Real Madrid take on Schalke in the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie tonight.
Holding a 6-1 lead going into the match at the Santiago Bernabeu, it’s safe to say the match won’t be tense, but Carlo Ancelotti has called on his players to be professional and respect the opposition. In his pre match press conference he also said he wanted his players to prepare well for the Clasico this weekend and keep up the momentum.
Perhaps that’s the reason why Cristiano Ronaldo will start tonight, while other players are given a rest. Ancelotti revealed he would rotate his team, with Isco, Alvaro Morata, Jese Rodriguez and Raphael Varane all set to start.
But Marca uses its front page to say the Madridista faithful will have their fingers crossed, hoping Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso make it through the game unscathed so they are fit for the crunch match with Barcelona at the weekend.
AS uses its front page to reveal how much Leo Messi’s contract extension will cost Barcelona – some 250 million euros.
But inside the paper there is plenty of focus on Real Madrid. While Ronaldo seems to play all the games, at the other end of the field, club captain Iker Casillas will only play seven more matches this season should Carlo Ancelotti stick with his goalkeeping policy at the moment, and Madrid make it all the way to the final of the Champions League in Lisbon.
