Raul reveals Real after early goal against Roma

Real Madrid´s Raul (L) vies with Recreativo Huelva´s Poli (R) during a Spanish league match at the Nuevo Colombino stadium in Huelva, March 1. Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez revealed the worst kept secret in Spanish football when he told Spanish sports daily Marca that his side had to score quickly against AS Roma Wednesday.

      MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez revealed the worst kept secret in Spanish football when he told Spanish sports daily Marca here Tuesday that they had to score quickly against AS Roma.

      The nine-time European champions have to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Roma in their Champions League last 16 second leg clash on Wednesday if they are to continue in this year's competition.

      "We've got to start intelligently and try to make the most of the atmosphere that will be in the stadium at the kick off. We've got to try and score in the first 15 or 20 minutes," said Raul.

      "The first few minutes always establish the rhythm of the game and how things go afterwards. The idea is to make an impact from the start," he added.

      "We are up against a complicated rival and who have, among all their players, Totti. All the attacks seem to go through him. Rome are very quick and they can damage you."

      Raul will almost certainly have the prime responsibility for finding the net as Real officials said on Tuesday that "only a miracle" would enable Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to start.

      Van Nistelrooy has a right ankle injury sustained a week ago.

      "Ruud is very important. If he can be there, it would be better. He's our goal scorer but when he's not able to play, the team can rise to the occasion. The squad has enough quality to move things on," added Raul.

      Nevertheless, Raul is familiar with getting the ball in the net if required.

      He's the leading scorer in Champions League history with 60 goals to his name, four of which have come this season including the vital away goal in Rome two weeks ago.

      In addition to Van Nistelrooy, his compatriot Arjen Robben is also out of the Real squad against Roma.

      Real doctors modified their prognosis on Tuesday and said that Robben was likely to be out for four weeks with a severely sprained left ankle, which he suffered during Real's 3-2 win at Recreativo Huelva on Saturday.