Cruz Azul out to end Madrid run

15 December 2014 04:31

Cruz Azul coach Luis Fernando Tena is hoping to come up with a game plan to end Real Madrid's club record 20-match winning run when the two sides meet in Marrakech on Tuesday.

The Mexican outfit beat Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 in extra-time on Saturday to set up a FIFA Club World Cup semi-final clash with the European champions.

"They are the favourites," Tena told Mexican sports newspaper Record. "But in football, you have surprises.

"We need to analyse our opponents well and plan a game against the best team in the world."

Cruz Azul will go up against a Madrid team that has scored 23 goals in their last seven matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 32 goals in 23 matches in all competitions and has won the Club World Cup before with Manchester United, will lead the Spaniards' attack.

"They have a fantastic squad," Cruz defender Julio Dominguez told Spanish newspaper Marca. "They have Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale - to be honest all of them are excellent players.

"But they will also have to take into account that we also play and we will be no pushovers.

"We will try to do our job."

The CONCACAF Champions League winners will be relieved that the game, which was originally set to be played in Rabat, has been moved to Marrakech after heavy rain left the pitch at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in poor condition.

"Our first game was affected by the state of the pitch because of the rain," Dominguez said. "But, despite the adversity, we managed to win."

The European champions head into their first game in Morocco full of confidence.

Carlo Ancelotti's side won 4-1 at Almeria on Friday to maintain a four-point advantage over La Liga rivals Barcelona.

Real have won the Champions League, Copa del Rey and the European Super Cup this year, but they have never won the Club World Cup.

"This is a new competition for us," Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas told his club's website. "It's a vital competition, different and we are going to try to give joy to our people.

"I hope that in a few days' time we can lift a new trophy for us, for Madrid and our fans.

"But we cannot be overconfident."

Unlike Cruz Azul, the Spanish giants have played in the competition before, in 2000 when they finished fourth.

Madrid will be without the services of injured pair James Rodriguez and Luka Modric, with Asier Illarramendi set to replace the former in Madrid's midfield.

In the other semi-final, Copa Libertadores winners San Lorenzo of Argentina play Auckland City from New Zealand on Wednesday.

Source: PA