Man Utd v Real Madrid: 5 Key Battles That Will Decide The Tie

2. Mesut Ozil v Phil Jones

As important as Ronaldo is to Madrid going forward, some consider Ozil just as much. Only Iniesta, Fabregas and Messi have more assists in La Liga this season. Ozil€™s role in attacking midfield allows him to perfectly pull the strings and if he is not marshalled by Jones and is allowed to dictate the tempo, Manchester United could be in all sorts of trouble. Ozil very often goes below the radar at Madrid, often overshadowed by Ronaldo. His importance though his huge, he is the player who controls the match. Allowing Ozil too much time on the ball is suicide as in a second he can spray a perfect pin point pass and get those vital assists. It is likely Jones and Carrick will play in central midfield for Manchester United and it will probably be Jones who is given the job of watching the German. If Jones can harry and pester the German he could have a very successful night as without Ozil Madrid€™s play can often break down a little bit too easily. If he marks him out the match, Madrid will find the game much more difficult to control. The centre of the park is key in any football match but when there are world class players in that area it becomes even more important. Ozil is certainly a world-class player but if Jones performs the unenviable job of keeping him quiet well it could tip the game in Manchester United€™s favour. However if Jones doesn€™t get hold of Ozil Manchester United could have a lost cause on their hands with Ozil having the fantastic ability to tear teams apart at any moment.