tonight in one of the two Champions League quarter final clashes which is more than historical. This years Champions League sensations from Cyprus will try to execute the upset of decades vs star-stuffed Real Madrid.

Nicosia, Cyprus / NationalTurk – The Cinderella story of the Champions League 2012 the Cyprus outfit APOEL believe firmly yet in another victory, this time vs even thougher Real Madrid, who are the clear favourites to win the round, if not the Champions League itself, Apoel side sate anything is possible in two games.

Apoel vs Real Madrid : Clash of club budgets of €10m vs €350m

The Cypriots are living the dream already as it is, they finished top of their group with 9 points ahead of Zenith, Shaktar and Porto and then went on to beat French record champions Olympique Lyonnais in the final 16 in Champions League.

Ronaldo’s wage at Real Madrid = Apoel’s annual budget  

Apoel’s 50th match in Europe’s premier competition while Real Madrid, who have lifted the iconic trophy nine times, seek their 200th win in their 344th game. Apoel work to an annual budget of (£8.5m) and spent a club record €1m to recruit Ailton, the Brazilian striker, while Real Madrid have just led football’s money league for a seventh successive year and pay their record signing around £11m a year having spent £80m recruiting Ronaldo in the first place.

In the likely case that they get knocked out by Real Madrid, they will probably go out with a smile, sad to not having gone further, but knowing what their limitations are, exactly the opposite to what would happen if Real Madrid get sent home by APOEL and so the pressure is mainly on the Spaniards, who can see themselves lucky having visited beatiful Cyprus.

APOEL vs Real Madrid – Match Preview

Ivan Jovanovic, APOEL’s manager has said that his humble team has to play the perfect game, but ‘ that might not give us the result we want ‘. Jovanovic has nothing but good words for his rivals from Madrid; he thinks that the way they’ve progressed in the Champions League competition has made others respect them ‘ We have a lot to learn from Real Madrid, because they are one of Europe’s biggest clubs’.

Madrid face tonight’s game without Basque midfielder Xabi Alonso – due to sanction and Lass due to injury. Granero will play alongside Khedira.

APOEL’s Gustavo Manduca, undoubtedly the star of the Cyprian team is also out of the line-up due to sanction.
Mourinho has stated that of course Real Madrid are favourites ‘ due to economic and sportslike factors ‘ however that doesn’t mean that the rival from Cyprus, this Apoel Nicosia team doesn’t deserve respect. ‘ Yes, we are favourites, we can’t deny it, but football is football and we respect Apoel and we know we have a tough Chapions League match ahead’ Many soccer fans hate Apoel’s boring tactics depending heavilt on parking the bus in front of the opponents box and wait for the lucky punch. Greece success at Euro 2004 encourages the small team from Greek Cyprus more.

Apoel vs Real Madrid : Possible starting XI:

APOEL Nicosia : Chiotis, Poursaitidis, Oliveira, Paulo Jorge, Boaventura, N. Morais, H. Sousa, Charalabides, Solari, Trickovski, Ailton Almeida

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Khedira, Granero, Benzema, Ozil, Ronaldo, Higuain