Real target perfect ten to keep Barca in their sights
Saturday, 23 January 2010
MADRID, Jan 22 (AFP): Real Madrid have picked up one point from the last six on the road so will be glad of some home comfort at their fortress Santiago Bernabeu when they host Malaga Sunday as they bid to close the five-point gap on leaders Barcelona.
Real lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao last time out but are going for a 10th straight home victory in the league and need to maintain their 100 percent record to keep Barca within their sights.
Top-scorer Gonzalo Higuain is sidelined with a hamstring injury so the goals burden falls on the shoulders of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo who has gone three games without a goal, which is a drought, by his high standards.
"I am not getting worked up about it," said Ronaldo. "These things will come naturally because I'm working the same as I always do. I'm sure the goals are going to come."
Since thrashing Real Zaragoza 6-0, Madrid have failed to score in two of the subsequent three matches at Osasuna (0-0) and Bilbao (1-0) so coach Manuel Pellegrini may choose to bring the club's all-time leading goalscorer Raul back in from the cold after a lengthy spell on the substitutes bench.
Barcelona have not had much trouble in front of goal plundering nine goals in the last two league matches with Lionel Messi scoring five of the nine.
On Saturday Barcelona travel to fourth from bottom Valladolid knowing a win would put them eight points clear of Real, at least for 24 hours.
"It's five points and that gives us confidence to keep on working," said midfielder Xavi. "However, we can't relax and we'll try to stretch the lead over Madrid and Valencia."
Real lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao last time out but are going for a 10th straight home victory in the league and need to maintain their 100 percent record to keep Barca within their sights.
Top-scorer Gonzalo Higuain is sidelined with a hamstring injury so the goals burden falls on the shoulders of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo who has gone three games without a goal, which is a drought, by his high standards.
"I am not getting worked up about it," said Ronaldo. "These things will come naturally because I'm working the same as I always do. I'm sure the goals are going to come."
Since thrashing Real Zaragoza 6-0, Madrid have failed to score in two of the subsequent three matches at Osasuna (0-0) and Bilbao (1-0) so coach Manuel Pellegrini may choose to bring the club's all-time leading goalscorer Raul back in from the cold after a lengthy spell on the substitutes bench.
Barcelona have not had much trouble in front of goal plundering nine goals in the last two league matches with Lionel Messi scoring five of the nine.
On Saturday Barcelona travel to fourth from bottom Valladolid knowing a win would put them eight points clear of Real, at least for 24 hours.
"It's five points and that gives us confidence to keep on working," said midfielder Xavi. "However, we can't relax and we'll try to stretch the lead over Madrid and Valencia."