Scarecrow – Alcorcon pre-preview

SIXTEEN NAMES

Manuel Pellegrini has announced the 16-man squad list for Tuesday’s Cup match against Alcorcon. Raul Albiol is able to play after serving a one-match suspension against Atletico Madrid, while Sergio Ramos must sit out after being sent off in the derby. Casillas, Benzema, Guti, Drenthe, Xabi Alonso and Metzelder did not make the final cut due to a coaching decision.

ONE HERO

Among the names on the list, one stands out. An enigmatic Brazilian named Kaka, call sign: SCARECROW. (Its funny Kaka means crow where I live). Kaka was on the pitch of the Bernabeu on Sunday morning and talked about Tuesday’s match. He said:

Our victory in the derby has boosted our morale to make a comeback on Tuesday. Our history and our pride force us to make a comeback The fans’ support will be very important. Players and fans must unite. The Bernabeu will be like a pressure cooker. The crowd must be the team’s twelfth player.

I can here the Madridistas say “Your wish is our command master.”

NO LIMITS

Real Madrid find themselves in need of a major turnaround in Copa del Rey action come Tuesday, but on two previous occasions the team has been able to bounce back from 4-0 deficits.

On 4 May 1947, a hat-trick by Crias and a goal by Pineda for Betis put Madrid in a major hole, but in the return leg at Metropolitano Stadium, Barrinaga scored three goals and Vidal, Molowny and Pruden had one each to turn the tie around. The Whites went on to win the competition against Español with two added-time goals by Vidal and Pruden.

Then in 1974/75, Real Madrid fell 4-0 to Las Palmas in a quarterfinal match up in the Canary Islands. Two days later at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Whites staged an epic comeback with goals Roberto Martinez, Santillana (3) and Pirri. The team also went on to win the Cup this season after a penalty shootout against Atletico Madrid.

There are no limits in this world.

The race is on and the pace is frantic as Real fight for their survival in the Copa del Rey, in the process demolishing Alcorcon, a team from Segunda B (the third tier of Spanish football) who stunned us in the first leg two weeks ago, in a result that raised questions over the future of coach Manuel Pellegrini.

We have won the European cup nine times, more than anyone else, and the League 31 times. This time it is different.

Because this time we are doing something that no one expects us to do.

P.S: The above format was drawn from the teaser of Scarecrow, a Matthew Reilly novel.