Schalke 04 v Real Madrid betting tips, predictions, lineups and free bets (Champions League - 18/2/2015)

Wednesday, 18 February 2015 17:03
Written by David Bet

For the second season in the row Schalke 04 and Real Madrid clash in the Champions League and the German will be desperate to avenge last season's drubbing at the hands of Madrid. Find below our SCHALKE 04 v REAL MADRID betting preview with odds, lineups, betting tips, predictions, bookie offer and no deposit free bets.

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SCHALKE 04 v REAL MADRID BETTING PREVIEW

Schalke 04 are currently fourth in the Bundesliga after Saturday night's underwhelming 1-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt. They finished 2nd in their UCL group. They lost two of their six group games, including a 5-0 home thrashing by Chelsea and were forced to win their final match at Maribor as well as see Sporting Lisbon lose to group winner Chelsea. They conceded 14 goals over six games, finishing with a minus-5 goal differential.

Di Matteo will be without three key players as Julian Draxler, Leon Goretzka and Jefferson Farfan. Furthermore, Ralf Fahrmann, Sead Kolasinac and Chinedu Obasi are all sidelined and will also miss out here.

Real Madrid defeated Deportivo 2-0 at the weekend and so they have won 5 of their last 6 matches but their only loss was a heavy 4-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the league. Cristiano Ronaldo is not in his best shape: the Portuguese have scored no goals in the last 5 matches.

The Blancos will be missing two stars James Rodriguez and Luca Modric. Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao and Sami Khedira are all out of contention too. Pepe returns to the starting line-up as well as Asier Illaramendi, who is likely to start the match.

Last year Schalke 04 was literally destroyed at the Arena AufSchalke as Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale all grabbed braces in a 6-1 win before beating Schalke 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Schalke have won only two of their last 15 encounters against Spanish opponents, suffering eight defeats.

SCHALKE 04 v REAL MADRID PROBABLE LINEUPS

SCHALKE 04 (3-5-2) Wellenreuther; Howedes, Matip, Nastasic; Kirchhoff, Uchida, Hoger, Barnetta, Fuchs; Boateng, Choupo-Moting

REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Casillas; Arbeloa, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo; Illarramendi, Kroos, Isco; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.