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FC BATE Borisov - Real Madrid CF<br />
MATCH PRESS KIT<br />
Latest domestic information<br />
• Saturday 22 November: Real Madrid CF 1-0 RC Recreativo de Huelva (Sneijder 39)<br />
A deflected shot by Wesley Sneijder six minutes before half-time was enough for Madrid to defeat lowly Recreativo<br />
at the Santiago Bernabéu. Both sides had chances to take the lead early on with Javier Camuñas, for Recreativo,<br />
and Sneijder both going close with headers. Sneijder thought he had put his team in front just before the quarter-hour,<br />
but his effort was disallowed as the ball had gone out of play before Gonzalo Higuaín passed to the Dutch midfielder.<br />
With the interval approaching, Sneijder was rewarded when his strike from distance deflected off defender Beto and<br />
looped over goalkeeper Asier Riesgo. Raúl González missed one of the few opportunities that the hosts, who lost<br />
Higuaín to an ankle injury 12 minutes from time, fashioned in the second half.<br />
• "The result was important," said coach Bernd Schuster. "I thought the winning margin could have been greater given<br />
the chances we had. It was vital we won for lots of reasons, including that it was against a team we should be beating<br />
at home. Higuaín went off with an ankle injury and I hope he's back soon because things can't continue like this for<br />
us – we're getting new injuries every day."<br />
• Iker Casillas kept his first clean sheet for Madrid since the Real Racing Club game on 21 September, a run of eleven<br />
matches during which his net was breached 17 times. Jerzy Dudek kept goal for the Copa del Rey games against<br />
Real Unión Club on 30 October (2-3) and 11 November (4-3).<br />
• Higuaín scored four goals to earn ten-man Madrid a 4-3 Liga win against Málaga CF on 8 November. The home<br />
side were behind three times at the Santiago Bernabéu as Eliseu (6) and Nabil Baha (18) traded goals with Higuaín<br />
(8, 37 pen) before Antonio Apoño fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot with 20 minutes left. By then Madrid<br />
were a man down following Sergio Ramos's 44th-minute dismissal, yet Higuaín secured the points (71, 80 pen).<br />
• "I'd prefer to win another way but we have again shown what we're capable of," said Schuster. "We are playing<br />
games every three days almost, and although we must take things step by step, we are continuing to gain mental<br />
strength."<br />
• At 20, Higuaín became the third-youngest player to score four goals in one game for Madrid. Jaime Lazcano (1929)<br />
and Pablo Olmedo (1948) both achieved the feat aged 19.<br />
• Madrid suffered a shock Copa del Rey fourth-round exit on 11 November, succumbing to an away-goals defeat by<br />
third-tier Real Unión. Trailing 3-2 after the first leg, Schuster's side fell further behind when Pablo Absalo opened the<br />
scoring and though Raúl replied shortly before half-time, Asier Salcedo put the minnows back in front. Second-half<br />
efforts from Raúl and Alberto Bueno then levelled the tie, and when Madrid's captain completed his hat-trick with five<br />
minutes left the hosts appeared to have done enough. Eneko Romo's last-minute strike provided another twist,<br />
however.<br />
• Raúl brought up his triple century of goals for Madrid with his third against Real Unión Club and is now just seven<br />
behind Alfredo Di Stéfano, the Merengues' all-time leading marksman.<br />
• Madrid lost ground on the Liga leaders on 15 November when they went down 1-0 at Real Valladolid CF, Néstor<br />
Canobbio (49) scoring the only goal. Higuaín, Sneijder and Raúl all passed up presentable chances and even after<br />
Gabriel Heinze was sent off, Fabio Cannavaro forced a late goalline clearance.<br />
• The Valladolid loss was Madrid's fifth in their first 17 matches in all competitions this term.<br />
• Casillas is the only member of the Madrid squad to have featured in each of the team's 12 Liga games this season,<br />
playing every minute. Higuaín, Raúl and Rafael van der Vaart have made eleven appearances apiece.<br />
• Madrid have conceded 17 times in 12 Liga outings, eight more than at the same stage last term. The last time they<br />
had conceded more at this point of a Liga campaign was in the 1999/2000 season when the side shipped 19 goals,<br />
and coach John Toshack was promptly replaced by Vicente Del Bosque.<br />
• Madrid have won eight of their eleven Liga matches since the opening-day defeat at RC Deportivo La Coruña,<br />
drawing two and losing one.<br />
• With nine goals in eleven appearances, Higuaín is enjoying his best start to a Liga season since signing from CA<br />
River Plate in January 2007.<br />
Last updated 23.11.2008 23:21:23CET<br />
www.uefa.com<br />
Tuesday 25 November 2008 - 20.45 CET<br />
Dinamo, Minsk<br />
Match facts 4
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