Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia – UEFA Champions League – Preview

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Sreya

Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia – Real Madrid hosts APOEL Nicosia at Santiago Bernabeu on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League, as Zinedine Zidane’s side prepare to defend their championship.

Real Madrid have won two consecutive UEFA Champions League and are gunning for their third straight win in Europe’s premier competition. They have been drawn in Group H alongside APOEL, Borussia Dortmund, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Although Madrid are struggling with injuries to their strikers, they are the firm favorites against the Greek side tonight.

Team News

Karim Benzema and Jesus Vallejo are injured. The visitors will be without Zhivko Milanov, Facundo Bertoglio and George Efrem, all of whom are carrying knocks.

Real Madrid Possible Starting Lineup: Keylor Navas, Daniel Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco.

APOEL Nicosia Possible Starting Lineup: Boy Waterman, Agustin Farias, Jesus Rueda, Carlao, Roberto Lago, Vinicius, Nuno Morais, Lorenzo Ebecilio, Tommy Oar, Efstathios Aloneftis, Igor de Camargo.

Thoughts From Both Camps

“We are champions but everything is beginning from zero again. At the moment I am only thinking of tomorrow, against an opponent who have experience and have the chance to play their own good game.”

– Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid.

“It’s true some of our lads might not have experience here, but in the last five years we’ve played European football. It’s a hard game, our chances are small but we will see – you never know.”

– Giorgios Donis, APOEL Nicosia.

Contributor’s Pick

According to Real Madrid vs APOEL Nicosia H2H Stats, Real Madrid have won both their previous matches against APOEL Nicosia, which came in the 2011/12 quarter-finals.

Although APOEL Nicosia have kept a clean sheet in five of their previous six UEFA Champions League games, Real Madrid have scored at least two goals in eleven of their last thirteen matches in the UEFA Champions League.

A 5-0 win for Real Madrid is the most likely result tonight.