Saprissa in CCL

Here is an overview of how Saprissa, RSL's semi-final opponent, has done in this tournament this "year" (10-11) and in general.

Full Name: Deportivo Saprissa Sociedad Anónima Deportiva
Stadium: Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
League: Primera Division de Costa Rica
Qualified as: 2010 Verano (League) Champion
Number of Appearances in CCL: 24
CONCACAF FIFA Club World Cup Representative: 2005 (finished 3rd)
Country and city: San Jose, Costa Rica
Manager: Juan Manuel Alvarez

Current Roster:
(#, position, name)
1 GK Victor Bolivar
2 DF Yader Balladares
3 DF Victor Cordero
4 DF José Mena
5 DF Alexander Robinson
6 DF Esteban Sirias
7 MF Maikol Ortiz
8 MF Walter Centeno (2rd Captain)
9 FW Alejandro Sequeira (3rd Captain)
10 FW Alonso Solís
11 FW Allan Alemán
12 MF Fernando Paniagua
13 GK Fausto González
14 DF Roberto Wong
15 MF Saúl Phillips
16 DF Gabriel Badilla
17 MF Jose Luis Lopez
18 DF Oscar Duarte
19 FW Jairo Arrieta
20 MF David Guzman
21 FW Armando Alonso
22 GK Minor Alvarez
23 MF Juan Bustos
24 DF Ricardo Blanco
26 FW William Phillips
27 MF Mauricio Castillo
28 FW Josue Martinez
29 DF Javier Loaiza
30 DF Douglas Sequeira
32 MF Esteban Luna
33 MF Luis Diego Cordero
* every single player on this squad is from Costa Rica*

2010 - 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Stats
Advanced as 2nd Place in Group C.
Other members of group: Monterrey (1st), Marathon (3rd), Seattle (4th)
Matches:
- 8/17/10, Lost, Monterrey 1 - Saprissa 0
- 8/26/10, Win, Saprissa 4 - Marathon 1 (goals by Sequeira, Arrieta, Martinez, and Alonso)
- 9/14/10, Win, Saprissa 2 - Seattle 0 (goals by Guzman and Aleman)
- 9/22/10, Lost, Marathon 2 - Saprissa 1 (goal by Arrieta)
- 9/28/10, Draw, Saprissa 2 - Monterrey 2 (goals by Meza (OG) and Mena)
- 10/19/10, Win, Saprissa 2 - Seattle 1 (goals by Arrieta and Martinez)
- 2/24/11, Win, Saprissa 1 - Olimpia 0 (goal by Alonso)
- 3/3/11, Win, Saprissa 2 - Olimpia 1 (goals by Alonso and Cordero)

Leading Goal Scorer in CCL: 3 by Alonso and Arrieta (tied)
Lineup that we can probably expect (or close to):
- (3-5-2) -
- GK: #1 V. Bolívar (played in both Olimpia matches, none previously)

- DF: #14 R. Wong (same as Bolivar)
- DF: #4 J. Mena (hard to tell who will be in the back with Wong, they switched for the Olimpia games)
- DF: #16 G. Badilla (same as Mena, these 2 are purely speculative)

- MF: #8 W. Centeno (played in both Olimpia matches)
- MF: #30 D. Sequeira (played in both Olimpia matches)
- MF: #21 A. Alonso (tied for leading goal scorer, in both Olimpia matches)
- MF: #20 D. Guzmán (played in both Olimpia matches)
- MF: #24 R. Blanco (one of 3 players to have played in all 8 matches)

- FW: #19 J. Arrieta (one of 3 players to have played in all 8 matches, tied for most goals on team)
- FW: #28 J. Martínez (one of 3 players to have played in all 8 matches)

They changed the lineup quite a bit but I would expect most of these guys to start or at least see the pitch in both legs.

Another interesting bit, the following players are on yellow card caution meaning that if they were to get a yellow in the first leg at the RioT they would have to sit out the second leg at Saprissa.
- #14 R. Wong
- #4 J. Mena
- #8 W. Centeno
- #21 A. Alonso
- #24 R. Blanco
- #9 A. Sequeira

For RSL, the players on yellow card caution are:
- #5 K. Beckerman
- #11 J. Morales

Yeah, we need both those guys.

Tomorrow I will have a preview of the match, just thought a little more information on Saprissa would be nice before that.

Cheers,
15 to 32

FORZA REAL