The Santiago Bernabeu will play host to the final group stage match for Real Madrid in the Champions League this season vs Ludogorets, a match that might see the reigning European champions set not 1, but 2 records with a win vs the team at the bottom of Group B. The first record is becoming the Spanish club with the most consecutive wins in all competitions in history, a record they currently share with Barcelona as both clubs have 18 straight wins. Beating Ludogorets would push Real Madrid towards their 19th consecutive win and make them outright holders of the coveted record. The second record is becoming the first team in European Cup/Champions League history to win all 6 group stage matches, on 2 separate occasions. To date, only 5 clubs have managed to win all 6 matches in the group stage: Real Madrid in 2011/12, Barcelona in 2002/03, Spartak Moscow in 1995/96, PSG in 1994/95, and AC Milan in 1992/93. As you can see no team has managed to achieve this feat twice, Real Madrid will get that chance when they go against Ludogorets tomorrow night.
As for the actual match itself, Real Madrid won’t be without some absentees as it is expected that Toni Kroos will be rested and James Rodriguez will miss the match after picking up a muscle injury. These 2 will most probably be replaced by the returning Isco and Sami Khedira, the pair will likely be slotted next to Illarramendi who really impressed in Real Madrid’s latest win vs Celta Vigo last Saturday. We might even get the chance to see some fringe players as Ancelotti allows some key players the rare chance to rest before playing Almeria (away) then travelling to Morocco for the Club World Cup. Players like Arbeloa, Varane, Chicharito, Jese and even Nacho may get some minutes.
On the other side there is Ludogorets, a team currently going through fine form as evidenced by their ongoing 6-match undefeated run. They do however posses the weakest defence in the group with 10 goals conceded, which is quite the risky thing when you keep in mind that they will go against probably the strongest attacking force on the planet at the moment. Real Madrid have scored 51 Liga goals in just 14 rounds and 75 goals in only 24 matches in all competitions this season. These numbers tell a lot, especially when you remember that a certain Portuguese player will be trying his absolute best to at least tie Messi’s record in the UCL.
Pre-Match Real Madrid Stats
- They have won 18 matches in a row in all competitions.
- Conceded just 1 goal in the last 5 matches.
- Only team in the UCL this season with a 100% win record.
- Scored 75 goals in 24 matches so far this season (all competitions).
- Cristiano is the player with most UCL goals in 2014 (12).
- Real Madrid have won 17 of their last 19 UCL matches.
- Real Madrid have won each of their last 10 home UCL matches.
- Have not tasted home defeat in the UCL in over 3 seasons (20 matches).
- Real Madrid are on an ongoing 8-match winning streak in the UCL.
- They have lost just 3 of their last 84 home matches in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have not conceded a goal in their last 354 minutes in the UCL.
- Real Madrid have scored in each of their last 38 home matches.
- Cristiano has scored 150 goals in 130 home matches with Real Madrid.
- Jese Rodriguez got injured in a UCL match (vs Schalke) almost 9 months ago.
- Cristiano has scored in 14 of his last 16 matches in the UCL.
- Real Madrid have a GD of +10 in the UCL this season compared to Ludogorets’s -5.
- Karim Benzema scores a goal every 70 mins in the UCL this season.
- Real Madrid have scored 32 goals in their last 8 home matches in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have conceded just 2 goals in their last 6 home matches.
- Real Madrid have won their last 8 home matches in all competitions.
Pre-Match Ludogorets Stats
- Ludogorets are currently on a 6-match undefeated run in all competitions (3 wins, 3 draws).
- They have lost just 1 of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
- Only managed to keep 3 clean sheets in 15 matches away from home this season.
- Ludogorets conceded 20 goals in 15 away matches in all competitions.
- They have only won 5 of their 15 matches away from home this season.
- Ludogorets average exactly 2 goals per game in all competitions this season (62 goals in 31 games).
- Ludogorets are the weakest defence in Group B in the UCL.
- Only 7 teams in UCL 14/15 have conceded more goals than Ludogorets.
- Only 5 teams have won less matches than Ludogorets in the UCL 14/15.
- Ludogorets have kept just 2 clean sheets in their last 7 matches in all competitions.
- Since facing Real Madrid, Ludogorets have played 11 matches with 7 wins, 3 draws, and just 1 loss.
- Ludogorets have conceded 5 goals in their last 3 away matches in all competitions.
- Ludogorets have conceded more than 1 goal in 5 of their away matches in all competitions this season.
- Since last facing Real Madrid, Ludogorets have scored 29 goals in 11 matches (2.64 per match).
