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What: UEFA Champions League, Matchday 1When: 14 sept, 18:45 PM GMTWhere: Maksimir Stadium, Zagreb
A new season brings along with it, a new pursuit for the ever elusive La Decima. Real Madrid kick-off their Champions League campaign with an away game against Croatians Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday, 14th September. Group D where Real and Dinamo Zagreb are both placed along with familiar faces Ajax Amsterdam and Olypmique Lyonnais, is a fairly straight forward group. One would go so far as to claim that this is Real’s group to lose and anything lesser than group leaders while qualifying from the group would be disappointing for a club of our stature given the stature of the opponents. Coming back to the UCL opener, it would be easy to term this match as the typically clichéd David v Goliath encounter. Dinamo Zagreb can hardly be termed as European royalty, while Real Madrid’s record in the tournament is enviable.
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KNOW YOUR RIVALS
While Dinamo may not exactly have had a stellar showing in Europe over the years, domestically they have been Prva NHL’s (Croatian National League’s) most successful club having won their sixth consecutive title last season and sitting pretty in pole position for the current season. That is one similarity that they share with their illustrious rivals…Us. Also, just like Real Madrid, Dinamo Zagreb’s biggest rivals are not their city rivals NK Zagreb but Hajduk Split; a match between Dinamo Zagreb v Hajduk Split is called an “Eternal Derby” (ala El Clasico) and is often an intensely violent and bad tempered spectacle, just like the recent spate of Clasicos has been. But that is where the similarities end.
Had history been kinder to that particular region, Dinamo Zagreb would’ve been contending amongst the world’s top clubs at this very moment. However the dissolution of Yugoslavia saw the once strong Yugoslavian league disbanded and a score of regional leagues and clubs pop-up for each of the new free nations, Dinamo Zagreb and the Prva NHL amongst them; thereby diluting the quality of football in that part of the world. Dinamo Zagreb therefore remains the last bastion of a lost footballing era which saw teams like Red Star Belgrade and Partizan regularly triumph in Europe.
It is quite ironic that Dinamo Zagreb has managed to qualify to the final stages of the UEFA Champions League only twice before. The first time was during the 1998-99 season when current coach and Dinamo youth product Krunoslav Jurcic was still a player and next season when they famously held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at the Old Trafford. The third time is obviously now.
Stadion Maksimir
If you have ever visited Zagreb, you don’t need to be told of the attitude of Croatian people towards football. The whole city is a set of Dinamo graffiti filled with people whose love for football borders on obsession. The noise Croatian fans produce at the stadium and the problems Dinamo fans cause inside and outside it may arguably be compared with that of the well-known English fans.
Dinamo Zagreb is always associated with their fan base, known as Bad Blue Boys (BBB), which is similar to the infamous Ultra Sur of Real Madrid. The north stand of the Maksimir is a traditional stronghold for the BBB, so rest assured Iker Casillas is going to have at least one helluva half. The recently concluded Eternal Derby against Hajduk was turned into a nightmare by fans of both sides and had to be interrupted 3 times because of all the flares used (see above). It probably won’t be repeated during a CL game and no booing can frighten a Real Madrid player, especially Cristiano, but the atmosphere will definitely be intimidating, especially since Dinamo are undefeated at their home stadium in 2011.
HEAD TO HEAD
Real Madrid will be facing Dinamo Zagreb for the first time ever, so head to head results are not available. However, for whatever it’s worth, the only time Real has ever faced a Croatian opponent was in 1984-85 during the UEFA Cup against NK Rijeka. The Whites lost the first leg 1-3 away, but won the home leg comprehensively 3-0. On the other hand, Dinamo have won only once in 10 encounters with Spanish side, the only win being in Europa League last season against Villarreal. That was also the only time they kept a clean sheet against a Spanish opposition.
TEAM NEWS
Dinamo Zagreb:
Dinamo’s playing style has averaged between a tight knit attacking formation which uses width to that of a side which presses aggressively when without the ball. How they implement their strategy against a squad of Real Madrid’s caliber is up for debate and would be seen only on the match day.
Long term injury to Biscan means that he’ll miss this tie, so will the side’s exciting right sided full back Sime Vrsaljko who will sit out this match due to a red card earned during the CL Qualifier against Malmo FF. Apart from that, Jurcic will probably have the rest of the squad to choose from.
Form Chart: W-W-W-W-W**Includes matches from CL, Domestic Cup and League
Real Madrid:
News has it that Real Madrid will be sporting their red jerseys for this match. Red was last used by The Whites back in the 70s and we’re not too happy about the color seeing as it is not a very “Real Madrid” color.
The biggest setback for Real Madrid will be the absence of the coach Jose Mourinho who will be serving the familiar UEFA ban which he picks up with alarming regularity. So, it will be Aitor Karanka leading the team from the sidelines for this one. After having politely refused Dinamo’s offer to watch the game from the stands, Mourinho will be watching it from his hotel (and be in touch with Aitor over phone no doubt, UEFA instructions notwithstanding). There is also the little matter of the defence which hasn’t exactly looked sharp this pre-season and against Getafe.
Nuri Sahin & Hamit Altintop continue to be unavailable through long term injury. Kaka will most likely be unavailable after having picked up a slight bruise on his knee. Physios have advised rest, but he might yet make it to the squad in time. After sitting out the last week’s fixture against Getafe, Khedira makes it back to the squad and would probably start the match as well.
Mourinho has named 21 players for the squad which will take on Dinamo Zagreb. They are as under:
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adan, Tomas MejiasDefenders: Carvalho, Pepe, Ramos, F. Coentrao, A. Arbeloa, Albiol, Marcelo, R. VaraneMidfielders: Ozil, Alonso, Callejon, Di Maria, Khedira, Lass, GraneroForwards: C. Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain
Form Chart: W-L-W-W-W**Includes matches from CL, Domestic Cup and League
EXPECTED TEAM LINE-UPS
Dinamo Zagreb
Formation: 4-4-2Starting XI: Kelava, Tonel, Vida, Cufre, Ibanez, Calello, Leko, Sammir, Badelj, Beciraj, Rukavina
Real Madrid
Formation: 4-2-3-1Starting XI: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo, Khedira, Alonso, Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Benzema
PREDICTION
Dinamo Zagreb are already in mid-season form due to the fact that their season has started early. If they press Real Madrid aggressively, they can suffocate Alonso from having time on the ball and therefore dictate play. We expect this game to be a hard fought one for Real Madrid, but La Pelicula having the last laugh.
Anita’s Prediction: 0-3 to Real MadridAnother Prick In The Wall’s prediction: 1-3 to Real Madrid.
So let the game begin. Cue, “We are the Champions” UCL theme…
By Anita Ogandzhanyan & Another Prick In The Wall
