight matches, conceding only 2 goals in that span. Coach Juande Ramos has the boys believing again, and confidence is sky-high (maybe too high?). It’s a clash of colossal titans, a battle of European giants, with the teams totalling 14 European Cups between them.

Tonight’s match is either on Sky Sports 2 or SS Xtra (the website and TV said different things). Coverage starts at 19h30 GMT, with kickoff probably 15 minutes later. Check out Corey’s excellent preview of the match to get up to speed. It’s so good, I won’t go into any more detail myself.

Just come back in 6 hours, comment away and enjoy the match!

PREMATCH: Ok, let’s get this going! Good to see you, Cesar and Donovan, and all the other Madridista commenters here!
PREMATCH: The match is on Sky Sports 2, I’m watching it right now! Chelsea v Juve is on SS Xtra.
PREMATCH: Steven Gerrard is confirmed OUT not starting for this match. If we don’t take advantage of this, we don’t deserve the tie.
PREMATCH: I’m so excited for this match, i can’t stand it!
PREMATCH: So what about last night’s matches? Barca are lucky to escape with a draw, and WTF is up with Arsenal? So wasteful. Bendtner is just shite.
PREMATCH: Teams are now coming out of the tunnel onto the pitch. No Stevie G.
PREMATCH: Carragher is captain, Agger is in the squad.
PREMATCH: Marcelo is starting! It’s Casillas, Ramos, Cannavaro, Pepe, Heinze, Lass, Gago, Marcelo, Robben, Raul, Higuain. 2 wingers, no real central attacking midfielder. Weird.
PREMATCH: Also interesting… Lass is number 39, instead of 6. I guess they can’t reuse the number after Mahamadou was registered in earlier rounds?
PREMATCH: my bad, Agger is not in. There’s a tall bald white dude who looks like him then. hahaha.
1min: And we’re off! Liverpool gets the ball first.
2min: It’s Arbeloa and Aurelio at fullback. Carragher pairs up with Skrtel in the middle of the defense.
2min: Real definitely with attacking intent in the first few minutes… Lass getting pretty far forward there on the right.
4min: Oh man! The ball just wouldn’t settle for Higuain to take a shot, while he got the throw-in in the box.
5min: Oh! Robben puts through Raul for an attempt, but it’s right at Reina.
7min: Strong possession game by Real so far, but Liverpool is marking well. Robben hasn’t had any space to run into.
8min: What was that? Carragher just booted the ball away for no reason.
9min: Wow, Raul is dropping deep to provide service to the wings, in true trequartista fashion.
12min: Real gets a free kick, about 30 yards from goal, after a foul on Gago…
12min: Put out by Xabi Alonso, corner given.
13min: Eh, how weird was that? Two consecutive attempts on a high bouncing ball after the corner, both of them bicycle-kick style. And both by guys who shouldn’t be attempting them – Lass and Pepe.
15min: Hmmm, is it just me or does Real look a little panicky in attack? They get the ball but they’re standing still and looking for the outlet pass to relieve the pressure defense practiced by Liverpool.
16min: Ooh, decent effort by Marcelo, but saved by Reina.
17min: A little too much dribbling by Robben gets him a decent interception by Mascherano. Let go of the ball, son!
18min: Some good play by Higuain there, keeping possession while being hounded by 3 defenders. They couldn’t make something of it though, Robben unable to settle the pass.
19min: Great tackle by Pepe on Torres, who may have been offside anyways.
20min: Oh! Casillas with a great save on Torres, after the Spanish international striker gets behind the Real defense on a long clearance. Pepe really shouldn’t have tried to play the offside trap.
22min: Great effort by Marcelo to get to the long pass and keep it in. Earns a corner for his efforts…
22min: Which Heinze promptly wastes by skying a ball away.
23min: Bad news for Liverpool… Torres is pulling up a little lame and goes off the pitch for treatment.
23min: What is going on with Pepe and Cannavaro? Pure chaos back there at the moment.
25min: Torres is still getting his ankle looked at… oh, and now he’s back on.
26min: Man, Mascherano is ALL OVER Robben, just suffocating him with his marking.
27min: Lass needs to chill out with his tackling. He bounces up faster than almost anyone, but he cannot get booked.
29min: With that last comment, I meant that Lass is too valuable to lose to bookings.
29min: Nice cross in by Ramos, cleared for a corner.
30min: OH!!! Higuain is offside and the goal is disallowed after Ramos heads the corner at Pepe Reina and the rebound comes straight to the Argentine striker. SO CLOSE!
31min: I have to say, I think Real has looked the more dangerous side so far…
32min: Liverpool with a free kick, at least 40 yards out…
33min: Ooh, cleared by Pepe. In the box, after a little bit of confusion in the early going, Real’s back four seem to have settled down.
34min: Liverpool going forward much better now… Benayoun had a decent chance there, but shot wide. Real need to clear the ball better, but what else is new…?
36min: Marcelo attempts a shot after a bit of fancy footwork to create some space from his marker, but it goes wide of the goal. It was also from about 22 yards out, so i don’t think Reina was troubled.
38min: Liverpool getting chances has as much to do with some lackadaisical defending by Real as their own intent and ability.
39min: Oh! Again, another long range attempt, this time by Robben after waltzing into the middle, but it’s also wide of the target.
40min: Another Robben shot off target. Come on, man!
41min: Ugh, Heinze loses possession after some decent buildup by Gago.
41min: Meh, yet another long range attempt outside the box, this one from Higuain. Surely he had some time and space to move forward for a better shot?!?
43min: Nice movement by Robben, getting into the box for Ramos to play a ball through…
44min: OH! A deflection on a shot puts the ball straight to Reina. That coulda been a good chance.
44min: Madrid need to tighten up at the back.
45min: Ooh, Xabi Alonso tries one of his patented defensive-half strikes, but Casillas parries over the bar for a corner.
45min: Haha, the ref calls the half, and Liverpool can’t take the corner. Jokes.
HALFTIME: Well, what do you guys think? I think both teams could improve.
HALFTIME: Great comments guys… definitely agree. We’re lacking a little initiative when attacking and I attribute that directly to not having a CAM. Raul works hard, but that’s not his position. I think we’ll see Guti or Sneijder on quite early in the second half if things don’t spark up.
46min: As predicted by several commenters, Guti comes on for Marcelo.
46min: No subs for Liverpool, so Torres stays on.
47min: Hopefully we’ve got good Guti tonight.
47min: Yellow card on Cannavaro for impeding Kuyt. Free kick is a good ways out.
48min: And Alonso’s kick goes out, no danger.
50min: WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!? Horrid Madrid defending, Casillas included. That was a weak palm away on the cross, and there’s acres of space for Liverpool.
51min: Liverpool have come out ready to play. Madrid haven’t.
52min: Come on! WTF? Gago gives away possession with a pass to no one in particular.
53min: Robben weaves his way through 3 Liverpool defenders up the right wing, but hits the side netting.
53min: Reina easily grabs a shot, i think it was from Guti…
54min: At this rate, if Liverpool bring on Gerrard, we’re done. Any semblance of a fluid attack has disappeared at half-time.
55min: Yellow card on Fernando Torres for a foul on Lass. Pretty obvious actually.
56min: Arbeloa getting some treatment off the pitch… and is now back on.
57min: Well, it’s still scoreless, so it’s tense, but there is zero beauty in this match.
58min: Foul on Robben up the right wing… free kick gets headed out for a Liverpool throw-in.
59min: Wow, great attack by Liverpool, if a bit wasteful. Benayoun probably should’ve taken the shot himself, but Pepe got a foot in and intercepted the ball. Phew!
59min: Ugh, these Sky commentators are such homers. They just said that last Torres offside call was “a fraction off”. What? He was easily 2-3 feet offside!
60min: Wow, Liverpool has loads of space. Where is the Madrid midfield?
60min: Bacon saved by Lass, with a good clearance.
62min: Looks like Torres is coming off… for Ryan Babel.
63min: Ugly, ugly match. Headed passes, bouncing balls…
63min: Higuain dribbles into the box (at least it wasn’t a shot outside the area) against 2 defenders, but hits side netting.
65min: Wow, Pepe just outran and outcornered Babel to the ball. Nice.
65min: Ooh, just a touch too heavy on Raul’s pass for Robben. Goal kick.
66min: Wow, that looked massively offside…
66min: Finally some good movement and passing by Madrid… good cross by Ramos but it’s intercepted.
67min: Mascherano booked for hacking down Gago.
68min: Wow, i just noticed that horrible clearance by Reina… went straight to Lass.
69min: AHHH! Ugly cross by Ramos. Good buildup by Gago and Robben, but the rightback was wasteful. He even took a couple steps back to set himself for the cross!
71min: GREAT SHOT BY ROBBEN! And a great save by Reina, wow. That was the first really good counterattack that Real has had all match. Fingertip save on a swerving shot.
72min: Heinze really does look quite awkward when he clears the ball with an emergency hoof.
74min: Ooh, almost a chance there for Higuain, who can’t get around Carragher.
74min: Good take by Reina in the air, after a floaty cross from the left. 3 white shirts in the area.
75min: Guti just doesn’t look like he’s at match speed. He took SO long to decide where to go with the ball that it was pinched off him. Brutal.
76min: WHAT WAS THAT?!? Did Ramos really mean to take a shot there? That was putrid.
78min: Oh! Just a heavy touch from Robben loses possession. He had acres of space otherwise… Damn it.
79min: PASS THE DAMN BALL! Higuain dribbles into 4 defenders with a WIDE-OPEN Robben out on the left. Idiot.
80min: Madrid earn a corner after Skrtel clears a cross…
80min: And the ball bounces around countless header attempts and clearance attempts. Ugly. No other word for it.
82min: Heinze = bollocks defender. Absolutely manhandles Kuyt and then thinks he did nothing wrong when it’s whistled.
82min: GOAL! Liverpool scores! Benayoun gets a free header on the free kick from Aurelio. Who is marking him?!? DAMN IT. Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool.
83min: Riera booked for a handball, meaning he’s out of the second leg. Free kick for Madrid…
84min: Weak free kick by Gago. No height on it at all. Raul had to dive just to get a head on it and he was the nearest guy.
85min: What the hell is that shit from Ramos? He’s had a pretty poor match, as far as I’m concerned. At least offensively.
86min: Yellow card on Gago for a pretty bad challenge on Riera.
87min: Gerrard’s coming on. What’s the point?
88min: Coming on for Riera.
88min: Liverpool really doing well to get a foot in on every pass attempt, especially on Guti.
90min: What is going on…? Weak pass that goes out of bounds after some decent passing around the right wing by Robben and Ramos.
90+1min: 3 minutes of extra time.
90+2min: Kuyt comes off for Lucas.
90+2min: Where’s the fight? It’s been pure panic attacking for the last 10 minutes.
90+3min: And we’re done.
POSTMATCH: Well, that was awful.
POSTMATCH: Conceding at home, in the first leg, isn’t the end of the world. Not scoring at home in the same match is pretty bad.
POSTMATCH: Goat is easily Heinze. That was just reckless play. If that didn’t underline how much we need a better leftback, I don’t know what will.
POSTMATCH: I’m so upset, I can’t even think properly.
POSTMATCH: I may come back to do player ratings, but at the moment, we have put ourselves behind the 8 ball. Just a terrible showing in such an important match.
POSTMATCH: Some may attribute it to Liverpool’s defense, and to be sure, it was probably better than anything Real have seen this year so far, but really, that was a piss-poor excuse of an attack.
POSTMATCH: There was no flow to the match, and aside from Robben’s shot on the counter, did Madrid really pose much danger to Reina? I think not.
POSTMATCH: We have put ourselves in a hole, and we now have to go to Anfield and win at least 2-1 to go through to the next stage.
POSTMATCH: Awful. Just awful.
POSTMATCH: And just another reminder (following on from Corey)… yes we lost, but don’t respond to any baiting or trolling from guys like Nothing or CBP. They’re just a bunch of shit disturbers.
POSTMATCH: Ok, I’m out. Gonna go drink away the stench of this match.

