IPSWICH will seek to succeed where Real Madrid failed when they take on Osasuna tonight.The visitors to Portman Road won 3-0 at the Bernabeu Stadium as recently as April this year en route to finishing 12th in La Liga.

By Mel Henderson

IPSWICH will seek to succeed where Real Madrid failed when they take on Osasuna tonight.

The visitors to Portman Road won 3-0 at the Bernabeu Stadium as recently as April this year en route to finishing 12th in La Liga.

Osasuna also conceded fewer goals than Barcelona, who finished runners-up to champions Valencia, so Town boss Joe Royle knows what to expect.

He said: “They are a side with an impressive defensive record who like to counter attack. They will give us a European-type puzzle to solve.

“It looks like being a very different game to those against Crystal Palace and Newcastle, but we will be going all-out to make it three wins out of three.”

Former Aston Villa striker Savo Milosevic and John Aloisi, who starred for Coventry and Portsmouth, are both in the Osasuna squad along with ex-Everton striker Ibrahim Bakayoko.

Town will be without left-back Matt Richards after he collected a nasty ankle gash in the 2-1 win over Sir Bobby Robson's Newcastle last Wednesday.

And skipper Jim Magilton is rated doubtful after picking up a thigh strain in the same game.

But another midfielder, Ian Westlake, has declared himself fit after having to miss the Newcastle clash and undergo surgery to remove an infected wisdom tooth.

Royle added: “It will be touch and go for Jim and we won't be taking any chances, but the good news is that Ian can't wait to get out there.”

Town will be looking to gain another morale-boosting victory ahead of Saturday's opening league game at home to bogey team Gillingham.

SQUADS

IPSWICH: Davis, Diallo, De Vos, Naylor, Barron, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Horlock, Bent, Counago, Bowditch, Wilnis, Mitchell, Murray, Kuqi, Nouma, Price.

OSASUNA: Sanzol, Izquirdo, Clavero, Cruchago, Iortiz, Milosevic, Punal, Josetxo, Valdo, Munoz, Elia, Moreno, Herreros, Raul, Bakayoko, Aloisi, Corrales, Seguero.