Miami Beach, Florida (May 15, 2013) -- The Spanish capital will be set ablaze on Friday as Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid combat to succeed Barcelona as 2013 Copa del Rey champions. Ahead of this Spanish cup final fixture, LiveSoccerTV.com helps you with live TV listings. Find where to watch Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid live at 15:30 EST / 19:30 GMT / 21:30 CET on Friday, May 17, 2013.
Atletico Madrid’s history against their rich city neighbours is terrible. They have not beaten Los Blancos in 14 years. However, history is on their side ahead of Friday’s showdown. In 1992, the Copa del Rey final was played at the Santiago Bernabeu between the same teams. Atletico beat the odds to upset Real Madrid 2-0. Paulo Futre and Bernd Schuster did the damage with a goal each.
Ahead of the big kick-off, we take you through five different angles related to the 2013 Spanish Cup final. We look into Real Madrid’s defensive line-up, Jose Mourinho’s obligation to win the title, Iker Casillas’ miserable time on the bench, Atletico Madrid’s incredible form in Cup Finals during the past three years, and the influence of their two super strikers – Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa. To cap it off, our preview concludes with hyped up quotes and a final prediction.
Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid’s defensive line
Sergio Ramos has been out of action since April 30 when he came inches away from leading Real Madrid to a gargantuan comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish defender scored a late goal in that match but ended the night on the losing side with as much pain on his body as in his heart.
Espanyol team news
Espanyol will be without Cristian Alvarez, Felipe Mattioni and Samuele Longo. Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla expressed his horror at conceding three early goals against Sevilla last weekend. He described that as the team’s “worst 30 minutes under Javier Aguirre” in which the players “were very uncomfortable”.
Expect Espanyol to tighten up their defence in order to avoid another beating against goal-hungry Real Madrid. Capedvila, scorer of an own goal against Sevilla, may lose his place to left-back Victor Alvarez in the starting line-up.
Miami Beach, Florida (May 10, 2013) – Five matches headline beIN Sports’ packed three-day action dominated by the Italian Serie A, the Spanish La Liga and the Championship. Crystal Palace vs Brighton & Hove Albion kick starts the party at 14:45 EST on Friday to make way for more entertainment on May 11 and May 12. LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) breaks down beIN Sport USA and beIN Sport en Español’s live TV listings for you.
La Vecchia Signora cannot stop winning, even after clinching the Scudetto. Fresh from the 1-0 win away to Atalanta, Juve return to their stadium looking to thrill the home crowd again. Watch Juventus vs Cagliari live from 12:00pm EST / 16:00 GMT / 18:00 CET on Saturday, May 11, 2013.
The La Liga title has been all but confirmed for quite sometime, but a mid-week slip up from Real Madrid could finally confirm what many have known, or at least believed.
Although Tito Vilanova's side could already be crowned champions before their next match against Atletico Madrid, what started off looking like a brilliant campaign for the Blaugrana has slowly lost some of is bright spots.
From their first 18 matches, Barcelona looked destined for yet another record breaking season, if that was even possible, after what they had already accomplished with Pep Guardiola at the helm. The transition to Vilanova did not appear to cause any problems for the Catalans as they kicked off at a remarkable pace.
Analysis: Real Madrid and Malaga do not have much to play for
Eleven points separate league leaders Barcelona from current Spanish La Liga champions Real Madrid. Meanwhile, there are 12 more points at stake ahead of Matchday 35. A draw between Real and Malaga would not declare Barca champions yet. This is because head-to-head counts above goal difference in Spain. Having drawn 2-2 at the Camp Nou and triumphed 2-1 at the Bernabeu in El Clasico this season, Real Madrid have the advantage when it comes to head-to-head.
Last season the calls for an all Spanish final at Wembley from the fans were huge. This was almost shameful, considering that there is no greater view than watching the home fans celebrate the homecoming of their team. Football was coming home; Bayern München was coming home; the Champions League was coming home. But somehow, somewhere, between Arjen Robben’s penalty miss and Didier Drogba’s fatal kiss, the trophy slipped under Bayern’s nose and traveled on a plane to London.
