Improving Madrid reach crossroads

Despite his side's blistering recent form, coach Juan Ramón López Caro is quick to play down talk of Real Madrid CF being favourites as they prepare to welcome Arsenal FC to the Santiago Bernabéu for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie.

Scintillating form
The Spanish team have won their last six Primera División matches, scoring 18 goals, and also overcame Real Zaragoza 4-0 in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals yet, remarkably, still bowed out of the competition having lost the first game 6-1. López Caro is understandably delighted with his side's performances to date in 2006, but cautions against taking lightly an Arsenal team who have triumphed in just two of their last eight league outings.

'Big moment'
"Of course I'm very confident in the team at the moment," said the coach, who replaced Brazilian Vanderlei Luxemburgo at the beginning of December. "The players have responded very well and I'm very happy with how things are going right now. This is a big moment for this team, but Arsenal are one of the best teams in the world so we must be cautious. They're excellent opponents so we'll have to make as few mistakes as possible and then show what we can do."

Fitness returning
The Madrid trainer could reunite Ronaldo with captain Raúl González, who returned from a three-month absence with a knee injury as a second-half substitute against Deportivo Alavés on Saturday. The Brazilian striker looks to be regaining his sharpness after a calf problem. "I'm very happy with Ronaldo's progress over the last couple of months, he's been training very well," added López Caro, who is likely to recall Jonathan Woodgate, Roberto Carlos and Zinédine Zidane. "Raúl is also in perfect condition. He might be lacking match fitness but this is an important game."

'Play our way'
López Caro is a vocal believer in the team ethic and, while offering Arsenal respect, believes Madrid have the forward firepower to prevail. "Thierry Henry is a great player and probably Arsenal's biggest threat, but individuals are less important to how they play as a team," he said. "We're not going to adopt a more cautious approach to guard against an away goal, we'll continue to play our natural way. But I don't want to be happy on Tuesday and sad after the second leg."

Unbeaten home record
Madrid have never lost at home to English opposition in eight meetings, while five of Arsenal's seven trips to Spain have ended in defeat, although their solitary success came in their last trip, a 3-2 win at RC Celta de Vigo in 2003/04. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is in no doubt as to what will be required to improve that record. "We have to defend well as a team as Madrid's threat comes from everywhere," he said. "When we win the ball we must be positive and try to score, but the first priority will be the quality of our defending.

Defensive absentees
Wenger is expected to be without three of his first-choice defenders on Tuesday, with Sol Campbell (ankle), Lauren and Ashley Cole (both foot) all out, so the back four will have a youthful appearance. "Madrid are playing well, but we can do it," Wenger added. "I always believe in my side, I've chosen these young players because of their quality. They're growing very fast and getting to where I want them to be. Big games bring big opportunities, and I'm convinced they'll show how good they are."