Real Madrid vs Zaragoza preview - Lafita targets Zaragoza`s big chance

Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 by PA

Real Zaragoza midfielder Angel Lafita believes his relegation-threatened side will never get a better opportunity to get a result at Real Madrid following the capital club's tumultuous week.

Jose Mourinho's side suffered a morale-sapping 2-0 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

The fall-out from an ill-tempered contest has lingered on with UEFA announcing yesterday that both clubs will face disciplinary hearings.

Madrid were hit with five charges, the most notable of which relates to Mourinho's "inappropriate statement" in the post-match press conference.

The tit-for-tat between the clubs has continued on still with both subsequently reporting the other to UEFA ahead of next week's return leg at the Nou Camp.

It has served to overshadow Madrid's return to the Primera Liga, where they trail Barca by eight points, and Lafita believes his team can use that to secure a result and build on their single-point lead above the drop zone.

"This is the best time to catch them in the middle of a Champions League semi-final," he said.

"But having said that it will still be difficult to get a result, there is no room for error.

"Madrid have quality across their whole squad so you have to do things well if you want to even scratch them.

"We saw last weekend when they did not field their full-strength team at the Mestalla, they still won 6-3."

Madrid are likely to rest their key men again for the visit of Zaragoza with Kaka, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, all unused substitutes in midweek, likely to start.

Defenders Pepe and Sergio Ramos could also remain in the starting XI from midweek after they earned bans to rule them out of the Nou Camp return.

Zaragoza will give a late fitness test to on-loan midfielder Nicolas Bertolo after he was injured in their crucial 1-0 success over Almeria on Monday night.

Herrera Ander is banned after he was sent off late in that victory but the visitors will be boosted by the returns of Kalu Uche and Ivan Obradovic from their suspensions.