Real Madrid vs Real Murcia | Preview
Yet another chance for Karim Benzema to impress
Year after year after year for about sometime now this has been a talking point every time a cup game comes up. Will Real Madrid take the Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad El Rey Don Juan Carlos I better known as the Copa Del Rey seriously or not? And every single time at least for the past few years even though the answer given to us prior to the game is a “Yes” it has inevitably always looked like a “No” when the game actually is played. And for the past couple of seasons it even seemed more like a “No chance in hell” than a “No.”
The last decent run we had in the competition was in 2003-04 when Real managed to reach the finals only to be defeated by Zaragoza in extra time. 3-2 was the final score in favor of Zaragoza. And ever since it has been more of an embarrassment. Valladolid, Zaragoza, Real Betis, Real Union and Alcorcon have all had the honor of eliminating us from the oldest competition in Spain. And this year Murcia have the opportunity to help us continue our dreadful run. The first leg at the Nueva Condomina ended 0-0 with Real coming as close as hitting the post once and despite Ronaldo and Casillas playing.
The second leg will be played tonight at the Bernabeu where Jose Mourinho and co still have a 100% record this season. And the manager has emphasized on the importance of the clash in last evening’s presser saying:
Our match against Murcia is the most important game in the season so far because it is the only one that could make us lose a championship. Losing one game in the Champions League is alright because there are five more to play. Losing one in La Liga is also okay because 37 remain. This match is even more decisive given the bad result we earned in the first leg. We will be eliminated if we lose and if we draw with the same number of goals. Our only option is to win the match; it is our duty to reach the next round.
And he is right if I may say so. After drawing a blank in the first leg we have no other choice but to go all out for a win tonight. Mourinho also stressed on the fact that the fans need to be at their best creating what he called a knock-out stage atmosphere at the Bernabeu. Frankly speaking, I felt that the crowd was fantastic in the weekend against Atletico despite the dull game on show. I am sure the fans will do what they have to do.
As far as team news is concerned the special one will not be able to count on Gago for the next three weeks and Mateos for the next two as both were ruled out with injuries on Monday. Also out are Garay, Kaka and Dudek. Answering about possible winter signings, our manager had this to say:
We will have two fantastic winter signings for free this year: Gago and Kaka. They still haven’t played a game. Things are going well and there isn’t much talk about the players we currently miss. They are very important to the team. Gago has to work hard and recover. It isn’t easy for a footballer not to play, especially when he has a lot of excitement. His time will come.
Mourinho has thus called up 20 players for the game. Lass returns to the squad after a long lay off. Isaac replaces Dudek as the third keeper while Alex also gets a chance to sit along side the senior team. Carvalho, Pepe, Ozil and Khedira have been rested for the game. The manager admitted that despite progressing to the next stage of the competition being a priority he will not be afraid to field our fringe players as he feels that this is a chance for them to prove that they deserve a starting place in the team. He went on to reveal 9 of the eleven starters for tomorrow.
The line-up will comprise Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo, Canales, Granero, Pedro Leon, Benzema and two others. The Copa del Rey should have special significance for Spaniards. We want people to be excited about winning the title.
I am guessing the other two will be Mahamadou Diarra and possibly Angel Di Maria as Ronaldo did not train yesterday and was given the day off. Also, in what has become a regulation, the manager continued to give Benzema hope that he would one day be a starter and that one day would be coming soon. As far as strategy is concerned I doubt if we will make any such changes. Most of the replacements made seem to be like-for-like.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adan, Jesus
Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Albiol
Midfielders: Granero, Lass, Xabi Alonso, Diarra, Pedro Leon, Di Maria, Canales, Alex
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema
Murcia coach Inaki Alonso won’t leave any of his players behind aside from the injured Jorge Molina, who will undergo surgery on Wednesday. Aguilera, who is also injured, gets the chance to travel with the squad.
The march towards the 18th title has just begun. Whether it ends prematurely or lasts until May depends on tonight. Lets hope its the latter.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid | Preview
Ronaldo, back to his diving best, would be threatening Atleti in more than one way surely.
