There may well be concerns about the balance of the Real Madrid lineup, but there's no doubting the quality of their attack. That alone will be more than enough for them to cruise into the Champions League knockout stages, and they should demolish Bulgarian tournament first timers Ludogorets away in Sofia on Tuesday.
Ludogorets vs. Real Madrid, 2014 UEFA Champions League: Team news and game preview
Real Madrid should net quite a few goals en route to a win over Ludogorets in Bulgaria on Wednesday.
Manuel Queimadelos Alonso
Ludogorets may have gone close to drawing with Liverpool in their last match -- only a late penalty prevented them from taking a 1-1 draw home from Anfield -- but Real Madrid are a different calibre of team altogether. The Bulgarians will do well to keep the scoreline less embarrassing than Swiss champions Basel managed in the first matchday, when Madrid smashed them 5-1.
Key player - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t had an easy few months, with injuries and poor performances hampering his World Cup campaign with Portugal, and threatening to ruin the start of the new season. However, the 30-year-old attacker seems to be getting back to something like his best, having netted 10 goals in his first five league games in Spain so far this campaign. For any other player, that would be a ridiculous tally. For a man who may well be the best player on the planet, it’s business as usual.
Key matchup - Milan Borjan vs. ALL OF THE SHOTS
Ludogorets are vastly inferior to Real Madrid in all departments, and, as such a superior team, the reigning champions will dominate this match. Quite how humiliating the scoreline gets will largely depend on how well Canadian international Milan Borjan plays in the Ludogorets goal.
Ludogorets injuries and suspensions
Out: None. In doubt: Alexandre Barthe, Georgi Terziev (unspecified).
Real Madrid injuries and suspensions
Out: Sami Khedira (thigh) and Jesé Rodríguez (knee). In doubt: None.
Ludogorets could be without defensive duo Alexandre Barthe and Georgi Terziev, while Real Madrid have box-to-box midfielder Sami Khedira and young forward Jesé Rodríguez sidelined through injury.
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 9:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski, Sofia, Bulgaria
TV: Fox Sports Net, Fox Soccer Plus (U.S.) Sky Sports Red Button (U.K.), bTV Action, Voyo Sport (Bulgaria), C+ Liga de Campeones 2 / HD (Spain)
Online: Fox Soccer 2Go, (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada), Sky Go (U.K.)
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