Champions League 
/ Tobias Gourlay / 12 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Cristiano Ronaldo always needs something to shout about
"Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are exactly the sort of player to fly out of the traps and help Spurs make an early breakthrough in their quest for the unprecedented"
Tobias Gourlay identifies the individual players with the motivation to do well in a game that may or may not mean very much to the clubs involved
Tottenham must overturn a four-goal deficit if they are to go through to the semi-finals. No team has ever done that in the Champions League era.
Real Madrid rested the stars of their 4-0 first-leg win at the weekend - Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil, Emmanuel Adebayor and Ricardo Carvalho all started on the bench. Karim Benzema and Kaka missed the first leg, but are now fit enough to play.
Harry Redknapp could have done with resting his stars at home to Stoke City on Saturday, but everyone is needed if Spurs must now qualify for next season's Champions League via this season's Premier League. Aaron Lennon is feeling better; otherwise, the injury list is much as it was for the first leg. Peter Crouch, of course, is suspended.
Match Odds
Real Madrid are [2.66] to win at White Hart Lane. Jose Mourinho built this team to counter-attack and presumably that is exactly what they will be allowed to do as Spurs search for their four goals.
Spurs' recent tired performances and Mourinho's apparent desire to put on a good show in England make it hard to argue with Real's status as favourites, but Matthew Walton has done some analysis that might raise a concern. And with Real perhaps thinking already about Saturday's el Clasico, this market should probably be left alone.
Over / Under Goals
Over 2.5 Goals is a [1.73] favourite for this game. It paid out in three group-stage matches at White Hart Lane, then there was a goalless draw with AC Milan.
This season, Real have played a couple of games in France, a place of few goals, but a couple of other European away matches have broken the 2.5-goal barrier.
With the two teams' motivations and priorities not clear, this market is not very enticing either.
To Score
Cristiano Ronaldo has taken more shots than any other player in the Champions League this season, including 14 at the Bernabeu last week. He is embroiled in a personal battle with Leo Messi to prove himself the world's best player and is thus keen to play every game and to play it hard. If Mourinho names a strong team and Ronaldo is available at [2.5] or more To Score, he will be your best bet.
Karim Benzema is actually Real's top-scorer in the Champions League this season with six goals in his last four appearances. He has not played since appearing for France three and a half weeks ago, but until then he had scored in nine of his most recent 11 games for Real. If Mourinho rests Ronaldo for this match so he's fresh for el Clasico and Benzema starts, [3.0] or more would be a tempting price at which to back the Frenchman To Score anytime, not least because competition for a starting place is hotting up as Gonzalo Higuain and Emmanuel Adebayor find fitness and form.
Half Time / Full Time
Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon are exactly the sort of players to fly out of the traps and help Spurs make an early breakthrough in their quest for the unprecedented. Initially, Real will probably be content to defend their aggregate lead and they might not be roused until Mourinho's half-time team talk.
Twelve of Real's 23 Champions League goals this season have come in the final 30 minutes of their matches and it could be that their speedy counter-attacks only break through when the home side gets desperate and starts to tire.
It is very speculative, but you might fancy a punt on Tottenham to be ahead at half-time and Real to be winning at full-time at [34.0] in the Half Time / Full Time market.
Top Stat: Cristiano Ronaldo is averaging seven shots a match in the Champions League this season
Best Bet: Back Cristiano Ronaldo @ [2.5] To Score*
Recommended Bet: Back Tottenham/Real Madrid @ [34.0] Half Time/Full Time
You can now follow Tobias on Twitter: @tobiasgourlay
*If he starts and Real play their first XI
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