Miami Beach, Florida (May 3, 2013) – Three big fixtures – two from the Spanish La Liga and one from the Italian Serie A – headline beIN Sports’ coverage this weekend. Real Madrid vs Real Valladolid, Juventus vs Palermo and Barcelona vs Real Betis will feature on both channels – beIN Sport USA and beIN Sport en Español. LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) offers you a full view of beIN Sports’ live TV listings between May 3 and May 5, 2013.
A few days ago, the Santiago Bernabeu’s home supporters were on the brink of witness a momentous comeback of Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund. Although it did not happen this way, Los Blancos showed tremendous zeal throughout the match and this is the kind of spirit they will want to maintain until the end of the campaign.
Analysis: Real Madrid looking to push Barcelona all the way to the wall
Real Madrid can pride themselves in the way they crashed out from the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League semi-finals in midweek. They bottled their chances in the first leg by allowing Borussia Dortmund to press them hard throughout 90 minutes as Robert Lewandowski scored an incredible amount of four goals. From there, it was always going to be difficult for Los Blancos to stage a comeback.
However, as dramatic as it may sound, they came only a goal away from reaching Wembley this Tuesday. Two late strikes from Benzema and Ramos almost put Real Madrid in dreamland. The miraculous third goal never occurred and the Santiago Bernabeu became the ground of priceless scenes of celebration for visitors Dortmund.
4-1 and 4-0 are astounding score lines in semifinals. Dortmund demolished Real Madrid thanks to Robert Lewandowski, following Bayern’s demolition job on Barcelona. However, the ties are not over yet. Many teams have pulled off seemingly impossible comebacks in the past. Barcelona in fact is one of them.
Miami Beach, Florida (April 28, 2013) – Millions of spectators worldwide will keep their eyes locked on their screen during Tuesday’s Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund match. Some are anti-Madridistas hoping to witness a confirmation of Los Blancos’ failure to reach the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley. Some are German football fans or, specifically, Borussia Dortmund supporters. Others are die-hard Real Madrid fans or neutrals looking to experience thrilling football at its best. With LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV), you can figure out where to watch Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.
Completing impossible comebacks is nothing new in the history of Real Madrid. The current side, however, is yet to ink such an achievement in the books of the UEFA Champions League. Emilio Butragueno branded Tuesday’s clash against Borussia Dortmund as ‘the match of the decade’.
The spirit ruling at the Santiago Bernabeu presently is one marked with faith to pull off a historic upset come Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Every area of Jose Mourinho’s squad will be tested – from the defence to the attack, from the physical stamina to the mental power. Los Blancos have done it many times in the past but what are the current team’s chances of recording a miraculous result against Jurgen Klopp’s perfectly trained Dortmund at the Bernabeu?
We look at a range of post-match quotes which illustrate Real Madrid’s belief that the tie ‘es remontable’ (can be overturned).
1) Pepe: “We did not start the match well. The important thing is that we can turn around the tie and get to the final. We have to think about ourselves. We played badly and we have to accept it, but there is still a match to go.”
Expensive mistakes can only be rectified through priceless perfection. Real Madrid will need to sweat blood at the Bernabeu to revive their hope of winning La Decima in 2013.
Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid (UEFA Champions League Semifinal First Leg, 2012-13)
He became the first man to score four goals in a Champions League semifinal; he also became the first player to score four in a single game against Real Madrid in this prestigious competition.
Robert Lewandowski scored four absolutely brilliant goals to ensure that his team takes a three goal advantage to Madrid. All four goals showed different traits of the Pole. His power, skill, calmness and excellence were all on display. The first goal was a display of strength and reflex. Mario Götze delivered a wonderful cross; Lewandowski wrestled Pepe off the ball and connected to score.
Team news and analysis
The big news is that Cristiano Ronaldo is back after missing Saturday’s league derby against Atletico. The UEFA Champions League top scorer has been in the tabloids recently for issues concerning his relationship with girlfriend Irina Shayk. Ronaldo, who strongly refuted The Sun’s report via Twitter, will be hoping to rebuild his tarnished image with a perfect performance on the pitch this Tuesday.
