Real Madrid

The Madridista expedition landed in Germany yesterday, and on Tuesday night the Whites face Eintracht Frankfurt in the final test of the preseason.

Prepping for the Super Cup
With a lot less riding on it than there last meeting in 1960, Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt square off in what will be the final match of the preseason for the Madridistas.

Although just a friendly, Real Madrid will use the encounter to fine tune their football heading into the Spanish Super Cup, which kicks off next Sunday against Valencia in Mestalla.

Bernd Schuster called up all 21 players available. Cannavaro and Sneijder stayed behind to recover from their respective injuries, while Gago, Marcelo, and Drenthe are currently on international duty at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Combining youth and experience
Eintracht Frankfurt aren't known as a high-scoring team, but rather as good defenders who play the counterattack. Last year Galindo, Chris, Ochs, and Marco Russ made quite an impression on opposing teams. In fact, Russ was nearly called up by German for Euro 2008. In the midfield, men like Fink, Inamoto, and Caio have stepped up their play, but it's the two captains, Spycher and Amanatidis, who are the true pillars of the team.

Financial troubles at the start of 2008 forced the team to sell three forwards. The baton has been handed to Amanatidis, who led the team with 11 goals last season, Martin Fenin, Marcel Heller, and the club's latest acquisition, Nikos Liberopoulos.

Eintracht, who finished ninth in last year's Bundesliga, open the 2008/09 season at home against Hertha BSC Berlin on 17 August. They began their preseason in early July and already have 10 matches under their belt, including duels against Wigan Athletic and Palermo. Their preseason record stands at seven victories, two draws, and one defeat against FC Astoria Walldorf.