Tonight’s match will be broadcast on Sky Sports Xtra here in the UK at 19h00 GMT and, as Corey mentioned, at 14h00 EST on GolTV. Check back here in 6 hours for the start of the match and remember to share your comments during the match!

PREGAME: Juande Ramos is getting accolades from his Santander counterpart as the best coach in Spain. Geez… let him win a title first, eh?
1min: Starting lineup is Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Lass, vdV, Robben, Higuain, Raul and I think Sneijder.
2min: Santander field a pretty attacking lineup according to the Sky commentators.
4min: Casillas is now tied for most appearances by a Real Madrid keeper, with Sanchis.
5min: Zigic is MASSIVE.
6min: Ugh, brutal corner given away by Sergio Ramos. Madrid aren’t great at defending set pieces, and with Zigic in the box, i’m a little scared…
6min: No damage, as the ball is cleared by Lass.
7min: The Sky commentators are definitely right on that last comment… Real rely on Robben like Barca do with Messi. Most definitely.
8min: OMG, brutal tackle attempt by Heinze. Lucky he didn’t actually make contact.
11min: Nice free kick by vdV from 40+ yards out, deflected just wide by Ramos. That was a pretty decent chance considering how far that came from.
12min: Great interception by Lass! That’s exactly what we need from him.
12min: Oh! A quick corner leads to Raul being freed up in the box, but his shot is blocked… that was a glorious missed opportunity.
14min: The wideangle view gives us a glimpse at Madrid’s formation. Looks like Ramos and Heinze are pushing up a bit further forward as wingbacks, in line with Lass and one of Sneijder or vdV, who are alternating between staying back and going forward…
15min: Ugh, the long ball. Surely we should have enough talent to not need to use the long ball except as an emergency outlet.
16min: Wow. No call on the Racing defender who totally takes out Pepe’s legs. Tchite, i think. Surely that’s worth a free kick…
17min: A little miscommunication between Ramos and Pepe gives Racing a throw-in. Come on guys, tighten that up!
19min: Look how deep Sneijder is playing! He’s even deeper than Lass!
20min: Terrible ball in by Ramos. That’s why we need a proper right winger.
21min: Wow, did the linesman just pull down an offside flag? Sure looked like it to me.
21min: Great free kick by Sneijder, right into the 6 yard box, but it couldn’t find a white shirt.
22min: Is it just me or is Real playing a very EPL-like pursuit defense? The midfielders are especially active tonight.
23min: Nice steal by Robben and almost a nice and quick 1-2 with Sneijder… Lass picks up the pieces as usual.
24min: Who was that delivery to?!? Damn it, Sergio Ramos needs to work on his crossing. I figure he was aiming for Raul, but that was ambitious considering he was the only white shirt vs 3 defenders in the box.
26min: AHH! It’s like Higuain had too much time. His shot gets blocked after a sweet run by Robben up the left, dragging 3 defenders with him.
27min: Ugh, how ugly was that? Sneijder carries the ball in the middle, and all 4 Madrid attackers are within 5 metres of each other. Brutal. Give yourselves some space.
28min: OOH! Great shot by Robben and a great save by the Racing keeper. The Dutchman cuts in from the left and unleashes a wicked shot from his unfavoured right foot.
29min: Ooh, decent buildup for Real. Robben elects to send a ball into the 6 yard box instead of dragging back for Sneijder, and it’s deflected out of harm’s way. Sigh.
30min: Oh, another chance, this time vdV tries to chip over Tono but the keeper gets his hands on the ball.
30min: Come on! Second consecutive opportunity for vdV whose toe poke on Higuain’s square pass goes feebly right at the keeper.
31min: Well, at least the movement and passing is working. Much sharper than the start of the match.
33min: Oh no. Racing’s counterattack leads to some spotty defending by Real, right in the middle of the pitch. Free kick given…
34min: …and driven straight into the wall.
35min: Lass is pretty damn good on the ball, no? He gives me a confidence that Mahamadou doesn’t.
38min: Good header away by Pepe, as Zigic was lurking behind him.
39min: Brutal free kick given by Ramos, though Serrano really is milking it for all it’s worth. Has Ramos played a really good match lately? I can’t remember the last one.
40min: Santander have really come on strong in the last 5-10 minutes. Much better at keeping possession and starting first and second attacks. Real need to tighten up at the back.
40min: Great save by Casillas, tipping Pereira’s shot over the bar.
41min: Ooh, nice break by Real, started by Casillas’ throw to Higuain and then the Argentinian’s cross-field pass to Robben.
43min: Yellow card on Lass who literally tackles Pereira after losing the ball to him.
43min: Sneijder’s on the ground, getting treatment… i missed that, dunno what happened there.
44min: Casillas’ throw is a bit too ambitious and gives it away to Racing, but the cross is too high for Zigic or Pereira.
45min: vdV to take a corner from the right…
45min: Ooh! Raul almost squeezes past 2 defenders to get his head on the ball. Good corner from vdV actually.
45+3min: Wow, Racing’s defenders are just getting in the way of everything. First Higuain’s shot, then deflections on a couple squaring attempts.
HALFTIME: We’re done the first half now, ending with a bit of a scuffle after Pereira makes a nuisance of himself going to ground then covering himself over the ball while trying to claim a foul.
HALFTIME: Well, it wasn’t terrible… Racing really only had one chance, i thought, on Pereira’s shot from distance. Real still have to be vigilant on any free kicks and corners in their half, just because of the threat that the massive Zigic poses.
HALFTIME: But Real have had some opportunities, some real chances, but they haven’t troubled Tono too much. vdV’s chip and then toe poke were about the only times they really had that required the keeper’s presence.
HALFTIME: vdV looks more alive in this match than he has in his last 5 appearances. I guess that bodes well for him.
HALFTIME: Do you think Faubert will get on the pitch today? I’m not sure.
HALFTIME: Oh yeah, Robben had a good shot on goal too.
HALFTIME: I dunno. I don’t see enough problems at the moment to warrant a halftime switch. If there’s no more offense though, I can see maybe Huntelaar and Faubert coming on, and Real playing more aerial balls.
46min: No changes for either team after halftime.
46min: Nice work, Higuain making a good run from the right, forcing a corner.
46min: Good ball by vdV again, but it’s cleared… Robben gets a second chance on the left, but his attempt to cross is mis-hit.
47min: Another corner for Real, but from the left this time. Taken short, Robben gets it from Sneijder and does a spinorama pirouette to create space. Looks pretty, didn’t really do much.
49min: GOAL!!! Higuain collects Raul’s headed pass, stops to lose a sliding defender and slots it home with the left right foot. Real Madrid 1-0 Racing Santander.
51min: Racing counterattack but the cross from Serrano is pitiful. Easily caught by Casillas.
52min: Robben just loves running at defenders, this time weaving in and out of 3 defenders and probably would’ve beaten them all if he hadn’t stepped on the ball and stopped it completely.
53min: Real are really pressing hard for the second goal now, great movement and passing now.
55min: Oh! What a chance! Robben sends through Higuain but his first touch is too heavy and he has to turn around at the touchline and sends it back through the box, behind Raul. Robben gets it but his layoff for vdV is too far forward and it’s cleared.
56min: OH!!! Massive save by Tono on Higuain again. Real attacking with much better spacing now. Loads of chances.
57min: Yellow card for Oriol.
58min: Yellow card on Robben for a dangerous tackle.
58min: Lass really uses his body well to shield the ball from defenders.
59min: First sub… Tchite off for Toni Moral.
61min: Look how far forward Ramos is playing. You can’t even see him in the backline.
61min: Ooh, a really pacy attack by Real, maybe too fast, as Higuain puts it out the back for a goal kick.
62min: Faubert comes on for Robben.
62min: ugh, first touch for Faubert as a Madrid player… bad pass, intercepted.
63min: Lacen off for Luccin.
64min: See that, when Higuain got the ball out on the left wing? Tried to pass it back in the middle. Aren’t we used to seeing Robben get the ball there and then just attack his man? hahaha…
65min: Santander get a couple cracks at the Madrid goal. The first free kick is cleared by Heinze (perhaps unnecessarily), and then the corner is cleared.
66min: Ooh, Pereira blows a glorious chance on goal with a horribly wayward shot.
67min: Well, you know Real couldn’t keep up that barnstorming pace for the entire second half, but they need to do a bit better keeping possession in their own half. Don’t give away any unnecessary opportunities!
68min: Man, that was a horrible offside call. Raul was definitely level with the last defender… and why did the linesman wait so long?
69min: Ouch, Sneijder catches a defender with his studs, right in the calf muscle and earns a yellow card for it.
70min: Hey, Javi Garcia is warming up. Hmmm…
71min: Awesome tackle and clearance by Cannavaro. He’s so on form right now.
72min: It’s Sneijder coming off for Javi Garcia. Ostensibly for defensive purposes, but that frees up vdV to play further forward.
73min: Doesn’t Juande want to see what Faubert can do? We haven’t seen any attacks up the right side yet.
74min: Holy crap, that was just awful. vdV gets a yellow for a horrible tackle, but the ref plays the advantage, and Pereira turns around Pepe. Casillas comes racing out to clear, but hits Pepe with it and it bounds back towards the goal and Cannavaro and Pepe beat Pereira to the ball, with the Italian clearing it just at the line.
76min: Ooh, Faubert almost gets released from Raul, but the Racing defender just gets a toe on the ball to knock it out.
78min: Marcelo comes on for vdV. I’m confused, even if the Sky commentators say it makes sense. Now there’s no central attacking midfielder, and 2 leftbacks. What?
80min: Wow, that was some tenacious defense by Pepe, chasing down the ball after Racing put the ball in the box for a 2-on-2.
81min: I just got it. Faubert = Vin Diesel, right?
82min: Even shots on goal, 8 apiece, but really, Racing haven’t had that many good ones, right?
83min: This is finishing up pretty sloppy, IMHO. But what do you expect, with Juande subbing all his creative players for defensive ones?
84min: Ooh, Zigic gets a head on the ball, ahead of Cannavaro, but it goes wide of the far post.
85min: Marcelo almost gets past Valera on the left side of Racing’s penalty area, but he gets pulled back and earns Real a free kick. Valera earns a yellow card.
85min: Ooh… Higuain takes the free kick with the 2 Dutch midfielders off the pitch, and he almost serves it up for Sergio Ramos. Just a bit too far.
86min: Oh! Great chance for Racing! Valera sends in a nice cross from the right, and Zigic just puts it over the bar. Cannavaro just can’t match up with the Serbian giant.
88min: Marcelo isn’t doing half-bad as the left winger. He’s cutting in like Robben does and he’s creating some opportunities with some decent movement. Alas, he usually makes too many mental mistakes when defending to really earn more time on the pitch.
89min: Oh, brutal challenge by Luccin, getting a yellow card. He bodychecks Higuain as the Real forward tries to sidestep around him.
90+1min: 3 minutes of extra time.
90+1min: Great play by Higuain, chasing the ball down around the Racing backline and forcing it out.
90+2min: Raul gets a free kick deep on the left, trying to get around Oriol.
90+3min: Ooh! Higuain just misses the far post with a curling shot.
90+3min: Wow, Zigic chases the ball into Casillas’ hands, and you can just see how big the guy is. He is HUGE.
90+3min: And we’re done.
POSTGAME: Well, a win is a win, and we keep the pressure on Barca.
POSTGAME: That means we stay in second place, and the gap closes to 9 points, though Barca still have to play tomorrow.
POSTGAME: If anything, Real’s form in the Liga will force Barca to keep playing strong lineups, and Messi in particular, which will weaken them in their other competitions.
POSTGAME: Let’s see… first half starts slow, then Real really heat up for about 10-15 minutes, then Santander settle down and make it more even for the rest of the half. Second half, Real come out like gangbusters and get the goal, but it’s inevitable that we can’t maintain the pace and the game slows down and Racing get some chances in there.
POSTGAME: It feels like a really weak win, but to be fair, a clean sheet is a clean sheet, and you have to say that Cannavaro and Pepe did a decent job on Zigic, since he never really did get a good head on the ball.
POSTGAME: I’d love to do a scorecard for the Real players like they do on the Barca blog, but I’ve got a birthday to go to now, so I’ll leave it to you, the readers, to make your own comments!
POSTGAME: It’s been fun! Catch y’all later.

