One down with twelve more to go: Marseille pre-preview

Hola,

I usually hate working days. I hate today even more. I had to work today. And there is a lot of stuff to blog about.

First up we have some team news for tomorrow’s game against Marseille (which will be the topic for most of the stuff in this post), our first Champions League game at the Bernabeu this season. Lass fails to make the cut after suffering from a shoulder injury. The recovery period has not been mentioned. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arbeloa and Metzelder are the other casualties. Rafael van der Vaart has made the list.

So that means we will line up somewhat similar to this:

Casillas

Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Marcelo

Gago/Diarra, Xabi Alonso

Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo

Raul, Benzema

I sincerely hope Gago does not play. I really do. A gagged and blindfolded Diarra is far better than a fully fit Gago. So is my grandmother.

Several players made comments on our opponents. While Benzema thought the team has to stay alert Pepe said that the team has to focus in order to win. That is Kepler’s rule ergo it has to be followed. Drenthe too had things to say after seeing them play last weekend.

Fernando Morientes and Gabriel Heinze are former Madridistas who will be making a return to Madrid after deciding to join them in the summer. So they too obviously had stuff to say.

Morientes revealed that Real were prepared to accept a huge offer from Barcelona for him at the height of the Galacticos era. It involves a bit too much of Barca. So I’ll just stop by linking you to it. He then goes on to say that his side must be prepared to get physical with Real Madrid when the two sides meet on Wednesday night.

OK! I know how bad that sounds but hell that is what he said.

Morientes, who won the competition three times during eight seasons with Real, also said he knows what it takes to win at the Bernabeu and insisted that his team-mates must not be fearful playing in front of an 80,000 strong crowd. Haha. Let us see about that. The 33-year-old told AS :

Eighty per cent of our team doesn’t know what it is like to play at the Bernabeu. That is the biggest disadvantage we have. We must erase this image, clear the mind of these details. I know there are players who visited the Bernabeu and acknowledged an inferiority complex. I know they feel like they are in the skin of young soldiers when they face the Galacticos.

And then he came to the ‘getting physical’ part:

We must impose our physical presence, put the foot in and make them respect us, that will complicate life [for Madrid]. It is assumed they have the best players in the world so when a team has so much talent you must resort to physical tactics to gain respect.

Curses! Is there anything more perverted than AS?  And I almost thought he meant something else.

Gabriel Heinze has admitted that he has a tough task ahead of him on Wednesday night. The Argentine told the French club’s official website that he cannot afford to lose his concentration:

Cristiano is a player with so many qualities that it is difficult to talk about advice. I can be given all the advice in the world, but if you lose concentration for even a second against him, he will punish you.

He too warned his OM team-mates about the Bernabeu crowd and how intimidating they can get.

I think the atmosphere will get to them. More than any other title if we Madridistas want something then it definitely is La Decima. La Decima at home would just undo all the damage done to us since our last title. With one game already done with, another twelve wins should secure us the title. And home advantage will be made use of. *Passionately shouts Hala Madrid!!*

Manuel Pellegrini has been looking ahead to tomorrow night’s game. He insisted that the players must be aware that football is a team game and the team always comes before the individual.

We have put together a global squad and if the players understand that it is a team game everything will be much easier. There are many games and everyone feels a part of the squad, some more than others but the team is more important than the individual.

We have talked to the players about this because we believe it is important they understand. We have the potential to win it all and that is what we intend to do.

I agree. Our passing has been overall decent. Though there have not been that many killer passes we have passed the ball around more than how it used to be. I like that. We must probably play like how we did in the second half against Tenerife with Guti or Xabi controlling the ball in one half and Kaka controlling the game in the other. Meanwhile Pellegrini went on to say that there is an expectation at the club to capture the Champions League this season and says he hopes it can happen.

Guti has revealed that Manuel Pellegrini played an important part in keeping him at the club for this season after having had given serious thought to leaving. Speaking to Spanish publication AS he had said:

I will not deny that I had a summer of many doubt both personally and at club level. I saw myself heading out but Pellegrini talked to me and set the record straight. He convinced me that there was a place for me and his words were worth a lot because here I am now enjoying my football more than ever.

I had offers from England, Greece, Arab countries and Spain. I told the club I wanted to think about it. 50 per cent of me wanted to leave and 50 per cent wanted to stay in Madrid. In the end, like every year I have done what is best for me and stayed.

I don’t want to leave Madrid via the back door I want to walk out the front door.

His say on tomorrow’s game can be found here.

Real Madrid and bwin announced on Monday the extension of the shirt sponsorship deal through 2013. The event took place in the Presidential Balcony of the Santiago Bernabeu and was attended by club president Florentino Perez, Director General Jorge Valdano, Sporting Director Miguel Pardeza and several members of the team including Raul, Guti, Casillas and Sergio Ramos. Co-Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Executive Board, Mr. Manfred Bodner attended on behalf of bwin.

Florentino Perez:

I am happy to announce that Real Madrid will have bwin as a partner for another three years. bwin is a loyal partner which understands sport and especially football, which values quality and singularity and which knows how to profit from the emotion generated by Real Madrid throughout the world.

Manfred Bodner:

We are proud to sponsor the greatest football club in the world. bwin and Real Madrid are linked by much more than just a sponsorship commitment lasting several years. A huge passion for football and for sports in general is just a few of the points that form the basis for the lasting and successful collaboration between us. We are convinced that in the next few years Real Madrid will continue to add to its incomparable history with a tenth Champions League title.

The last time we won a European crown we had nothing on our jerseys.

The 2009/10 official team photo was taken at Real Madrid City. The players and coaching staff also had their individual photos taken. In other news, Real Madrid’s eight new signings climbed to the top of the Torre Europa in Madrid for an incredible view of the stadium. More on that can be found over here. The player’s comments can be found on the post below.

And finally, some minor transfer news. Alan Dzagoev’s dad is pleased that his son is linked with Real Madrid. I have heard about this kid. He is apparently really good.

That is about it. Manuel Pellegrini’s and Karim Benzema’s pre-match press conference to follow.

Until next time,

Para Siempre Blanco!

Hala Madrid!!