Real Madrid visits Sevilla Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Saturday. With the Spanish league's second and third place teams looking evenly matched. Sevilla boasts a perfect record at home this season but Madrid's away form is formidable, with five wins in six matches. The sides have emerged as the biggest threats to leader FC Barcelona's hopes of a third straight La Liga title.
Barcelona has 30 points, while Madrid has 29 and Sevilla 28. All three have won nine of their 13 matches. Madrid appears to have a slight edge after last weekend's games.
Bet on Real Madrid v. Sevilla at PinnacleSports
Sevilla suffered its first defeat in seven matches at Espanyol. In contrast, the 29 time champion Madrid extended its winning streak to four games by beating Athletic Bilbao.
"We're in gear. Let's see if we can move to the top before Christmas.” Madrid right-back Michel Salgado said. ”Now's the moment to beat Sevilla,"
Ronaldo's return from a left knee problem has added to Madrid's positive mood. The Brazilian scored against Bilbao and added two more in a 2-2 Champions League draw at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, his first in Europe's elite competition for two years.
Bet on Real Madrid v. Sevilla at Bodog.com
Ronaldo scored two late goals Wednesday to help Real Madrid earn a draw at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League, knocking Dynamo from the Champions League.
Ronaldo scored his first goal in the 86th and then added another from the penalty spot in the 88th. Madrid also had a chance to score in the 53rd when David Beckham hit the post. Madrid had already advanced to the second round from Group E, while Dynamo was assured of finishing in last place.
Maxim Shatskikh scored both goals for his team, first in the 13th minute by putting in a pass from Valentin Belkevich after a period of pressure from the hosts, and then in the 27th after the ball rebounded into the net off his knee.
Madrid finished the group phase in second place behind Lyon, while Steaua Bucharest took third and will play in the UEFA Cup. David Beckham, who made a good impression on his recall for the Kiev game, could keep his place and make only his eighth start in 22 games this season. Beckham's chances have been helped by Jose Antonio Reyes' right thigh strain, which may deny the forward the chance of a return to his former club.
European player of the year Fabio Cannavaro and playmaker Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez should be back from injury, while midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is suspended. It seems unlikely Sevilla will repeat its 4-3 win in the teams' last meeting in May as Madrid has only conceded nine goals this season.
However, Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute is quietly confident of another success.
"We'll adapt our style and we'll know the way to play Madrid. It's going to be hard but we're ready," said the Mali striker, the league's joint top scorer with 10 goals.
Bet on Real Madrid v. Sevilla at PinnacleSports
Sevilla's talented right winger Jesus Navas has recovered from the left knee injury which has sidelined him for a month, although striker Luis Fabiano and defenders Julien Escude, Ivica Dragutinovic and Aitor Ocio are all doubtful.
Pinnacle displays the powerhouse Real Madrid at PK +124 which is an irresistible line against a much rested Sevilla at PK -134, only doubt I can have. They also a have a total of 2½ goals with under at -127 while the over is a nice +117. Not a bad choice to root for a soccer game full of goals.
Bodog has Real Madrid +175 and although they tied and killed me on Wednesday I still like to cheer them to wins, especially with some bucks on it.