Corey’s written up a preview of the match, so check that out, it’s chockful of good stuff. I won’t go into any more predictions or info, I’ll just be back in 4.5 hours to give you my thoughts.

1min: and we’re on! that was quick. No sooner did the Sevilla-Racing match end than this one started.
2min: Dunno who’s on the pitch yet… they haven’t put on the starting XI. Looks like Lass and Gago in the double pivot though.
3min: First shot on goal by Sneijder after some good buildup play from Robben.
4min: High challenge on Gago’s ankle… looks bad but no card! Unbelievable.
5min: Great start by Real so far. Good spacing, passing is good…
6min: OH! What a chance! Raul just gets his touch knocked away after a great play by Robben and de Guzman clears before Gago can get there.
7min: Some vintage play by Raul so far. Right place, right time… he’s just lost a bit off his pace though, so his separation isn’t as good as it used to be.
7min: Wow. Depor is stacking 9 men in the box. Not gonna get many clear shots that way.
8min: Madrid is playing some strong possession football, based on crisp passing and constant movement. That’s the way to do it without a superstar ballhandler.
9min: First yellow card on Julian de Guzman for a cynical challenge from behind on Heinze.
10min: So from what i can see… it’s Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Gago, Lass, Robben, Sneijder, Higuain and Raul.
11min: I’m very impressed with Lass so far. Range of movement, passing is good, tackling and interceptions are good. I would not be surprised if Mahamadou can’t get back in the side when he’s healthy.
12min: Oh! Loads of room for the Depor attacker, but a poor touch and a strong stance from Casillas results in an easy save. Man, that really ought to have been a goal.
14min: Great cover by Cannavaro way out on the left wing. He’s awesome, I don’t care what anyone else says.
15min: The thing about Lass is, at least he can dribble himself out of trouble. Did you see that last play there, where he gained possession, went forward, was surrounded by 3 defenders then backed off and passed to the outlet behind him? Diarra wouldn’t have done that.
16min: Free kick for Real out near the right corner flag…
17min: Meh, not a great kick in by Sneijder… Gago had a slight opportunity after the clearance but the self-volley setup was too high and he had to rush the shot.
17min: Wow, it’s like, too many options! Robben carries it in front of the penalty area, has Heinze on the wing, but cuts it back for Higuain who tries a pseudo-bicycle kick and puts it wide.
19min: It’s been all Real so far… so much possession but only a few chances.
20min: A couple corner kicks for Madrid, but no shots on target.
21min: Ooh, a really close offside call on Depor… looked good to me actually, but Casillas came racing out to nick the ball away. That high defensive line may yet cost Los Blancos.
23min: What?!? Yet another bad tackle by a Depor defender, this time on Higuain, and yet again, no card.
25min: Wow, really good possession by Real, but the final ball is tough to find cuz Madrid don’t have a good frontman who can hold up the ball. Ruud’s the only one with those skills, and he’s out for the season.
27min: Good counterattack by Deportivo, but it’s an early shot easily saved by Casillas.
31min: Cannavaro completely took Lafita out of that play. It was a good pass by Valeron, but Canna had the angle and just didn’t let the Depor attacker near the ball. Great play.
34min: Ouch. Bodipo stretches for a ball and pulls his left hamstring. Goes down like a ton of bricks. Depor will need a new forward to replace him.
35min: No idea who is gonna come on… no Depor player has their warmups off yet.
36min: Robben’s switched to the right wing for the past couple attacks. Either side, he’s a dangerous, dangerous man.
37min: Oh! Robben is just waltzing his way through the Depor defense. Of course, he can’t do it by himself, so by the time he’s past the third defender, he’s crowded out from the ball. That’s twice in the last two minutes he’s had his way with the defense. Real need to support him better and put some guys nearby to pass to.
39min: Gago leading Madrid with 34 of 38 passes made accurately. Valeron is the one for Depor.
39min: If you looked just at possession, you’d wonder how it’s still 0-0.
40min: GOAL!!! And just as I said that last bit, Lass delivers a great ball into the box and Raul is in the right place and the right time, and gives it a little head nudge, and it’s Real Madrid 1-0 Deportivo La Coruña.
42min: Ooh, another debatable non-call on Higuain, just on the edge of the box.
43min: Robben gets nicked for offside, and it’s inconclusive even on reply. Not sure how you’d expect the linesman to get that correct in real-time.
45min: Great clearance by Cannavaro! Man, when he’s healthy, he is our best centreback, no doubt about it. The best instincts on the squad.
45+1min: One minute of extra time, a bit surprising considering how long it took for Bodipo to leave the pitch.
45+1min: Ooh, good chance by Depor, with Felipe beating Ramos inside, then crossing for substitute Riki, but Casillas and Pepe are there, the keeper punching it away.
HALFTIME: Well, that’s it for the first half. Real lead by a goal but I think they’ll be disappointed not to have more.
HALFTIME: They’ve had a majority of the possession, but very few chances to show for it. That said, I don’t think Juande Ramos should change a thing. It’s clear the lads are doing well enough as it is, and as the Depor defense tires out, he can introduce Huntelaar for the last 20-25 minutes for fresh legs and get that insurance goal.
HALFTIME: We do need to get a second goal though… I don’t trust any one goal lead.
HALFTIME: Great comments so far, guys. I don’t think Sneijder has been terrible, but he’s not great in the “half-court” offense. He’s at his best on the break, where there’s lots of space around him. Haven’t noticed Heinze muff up that bad, but I do agree that the forwards haven’t been getting a lot of service.
HALFTIME: Higuain has had some touches on the ball, but he’s dropped a bit deeper to get them, and we’ve seen Gago and Lass both push up to play a more offensive role. The problem is, I don’t think van der Vaart gives them any different a look than Sneijder.
HALFTIME: Just a note for Nothing, the cule in Kuwait who loves to stir up shit in our forum… Higuain may go to ground fairly easy, but there was at least one instance that I mentioned above where there was contact on his plant leg. He embellished a bit and the ref let play go on, but it’s not like a whistle there would’ve been undeserved.
HALFTIME: Anyway, I don’t expect any changes yet, maybe a bit later if we don’t look like we’re getting chances for that second goal.
46min: And we’re underway for the second half.
47min: Wow. Great run by Ramos up the middle, but he should’ve sent in Raul earlier.
48min: Depor have only won twice at the Bernabeu, out of 38 visits.
50min: A free kick for Madrid after a push in the back on Robben… and nothing doing.
51min: The second half has started out a bit slow…
52min: Ramos! A very long-distance attempt, and it’s not even close.
54min: Ooh, some sloppy play from both teams, but Real still get a half-chance… Ramos again attempts a shot from 30 yards out, but at least this time he skids it across the face of the goal. Too bad Raul can’t stretch enough to get there.
55min: OH! Great ball in by Raul, trying to hit an onrushing Sneijder but it’s slightly behind the Dutchman and he can’t backheel it in.
56min: Robben goes for it from 20 yards out, misses the near post. He’s like Higuain… they both need to work on their finishing.
58min: Oh! Another chance for Robben! He cuts into the box from the right wing and unleashes a shot from his favoured left foot from 17 yards that misses the far top corner. He could’ve passed it off though, but I knew he was gonna shoot from when he cut in.
59min: Oh! A chance for Depor! Filipe takes a shot from 25-30 yards out and it JUST barely nicks the crossbar. Dangerous.
60min: Depor get a chance but Valeron’s shot is deflected before it reaches Casillas, and the keeper manages to keep the ball out despite the attacker right in his face.
61min: As predicted, Sneijder is coming off for van der Vaart.
63min: Oh come on! Heinze gives up possession just too easily there. Doesn’t even try to get the ball back, he just stands and looks to the ref for help.
64min: Ugh, Higuain needs to learn when to shoot. He takes it from long distance too often, then when he’s in the box, like he was there, he takes a touch too many and then has the ball cleared out for a corner. Should’ve shot it earlier.
66min: Argh, Cannavaro gets called for a foul because Heinze gave up possession and couldn’t recover his position in time.
67min: Awful cutback pass by Higuain for van der Vaart. Wasn’t even close. Too bad too, screwed up a 3-on-3 counterattack.
68min: OH! WHAT A SAVE! San Iker is back! Stretches full out to his right to save Lafita’s shot.
69min: Great pressure by Raul to force the Depor defender to clear the ball for a throw-in.
70min: Did you see how deep Higuain is playing now? He’s a midfielder.
70min: Lass gets called for a cynical foul on Lafita, yellow card.
71min: Another change for Real… Huntelaar on for Higuain, and Drenthe on for Raul.
73min: Strange taking off Raul and Higuain… Raul being only one goal away from tying Alfredo di Stefano as all-time top scorer for Madrid…
74min: WHAT?!? vdV shoots and it’s deflected by a Depor defender but the ref indicates goal kick? WTF? This is horrid.
76min: Juande must not like what he sees when Heinze goes forward, that’s the only explanation for bringing on Drenthe. Either that or he’s just hoping that Drenthe’s pace will cause problems.
78min: Real just seem to have let their foot off the pedal a bit in the second half. The sharpness isn’t there anymore… it’s just getting sloppy.
79min: Pepe earns a yellow card for a dodgy challenge. Still though, not even sure if he made any contact.
80min: Ugh. Drenthe makes a nice play to cut off his defender from the long ball, then slips trying to make the cut in from the left. Weak.
80min: Antonio Tomas earns a yellow, didn’t see what happened.
81min: Sergio Ramos needs to work on his touch too… that was a lazy pass, in addition to some poor crosses from the right in the last 10 minutes.
82min: Depor are making their last changes… Juan Rodriguez on for de Guzman, and Mista on for Lafita.
83min: AHHH! Another horrible offside call! Robben is denied a sweet chipped goal because the linesman got it ridiculously wrong.
84min: Haha, that idiot Riki. Gets called for offside on a quick free kick. There’s no way he couldn’t have seen that he was offside, being way out on the right wing.
85min: Has Huntelaar touched the ball yet? There is no dispute for me, if we have to choose between him and Lass for the Champions League.
86min: Robben earns a corner after taking the counterattack into the right corner… vdV to take.
86min: And it’s cleared away. No danger to the Depor keeper.
87min: Heinze and Drenthe force Riki to go for the near post, and the shot is wide.
88min: Ugh, another poor touch by Ramos to lose possession. This second half has been ugly.
89min: Decent buildup by Real, but first, a poor touch by Drenthe who stops the ball on his stepovers, and then Gago elects to shoot from outside the box and it’s deflected a bit.
90+1min: 3 minutes of extra time.
90+2min: Oh! Robben streaks half the length of the pitch on his own, leaving defenders in his wake, but he runs out of steam and can’t muster a decent shot on goal, shooting it right at the keeper.
90+3min: AHHHH!!! Another chance for Real… Robben skips past a couple defenders then cuts it back for vdV who appears to not have expected it and it’s cleared for a corner.
90+3min: Ooh, a last chance after the corner, with Robben spinning away from a defender and shooting across the face of goal. The ball pops out for vdV who can’t put it away with 3 defenders on the line.
90+3min: And we’re done.
POSTGAME: The Sky commentators are saying this is a poor Madrid squad, not built for the kind of open play that the Madridista faithful like to see. I think we’d agree with that.
POSTGAME: Los Merengues started well enough, but they lost their shape in the second half, and it got sloppy.
POSTGAME: We’ve got fullbacks who think they’re wingers but don’t have the touch for it, we’ve got (nominal) midfielders who are really just attackers, we don’t have a proper centre-forward but we’ve got about 3 or 4 support strikers except we play two of them in support of… no one.
POSTGAME: Then again, a win is a win, and we go back to being 12 points behind Barca, firmly in second place.
POSTGAME: my back is killing me, so I’m gonna go lie down. No player grades today, I’ll let Corey do that in a match review.
POSTGAME: It’s been fun, let’s do this again sometime soon. Later skaters.