The Portuguese number 7 will likely be given a free role with Karim Benzema and Kaka in contention for a First XI spot along the likes of Mesut Özil, Xabi Alonso, Fabio Coentrao, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane.
The Spanish press will have its eyes fixed on Real Madrid’s goal post. Which man, between veteran Iker Casillas and January signing Diego Lopez, will Jose Mourinho pick in what Emilio Butragueno described as ‘Real Madrid’s game of the decade’?
Miami Beach, Florida (April 26, 2013) – beIN Sports end-of-month coverage starts this Friday with a Championship fixture between Leicester City and Watford which will air on both channels from 14:45 EST / 18:45 EST / 20:45 CET. The weekend will then be filled with a total of seven Spanish La Liga matches. Inevitably, the games that are set to attract wide viewership are Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona and Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid. LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) provides you with full live TV listings for beIN Sport en Español and beIN Sport USA.
Barcelona and Real Madrid find themselves in a very embarrassing and awkward position after heavy Champions League defeats, to Bayern and Dortmund respectively. The Catalans and the Blancos have one more away trip on their agenda before returning home for next week’s uphill task in Europe.
Team news and analysis
Three players are unavailable for this short trip: Marcelo, Essien and Arbeloa (unless he makes a last-minute recovery) will not take part in the Madrid derby. The hosts, meanwhile, have no injury concern apart from Arda Turan who remains doubtful.
Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho cannot afford to risk the health of his key players – most of whom underperformed against Borussia Dortmund and must sacrifice themselves next Tuesday to stand a chance of overturning the UEFA Champions League semi-final tie.
Miami Beach, Florida (April 21, 2013) – After Bayern’s home match against FC Barcelona, the eyes of UEFA Champions League lovers will remain in Germany on Wednesday. LiveSoccerTV.com (@LiveSoccerTV) offers you extensive listings to know where to watch Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid at 14:45 EST / 18:45 EST / 20:45 CET on April 24, 2013.
On Saturday, the Germans registered a 2-0 win over Mainz 05. Meanwhile, Real Madrid warmed up for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture with a 3-1 victory over Levante. Mesut Özil and Karim Benzema put their names on the scoring sheet while Cristiano Ronaldo got unlucky in front of goal a couple of times. Jurgen Klopp’s men will be looking to keep Ronaldo from scoring for a second game in a row.
Cristiano Ronaldo VS Neven Subotic
The biggest threat of the night for Jurgen Klopp will come from Cristiano Ronaldo. Although the Portugal international has always been overshadowed by Lionel Messi, his statistics are equally astonishing and mind-boggling.
This season, he has already scored 46 goals in 45 games, with 11 of those coming in 10 Champions League outings. During his career with the La Liga giants, Ronaldo has averaged more than a goal per game.
Though a winger by trade, Ronaldo has a tendency to cut inside and run through the middle where he is most threatening. This is the position where he can hurt Dortmund which means that Neven Subotic will keep on crossing paths with him regularly.
There are so many fascinating aspects to the Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid UEFA Champions League semi-final, the first leg of which is to be played on Wednesday night. Both teams will be more than eager to go all the way and lift the trophy at Wembley, marking a historic season to either of the clubs.
Team News
Dortmund’s captain, Sebastian Kehl, is doubtful for this clash. Ilkay Gündogan and Sven Bender are usually Jürgen Klopp’s preferred defensive midfielders in Europe this season nonetheless. Michael Essien is doubtful for Real Madrid while Alvaro Arbeloa is suspended.
Analysis
Borussia Dortmund was rocked by the news which was spread by German mass circulation Bild on Monday. Mario Götze is reportedly heading to Bayern after the Bavarians triggered the Munich born midfielder’s release clause. Jose Mourinho had witnessed a confident side when he had stopped by to watch them bash Greuther Fürth. Now, Bayern might have inflicted the damage to their neighbors which Madrid wanted to do.