Cristiano Ronaldo vs Harry Kane shoot-out and other Real Madrid talking points ahead of Tottenham Champions League clash

Andy West 21:45 31/10/2017
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  • Real Madrid travel to London to face Tottenham at Wembley on Wednesday night in the second fixture between the two sides in a fortnight.

    The clash between Madrid and Spurs at the Santiago Bernabeu on the last Champions League matchday ended in a 1-1 stalemate, leaving both sides level on points, goal difference, and goals scored atop Group H. A win for either side could guarantee a place in the knockout stages.

    Here are the main talking points for Real Madrid ahead of the game.

    WHICH REAL MADRID WILL TURN UP?

    It’s been a strange start to the season for Real Madrid. At times they have looked every inch the reigning Spanish and European champions they are, notably in the demolition job of Borussia Dortmund earlier in the group stages. But they have also delivered some extremely lethargic and disjointed performances such as Sunday’s shocking 2-1 defeat at lowly Girona.

    So which version of Real Madrid will we see at Wembley? Their recent inconsistency has nothing to do with the identity of the men on the pitch, with coach Zinedine Zidane calling upon largely the same set of players who were so brilliant towards the end of last season.

    Perhaps, instead, it’s a question of attitude and, more specifically, motivation. It’s perhaps no accident that Madrid were enduring similar struggles at this time last season before building up to a big climax, and the suggestion that they are ‘pacing themselves’, even if unconsciously, could go a long way towards revealing their recent form.

    Zidane regularly describes the season as a marathon rather than a sprint, and justifies his rotation policy by insisting he wants to make sure all his players are in prime condition when the end of the season rolls around.

    But although it’s true that no trophies are won in November, after Sunday’s slip-up they need a reaction and surely playing in one of the world’s most famous stadia in a high-profile Champions League fixture will be all the motivation they need. We can safely expect a very different version of the team that struggled at Girona.

    KANE VS RONALDO SHOOT-OUT?

    A significant factor behind Madrid’s dropped points in La Liga has been the unusual lack of goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, who have shockingly only registered one league goal apiece all season.

    Benzema has never been particularly prolific, generally participating more in his build-up play than his goalscoring, but Ronaldo’s lack of goals is most unusual and unexpected considering the stunning form he produced at the end of last season.

    There are two ways of reading Ronaldo’s current travails: you can argue that either it’s a signal that, at the age of 32, he is losing his powers and will never be the same again; or that it’s a brief and short-term dip which he will soon overcome and return to his usual goal-per-game output. Only the very brave, surely, would be prepared to back against Ronaldo and opt for the former.

    Of course, going up against Ronaldo will be another of the world’s most high-profile goal-getters, Harry Kane, whose brilliant recent form is sharply contrasting with the Portuguese’s problems.

    Kane will be eager to get back in action after missing the weekend trip to Manchester United through injury. But Ronaldo will be just eager to ensure that he is not outshone and so, if this is even possible, the Madrid star will be even more goal hungry than normal.

    POCHETTINO TO FURTHER ENHANCE REPUTATION?

    More than Kane or any of the Tottenham players, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is receiving plenty of press in Spain ahead of the Wembley showdown after being heavily linked with a future appointment at the Bernabeu.

    The recent claim that Madrid president Florentino Perez already knows the identity of the team’s next coach has sparked serious speculation that two plus two equals Pochettino, especially as the revelation came so soon after the draw between the teams at the Bernabeu.

    The Argentine coach’s success in turning Tottenham from stragglers into major trophy contenders has greatly impressed Perez, who was already an admirer of Pochettino following his three years in charge of Espanyol – a club with whom Madrid enjoy friendly relations – at the start of his managerial career.

    Tottenham’s calm and controlled display at the Bernabeu further enhanced his credibility among Madrid fans and decision-makers alike, and another strong showing by his team at Wembley could see his future pointing even more firmly towards Los Blancos.

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