But no worries, I’m back now, in what must constitute a must-win match for coach Schuster. There is no way i can see Bernd making it to Christmas if he loses again. With the January transfer window closing in quick, I’m sure Calderon and Mijatovic would want (well, at least they SHOULD) a manager in place who will provide input into any transfer dealings that might be going on. That said, it’s not like Peja and Ramon were listening to Bernd before, so maybe we’ll just keep on being uber-dysfunctional.

I don’t know what to think about this squad anymore. Other than Higuain totally going off like gangbusters in the last few matches, there isn’t a single positive that I can figure for this team. Ruud is out, Raul is back to crappy Raul, Glassman is broken again, San Iker is off-form, de la Red still on the shelf and now Cannavaro is out for this week.

I guess one thing that IS positive is that the situation has forced Schuster to consider some Castilla players, with Alberto Bueno called up to the squad, and C team players Pedro Marques and Cruz getting some practice time with the first team. I think, if we’re going to retool and rebuild, let’s start now. I’m one of those guys who loves youth players – if Barca can bring in new blood like Busquets (like, where did he come from?!?!), why aren’t we making use of our cantera?

Anyways, i think we’ll be trotting out a pretty ugly squad, but it’s Recre, surely we should still have the quality to win, right? I think we’ll have Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Metzelder (!!), Marcelo, Gago, Sneijder, Guti, Drenthe, van der Vaart and Higuain. Well, Bernd will probably have Raul in there for Drenthe, but that’s not what he should do. BTW, Heinze isn’t on the squad list nor the injured list… i guess he’s suspended?

Today’s match is on Sky Sports Xtra at 19h00 GMT, for those of us in the UK. I know a few of you will be following on from other parts of the world, so tune in and comment here when we get things going in a few hours.

PREGAME: Well, looks like my lineup was wrong… Schuster has no confidence in compatriot Metzelder, so Ramos slides into the middle and Torres goes into the rightback position. Raul is in for vdV in my lineup as well.
PREGAME: Recreativo haven’t won since the first week. If we don’t get maximum points today…
1min: and we’re off!
3min: Good shape by Real early on… all 3 midfielders are tracking back to the top of the box which the defenders will need, since enforcer Diarra is out.
5min: Good challenge by Pepe to take away a good scoring chance.
5min: Ok, I know we’re only into the 4th minute, but hasn’t Recre had like 90% of the possession? Looks like they’re not really scared of our makeshift backline.
7min: Real’s passing is not sharp tonight. They’re giving away the ball way too much.
8min: Good save by Casillas on a shot lashed by… i think it was Camuñas.
9min: Oh! Great chance by Recre… they counter up the right wing, and Javi Guerrero lays the ball off for Camuñas who is wide open, but he takes it on the first touch and skies it. Should’ve been a goal.
11min: OH! Great chance for Real… Sneijder doesn’t get his header on target after Drenthe does really well to get to the byline and deliver a hard low cross.
12min: Another great chance for Real! Higuain gets a pass over the top, and rounds the keeper, but his cutback shot is too light and it’s saved by a defender… He regains possession, but carries it over the byline before putting it back for Sneijder. Too bad, he really should’ve put it back earlier.
14min: Ooh… Real’s caught offside on a free kick from Guti… Ramos missed the header anyway.
16min: Well, it took them about 10 minutes, but Real seem to have finally settled down and are now creating chance after chance… they need to get ruthless and put them away though.
21min: I know it’s not their first-team defence, but surely Real should be looking better than they are against a team in the relegation zone, no? This Recre team has only scored 5 goals this season!
23min: Ugh, Guti looks useless out there tonight.
25min: It’s not like Recre have a super tight defense, right? Why are we playing all these long balls into the box? Where is the passing, the movement?
26min: One good spot is Drenthe… he can almost always beat his defender down the line. His crosses are one-on, one-off, but i can live with that as long as he keeps beating his man.
30min: Great sequence by Ramos! Hardly what you think you should get from a centreback, but he pushes strong on Javi Guerrero to intercept the ball, then does a Zizou-esque spin on the ball to get around another defender before laying off for Sneijder.
31min: Casado gets a yellow for bringing down a rampaging Higuain… lucky for him, it was just before the Argentinian got into the box.
32min: Free kick by Guti hits the wall… the ball comes back out to Sneijder who hits it into the box, but it’s cleared before Pepe can head it.
33min: Argh, good counter by Real, but slowed down cuz Guti had no good options… pretty static movement. Higuain eventually gets it on the left side of the box, and goes one-on-one with a defender, but can’t hit the target.
35min: Ugh, do we need to teach people how to lay off the ball correctly? This time it’s Marcelo trying to lay it off for Sneijder but it’s way too far ahead of him and the ball is taken away.
36min: Well, Recre hasn’t really threatened since those first 10-15 minutes… they’re defending with all 11 men behind the halfway line, though they haven’t done the “park the bus in the box” yet.
37min: OH!!! Great ball from Sneijder from the left side serves it up for Raul, but el capitan can’t put it on target. OMG, that was the best chance yet. What did I say earlier? They need to put them away. You know Barca wouldn’t have wasted them.
39min: GOAL!!! Sneijder lashes an incredible shot that loops over the keeper… it may have taken a slight deflection off Beto, but Guti does a great job to square the ball to the Dutchman in open space. So we can score like that, but we can’t take the easy chances? Real Madrid 1-0 Recreativo Huelva.
42min: Guti is on fire now. Great sequence where he pushes the counterattack and makes a few good passes, though the last one was just a tad too far for Drenthe, who is on the right wing now… Madrid are playing with so much more confidence right now, they’re looking way better.
43min: Come on, Higs! He’s danced around in the area with the ball, but hasn’t pulled the trigger yet. Weird. He doesn’t hesitate to shoot from outside the area, but when he’s got possession in the box, he can’t decide.
45min: Recre countered well and earned a corner, but Real clear and there’s a great ball over the top for Drenthe who’s matched up against 2 defenders plus the keeper, but still forces a corner.
HALFTIME: Well, as opposed to previous matches I’ve liveblogged, Real started slow, but finished really well. Not surprising, we’re playing Recreativo, but at this point, I’ll take any win, no matter how small or ugly.
HALFTIME: Replays of the chance Higuain had rounding the keeper and then going to the byline shows that the ball hadn’t completely crossed over the line, so technically, Sneijder should’ve gotten that goal… but in the heat of the moment, we’re talking about a matter of about 2 or 3 inches, so i think the call is forgiveable.
HALFTIME: Higuain has played pretty well, but i think he could’ve done so much better… a couple pieces of advice for him, i’d say, are: shoot the ball when you’re in the box! And if you’re not gonna shoot, for heaven’s sake, look up and check where your teammates are.
HALFTIME: Ramos has been great, looks like he’s back on form… maybe he prefers the centre? Drenthe has been pretty good too. Sneijder has had good touches, but i think he’s been out of place a couple times.
HALFTIME: On the other hand, Raul has been dismal. Blew a couple chances including an absolute sitter from Sneijder. He really needs to take a seat on the bench.
HALFTIME: Commenter losblancos remarked about something that I’ve noticed for a long time: Guti loves those cutback passes. He plays almost exclusively with his left foot, so there are times when you expect him to lay the ball off to the open teammate on his left, but every few times a match, he’ll cut it back to someone you didn’t notice was there. Good Guti will do that all day long. Bad Guti will give the ball away doing that too often.
HALFTIME: I don’t have the same confidence about the defence though. Far too many decent opportunities for Recre, including a ridiculously good chance for Camuñas that he wasted. Positioning, awareness and concentration. That’s all it takes!
46min: We’re back, and it appears there haven’t been any changes for the second half.
47min: Yellow card for Marcelo.
49min: Great throughball from deep on the left side of the Real half… Higuain gets caught for a push, but that was a wicked pass… from Sneijder I presume, I missed it.
51min: Ooh, nice try by Gago and Torres… Acres of space on the right flank, but the pass is a touch too heavy from the midfielder.
51min: Sneijder returns the favour for Guti by laying the ball off, but Guti tries to thread the ball through rather than blasting it, and it’s easily caught by the keeper.
52min: Akale off for Ersen Martin.
53min: Oh! Sneijder plays a great ball into the box for Higuain, but the keeper charges out and forces Higs to scoop the ball wide.
55min: Higuain rampages up the left flank, but he’s in all alone against 5 defenders, so predictably loses it.
57min: Ooh, lucky for Casillas… the headed clearance attempt by Pepe doesn’t go far, and Casillas goes for the ball but can’t hang on and is stuck in no man’s land against the Recre attackers… lucky for him, 2 of them run into each other, so Pepe can break forward with the ball.
60min: Great determined play by Sneijder… using the swim move that they teach defensive linemen to regain position and keep possession. Earns a corner.
60min: Great take by the Recre keeper on the corner. If only Casillas were that confident on aerial balls.
61min: Oh… Guti volleys a Sneijder corner just wide of the target. Good technique considering he was moving backwards to take the pass.
63min: It’s getting messy and sloppy out there now… missed passes, lots of intercepted balls…
64min: Sneijder was off getting some treatment but he’s back on the pitch now. Probably just a cramp.
65min: Looks like van der Vaart is coming on soon.
66min: Oh! Higuain squares into the box for Raul, but I think a defender must’ve gotten a foot in before the captain could get a good shot off.
67min: Sneijder off for vdV.
68min: Javi Guerrero off for Colunga.
69min: Ugh, Guti still hasn’t learned how to play defense properly. He sticks his foot out for a tackle, misses, then doesn’t follow the runner.
71min: Ooh, Pepe gets away with a handball in the penalty area. No call, but that was clearly a handball.
73min: Good pressure from Real for a couple attacks… the last one, Drenthe hit a low cross that Morris got to before Raul. The ball hung around, but Raul couldn’t do anything except kick it off the side netting.
75min: Strong counter by Recre up the right, even Pepe couldn’t catch up… but the cross was ambitious, a low one that Ramos chested to Casillas, and the only attacker in the area was at the far post.
76min: uh oh, Higuain is down, grabbing his left ankle. Replays show he just rolled over it while landing on a hop.
78min: Saviola taking off his warmups, and Higs is stretchered off. NOT GOOD.
79min: Saviola comes on the pitch.
80min: Higuain looks like he’s in serious pain. Hopefully it’s just a sprain and not a problem with ligaments.
82min: Ooh, great ball from the left curled in by Guti that almost finds Saviola.
83min: Come on! Guti sneaks in a pass off an interception, but Raul can’t seem to find an opening and can’t even get a decent shot off.
84min: OH! Drenthe with a wicked cross from the left and Guti heads it but the keeper stretches to make a diving save… the ball trickles to the left of the goalmouth, and eventually Saviola gets a tenth of a chance but nothing comes of it. Ugh. Gotta put that stuff away!
86min: Bueno comes on for Raul. Finally!
87min: ooh, unlucky for Recre again… Bouzon gets nicked for a foul in the box on Gago, but his header was off-target anyway. Recre haven’t troubled Casillas much in the second half.
88min: Guti takes a good shot finally, but it’s wide left from 23 yards.
90min: Torres earns a corner with some determined work up the right flank. Good for him. Looking more confident going forward but needs some work still defending.
90+1min: 4 minutes of extra time.
90+2min: Oh! vdV is deep on the left in the Recre box and cuts it through the box, but it’s behind Saviola and Bueno… damnit. All these wayward passes and missed opportunities!
90+4min: Ugh… Needs improvement: Casillas on crosses and high balls. He just doesn’t seem confident on them. He used to punch them away ok, but now he’s not even doing that well.
90+4min: Last play of the match… Drenthe dribbles into the box on the left, and curls a shot across the face of the goal, but no white shirts nearby to tuck it away.
POSTGAME: Alright… well, a win is a win, and it wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicates, but there were still a few concerns to be ironed out, considering we were playing a team that sits 19th in the Liga table.
POSTGAME: The defence gave up several good opportunities that better teams would’ve put away. Conversely, we created enough good possibilities for ourselves, but we ruined them with bad passes, indecision, or just plain bad execution.
POSTGAME: With Villarreal’s first loss of the season tonight, we go up to second for the time being, and tonight’s late match is Sevilla v Valencia. What a cracker that should be.
POSTGAME: A couple of injury concerns out of this one too… Sneijder went off after picking up a knock in the second half, and of course, the main concern is our star of the moment, Higuain, getting stretchered off.
POSTGAME: I’ll let Corey do the match review, but here are my overall individual impressions:
POSTGAME: Casillas was shaky, to say the least. He wasn’t tested, so that’s worked out for us, but his penchant for bobbling high balls is disconcerting.
POSTGAME: Torres had an unremarkable game, though didn’t appear to be too bad. Ramos had probably his best match of the season. Confident in defense, going forward like we remember, he was a force. Pepe was caught out once or twice, but he did have a couple good clearances too. Marcelo was good going forward, but was flat-footed when challenged directly a few times.
POSTGAME: Gago was pretty solid. Good on the ball, decent off the ball. Guti was on more than off, which i guess is all you can really ask of him. Created some good chances that others need to take advantage of. Sneijder was probably man of the match, even if he only played two-thirds of it. A couple of defensive lapses, but he was everywhere, causing havoc in the Recre backline.
POSTGAME: Raul wasn’t invisible, and in this case, that’s not good. He was pretty poor overall, missing a number of good chances. Higuain continued his good form, even if he didn’t get on the scoresheet. Created opportunities, caused problems for the Recre defense, but needs to be a bit more aware of his surroundings… pass the ball when it’s open, shoot it if not. Drenthe was solid as the wide attacker. Some really good crosses in from the left and he tracked back pretty well too.
POSTGAME: Alright, i’m out.

