Last match Tanuj of therealmadridfan.com asked me a few questions prior to our trip to the Bernabeau. No surprise how the trip turned out, but I thought I would ask Tanuj some questions about Mourinho and Real Madrid prior to their visit to the San Siro.
Do you think Jose will adjust anything tactically considering the relative ease in which Madrid dispatched Milan at the Bernabeau?
I don't think Jose would want to take the foot off the gas as it is important for us to stay focused and keep the momentum going. Another reason he would field the same side and go for an all out attack approach is the desire to finish at the top of the table and hope for a relatively easier opponent in the next round. Things would definitely be much different in San Siro but Jose knows how Milan are at home thanks to his time at Inter.
If CRON is on top of his game can anyone stop him?
I see only two scenarios in which Ronaldo can be effectively stopped. The first is two have two players mark him efficiently and they need to be at the top of their legs to keep up with his pace and agility. The other way around which works very well against Ronaldo is to be physical when marking him. However he is good with his physical ability too but any sort of physical challenges would keep him wary and prevent him from being free.
Who was the bigger impact signing for Madrid this summer: Carvalho, Khadira, or Ozil?
It would be hard to pick between the three to be honest. All three have been highly influential in their respective position. Carvalho has been an important element in the back which has helped solidify our back line, Khedira along with Alonso have been rock solid in keeping the ball moving in midfield and also in stopping opposition from penetrating while Ozil has been exceptional in creating chances and also chipping in with goals himself. If I have to pick between the three then I would go with Ozil because of his creativity and the chances that he's created for others to score from.
Who would you believe to be more effective on Wednesday Robinho or Ronaldinho?
While both the Brazilians are both very creative and dangerous in attack, the threat of Ronaldinho seems a lot more to me than that of Robinho. Ronaldinho is lethal from the free kick and can provide wonderful balls for the likes of Ibrahimovich and Pato. Furthermore, he himself is more than capable to use his skills and trickery to his and Milan's advantage.
Does Milan’s self proclaimed best attack in Europe scare you?
Definitely yes. It would be wrong to write off a team like Milan on the basis of their recent form. In my opinion, Pato is one of the players who can pop out of nowhere and be the game changer. Add to that, the aerial threat of Ibrahimovich cannot be ignored too. Another player who goes unnoticed and unmentioned is Seedorf, he is one of those players who have a lot of work to do in defence and also going forward in stringing together neat interplay.
Does this team with the addition of Jose Mourinho have what it takes to return you to CL Glory?
Yes I believe so. Mourinho has been critical of those players who need to do a lot more to make the first team and also been all praises for the ones who have been performing well. Both these things coming from a man like Mourinho who has achieved so much in the European scenario is worth noticing. His tactics took some time in developing amid the changes in the squad but the effects are quite visible now. The team is strong from back to front, the defence which has always been our Achilles heel has been great this season and going forward we have been patient and smart to keep the ball moving.
Make sure you are back here for the match on Wednesday, misery usually breeds company...