And finally its here. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid square off at the Bernabeu tonight at 22:00 CET in the Madrid derby – a game which in recent times has been more of a cakewalk than anything else. We haven’t lost to our dear neighbors at home over the last eleven years and will look to maintain that and our undefeated streak by clinching all three points at stake tonight.
Real come into this game with a 2-2 draw at the San Siro that sent it through to the next round of the Champions League with two games to spare. With the Copa Del Rey game coming up on Wednesday the players will have to roll up their sleeves and get ready to work as like JM himself suggested in last evening’s presser no derby is ever easy. Atletico do have the players to do the job for them and as they have suggested time and again (even if it isn’t against us) they can pull a surprise over any team in this world.
Atletico is a very talented team in attack, they have a great midfield, their defense will be very focused and it’s unfortunate that their goalkeeper holds the same passport as Iker Casillas. It’s a very talented team that will make us fight for our lives.
And the players should indeed fight for their lives especially if they want to play more regularly. Mourinho clearly has a single set of XI players whom he thinks are the best XI to be fielded. Even though there is ample talent on the bench it is up to those players to displace the starters. And JM agrees. The likes of Granero, Benzema, Pedro Leon, Albiol are all excellent players who are fit to play in all the top sides in the world. But this is Real Madrid. And to be more specific, this is Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. The player has to prove himself to get a ticket into the starting XI.
Today’s starters will be tomorrow’s subs, and today’s subs will be tomorrow’s starters. There is no set protocol here. This is not the same team to be used for eleven months. This is a day-to-day team.
Twenty players were called up to face Atletico tonight. Kaka, Dudek and Garay are apparently the only ones still injured while Lass, Gago and Mateos have been dropped for tactical reasons. Real will definitely start with the same XI that started midweek. The 4-2-3-1 formation will be retained. Considering Atleti’s weakness in the center of the field our midfielders will get to operate more freely and should have no problems creating chances. The only problems that we might face should come from the wings with Reyes and Simao against Marcelo and Sergio Ramos. Our full backs should concentrate more on defending than usual.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adan, Isaac.
Defenders: Carvalho, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Albiol.
Midfielders: Granero, Xabi Alonso, Diarra, Pedro Leon, Khedira, Ozil, Di Maria, Canales.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema.
Quique Sanchez Flores meanwhile will be forced to make some changes with Godin and Asenjo unavailable due to injury and Perea serving a one-match suspension. He can however count on the services of Jose Antonio Reyes and Jorge Pulido. Forlan who hasn’t scored for 11 games running was benched midweek against Rosenborg. He probably would be returning to the side. De Gea has widely been acclaimed as the next Casillas. He will definitely play a vital role if Atleti are to get anything out of the game.
A win would keep us on top of the table and keep the momentum that we have gathered going. That’s what matters the most – to keep things running.
Let’s go and get them lads!
This is definitely a short preview but what the hell it really does not matter.
Until next time,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
De la Red, Green and Blue
My heart still beats... Real Madrid of course... I am not a ZOMBIE for heaven's sake...
Happy Diwali to all.
Its a Friday and we are now a day closer to El Derbi Madrileño. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will go head to head in our first Madrid derby of the season on Sunday at the Bernabeu at 21:00 CET. The last time we played Atleti at home we won (just like the previous zillion times that we played them) so I am guessing this one would be no different. Yeah, yeah Europa League champions blah blah. They’re still Atletico and we are still Real (As tempted as I was to type FOR real instead of still Real I am trying to refrain myself from sounding corny). I’ll be frank here and admit that I have no team news with me, so when it comes to that my guess is as good as yours.
What I am equipped with tonight is stuff about Ruben De la Red (No, you corrupt buffoons not Ruben De la Red’s stuff). As you all probably know by now Ruben De la Red has officially retired from all forms of football. The Spaniard had been diagnosed with a mysterious heart condition after this incident but still had his contract running with Real Madrid until this week when he decided to call it a day. As depressing as it was, the good news here was that Ruby would still be working with Real Madrid not as a player but as a coach shunting between Alejandro Menendez and Jose Mourinho so as to develop his abilities as a coach giving him a career alternative. This would apparently go on until his contract with Real expired. The former Spanish international then attended a press conference where he made a statement regarding the same along with Director General Jorge Valdano and the other top brass of Real Madrid C.F.
