Real Madrid vs Olympique Lyon - UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid vs Olympique Lyon
Champions League - Group D : 3rd round
Date : 19 October 2011
Stadium : Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Familiarity will not be a problem for either side: these teams will come face to face in the tournament for the third season in a row. Jose Mourinho's men will be looking to continue their perfect start to the Champions League.

Real Madrid has the top position in group D with 6 points after victories over Dinamo Zagreb on September 14 and Ajax on September 27. They are third in the Spanish league with 16 points after defeating Real Betis on Saturday 4-1. Madrid has won four out of their last 5 matches while drawing on one.

Lyon is second below Real Madrid in group D with 4 points after a draw with the Ajax on September 14 and a victory over Dinamo Zagreb on September 27. They are third in the French league with 20 points after a victory over AS Nancy Lorraine on Saturday with a score of 3-1. Lyon have lost their last two away matches, going down 1-0 in Caen before a 2-0 reverse against PSG.

Cristiano Ronaldo has continued his imperious form this season, and with Gonzalo Higuain scoring a hat-trick against Real Betis in La Liga at the weekend, Mourinho will have his best strikers at his disposal against Lyon. Jose Mourinho’s side have scored 17 goals in their past four matches. Madrid striker Karim Benzema is fit to face his former team but will struggle to break into Mourinho's starting lineup.

The French side travel to the Spanish capital without Lisandro Lopez but has captain Cris and playmaker Yoann Gourcuff returning from injury. As for the Galacticos, Marcelo and Di Maria are likely to come back into the side after suspensions and also Mourinho is free to return to the bench after serving a touchline ban for outbursts against UEFA following last season's acrimonious loss to Barcelona in the semifinals. Long term absences are Nuri Sahin and Portugal center back Ricardo Carvalho.

Lyon have proven to be Los Merengues' “black beast” in the past, beating them on several occasions in the 2006, 2007 and 2010 editions of the competition. Real Madrid will have to be extra careful approaching this one despite at home at the Santiago Bernabeu they rarely fail to overwhelm their opponents.

Head to Head :
Last Meeting : 17. March 2011; Real Madrid 3 - 0 Olympique Lyon
Wins Real Madrid : 3
Wins Olympique Lyon : 1
Draws : 4

Recent Performance :
Real Madrid : Win / Win / Win / Win / Draw
Olympique Lyon : Win / Lose / Win / Win / Lose

Possible Line-Ups :
Real Madrid : Casillas - Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Ronaldo, Ozil, Kaka, Higuain.
Olympique Lyon : Lloris - Reveillere, Cris, Lovren, Cissokho, Kallstrom, Gonalons, Briand, Gourcuff, Bastos, Gomis.

Betting Tip/Prediction :
This is not the same Lyon side that has given Real Madrid problems in the past, many influential veteran players like Jeremy Toulalan and Jean Makoun are no longer with the club. Real Madrid are a free scoring side and even though Lyon are better then the La Liga opposition they have faced to date I see them jumping out to a fast start, We're going with OVER in the First Half.