GREECE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Real Madrid and Olympiakos prepare for their Champions League match in Athens

Olympiakos face Real Madrid at home hoping the same passion shown in the last match in Spain's Bernabeu - despite their defeat - will make the difference. Real says it wont dwell on Sevilla loss but stay focused to reach the knock out stage. Olympiakos Coach Panagiotis Takis Lemonis said on Monday (November 5) he wanted the team to head onto the pitch at Athens Georgios Karaiskakis stadium with the same spirit that they displayed in the last game against Real Madrid when the Spanish champions beat 10-men Olympiakos' 4-2 but with a good fight. Olympiakos and Real meet for their second Champions League Group C match on Tuesday (November 6) in Athens and an away win will secure the Spanish would secure a place in the knock stage. In their last Champions league encounter on October 24 in Madrid, Real took an early lead but was the Greeks soon equalised and Olympiakos moved ahead. Even though Olymiakos defender Vassilis Torosidis was sent off in the 13th minute, Real struggled until it improved in the second half to seal the win. "What I really want is for the players to maintain the passion they showed in the last game, when they looked Real players straight in the eye, even though they were 10 men," said Lemonis during a news conference. "That change in our players is starting to show, and I hope it becomes a sign of the way the team play from now on," he added. Central defender Paraskevas Antzas and defensive midfielder Cristian Raul Ledesma are injured. Torosidis would also be missing after being sent off in the last match. Real Madrid heads Group C with seven points, while Olympiakos is in second place with four, followed by Werder with three and Lazio with two. A defeat for Olympiakos on Tuesday would seriously harm their chances to the knockout stages. Real Madrid will be looking to bounce back from a domestic setback, a 2-0 loss at Sevilla. Playmaker Guti is expected to be left out of the squad, along with Arjen Robben, Jerzy Dudek, and Michel Salgado. Real have won only one of their last seven Champions League away games. They have not won in eight previous matches in Greece, including a Cup Winners Cup final and replay in Piraeus against Chelsea in 1971. Playmaker Guti has been left out of the squad with a hamstring strain. He joins Arjen Robben, Gonzalo Higuain and Jerzy Dudek in the treatment room. Portugal centre back Pepe and Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder return to the squad after injury. Real coach Bernd Schuster said his team must forget about the defeat to Sevilla and concentrate on winning to achieve the three points needed to seal a place in the next stage. He said the team's state of mind was good despite the disappointing result against Sevilla and added that Olympiakos would be just as tough as in their last game. "We have to forget about the last game. This game will be just as tough. The team has to be completely focused for this game tomorrow. It is very important to win the three points, this will be the ticket for the next phase, and then the team can go more calmly to the next two matches that will follow and give a chance to other players. Then Real can continue more calmly." Schuster said through a Greek translator. Real's German coach also said he did not regret remarks he made about the Catalan referee in their last Spanish league match against Sevilla, saying through a Greek translator the referee had cost Real the game through his mistake. "No I do not regret it. I did not swear at him. My opinion is that the game was lost because of the mistake of the referee. I don't regret it because I didn't say anything bad. I didn't insult anyone." he told reporters. Group C standings: P W D L F A Pts 1 Real Madrid 3 2 1 0 8 5 7 2 Olympiakos Piraeus 3 1 1 1 6 6 4 3 Werder Bremen 3 1 0 2 4 6 3 4 Lazio 3 0 2 1 4 5 2 Qualifying chances: Real Madrid would secure a last-16 place with victory over Olympiakos.

ITN Source | November 6, 2007

Tags:. .treatment. .tough. .struggled. .sent. .defensive