Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has told his players the rigours of the Russian winter and the artificial pitch will be no excuses for a slip-up in first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against CSKA Moscow.

Mourinho's men will find themselves playing in sub-zero temperatures in the match at the Stadion Luzhniki as they look to continue their perfect record in this season's competition.

The Portuguese said on www.realmadrid.com: "We'll have to be stronger than the adverse conditions we'll face.

"The grass and the temperature will be tough to deal with. These are new conditions for us, but mentality and ambition are stronger than all those factors.''

And it will not only be the conditions standing in Madrid's way, with Mourinho wary of the threat posed by CSKA despite the hosts having not been in competitive action since the Russian Premier League started its winter break at the end of November.

"CSKA's squad have been together for a long time and that makes them very dangerous,'' said Mourinho, a Champions League winner with Porto and Inter Milan.

"They should be respected. We will not kid around against them and we will give our all in the match.

"CSKA have a similar team to the one I faced with Inter Milan. They've lost Vagner [Love], but they have [Seydou] Doumbia and [Ahmed] Musa. They are a strong side financially and a strong opponent.''

Lassana Diarra remains sidelined for the visitors and Angel di Maria also misses out through injury, but Xabi Alonso, Kaka, Esteban Granero, Nuri Sahin and Sami Khedira have all travelled.

Madrid head into the match boasting a 10-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the Primera Division standings, and Mourinho has not taken his eye off the prize in the Champions League either.

"This match is too important to make changes to the team or reserve players,'' he said. "We have a solid squad and changes are made according to the characteristics of a game rather than quality.

"I've chosen the men I think will do better against a team that has good tactics and is used to playing in the cold.

"My men have a great psychological attitude in every championship. Their mentality is very good and professional, giving serious performances in every match.

"I'm sure we'll win an important title this season by working this way, but we have to focus on one game at a time.''

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky accepts his side's lack of recent competitive action could prove an advantage for Madrid, but took inspiration from Zenit St Petersburg's 3-2 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their last-16 tie last Wednesday.

Asked at his pre-match press conference whether the situation would benefit the Spanish side, he replied: "In theory, yes. It is clear that we will be playing our first game after the break, and that Real have been playing match after match and are full of confidence.

"On the other hand there is the example of Zenit, who met with an 'in season' team and appeared more functional. So that tells us that you can prepare for such matches with no official games.

"Hopefully, we can also compensate for the lack of match practice with our level of readiness."



Match

This is a walk-over for Madrid

Ahmed musa"air nigeria" is your nite tonight,they don't come beta than madrid.FLY HIGH FOR UR CAREER

I hope the sub zero temperature and freezing cold, hits them really hard and freeze that unguarded growing confidence they claim to have lately! Lolz!

hala madrid.
we did it against Loco and Zenith
God willing we will do it against CSKA.
hALA MADRID

My people lets go. MADRID / MORIHNO RULES

Benzena injured, replaced by Pipa

any links?

Double save by Sergei

CR7 Goal!!!!

Nice one CR7. MADRID 1 CSKA 0

Nice game so far

Half-time
CSKA Moscow 0-1 Real Madrid

Im enjoying this match.

where Mukina now?
make she update us naa

Ahmed Musa off and Sekou Oliseh (Liberian) comes on.

this should have have been 4 -1 to RM

ahaha. WHat a goal at the very last minute. cracking finish.

1-1

Goal

CSKA Moscow 1-1 Real Madrid

Poor Real Madrid, l thought they should have hold out.

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So no penalty and no red card for the opposition and Madrid actually drew.

Oh! It's Europe. . . . Referees can't help you here

well not a that bad for RM, I hope they will rise up to deal with this guy later

this is not a quite good result for Madrid, they should perform better than this match

medjai:

So no penalty and no red card for the opposition and Madrid actually drew.

Oh! It's Europe. . . . Referees can't help you here

yeah, just like in the cold night in pamplona
only difference is BARCA LOST.
oh its ggod laliga ref's are getting wiser.