MADRID - Barcelona, after being wounded by defeat in the Cup finals, are now withdrawing from their headquarters to take revenge on their main rivals Real Madrid in the first leg Champions League semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
This is the third meeting of these two sworn top Spanish teams were within 12 days and Barcelona try to maintain their impressive record at the Bernabeu, as well as revenge for the 0-1 defeat in extra-time King's Cup when they defeated Real five days ago.
It is the first Cup for coach Jose Mourinho as new coach Real Madrid and now coach of Portugal's European Championship after the 10th of Madrid, in an attempt to become the first coach to win the Champions League title in three different clubs.
Mourinho humiliated when their goal dicocor Barcelona 0-5 last November, but finally managed to stop Barca Real drew 1-1 in league matches at home following a victory in the King's Cup.
"We can overcome them in two games, we just do that," Mourinho said, "No reason for us to not beat them in the Champions League because, as we managed to hold them and then beat them."
History is on Madrid's club when they perform better over Barcelona in the previous two semi-finals at Euro 1960 and recently in four of the Champions League 2002, when Madrid finally got the second trophy in the competition.
Barcelona advanced to the Champions League semi-final for the fourth time and coach Pep Guardiola hopes his team performed better than last season when they dikandaskan farm team Mourinho, Inter Milan, at the same stage.
Barcelona beat Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday and maintain a distance of eight points clear of Real and was approaching the La Liga title for the third time in a row.
But Guardiola admitted his team got the influence of the length and density of this season's competition.
"We will go to Madrid is not in the best physical condition, but we came up with interest and confidence in our own self," said Guardiola.
"We recognize that Madrid might be favorites but we went to the Bernabeu for the attack, creating a goal and try to win games," he said.
Lionel Messi who scored his 50th goal this season at Osasuna and give birth every three goals in their visit to the Bernabeu and Barcelona excited with the results of two victories and one series in their three matches in the capital.
Goals that were created Messi and David Villa at the weekend, ending famine goals in 11 matches in all competitions, is generating enthusiasm for Barca but the injuries suffered by players from Brazilian Adriano great concern to them in team defense.
Pure defender Adriano will miss the match of the season because of a thigh injury, so coach Guardiola seems to be watching captain Carles Puyol who are struggling with muscle problems as well as French players Eric Abidal who had surgery in the treatment of liver tumors sertelah.
Real lucky
Real is more fortunate because of Argentin forward Gonzalo Higuain and Brazilian playmaker Kaka back in action after a long rest.
Higuain scored a hat-trick and two goals from Kaka made when Real won 6-3 victory over Valencia on Saturday, so the team spirit is very strong because of their core players support it
"He (Kaka) played very fantastic in his position, I very like it," Mourinho said, "It is also very fantastic for her confidence.
Mourinho rested key players such as Pepe, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the winning goal in the Cup finals, but his team crippled by the absence of experienced central defender Ricardo Carvalho who is being punishedGermany's midfielder Sami Khedira also not go down the field due to muscle injury, so players from France Lass Diarra directed to replace it.
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