Real Madrid will be all but obliged to beat English side Tottenham Hotspurs when the two sides play the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday night.
Saturday's defeat to Sporting Gijon in the Bernabeu which was coupled with FC Barcelona's win away to Villarreal, leaves Real Madrid eight points behind Barca in the BBVA Primera Liga and almost without options of winning that title.
With the league now an almost impossible dream, Madrid have just the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in which to salvage their season and that means they have to beat Tottenham.
That necessity could force the hand of coach Jose Mourinho in his team selection. Mourinho left Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo out of his side at the weekend. Ronaldo is struggling with a hamstring injury, while Marcelo hurt his ribs while on international duty.
Mourinho hinted after Saturday's defeat that he could be prepared to take a risk on their fitness this Tuesday night and everything points to the duo returning to action even thought they would both run serious danger of suffering a relapse.
Angel di Maria should also be able to play; the winger suffered a knock on his calf at the weekend, but will start, given that he is suspended for next weekend's Primera Liga match in Bilbao.
Xabi Alonso will return to the midfield after injury, but Karim Benzema has not recovered from his thigh injury in time and will have to watch from the stands.
It is the first time Real Madrid have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in seven years, but it is completely new ground for Tottenham, whose last experience in the old European Cup was in 1962 when they reached the semi finals.
Tottenham have injury doubts of their own and coach Harry Redknapp will have to decide whether he risks star player Gareth Bale, who has been struggling with a slight hamstring strain, .
Meanwhile Tottenham are missing defenders Ledley King, Alan Hutton, Jonathan Woodgate and Younes Kaboul, while the presence of the experienced William Gallas will be in the air until the last moment.
Madrid and Tottenham have both scored 19 goals in Europe so far this season, as a result it promises to be a thrilling match in the Bernabeu and one that Madrid especially can't afford to lose.
Saturday's defeat to Sporting Gijon in the Bernabeu which was coupled with FC Barcelona's win away to Villarreal, leaves Real Madrid eight points behind Barca in the BBVA Primera Liga and almost without options of winning that title.
With the league now an almost impossible dream, Madrid have just the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in which to salvage their season and that means they have to beat Tottenham.
That necessity could force the hand of coach Jose Mourinho in his team selection. Mourinho left Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo out of his side at the weekend. Ronaldo is struggling with a hamstring injury, while Marcelo hurt his ribs while on international duty.
Mourinho hinted after Saturday's defeat that he could be prepared to take a risk on their fitness this Tuesday night and everything points to the duo returning to action even thought they would both run serious danger of suffering a relapse.
Angel di Maria should also be able to play; the winger suffered a knock on his calf at the weekend, but will start, given that he is suspended for next weekend's Primera Liga match in Bilbao.
Xabi Alonso will return to the midfield after injury, but Karim Benzema has not recovered from his thigh injury in time and will have to watch from the stands.
It is the first time Real Madrid have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League in seven years, but it is completely new ground for Tottenham, whose last experience in the old European Cup was in 1962 when they reached the semi finals.
Tottenham have injury doubts of their own and coach Harry Redknapp will have to decide whether he risks star player Gareth Bale, who has been struggling with a slight hamstring strain, .
Meanwhile Tottenham are missing defenders Ledley King, Alan Hutton, Jonathan Woodgate and Younes Kaboul, while the presence of the experienced William Gallas will be in the air until the last moment.
Madrid and Tottenham have both scored 19 goals in Europe so far this season, as a result it promises to be a thrilling match in the Bernabeu and one that Madrid especially can't afford to lose.
