"They know exactly what we are": Ponferrada brace for Madrid's answer

The last time Real Madrid left Ponferrada, Jaime Camacho was still being mobbed near the touchline, 81 minutes gone and the night turned upside down. A centre-back playing left-back, of all things, deciding a league game against the champions of Spain. Nobody in the ground has forgotten it, and nobody at Madrid has stopped thinking about it.

On 6 November they come back, this time in the Champions League, and the question hanging over the fixture is simple: was that September night a warning or a one-off?

Ponferrada will have to answer it without Götz Rosen, their right winger, who twisted an ankle and is not expected back until around 12 November. Hezi Ashkenazi comes in, but he is short of match sharpness, and Federico Rocchi arrives tired after his recent workload. Gino van Velzen, the attacking midfielder, is the man in form: 7.62 across his last five games, with a goal, three assists and four clear-cut chances created. Diego and Juan José have been solid behind him, though both carry heavy legs.

Madrid are without Scott Crichton, hip injury, and Mariano Luengo, a lower back stress fracture. Juan Andújar steps into midfield for Chancel Beya, and he too is short of full sharpness. Joel is the danger: 8.0 average over five games, a goal and five assists, seven clear-cut chances made. Ronaldinho has three goals in the same stretch.

That is where this tie will be decided. Joel against Javier Mata is the duel to watch: dribbling 18 against tackling 13, with Mata's condition at 69%. The other side of the pitch pits Rocchi against Rıdvan Baran, and Gérson, sold by Madrid for £35.9m in September, against Eliot Nicholas-French. Gérson spent eight seasons at the Bernabéu. Nobody should pretend that means nothing.

Madrid have won just four of eleven in this shape; Ponferrada are unbeaten in five against it. The visitors need a response. Ponferrada need only remember how the last one felt.