Interesting lineup for Real, brought on by a warmup injury to Robben. We’ve got Casillas, Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo, Diarra, Guti, Sneijder, Drenthe, Ruud and Raul. Drenthe is starting only his second match since March, and he’s being called upon as a left winger, no doubt to the delight of some readers. Juve start pretty much as Corey predicted, though Legrottaglie is in the middle… couldn’t catch what else may have been different.

1min: And we’re off! Vamenos chicos!
3min: Ooh, Guti’s pass for Drenthe out wide is just a touch too far for the Dutchman. Woulda been in a dangerous position… Let’s hope Good Guti is here tonight.
5min: Poor touch by Ramos on a cross-field pass from Diarra… maybe the pass was a touch heavy. I think the players are a bit amped. Settle down lads.
7min: Ooh… good sustained pressure by Madrid, though the players are not finding the space to get clean shots off… Guti has had 2 shots blocked and had to resort to his unfavoured right foot. Marcelo is pushing up to attack, switching with Drenthe where necessary.
8min: Ugh, the second poor cross by Drenthe. They’re looping airballs rather than low, laser-like bullets.
9min: Still more pressure from Real, making Juve play some poor passes.
10min: Ooh, good low cross in from the right by Sneijder causes problems and Manninger bollocks it out for a corner…
11min: Wow, really good pressure and attacking by Real. The passing is much crisper than it was on the weekend against Almeria. It’s like night and day.
13min: Great defending by Cannavaro to step in front of a pass in the Real box… he’s looking a bit sprightlier today. I’m still a bit worried about Ramos though… He’s still not on optimum form.
16min: Juve is starting to look better now, maintaining possession for more than 10 seconds…
17min: Is it just me or is everyone slipping when they’re taking a mighty swipe at the ball? looks like the pitch is a bit slick.
17min: GOAL! Del Piero intercepts a lazy Guti pass and waltzes forward into the acres of space given by the Real Madrid defense before using Cannavaro as a screen to unleash a deadly curling shot just inside Casillas’ right post. Real Madrid 0-1 Juventus.
20min: Great free kick by Sneijder is just headed over by Ramos. It may have taken a slight deflection from Legrottaglie first…
22min: I think we’ve got Inconsistent Guti tonight.
24min: OH!!! PUT THAT SHIT AWAY!!! Ramos tries to boot a beautiful looping ball into the 6 yard box and hits it straight into the ground so hard it bounces over the crossbar. I’m SURE he could’ve dove and headed that in. Easily their best chance so far.
27min: Ramos is getting chances, so at least he’s getting into the right positions… defensively not too bad either… but he’s gotta put those babies to bed.
28min: Sissoko gets a yellow for a hard challenge on Drenthe.
29min: Wow, we’re up to our 6th corner for Real already… so they’re generating opportunities… just no real goal-scoring chances aside from Ramos’ miss.
30min: Argh… Ruud’s been anonymous tonight and instead of springing onto the ball in space, he dummies it, expecting Drenthe to be there. Instead, the young winger commits a yellow card offence trying to regain possession.
32min: Ramos definitely needs to work on his touch… given loads of space on the right against Molinaro, he manages to push the ball far enough ahead of himself that it’s a 50/50 challenge that he loses.
34min: Yellow card on Legrottaglie for a rash challenge on Ruud.
35min: Sneijder is playing really really wide on the left. Where is Drenthe?
35min: Guti gets a stupid stupid yellow card for punching the ball away.
36min: There’s Good Guti again, pushing forward and shrugging off a challenge to thread a nice ball for Ruud… the Dutch forward cuts it back a little and shoots, but it’s just over the bar.
37min: Good run on the left by Drenthe, but his cross, though lower this time, lacked the power to cut all the way through the box.
39min: Ugh, Bad Guti again, trying a fancy-ass backheel to nobody, after some really sharp buildup play by Raul and Diarra.
40min: ARGH! Drenthe could’ve sprung Diarra on a breakaway, but again his touch is poor, passing it too lightly and having the ball intercepted.
41min: Phew! Heinze loses the ball to Amauri who sneaks up behind him and nicks it away to go one-on-one with… Cannavaro, i think. Good panic defending though.
43min: Well, credit where it’s due… a good cross in by Drenthe this time.
44min: OOH! Exquisite throughball by Good Guti to release Drenthe down the left, but he hesitates just long enough to allow Mellberg to deflect the ball out for a corner.
45+1min: AHH! Another great cross from Drenthe, but this time it gets headed wide by Diarra who rises up unchallenged and probably unprepared. That could’ve been taken by Ramos too, who was flying by, just behind Diarra.
45+2min: Ooh, nice low hard cross by Ramos from the touchline, but it’s deflected away well by the Juve defenders.
HALFTIME: Alright, well, it hasn’t been a terrible first half, in my opinion. Real started really well and finished really well, but kinda let up in the middle of those 45 minutes, letting Juve back in the game… with guys like Del Piero, Amauri and Nedved, all they need is one chance, and they took it.
HALFTIME: We’ve got Inconsistent Guti tonight, with Bad Guti giving away possession way too easily, but Good Guti making some great passes.
HALFTIME: Drenthe came on like gangbusters in the last 8-10 minutes of that half. He’s always had great pace and he’s starting to get into good positions, but he still needs to work on the touch and decision-making. Still, a strong showing given how little he normally plays.
HALFTIME: Ruud and Raul have been awfully quiet. I think Juve have done a pretty good job cutting off any service to these two.
HALFTIME: With Robben likely unavailable at all, I wonder if Schuster will go with van der Vaart or De La Red as a sub… it doesn’t make sense to me, cuz Sneijder is doing pretty well out there and neither of the two subs could do what Guti does. But who else provides what we need? No one, unless you think Higuain can somehow find space in the Juve defense that Raul or Ruud can’t.
HALFTIME: I’ve just noticed the loads of comments, thanks guys for coming out. Just to remark on something… I don’t think taking Drenthe out for Higuain would do anything good. Higuain cannot play on the wing, he’s best in the Ruud role, inside the box. And without Drenthe, there’s no one else to play wide, unless you think Sneijder is doing it well.
46min: Oh! Drenthe takes on Mellberg, into the box and lashes one into the side netting… could’ve cut back for Ruud or Raul though, i think.
47min: Good pressure again to start the second half… keep it up lads.
48min: Argh. Marcelo tries to go through 2 defenders and loses it. Pass the ball, son!
50min: Drenthe now on the right… great cross into the box, just a tad too high for Raul. He’s really starting to settle down, that’s good.
50min: Hmmm, dodgy yellow card on Ruud, in my opinion… he got the ball first, and i’m sure he wasn’t intending his trailing leg to nip Nedved…
52min: Legrottaglie just leans on Raul in the box and pushes him down… the refs don’t give the penalty. That’s the second bad call in the first 8 minutes of this half, the other being a blatant push by Chiellini on Ruud.
55min: Wicked throw out by Casillas to start a fast counterattack by Guti and Ramos. Man, Real are running more this half.
56min: WHAT? No yellow card for that?!? Marcelo is dragged down by a Juve attacker absolutely blatantly and there’s no card.
59min: Juve are definitely getting away with being more physical, pushing around the Real players who are admittedly (aside from maybe Diarra and Ruud) not very imposing…
61min: The Sky commentators are remarking that the refs are giving loads of free kicks, but only for fouls outside the penalty areas… the two big fouls inside the Juve box? Nada.
62min: What was that? Ramos just lets Nedved take the ball off of him after being covered also by Molinaro… I know he’s got no help on the right, but the least he could do is try to boot it off one of them for a throw-in.
64min: No wonder Real can’t get anything going, they’re playing so narrow… What is Drenthe doing so central?
65min: Sneijder coming off for Higuain. Sneijder is not happy.
66min: Ugh, weak foul called on Cannavaro, who can’t take his leg away quick enough from Sissoko, who bundles over, clearly looking for the foul.
67min: GOAL! Del Piero takes the free kick and curls it around the near end of the wall into the same corner he scored the first time. The wall was not positioned properly at all… They should’ve been at least a yard more to their right. This one is on Casillas. Real Madrid 0-2 Juventus.
70min: OH! Great moves by Drenthe, splitting the 3 defenders he drew to him on the left and bursts into the box and sends a low square ball across the face of the goal, but Raul is too far, and Higuain is too late to put the ball on target.
71min: Madrid is just getting knocked off the ball too easily. The Juve defenders are closing down really quickly and the Madrid players look like they’re getting bossed around.
72min: Argh, good pressure by Madrid in the Juve box, finally, but they can’t get a clean shot off… they’re being blocked by the busload of defenders that Juve packs into the box.
75min: Why is Ramos attempting a shot from that far away? That’s like 25 yards out… reeks of desperation. It is NOWHERE near the target.
46min: Madrid need to get a goal quick, to make the last 10 minutes worthwhile.
78min: Mellberg booked for dissent.
78min: Great cross by Guti on the free kick, but no one can get to it.
79min: What? No yellow again!??! Chiellini lays out Drenthe (who’s the last defender by the way) with his forearm, wasting a 2-on-1 for Juve.
80min: Wow, Real attackers are outnumbered in the box probably two to one. No wonder we haven’t gotten another good chance.
81min: Saviola and vdV to come on…
82min: … for Heinze and Ruud. What? I understand Heinze, but Ruud?
83min: Amauri comes off for Iaquinta.
85min: I know Real is pressing hard, and the second half has been played mostly in the Juve half, but it really seems to me that the Juve players want the win just that little bit more.
86min: Great run down the left by Drenthe, but his cross is too hard and all Higuain can do is chest it down into a defender.
86min: Argh. well, at least we’re making Manninger make some saves, but it’s not saying much, given how weak or angled the shots are.
87min: OOH… Del Piero draws the ball back just a bit too much and misses his hat-trick. What a great player. Totally to Juve what Raul should be for us.
88min: Madrid are playing a really weird shape… 3-3-4?
90+1min: Great move by Drenthe, cutting in and drawing a free kick right on the edge of the box from Sissoko.
90+1min: Argh, weak free kick taken by vdV. At least we get a corner from it.
90+2min: And another corner, and another one… Juve could do this all night.
90+3min: Del Piero off for… someone. i missed it.
90+4min: And we’re done.
POSTGAME: Well, needless to say, that does not bode well. In the last 2 weeks, up to and including the loss in Turin, Madrid have gone on a run, a remarkable loss of form. A single win over Bilbao, a draw against Almeria and 3 losses, including the one in the Copa del Rey.
POSTGAME: I think Real is in full crisis mode now. We can’t beat clubs like Irun in the Copa, which we’re supposed to do with ease. We can’t beat La Liga teams like Almeria who shouldn’t pose such a big threat. And it’s clear now that we can’t play with the big boys of Europe. Those first 2 wins against BATE and Zenit weren’t much of an indicator of our quality.
POSTGAME: That said, we can still advance to the knockout stage of the Champions League if we can beat BATE and Zenit again. Actually, a win and a draw should probably do the trick. Juventus are already through.
POSTGAME: I’m being pessimistic, but really, we beat ourselves. We could’ve taken this match, given our domination of the ball. Take away a couple slip-ups, one on Cannavaro, one on Casillas, and we’re looking at a much closer affair, maybe a 0-0 draw, maybe more.
POSTGAME: Qualitatively speaking, i don’t think we played that poorly. Juve played their “park the bus in front of the goal”, so we knew it was going to be tough to score, but we created some opportunities and chances.
POSTGAME: Alright, let’s go to my player scorecards… First up, keeper Casillas. Brutal match. Not called on to do much at all. No chance on the first goal, but the second goal was definitely on him. That wall should easily have been a yard or more over to the right. I don’t see how he could’ve thought the wall was covering the near post. Del Piero didn’t even have to put the ball over the wall, he just placed the ball right next to it.
POSTGAME: Ramos was off and on. Decent going forward, not much to do at the back, but competent at least. Didn’t get beat. He had a couple good chances, needs to learn to put those away. Cannavaro played pretty solid except for the first goal. He played off Del Piero way too far. Heinze was surprisingly decent, but i think he got turned around a bit by Amauri. Marcelo wasn’t too bad either, he interplayed with Drenthe pretty well on the left. Then again, Juve didn’t really attack much.
POSTGAME: Diarra held up well under pressure from Sissoko, way better than how Gago fared in the first leg. Guti, as I mentioned at halftime, was inconsistent. Gave away the ball way too easy, but created some chances with some great passes. I’m ok with him on the team. Without him, it could’ve been pretty ugly. Sneijder, though not terrible, didn’t really add much that couldn’t have been offered by vdV or even De La Red.
POSTGAME: Ruud and Raul were both pretty anonymous, each having a couple half-chances, but not really much else. Drenthe was a bit crap at first, but really came on in the last 50-60 minutes of the match. I’m totally impressed by his showing tonight.
POSTGAME: Higuain didn’t do a whole lot after coming on, and even less could be said about Saviola and van der Vaart.
POSTGAME: Anyways, I’m sure Corey will have a wrap up that’s worth reading, so I’ll just stop here. Hit up the comments!

