The stage is now set for what would appear to be a major clash of the titans as the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is prepped for the duel between Real Madrid and Manchester United on Wednesday.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s boys would have to play without Darren Fletcher on the midfield, while the decision on whether Jonny Evans and Phil Jones will be allowed to play after seeing some brutal action against Everton last Sunday is still up in the air. All is not lost, though, as Man U fans will be seeing the return of Michael Carrick and Ashley Young after fully recovering from their hip and knee injuries, respectively.
Meanwhile, it looks like the Los Blancos would have to take their shot at the 10th European Cup with captain Iker Casillas sitting on the sidelines, unable to play because of a broken thumb. This will also mark the first start of Pepe since December after being pronounced fit and healthy despite an ankle injury. The Real Madrid lineup also includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria.
This will be the ninth time that these two clubs will be pitted against each other in the European football circuit, with Manchester United winning five out of their previous eight matches. However, it looks as though the odds are stacked in Real Madrid’s favor. Jose Mourinho and his boys are clearly gunning for their sixth win on Santiago Bernabeu after winning all but one of their previous six matches in the said stadium. Considering Manchester United’s lackluster performance on Spanish soil thus far (they have played 20 times but have only ever won twice) and Sir Alex’s unimpressive 2 out of 14 wins against Mourinho, Santiago Bernabeu could very well be prepping up for a hometown celebration.
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