Real Madrid vs Barcelona Preview

Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain orchestrated Real Madrid's 6-3 destruction of Valencia in La Liga on Saturday and demonstrated the impressive strength in depth available in Jose Mourinho's squad. Brazilian playmaker Kaka scored two goals and set up another two while Argentine striker Higuain also set up two and bagged a hat-trick for himself. Both players are coming back from long-term injuries and made starts as coach Mourinho rested many of the players who had competed in Wednesday's 1-0 extra-time victory over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.
David Villa's return to goalscoring form has provided a much-needed lift to Barcelona and coach Pep Guardiola, whose defensive problems have been compounded again by injuries to Gabriel Milito and Maxwell. With Carles Puyol, Eric Abidal and Adriano also on the medical list, Guardiola has a severe defensive headache as Barca prepare for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg away to a Real Madrid side now bristling with confidence. It was unclear how long Milito (calf) and Maxwell (groin) would be out of action. Puyol trained apart from the rest of the squad on Sunday, while Abidal and Adriano are unlikely to play again this season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head record (in Europe):

Played: 6 / Wins: Real 3, Barcelona 1, draws 2 / Goals: Real 12, Barcelona 7
EC: SF 21.04.60 Real 3 Barcelona 1 / 27.04.60 Barcelona 1 Real 3
EC: R2 9.11.60 Real 2 Barcelona 2 / 23.11.60 Barcelona 2 Real 1
CL: SF 23.04.02 Barcelona 0 Real 2 / 1.05.02 Real 1 Barcelona 1
This will be the third time that the two Spanish arch-rivals have met in the semi-final of Europe's premier club competition. Real advanced to the final on both previous occasions - in 1960 and 2002.
Real are unbeaten in their last 11 CL games and have kept clean sheets in eight of the last 10. They share with Manchester United the distinction of having the best defence in this season's competition, conceding only three goals in their 10 games.
Real have played 12 games against fellow-Spanish clubs in Europe and have lost only twice, both more than 50 years ago - 1-0 to Atletico Madrid in the 1959 European Cup semi-finals and 2-1 to Barcelona in the 1960-61 European Cup.
Real's Jose Mourinho, aiming to become the first coach to win the CL with three different teams after guiding Porto and Inter Milan to the trophy, has always found Barcelona a tricky opponent. In 10 CL games against them with Chelsea and Inter he has won only three times and lost four.
Barcelona are playing in their fourth consecutive CL semi-final of which they have lost two - to Manchester United in 2008 and Inter Milan last season. They beat Chelsea on away goals in the other tie in 2009. In the six semi-finals played over the last three seasons they have won just one match (1-0 at home to Inter last year) and scored just three goals.
Barcelona have lost both previous CL semi-finals against Spanish clubs - losing 3-1 on aggregate to Real in 2002 and 5-3 to Valencia two years earlier. Barca have something of a semi-finals complex, winning just four of their last 18 semi-final games in all European competitions.
Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi has scored 15 goals in his last 15 CL games, including nine this season, but he has not found the net in any of the six semi-finals over the past three years.
Barcelona have won only three of their last 14 CL away games and have not won any of their last six away matches in European competition against other Spanish clubs.

Source : uk.eurosport.yahoo.com