I can still write the liveblog, but it won’t exactly be live, cuz if y’all are following it on streaming feeds or whatever, you’ll be an hour ahead of me. So i’m kinda not sure what to do. Lemme know in the comments what you think.

UPDATE: Muchas gracias to reader James for posting live comments, but I’m watching the match now and I’ve unfortunately read ahead to find out that Raul scores a goal that hasn’t happened on my TV yet! hahaha… Doh. I shall refrain from reading or commenting now for fear of taking the pleasure out of my own experience. I’ll be back after the broadcast finishes here for my take.

UPDATE: alright, it’s halftime where I’m watching, and I’m not reading any more of the comments, so please forgive me if this all seems a bit odd… Madrid are, quite frankly, playing a pretty shitty match, even though they’re up a goal thanks to a classic Raul header. Higuain is playing well, but watching this team… i dunno.

They don’t show the type of dominance this team should have. We should be outplaying, outperforming, out-chancing (that might be a North American term) Almeria, but we show no evidence that we can do that. With the talent we have on the pitch, I really have to wonder why teams like Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester United look so much better than we do.

There’s so many times we’re playing incredibly static football. For example, I think it was Heinze who was isolated on the left, inside the Real half, and there’s no one running around trying to give him an option to pass to. Meanwhile, he’s getting closed down by at least 3 defenders, so he tries to outlet to Diarra, but he’s standing flat-footed so the ball gets nicked. Ugh. It’s like we want to play ball possession type of football, but we’re doing a really bad job at it. Where is the flow?

UPDATE: Ok, game over. And given that the return matches of the Champions League group stage starts this week, it really might be game over for Real Madrid in Europe. That piss-poor excuse of a defence will not cut it, plain and simple.

Reader losblancos was completely right – compared to the second half, the first half was indeed heavenly. I fail to see how a team like ours can look so good on paper and yet look so bad on the pitch. Almeria definitely deserved a point from this match, if not the win. Real didn’t look like they were playing to win. They toyed around with the ball, gave up possession too easily, settled for long-distance shots that didn’t hit the target. Weak. Almeria, on the other hand, played to win. They moved around with purpose, and after Metzelder came in for Pepe, they attacked his space with gusto and caused havoc in the Madrid backline.

Our lack of width again haunted us. With no one to threaten the flanks except the Glass Man, Almeria could keep one of the fullbacks in tight to help out whenever we attacked up the middle, which was almost always. Ramos was also nominated to attack on the wings, but he will almost always cut into the middle rather than trying to burst to the corner flag.

I dunno… I don’t see help around the corner. We don’t have anyone on the bench who can solve this. Maybe Guti can get more flow into the game, but he’s not the poster child for consistency. Drenthe is still too raw, Saviola is crap, and any of the other central midfielders who aren’t starting a given match only duplicate whoever is on the pitch.

Alright, I’m done analyzing and thinking about this… it’s making me depressed.

5min (updated): GOAL!!! Del Piero strikes a great ball from 25 yards out to Casillas’ left, leaving the Spanish keeper flat-footed. Who was marking him? I have no idea. Juventus 1-0 Real Madrid.
18min (updated): Ugh, what kind of defending is this from Real? Del Piero is on the edge of the box with the ball and no one is trying to tackle him.
19min (updated): Great interception by Sneijder right in front of Nedved.
19min (updated): The boo birds are out for Cannavaro’s blood… hahaha.
20min (updated): Ooh, nice turn and shoot from vdV, but it’s straight at the keeper.
28min: Good cross in from Juve’s right flank, but it’s cleared by Pepe.
29min: Great interception by Pepe on a squaring pass again from the right.
32min: Oh! Poor first touch from Sergio Ramos, on Sneijder’s cross from the right… Ramos is up there for a free kick near the far corner, and hasn’t completely retreated when the Dutchman launches the ball into the box… Ramos is onside, and if he could’ve chested it down, it would’ve surely been a goal…
34min: Real are again attacking at a jogging pace, allowing Juve to bring back defenders and chase the ball.
35min: Ouch… dunno what happened, but Marchisio is adding one more to Juve’s long injury list…
37min: Yeah, he’s being carted off… Salihamidzic on in his place.
39min: Gago looks like he’s man-marking Del Piero, chasing him wide out onto the wing…
41min: Real seem to be looking for that one incisive pass from the outside, without the creative genius of Guti to rely on… they pass around the edges of the attacking half, and then either boot the pass away or the forwards are offside. Unimpressed.
43min: Ugh, Madrid storm forward with 5 guys, but without any width at all, so there’s nowhere to pass to in order to relieve the defensive pressure.
45min: The match is really choppy… not much flow.
45+1min: Ugh, poor pass by Higuain deep in the Juve corner gets intercepted and allows The Old Lady to break out.
HALFTIME: Well, i missed the first 20 minutes of the match, but if the second half of that first period was any indication, Real have played some seriously lacklustre football.
HALFTIME: I don’t know what the problem is… This is a weakened Juve side, with barely half their regular starters, and we can’t muster a half-decent attack.
46min: No changes after halftime.
47min: Robben’s warming up…
48min: GOAL!!! Amauri rises up over Heinze to nod the ball off the Argentine’s foot and into the goal, no chance for Casillas on the deflection. Pepe gave Nedved loads of room to make the cross after the Czech international intercepted a lazy pass near the box. Juventus 2-0 Real Madrid.
53min: Ugh, van der Vaart wastes some decent play with a booming shot way over the goal, after some patient play by Real that finally works.
54min: Schuster makes his move early, after witnessing a lack of intent in his side… it’s Robben on for Higuain.
55min: OH! Sneijder attracts 3 defenders just inside the box, and he curls a wicked ball for vdV, but number 23 heads it wide.
57min: OH! Sneijder again plays the provider, this time on a free kick that somehow only grazes someone’s head and misses 3 other Real attackers… a glorious opportunity.
59min: Big shot by Sneijder is stopped by the keeper, but pushed away to safety.
60min: Oh! Ruud’s turn-and-shoot is deflected and takes the power out of the kick which is easily caught.
61min: OH!!! Sneijder blasts away from 28-30 yards but it glances off the right post… SO CLOSE!
62min: Real are attacking with much more intent now, passing better, keeping possession in the Juventus half… Juve’s defenders are sitting back really deep.
65min: Brutal free kick given on Chiellini, who barely touched Pepe… but Sneijder’s free kick is palmed away by Manninger.
66min: GOAL!!! VAN THE MAN!!! Ruud scores a great header off Heinze’s nice cross from the left. He was totally unmarked… unbelievable. Why can’t we keep doing this? Juventus 2-1 Real Madrid.
67min: OH! The Juve cross from the right is just a bit high for Amauri who somehow slipped right in between Pepe and Ramos.
68min: Ugh, what is this shitty defending? Real have too many guys in the middle and they get in each other’s way when trying to clear the danger area… brutal giveaway to Nedved, who’s then fouled by Sneijder.
69min: Del Piero’s free kick goes under the wall but it skids into Casillas’ hands.
70min: Ooh, Ruud gets open for a header but he tries to put it back for vdV and it’s intercepted.
70min: Robben is just on fire right now… he’s definitely changed the dynamic of this match.
71min: Great interception by Pepe, stepping in front of Amauri to steal Nedved’s pass.
73min: Ugh, brutal cross from Heinze… Ruud makes something out of it, but his headed pass is miscontrolled by vdV and they lose it.
75min: Real are attacking up the left through Heinze and Robben, and it seems strange but it’s working, since Juve are defending with 9 men behind the ball and don’t pose much of a threat now going forward…
76min: Drenthe on for van der Vaart. More pace on the flanks now, looks like Schuster is going for it.
78min: Iaquinta on for Amauri.
80min: It’s like night and day for Real. The first half was barely watchable, now they’re controlling the play, dictating the pace, not making idiot mistakes…
81min: Oh… nice play by Robben, dribbling up the right, but his squaring pass is intercepted in the box…
82min: Eh, i spoke too soon… Iaquinta does a good job, holding up the ball while the rest of the Juve attack (all 4 of them) come up to support…
84min: What was that?!?! Ruud doesn’t get the call on the kick inside the area, but Pepe gets nicked for a foul on Iaquinta? Brutal call…
85min: Robben is staying on the right flank, with Drenthe on the left, but Robben is getting predictable… gets the ball out wide, cuts in on his left foot, then looks for Ruud in the box… he’s done that 3 straight times.
87min: Ugh… good chance for Real… Sneijder takes a free kick a long way out, but it’s deflected twice on the way out…
89min: Argh, brutal cross by Drenthe… he really does need to work on his touch. He can run and dribble with the best of them, but actually using that left foot… meh.
90+1min: 3 minutes of extra time.
90+1min: Ugh, another ugly touch by Heinze, almost gives it away to Sissoko.
90+2min: Ooh, free kick won by Sneijder, though it was lucky… he almost ran into Drenthe.
90+2min: Two attempts from long range… the free kick hits the wall which may or may not have encroached, and then Robben’s attempt on the rebound is off target.
90+3min: Ooh, the ref psyched out the crowd with a long whistle, but it’s not over yet…
90+3min: Oh man, Juve’s defending that back line like crazy… it’s like 8 guys in the line!
90+4min: and now it’s over…
POSTGAME: Well, you knew Juve were going to hold the fort down after going up 2 goals, so Real did pretty good making it as close as it was.
POSTGAME: Real just didn’t bring their ‘A’ game early enough. That first half was just brutal.
POSTGAME: Schuster did well to introduce Robben early in the second half, which paid off immediately. Real’s attack was so much more coherent and consistent after his introduction.
POSTGAME: Which begs the question, why wasn’t he on the pitch from the start? What did Schuster think he was doing with a midfield that was so narrow? Heck, Ruud was out on the left flank more than a few times in the first half.
POSTGAME: Real really do need to invest in a proper right winger if they really want to attack properly. The instincts of most of the Real midfield lead them into the centre where they clog each other up and provide teams an easy way to defend them.
POSTGAME: I’m sure Corey will do a proper review of the match, so i won’t write one up here… besides, my laptop battery is almost dead.
POSTGAME: Thanks for tuning in, and apologies again on the tardiness! Hala Madrid!