I am starting a very exciting stage in my carreer. I wish to send my support to all those players out there whose careers were also cut short. I am also very grateful to all the people who have supported me since I fainted. I’ve fought against this in vain and doctors advised me to stop. I always dreamt of becoming a football player and to be successful at this club, which is the greatest in the world. Real Madrid has watched me grow since I joined the Under-10 side and now it sees me retire from the game. I want to become a coach now. I may have a problem in my heart, but it still beats for Madridismo.
I am very excited and anxious to start this new stage in my career thanks to the Club. I will be able to continue to work at a place I regard as my home. I will try to learn the skills of a coach and I will give my all to be successful. I am very excited and will be eternally grateful to the Club. I’ve been watching football from a different perspective for quite some time now, while at the same time I’ve been preparing for this new stage. Real Madrid are currently one of the strongest teams in Europe.
He then mentioned about JM and his conversation with the boss. He said:
Jose Mourinho was very aware of my situation since day one and he was very clear when he spoke to me. He told me he counted on me if I was able to play, but if that wasn’t the case, he said he would be delighted to have me in his staff.
Valdano then appraised the press with De la Red’s exact job description:
This day marks a turning point in Ruben’s life. He ends his career as a player to focus all his passion for this sport on training. He is, from today, a part of Real Madrid’s Coaching Staff snd will start learning about what we do and how we come about it. He will also be part of Mourinho’s ‘lab’, in which every game is rigorously prepared. The objective is for Ruben to learn skills in order to apply them to whatever team he ends up being assigned to. He’s gone through all of the different teams the Club has and he will use that experience to continue to be a part of the world of football.
Javier Pastore and Gareth Bale are creating ripples in Europe. While Pastore is more of a Batman limiting himself to his Gotham City viz. Palermo, Bale seems to be like He-Man creating ripples around the universe as the next Lionel Messi/the next Ryan Giggs/Gareth Bale v2.0 and what-frikkin’-not. I am confident that we don’t need either of them and would do much better without them at least at this moment. One dude we could possibly do with is Romelu Lukaku. Recently CRon spoke about the Belgian Drogba to the press and seemed quite impressed by the Anderlecht man. We do need a number 9 and he is young. JM likes it young and fresh. Bah! Just fit the pieces and you’ll see the story.
Lass is being linked away for the umpteenth time this season. Ergo I choose to ignore.
And finally for those who are interested, Manuel Pellegrini has found himself another job. No guys, not as a miner in Chile. He will be managing Malaga. He replaced pornstar Jesulado who will be returning to Dickville to fulfill his dream of directing a porn film. Good luck Manu. We still love you. It wasn’t you it was just me.
Right then. We will soon be hearing about the Squad List for tomorrow from the club and probably even have a presser to talk about. But I’ll give that a raincheck as I am heading out to have a nice and filling dinner with my mates…
Ah, like you guys even care…
Later then.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
AC Milan vs Real Madrid | Preview
Let me go you prick!
This is no David vs Goliath kind of a game. Its more of a David on David or a Goliath on Goliath kind of a match up cause these two are equally big names. When Real Madrid face AC Milan in a European night at San Siro it just cannot get better. The two giants are statistically the top two teams in Europe and possess several of the top players of the past, present and the future. With this build up I go into tonight’s post where I will be previewing tonight’s clash at the San Siro between these two heavyweights (lightweights in case you feel its a David vs David kind of a game).
Jose Mourinho leads his troops into the city of Milan knowing that it is one battlefield where Madrid have never tasted victory. To put it straight Real Madrid have never won at the San Siro in 13 attempts. In fact ten of the games have ended in defeat. But then again, Milan have an equally poor field record against Mourinho’s teams losing eight out of the eight times that they have previously met over the past three years. But its an all new playing field tonight. History does not matter and neither do statistics. All that would matter is how ready the teams are to take advantage of the mistakes made by the other.
