Real Madrid has today (6:00 pm / Let's go) at the Colovray stadium in Nyon a new appointment with history. The white team that trains Raul In this competition they face Benfica in the final of the Youth League.
So far never the Real Madrid he had made it to the final. On three occasions he had succumbed in the semifinals. Two of them precisely before the Benfica and the other against PSG. Now he has to tear down the final and raise the title, an objective that the Benfica team that will play its third final also pursues. He lost to Barcelona the first, in 2014 (3-0), and against Salzburg in 2017 (2-1).
Real Madrid's added adverse factor is their increased wear. The pandemic prevented him from playing his round of 16 game before the break and he had to play one more game than the set of Luis Castro. Raúl's pupils have had to overcome three games in recent days in Nyon, also against teams with great potential. He beat Juventus 3-1 after coming back from an adverse goal, and he did almost the entire match in inferiority due to the expulsion of Jordi Martín. Then he got rid of Inter (3-0) and in the semifinals he finished with Salzburg (2-1).
He Benfica, has had a less demanding path, having to play only two games, against Dinamo Zagreb (3-1) and Ajax (3-0). This fact could be of capital importance, although Real Madrid arrives grown as a block and with the lesson very well learned.
Another adverse circumstance for Real Madrid is the drop from his undisputed '9', Juanmi Latasa, by penalty, although Benfica also has for the same reason the absence of Paulo Bernardo. Latase is of paramount importance for the white box. He is the reference in attack, his gunner. But it is key not only in the offensive facet. He is the first to work and defend. Raúl will have to replace him with another player and it is not an easy matter.
ANDl rest of the team It should not vary except physical issues of the block that has offered such good results and how firm it has been when defending and has been so effective in attack. Apart from the good work of the goalkeepers Toni Fuidias and Luis López, the firmness of the rear formed by Sergio Santos, Pablo Ramón, Víctor Chust and Miguel Gutiérrez, always backed by the indefatigable baton of Antonio Blanco, seems very important to the deployment of men like Iván Morante, Carlos Dotor and company, and quality, the overflow of Sergio Arribas, not forgetting Marvin Park, essential in the victory against the Austrian team.
The match, which will be played like the others in this final phase behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, It will be directed by the English referee Chris Kavanagh.