Corey has some quick bits about the derbi, and i think a deeper preview is here, check it out.

Tune in tomorrow evening at 19h00 GMT to Sky Sports Xtra to catch the match and comment to the liveblog! If you’re overseas in Asia or North America, check the local soccer channel, but failing that, you can use the online links we posted a while back.

1min: and we’re underway…
1min: GOAL!!! I can’t believe it! A great start for Real, as Ruud scores after 34 seconds! Ruud cuts in from the left and lashes an unbelievable turn-and-shoot from about 23 yards out that eludes Leo Franco at the near post. Atletico Madrid 0-1 Real Madrid.
3min: Oh! Another chance for Real! This time it’s Sneijder unleashing a beast of a swerving, dipping shot that Franco just gets a hand on.
4min: Real is dominating the chances right now… Raul takes a quick free kick that catches all the Atletico defenders off-guard except the keeper. This Atletico defense is porous.
6min: Ok, it looks like it’s Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Marcelo, Gago, De La Red, Sneijder, Raul, Ruud and Higuain.
8min: Yellow card on Perea for fouling Raul.
9min: Real’s looking really strong on the ball right now, though Kun Aguero just cut a ball back through the box that Pepe was lucky to deflect away from an oncoming Forlan.
13min: Ok, it’s settled down a bit… Atletico shaking off the rust from the international break, though they really were sleepwalking through the first 10 minutes.
15min: This Atletico side is pretty dangerous going forward, particularly when Aguero is leading the break, with guys like Forlan also leading the line and the very underrated Maniche lurking outside the box…
16min: Ooh, Pernia strikes a left-footed long range attempt that’s parried away by Casillas but is spilled past the touchline for a corner.
18min: Atletico is definitely settling down now, as they’ve had the lion’s share of possession in the last 7-8 minutes… Real’s passing is just a tad off-target, and Atletico are able to intercept and advance.
19min: Wow, I’m literally scared of Kun Aguero every time he gets the ball within 25 yards of the goal. His Messi-like skills at keeping possession are just ridiculous, and he creates enough space to launch a 20-yard shot that’s off-target by a couple feet.
20min: Good buildup play by Real… and they get a corner…
20min: NO! That was ONSIDE! Ruud is denied a brace as Sneijder’s corner is redirected goalward, and Ruud cleans up the bungled save… but the linesman’s flag goes up.
21min: Ooh… Atletico almost gets one back as Ujfalusi is just a bit too far away from the cross into the box.
26min: Real look really good on the counterattack, but they lack that possession type of player who can carry the ball forward on the dribble. If Atletico can stick to their man-marking as they have been doing so far, Real might be in for a really tough match.
29min: NO!!! ANOTHER BAD OFFSIDE CALL! Gago finds Raul with an AMAZING throughball, and he rounds the keeper before tapping it in, but the linesman again throws up the flag incorrectly. Raul was definitely onside, though there were 2 other Real attackers who were in offside positions… brutal.
30min: Oh! Perea is sent off! It looks like a straight red, but he was on a yellow card anyway.
31min: It was an unintentional but quite flagrant swing of the arm that catches Sneijder and gives him a bloody nose.
33min: Atletico, already on the back foot when Real counterattack, will need to commit one less attacker when going forward… plus, Perea was at rightback, so look for Atletico to soon make a change to bring on another defender, likely at the expense of an offensive player.
34min: For now, Johnny Heitinga slides over to rightback, and Raul Garcia is in the middle with Ujfalusi.
34min: Real playing a patient buildup play, now with the numerical advantage on the pitch… but it’s a weak shot from Raul that’s easily caught by Leo Franco.
37min: Raul Garcia picks up a yellow for clipping Ruud… bad timing for Real, cuz De La Red just threaded a sweet throughball for Raul, but it was whistled dead on the foul.
38min: Raul Garcia goes off for Antonio Lopez.
39min: WHAT?!? This ref is HORRID. Ruud is sent off on a straight red for a late challenge on Maniche… that really should’ve been a yellow card.
41min: Well, there’s a lot more space on the pitch, but a lot less width, as even Marcelo is taking possession of the ball in the middle 20 yards of the field.
42min: Marcelo is giving up possession too easily… he’s trying to dribble through the entire left side of the Atletico defense and it’s not working.
45min: Marcelo gambles just a tad too much for my liking… he gets away with it though, as he’s able to outpace Lopez from the outside after the Atletico defender cut into the box with the ball.
45+1min: A yellow card for Assuncao, tripping up Sergio Ramos.
45+3min: Oh! What a poor pass from Aguero, as him and Forlan streak up the pitch on a 2-on-1 against Cannavaro…
HALFTIME: Wow, what an eventful half. Atletico should thank their lucky stars they’re not down 3-0, as the linesman in their end has definitely gotten 2 calls wrong, both leading to would-be goals.
HALFTIME: Schuster might have some words to pep up his team, but he is probably saving his vitriol for the referee crew. Two blown offside calls, plus the harsh red card to Ruud.
HALFTIME: Well, Real are still in control, outplaying and outchancing Atletico here in the Vicente Calderon.
HALFTIME: I’m not sure Schuster will make any changes after halftime, as he’s still got his strongest 4-3-2 combination possible, with Ruud being sent off. We might see Saviola get some time on the pitch later in the second half, if Bernd thinks the Rabbit’s pace will cause problems for a tiring Atletico defense.
46min: Ooh, Banega’s shot goes right across the face of the Real goal, without a touch from either side…
46min: Simao is on… not sure for who.
47min: Ooh, Cannavaro challenges Forlan enough to get the Argentine to shoot off-target.
49min: awww, bad decision by Sneijder, who corrals a long pass in to lead a 3-on-2 but he elects to attempt a shot which is blocked instead of swinging it out wide right to Higuain.
50min: Ooh, Maniche’s shot from distance is just a tad high… pushed out by Casillas anyway for a corner.
51min: Real have taken a couple free kicks quite quickly, before Atletico has a chance to set up… this time, they spring Higuain down the right who tries to cross after getting into the box, but it’s deflected out for a corner.
53min: OH!!! Multiple chances by Real, after some slow, patient buildup… but a clever flick pass over the top by Sneijder is right on the money for Higuain who volleys it right into Franco… the rebound comes out for De La Red, who lashes it and the deflection off Ujfalusi lands into the keeper… Ugh.
56min: Good clearance by Pepe, heading it away from danger from the cross swung in from the right by Atletico…
57min: OH! Kun Aguero streaks up the right with a clear chance but his shot is barely wide… ugh, he’s so dangerous! I practically expect him to score in situations like that.
59min: Come on… Sneijder gives up possession to Aguero, who creates a chance for Maniche, but his shot is easily saved by Casillas.
61min: Another nice interception by Pepe right in front of Casillas, to break up a dangerous pass intended for Maniche.
63min: Good save on Diego Forlan’s attempt from 20 yards, after yet another chance created by Kun Aguero. That guy is amazing… so fast and so skillful.
64min: It’s crazy end-to-end action… one chance for Real, one chance for Atletico… back and forth they go.
66min: Referee is getting some work on his left leg… van der Vaart looks like he’ll be coming on.
68min: It’s Sneijder coming off for vdV.
70min: Ramos gives up a free kick, on a tick-tack challenge on Simao… but the Portuguese skies it over the crossbar.
71min: Pepe’s clearing header doesn’t go very far and Forlan creates a shot but launches it wayward again.
71min: it’s Ujfalusi off for Luis Garcia… Looks like Aguirre is going for it, taking off a centrehalf for an attacking midfielder.
72min: Real might not be attacking too well tonight, with all the wayward passes, but it has to be said that their setpiece defending is way way better.
73min: Maniche is quite ambitious with an attempt from 35+ yards out, but it skids wide harmlessly.
75min: Real is slowing down their counterattacks, taking it at a walking pace, but they’re giving up possession way too easily. It’s only taking 2 or 3 passes and Atletico regain the ball.
76min: Simao gets a great cross but his shot isn’t even close to the goal.
77min: As opposed to Los Merengues, Atletico attack with pace and verve… why is Real constantly jogging the ball up the pitch?
78min: Yellow card for Heitinga.
78min: Javi Garcia comes on for de la Red. I guess he’ll be the defensive MF now, creating the double pivot with Gago.
80min: It really looks like Real are going to settle for the single goal. They’re not pushing forward with any intent, they’re not pursuing errant passes… meh, weak.
82min: I hate it when Real settle in and just play not to concede any goals. It’s such crap to watch.
84min: Great challenge by Pepe and Marcelo after Cannavaro gambles on an interception and muffs it… the ball falls to Aguero who tries to settle the ball and take the shot, but it’s deflected out. A terrible though rare mistake from the Italian stalwart.
85min: Raul comes off for Drenthe. Now this is just time-wasting.
86min: Oh! Great movement by Simao who’s one of those annoyingly good players… Ramos is there to nudge him just off the ball.
87min: Ramos gets a yellow card for tugging on Simao’s shirt.
87min: The clearance is well taken by Pepe.
87min: AHH! How did we not score there? Real break out on a counter, Higuain and Drenthe somehow muff up two chances, though there was some good goalkeeping from Leo Franco.
88min: Ugh, free kick given up by Ramos, fouling Heitinga just outside the penalty area…
90min: GOAL! Simao curls the free kick over the wall into the near side of the goal. I can’t believe it. This is what happens if you’re not pushing forward for more goals. Damn it. Atletico Madrid 1-1 Real Madrid.
90+1min: Simao gets a yellow for overzealous celebrating.
90+2min: Ooh, a chance for Forlan to steal two points, but his shot goes wide.
90+3min: Drenthe’s sent into the penalty area, but his first touch lets him down and Franco scoops up the ball…
90+3min: Yellow card on Javi Garcia to stop an Atletico counterattack.
90+5min: We’re well into the 5th minute of stoppage time… i have no idea how much was indicated.
90+6min: OH!!! Drenthe draws a penalty from Heitinga whose clumsy challenge in the box concedes the spot kick! Time for redemption! Great move by one Dutchman on another…
90+6min: GOAL!!! Higuain coolly slots home the penalty to Franco’s right. Somehow, some way, Real have marched off with all 3 points after it seemed they’d given up the ghost. Atletico Madrid 1-2 Real Madrid.
90+7min: And we’re done! omg, this was insane.
POSTGAME: That was the most ridiculous win, in my opinion, since the 9-man comeback against Valencia in the Supercopa.
POSTGAME: See what I mean about the attacking? All through the second half, Real tried to build up play through slow, deliberate passing, but without enough movement, they kept getting intercepted.
POSTGAME: but when they attack with pace and incisiveness, they cause mistakes like Heitinga’s wrong-footed challenge on Drenthe.
POSTGAME: This was heartstopping stuff. I can’t count the number of times I screamed at the TV in frustration.
POSTGAME: but somehow… this Real team continues the unmistakable belief that we will prevail. And we did.
POSTGAME: Of course, we should’ve been 3-0 to the good anyways, before Simao scored, but i’ll take it.
POSTGAME: I’ve got a couple parties to go to, so I’ll finish player ratings when i get back… in the meantime, post away in the comments!

