Real Madrid

Tonight Real Madrid finishes the group qualifying round of the Champions League against Ajax in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The Whites, who have have been unbeaten in their last eight Champions League matches at home and have already qualified for the round of sixteen, go up against the Dutch team for the sixth time in the last three seasons. Their track record is outstanding: five wins, 16 goals scored and only one conceded. It will be the third consecutive match the Whites face at home in just over a week and, in the words of Mourinho, the objective is “to win and for our footballers to play without pressure”. Adán, Nacho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Khedira and Coentrão will be in the starting line up, while Ramos y Alonso will be sitting out the match to avoid receiving a card that would prevent them from playing the first leg of the round of sixteen. Arbeloa won't be playing due to suspension.

Today Real Madrid wrap up their participation in group D of the Champions League. The Whites, who have already qualified for the round of sixteen, go up against Ajax Amsterdam tonight in their third match on home territory in little over a week. Alcoyano and Atlético de Madrid were the two previous rivals that were defeated on Real Madrid's home turf and today's objective is to rack up their third consecutive victory before a home crowd that hasn't seen their team lose in the 11 matches they've played at the Bernabéu.

GROUP D TABLE
Qualif.	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Borussia Dortmund	5	3	2	0	10	5	2	5
2	Real Madrid	5	2	2	1	11	8	3	3
3	Ajax de Ámsterdam	5	1	1	3	7	12	-2	-5
4	Manchester City	5	0	3	2	7	10	-3	-3

It's beginning to be a tradition for the Whites, who remain unbeaten in their last eight home matches in the Champions League and have had the most shots at goal in the current edition (59), to face the Dutch team. In fact, the two teams have faced each other five times in the last three seasons, each time in the group qualifying round. Their track record is outstanding: all wins, 16 goals scored and only one conceded.

► REAL MADRID'S LINE UP

“Ramos and Alonso won't be playing because they have two yellow cards and I can't take any risks seeing I want them for the first round of sixteen match. Arbeloa is suspended and won't be able to play either. The starting line up will include Adán, Nacho, Khedira, Coentrão, Ronaldo and Benzema”, José Mourinho commented in the press room. He's called up 18 footballers in total but the last two deserve special mention. The Portuguese player, who is one of the competition's top four goal scorers with a tally of five, has scored six goals against Ajax while playing for Real Madrid. Benzema has scored in three of the last four matches he has played against the Dutch team.

Ajax aims to go through to the Europa League
The Dutch team has already been knocked out of the Champions League but visits the Bernabéu with the intention of qualifying for the Europa League. They have a one point lead over Manchester City and only a win for the English team in Dortmund would require them to beat Real Madrid to reach their objective.

CLASHES BETWEEN BOTH TEAMS IN THE EUROPEAN CUP
Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA
Real Madrid	11	6	1	4	20	9
Ajax	11	4	1	6	9	20

Ajax is motivated after defeating PSV last Saturday, another of the favourites to win the Eredivisie, and has recovered their centre back Alderweireld, who finished the match suffering discomfort, but Babel, Sigthorsson, Boilesen and Serero will be sitting out the match due to injury. The Dutch team has proved very difficult to beat in their away matches in the top European competition. They lost in Dortmund in the 87th minute (0-1) and in Manchester they drew (1-1).