Real Madrid defend 2-0 lead against Roma

Real Madrid are aiming to ensure that their 2-0 first-leg away triumph is not overturned by Roma.

Real Madrid are just one step away from sealing their passage to the Champions League quarter-finals and ensuring that their name is in the last-eight draw to be held in Nyon on 18 March. The Whites can seal their qualification today against Roma at the Santiago Bernabéu by ensuring that their 2-0 away win from the Round of 16 first-leg clash at the Stadio Olimpico is not overturned.

Despite the excellent result that the team brought back from Rome, Zidane doesn’t want any complacency, warning in his pre-match press conference that tonight’s game “will not be easy”. Madrid come into the contest in ominous form, responding to last weekend’s derby defeat to Atletico Madrid by beating Levante 3-1 in midweek and then thrashing Celta Vigo 7-1 at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid are a real force to be reckoned with at home. Spanish giants are eyeing their fourth consecutive win at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League. In their last home fixture in the elite competition los Blancos demolished Malmo 8-0.

Whilst Real Madrid might have won handsomely in La Liga, Roma have also been amongst the goals themselves recently, having beaten Fiorentina 4-1 last time out. This latest victory was Roma’s seventh successive Serie A triumph with Frosinone, Sassuolo, Sampdoria, Carpi, Palermo and Empoli all having been put to the sword.

The Romans need to overcome a two-goal deficit in the return leg if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the elite competition, but they certainly face an uphill task in the return leg. Seeing that Roma need a big win in the second leg, there is every chance the visitors will go all-out attack in the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu clash.

Head to Head

Roma are tasked with overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit when they lock horns with the Spanish giants in Madrid. Second-half goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Jesé earned Zinédine Zidane’s side a hard-fought victory in the first leg.

Roma have faced the Whites eight times in Europe, recording three wins, four defeats and one draw in these games.

Match Facts

• Real Madrid have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for the 19th consecutive season, longest run in the history of the competition. They’ve reached the semi-finals in each of the last five seasons.
• Roma are in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2010/11. They were eliminated by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Last 16.
• The only previous encounter between Roma and Real Madrid in the knockout stages of the Champions League saw the Italian side progress 4-2 on aggregate in the Last 16 of the 2007/08 edition.
• Roma are one of three clubs to have registered more wins than defeats against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League, alongside Arsenal & Barcelona. The Italian side have won two, drawn one and lost one.
• Real Madrid are one of two clubs still unbeaten in the Champions League this season, the other being Barcelona.
• Real Madrid have won 28 of their last 33 Champions League games at the Bernabeu (D3 L2). The last time they lost by two clear goals at home was in April 2011 against Barcelona (0-2).
• No team has scored more goals than Real Madrid in the Champions League this season (21, alongside Bayern Munich).
• Meanwhile, Roma’s games have produced more goals than any other team in the competition this season: 29 (11 for, 18 against).

Roma

The injured Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Rudiger both miss out for Spalleti’s men.