The battle between Manchester United and Real Madrid is less than a week away. Cristiano Ronaldo has made headlines recently by stating that he thinks Madrid is a better club than Manchester and added that he believes they will prevail.
Are Ronaldo's statements valid? A few days ago we examined how the goaltenders matched up, but how about the defenses?
Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson's club is not known for having the best defense in the world. In fact, that is usually recognized as the club's weakness. While Manchester does have a plethora of talent, including Patrice Evra and Rafael, the team has had a hard time keeping the ball out of its net. Manchester has allowed 31 goals in the premier league. Manchester has pitched five clean sheets this season.
Real Madrid
The Madrid defenders are made up of Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao, Alvaro Arebeloa, Pepe, and newcomer Raphael Varane. This core of defenseman is usually well structured and capable of taking down the other team's top strikers. Varane will be the player to watch after his breakout performance against Barcelona in which he scored a goal and made a plethora of game-saving decisions. Madrid has allowed 21 goals in 22 Spanish league bouts. The team has pitched eight clean sheets this season.
Edge: Madrid is the better defensive squad. The team is not as prone as Manchester is to defensive lapses and has enough weapons to stop Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney. It should be noted that the premier league is a far more physical league than the Spanish one is and Madrid's defenders may take some time to adjust to United's physical play. This could wear down the Madrid defenders and give Manchester an initial edge.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
