Real Madrid Vs. Osasuna Match Preview

Real Madrid will play its first morning game in quite a while. The last time we played at 12 was against Rayo Vallecano when Jorge Valdano was our coach and Raul, Sanchis, Amavisca and  Luis Enrique were in our starting XI.

It is not very common in Spain to play at that time, but I am very comfortable with it. Let's hope our fans feel the same way so they go to the Santiago Bernabeu to cheer for our team.

Jose Mourinho announced in a press conference that Sergio Ramos is going to start at the CB again. That gives us the whole defensive set as Arbeloa, Pepe and Coentrão will be his partners. Marcelo is still injured and so is Kaká. On the other hand, Nuri Sahin is finally eligible for tomorrow's game, but I don't think our midfielder will be given the chance to make his debut tomorrow.

 

Ramos and Pepe are the best pair of CBs I have seen in Real Madrid in a very long time. They are very fast so they allow the whole line to gain a lot of meters. If they are focused and healthy, Mourinho will not change this pair during the season. I am very happy to see Ramos in his natural position--let's hope Arbeloa can play at a good starter level during the year.

If Mourinho has decided to rotate Higuaín and Benzema, the Argentinian will start tomorrow. Özil should show improvement again as his game in Lyon was quite good. Let's hope he can get some continuity to keep improving, because I think he is key if we think we're going to win it all this season.

I don't expect many surprises in the team, so I am guessing Khedira will be Alonso's partner and Di Maria will be in the right wing. I think it would be interesting to see Callejón at this time of the season, but Mourinho does not seem to agree. This season is too long for Di Maria to start in every game--he is not like Cristiano Ronaldo, whose body allows him to put in 100 percent, month in and month out.

Osasuna's team is not something we should worry about. I have a hard time trying to find a danger for our defense. They are a dangerous team at home, and we will surely work hard to get the win in their stadium, but we should beat them in the Bernabeu. If we manage to score quickly into the game, many goals could come our way. I know that we lost against Gijón and Zaragoza in the Bernabeu last year, but that was in a bad moment of the season with many intensive games played every three days.

I think our team is in good form both mentally and physically, so I would bet on a Madrid win.