Spain duo Busquets and Xavi believe they can stop Ronaldo

Jun 25, 2012 12:37:00 PM

The pair are adamant they have what it takes to halt the Real Madrid talisman when La Roja take on the Seleccao in the last-four clash on Wednesday

Spain midfielders Sergio Busquets and Xavi believe they are capable of reducing Cristiano Ronaldo's impact when they meet Portugal in the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

Ronaldo crashed home a powerful header to knock Czech Republic out of the tournament and send the Seleccao into the last four.

And while the Barcelona pair are aware of the forward's attacking prowess, they are confident they have the ability and personnel to marginalise the Real Madrid man.

"It's not Barcelona versus Madrid, it's Spain versus Portugal," Busquets told Marca. "And we all know what a great player Cristiano is.

"He will mostly be in the zone defended by Alvaro [Arbeloa] and Alvaro knows him better than anyone [they are Madrid team-mates]. But to stop a player of this kind you need the whole team to work."

Xavi believes he and his defensive partners can limit the space the former World Player of the Year has to operate in.

"We will have to be very attentive." Xavi said. "We will try to cover as well, [to] make Cristiano uncomfortable and not allow him to turn."

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German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

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However, Dortmund simply cannot be discounted. They relish the role of underdogs and are not in the least bit afraid of their illustrious rivals, having now gone six Bundesliga games without defeat against die Roten. The last time these two met in a final, in last season’s DFB Pokal, Dortmund ran out 5-2 winners. As coach Jurgen Klopp pointed out this week: “We’re not the best team in the world, but we can beat the best team in the world."

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Bayern, of course, start as overwhelming favourites to prevail this evening, and understandably so. Not only did they mercilessly batter Barcelona into a shockingly tame capitulation at Camp Nou, they are also coming off the back of a record-breaking Bundesliga campaign which they finished a staggering 25 points clear of runners-up Dortmund, whom they are unbeaten against in four meetings this season.

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So, what do you think? Who will prevail this evening? Are Bayern going to banish the memory of last year’s devastating and inexplicable loss to Chelsea at the Allianz Arena? Or are Dortmund going to defy the odds once again and go from the brink of bankruptcy to Champions League winners in just eight years? Get in touch via Facebook and Twitter and I’ll be sure to post the best comments in here.

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Finals do not get much more appetising either. What we have here tonight is a game between the two best sides in Europe this season. There is just simply no disputing that. Dortmund have been beaten just once on their remarkable run to the final (quite the feat when you consider they were grouped with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax), while Bayern have sparked giddy talk of a new era of die Roten dominance akin that enjoyed by the Bavarians in the 1970s by dismantling the likes of Juventus and, in particular, Barcelona on their way to Wembley.

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That’s right, in the same year that one of the most iconic venues in the game turns 90 and the Football Association marks its 125th anniversary, two German sides will battle it out for the right to lift the most prestigious prize in club football at the home of English football. For those with a twisted sense of humour, irony does not get any more delicious than this!

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