16min: Madrid is moving alright so far, in the 5 minutes I’ve watched… not getting the incisive pass they need.
17min: on the pitch for Real are Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Diarra, de la Red, van der Vaart, Raul, Higuain and Ruud.
19min: Apparently Higuain is the new Robinho – every time he scores, Real wins. is that true?
20min: Damn it! Heinze fouls Tamudo with his trailing leg and gives away a penalty kick. Bollocks.
21min: Tamudo to take it…
21min: GOAL!!! Tamudo gets Casillas going the wrong way and slots it coolly into the net. Heinze should be terribly ashamed of his poor marking, trying to play Espanyol offside, but failing miserably. Real Madrid 0-1 Espanyol.
23min: that was seriously some horrid defending. They were clearly trying to play Nene offside, which he was, but they didn’t keep an eye on Raul Tamudo who had a free run into the box and Heinze sloppily tried to tackle him (does he do it any other way?)…
25min: GOAL!!! Real answers right back! Ramos carries the ball up the right wing, and crosses it right on a platter for Raul who is able to step in front of his marker to head the ball into the far corner. Great goal for el capitan. Real Madrid 1-1 Espanyol.
29min: Espanyol is really well organized at the back, keeping 9 men behind the ball and preventing Real the space from making any nice moves… they’re also moving forward quite well, even when outnumbered against Real’s defenders.
32min: GOAL!!! Espanyol take the lead again! The Catalans again moving forward with pace and purpose… Tamudo lays it off to the right for Roman, whose low cross finds a sprawled out Luis Garcia and it only requires a tap in… Heinze again losing his man, this time it’s Garcia who beats him to the ball. Real Madrid 1-2 Espanyol.
36min: Real really isn’t playing the high line well… it looks like it’s up to Pepe to step up to put the Espanyol attacker offside, but Heinze really has been poor today.
38min: Yellow card for Pepe who’s forced to put in a hard foot on an attacker when Real gets caught out on the counter. Ramos had ventured almost to the opposite touchline and was nowhere near his position on the right.
39min: OH! Espanyol miss a glorious chance to go up 3-1! The free kick catches Casillas leaning the wrong way, but it bounces off the post into the central scrum and somehow Diarra manages to clear it after … HORRID DEFENDING. It’s a wonder we’re not down by another goal.
41min: Raul attempts from just outside the 18-yard box and curls it JUST outside the post. Kameni had no chance if that had been 6 inches inside.
42min: Where is the central defense?!?? Diarra has to come back to cover and take the ball from Casillas as Pepe is somewhere in neverneverland, which, fyi, is somewhere up the pitch… Pepe really needs to work on knowing when to commit to going forward on the pitch. He needs to be back there on defense, where his speed can cover for other people’s mistakes, not his own…
43min: Yellow card on Ramos for a flimsy challenge on de la Pena.
45min: Ooh, that replay of the shaky free kick by Espanyol shows that after the Diarra clearance, Espanyol cross it in again, and an attacker rises up unmarked and heads the ball straight down then over the bar… Ugly defending.
45+2min: GOAL!!! Raul equalizes again! Great goal after a Ramos cross into the box, and a couple touches first by Raul then van der Vaart… Raul gets the ball back and with possibly the quickest feet besides Robben, shifts the ball from left to right and bangs it into the far corner. Real Madrid 2-2 Espanyol.
HALFTIME: Well, that’s it for the first half… how lucky are Madrid to nab an equalizer just before the whistle?
HALFTIME: Raul is back in sublime form… doubt he’ll be taken off tonight.
HALFTIME: I think Real are really missing Robben’s creativity and pace on the wings… they need his width to draw out the Espanyol defense who are currently crowding the box and not giving Real the space they need in the danger zone.
HALFTIME: But credit to Real’s resilience… they’re not giving up.
HALFTIME: Then again, they’re not helping themselves with the worst defense I’ve seen them play in at least a year. Just putrid.
HALFTIME: Ugh, the replay of Espanyol’s second goal is just terrible. Heinze who should be on the left, gets pulled into the centre by his mark, so Cannavaro has to slide over to challenge Roman on the left… but Heinze just kinda floats with his guy, and Pepe is in no man’s land… Heinze should either stick to his man, or switch off with Pepe. Ugly ugly ugly.
HALFTIME: Heinze is really proving to be the weak link in this back four, which is surprising considering this should be our strongest lineup… Would I feel any more confident with Torres or Marcelo out there though? Not really.
46min: Changes for both teams… Pareja off for Lacruz, van der Vaart off for Robben.
47min: Oh! Ruud gets a cross into the penalty area and with his back to goal, attempts an audacious kick (almost an overhead kick) and it gets on target, but Kameni dives to his right to save it.
49min: Real counterattacking with some verve and purpose, but Espanyol are defending with loads of people in the box. Higuain creates a chance, but Robben skies his shot over the crossbar.
52min: Where is everyone? Real get it up the left wing, but the cross (from Heinze or Robben?) goes into the box and there’s ONE white shirt against 5 defenders. What the blood?
54min: Casillas is off-form. Espanyol counterattack, and the shot from the left doesn’t seem to have much sting, but Iker pushes it into the middle where there’s luckily no attacker to take advantage of it.
57min: Great clearance by Cannavaro! Casillas commits to a challenge at the top of the box and the attacker gets around him, but the ball carries a bit too far to the right and the Italy international gets back in time to clear it.
58min: Real aren’t using the width that Robben can give… they’re still trying to push forward through the middle…
60min: OH! Robben scorches a ball towards Ruud and Raul, and i think it goes off a defender but Kameni makes a great reflex save. WOW.
61min: Change for Espanyol… Roman comes off for Angel Martinez.
62min: Diarra pushing up the left, without time to swap back with Robben… clearly doesn’t have the fancy ball skills as the Dutchman but holds his own out there…
64min: Ooh… Sneijder might be coming on!
65min: Sneijder on for de la Red. Curious… who is supposed to be the playmaker now?
66min: OH!!! How did that not go in?!?! Ruud latches onto Higuain’s square ball and lashes it goalwards but Kameni smothers it. If Ruud put that anywhere in the left half of the goal, we’d be leading now. OMG, how did Kameni react that fast?
68min: de la Pena gets a yellow, i think for dissent.
69min: Drenthe prepping to come on… Schuster is looking to stretch the Espanyol defense with the pace of Robben, Sneijder and Drenthe.
69min: ooh… Sneijder’s first attempt on goal for the season finds the target, but it was a long-range shot that was more hopeful than expectant…
70min: uh oh… it’s Robben off for Drenthe. Another knock for the glass man?
71min: Initial word is it’s a hamstring niggle… not good.
72min: Ramos with a great steal of the ball, but gets too greedy and does two stepovers and skies the ball… should’ve squared it for Ruud or Raul. Damn it.
74min: Why is Higuain shooting so much from outside the box? IT’S NOT WORKING! That’s at least the third attempt he’s done from 20+ yards out.
74min: Ugh, Drenthe’s cross from the left is horrible… goes over everyone’s head in the box, including the 3 white shirts.
75min: de la Pena comes off for Coro.
78min: Oh! Sneijder pushes the ball up for Heinze (wtf?) who reaches the touchline but cuts it back for Ruud, only for the Dutchman to put his header wide. Ruud doesn’t normally miss that.
79min: Diarra gives up a really iffy free kick, Coro really plays it up in my opinion.
81min: Pepe looks a bit better in the second half… those long legs are really doing the business in blocking kicks and passes…
82min: DAMN IT! Again, another attempt by Higuain from outside the box, nowhere near the target. As a team, Madrid have only hit 7 of 18 shots on target.
84min: And now Higuain gives up the free kick on the left. Not a good night for the young forward.
85min: man, it’s all in the Real half right now. Come on, lads, pick it up!
87min: COME ON!!! What the hell is going on? why is everyone so damn selfish tonight?!?! Great throughball to Ramos who lays it off for Drenthe on the left, and for some reason, the youngster kicks it forward then launches it skyward over the bar when there’s 4 white shirts in the box.
88min: Ok, seriously, why does everyone think they can score from outside the penalty area? This time it’s Diarra.
90min: 3 minutes of extra time. Still only 7 shots on target, out of 20 attempts.
90+1min: Yes! Drenthe finally uses that quick burst of pace, and wins a free kick from a central area just outside the box. Looks like Sneijder will take this one…
90+1min: What?!? Looks like a handball, but no call from the ref!!!
90+2min: Ok, on different replays, it’s really unclear and i guess the ref played on with the uncertainty…
90+3min: Stupid yellow card for Diarra in the dying seconds of the match, with some heated shoving around happening…
90+4min: and we’re done, after a momentary loss of picture at the end.
POSTGAME: Well, it’s a 2-2 draw for Real, who remain undefeated at the Bernabeu since the end of March of this year. It’s unconvincing though, Espanyol really ought to be disappointed not to have won.
POSTGAME: Poor defending and really extremely poor shooting and decision-making from Real, though to be fair, they still could’ve won if not for a couple Kameni reflex saves.
POSTGAME: But full credit to Espanyol.. they played positive, dangerous football and could’ve come out with 3 points.
POSTGAME: Not sure about the other results around La Liga, but we may have lost ground on Valencia and Villarreal.
POSTGAME: I’m still shocked at how badly we defended. There’s no way we can expect to win the league or get far in Europe if we don’t shore up at the back.
POSTGAME: And why oh why, did we abandon the idea that we should be scoring from INSIDE the 18-yard box? Both of Raul’s goals came from within the area, just outside the 6-yard box… then in the second half, everyone is shooting from long distance? WTF?
POSTGAME: I wouldn’t be surprised if Schuster tore a new one in everyone on that team. What a putrid game.
POSTGAME: Ok, let’s go to individual scorecards… Casillas didn’t really have a chance on either goal, but has looked a bit shaky in the early part of this season. His positioning of the wall on that Espanyol free kick was terrible too. I guess San Iker isn’t walking on water now…
POSTGAME: Ramos was probably the best defender, wasn’t caught out too much and made some decent runs forward, though he too caught the long-range attempt bug. Pepe was like night and day from the first to the second half, improving as the game went on. Maybe Cannavaro finally got through to him? The Italian was steady, can’t say much more than that. Heinze was terrible. He was terrible last match but managed to score… this time, he gifts two goals to Espanyol and provided nothing else.
POSTGAME: Diarra was solid, covering at the back when he needed to, going forward when the pace dictated… he’s fine. de la Red still needs some seasoning, but it’s good to see him get some extended playing time with Guti out at the moment. I think de la Red could backtrack more though. van der Vaart was rather quite anonymous tonight.
POSTGAME: Higuain was blowing not hot and cold, but lukewarm and freezing. He had some decent movement but he has no business launching shots from 20+ yards away on a keeper as swift as Kameni. Ruud was uncharacteristically off-target on his header attempt, and he was unlucky not to have scored when Kameni was just in the right place at the right time. Of course, Real’s saviour on this night was Raul Gonzalez Blanco, who provided the few moments of inspiration.
POSTGAME: Robben was a nuisance for the Espanyol defense for the 25 minutes or so he was on the pitch, but we’ll have to see how injured he is. Sneijder made his first appearance of the year and didn’t look too bad… he’ll probably need a match or two to get fully match-fit, but his take on the free kick was pretty decent, unlucky not to have gotten a call on the possible handball. Drenthe needs to stick to what he’s good at, which is terrorizing defenders with his pace on the wing… still, not a bad showing.
POSTGAME: Ok, i really don’t want to think about this anymore cuz I’m just getting mad reliving the whole thing in my head. Los Merengues need to work on a lot, but unfortunately, there’s a few international qualifiers which are coming in the next couple weeks and that’ll disrupt the flow. Later skaters.