UEFA Champions League 2017/18: Real Madrid 3-0 APOEL, 5 Talking Points

Real Madrid v APOEL Nikosia - UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid v APOEL Nikosia - UEFA Champions League

#3 APOEL will need to capitalize on home form

Real Madrid v APOEL Nikosia - UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid v APOEL Nikosia - UEFA Champions League

You could hardly blame APOEL for their tactics - they've managed deep runs into the Champions League knockout stages through defensive organization and graft before. However, top teams nowadays know how to get at least one scrappy goal in games like these without playing too well, as was proven tonight.

There was promise from APOEL though, as Carloa and Rueda looked supreme at the back, only for their fullbacks to let them down. Perhaps Giorgos Donis ought to opt for a more offensive style of play in Cyprus as the only way they can pull off finishing third in this group is with a shock win at home.

In Igor de Camargo, APOEL have a hard working striker who knows how to find the net, but the Brazilian was feeding on scraps tonight - a rethink is needed for the other group stage games.

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