"We want the rematch, but we will not underestimate our opponent" is the essence of the words of Jose Mourinho before the match at the Stade de Gerland scheduled tonight in the first round of the Champions League 8th round for Madrid.
Real Madrid's coach thinks unlikely a scenario as in the previous edition, when Lyon stops " the Galactic" in the same stage after the 1-0 at home and 1-1 on Bernabeu.
"New players came after last year's duel. Lyon is a good team with great international experience, but we are Real and we do not care about statistics. There have been six years since Madrid has not reached the quarters. When I was at Inter Milan, 50 years had passed since the club hadn't won the trophy. It is possible for Real to succeed now? Lyon will be our first fight, ", said Mourinho , adding that the team's former star, Zinedine Zidane, provided him useful information after "spying" the French team in the recent weeks.
Lyon can not count for round match on the most important man in the offensive, the Argentinean Lisandro Lopez, injured, an important loss, but not vital, said Puel :
"Of course I regret that I lost Lisandro, because he was the kind of player who could make a difference, but I trust it will be successfully substituted by Chelito Delgado. " The French are still capable of playing Yoann Gourcuff and Clement Grenier, both back on the lawn after health problems.
From the guest team Pepe is uncertain. He was spared in the championship match with Levante, while Gonzalo Higuain can miss the rest of season due to the injury suffered in November. The star Cristiano Ronaldo will be suspended in return, if he gets a yellow card.
Mourinho gets good news from Ronaldo. The striker is almost restored after the injury which held him on the sidelines in the last round of Primera. We still don't know if could play in the match with Hercules, but his presence in the return with Lyon,in the League, is for sure, say the team doctors.