Mourinho spoke of Real’s poor record at the San Siro during yesterday’s press conference saying:
The fact that Real Madrid have never won in San Siro doesn’t add pressure. This is a hard place to play and win in. Madrid has had great teams and has not won. This is a tough field. TheTifosi help their team a lot. I am sure Milan fans are worried because Real Madrid can win here. We can win. It will be a great match; perhaps the most watched on European televisions. And the referee is fantastic. We are all obligated to perform well.
YES WE CAN. And if we do then the two games left in this phase of the competition would be dead rubber as Real would already be through as Group Leaders. But JM insists that shouldn’t be the case.
If we qualify for the next round tomorrow, some coaches may believe that the next two matches are not important and that they can put the Champions League on hold until February. Real Madrid is always required to play its best. We cannot play those next two matches thinking that we have taken care of business.
Milan on the other hand need a win tonight and possibly on the next match day as well. They are just coming out a loss against Juventus in the weekend in what was an important tie with respect to their title race. But Massimiliano Allegri insists when a team like Milan loses the criticism is almost ensured. This came from a man who has even fewer Champions League games in his pocket than Tottenham Hotspurs have:
We lost an important game in the league, but we had won the previous four. It’s OK to emphasise the fact when a team like Milan lose, and of course we can improve on many things, but there are also many positive signs that make me optimistic. This is a strong group of players, playing at a good level, so we have everything needed to win. We have to keep Real Madrid under pressure – we can’t repeat the technical mistakes we made in the first leg.
And under pressure we shall be. Returning from injury from them are key players like Massimo Ambrosini, Thiago Silva and Ronaldinho who can possibly make a difference. And Sergio Ramos was quick to acknowledge the talent that Milan possessed in their ranks and the difference that they could make. Speaking to the press ahead of the clash, the right back who missed the previous tie with the Rossoneri said:
No one questions the talent of players like Ronaldinho or Robinho. They are game-breakers, but I am more concerned about the entire squad. They have very talented and experienced players. We all have so much at stake.
AC MILAN SQUAD LIST:
Goalkeepers: Christian Abbiati, Marco Amelia;
Defenders: Luca Antonini, Marek Jankulovski, Alessandro Nesta, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Thiago Silva, Gianluca Zambrotta, Mario Yepes;
Midfielders: Ignazio Abate, Massimo Ambrosini, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Mathieu Flamini, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf;
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Filippo Inzaghi, Alexandre Pato, Robinho, Ronaldinho.
As far as the absentees are concerned Massimo Oddo has been ruled out for four to six weeks after sustaining a left thigh problem in training on Friday. Daniele Bonera was replaced before half-time in their game against Juventus after picking up a knock to his left shin.
Like me Jose too does not care about the way they will come at us. But come at us they will with all the vengeance that their old bodies can muster. In the previous tie they preferred to use their old warhorses against our young guns and paid for it dearly. This time I am sure that will change. Thiago Silva will probably play and he should if you ask me. This is the time of the season when we need to be challenged and this is time to prove ourselves to the rest of the world. If I were to be Allegri, I’d play all the four Brazilians along with Ibrahimobitch and Captain Planet and the Planeteers and bring in the Swat Kats if I must to try and stop Real from giving my team a footballing lesson. But hell Allegri is not all that smart or at least doesn’t seem that way.
Amidst all this Sergio Ramos also spoke about Karim Benzema (a topic which I have covered enough about) and Howard Webb as well who will be officiating the game. Ramos called him his lucky charm but I am not sure Xabi Alonso would agree with his fellow Spaniard. The last time Alonso and Webb were on the same field Alonso almost left with a broken rib courtesy Dangerous De Jong. I sure hope we return with nothing less than tired legs back home. An injury at this point of the season can cripple the team’s form.
Talking about injuries, (in what could possibly be a move to unsettle Milan’s tactics devised by none other than Professor X himself) Angel Di Maria, I heard, apparently faced a late fitness test to determine whether or not he was fit to play tonight. The high-flying Argentine apparently suffered a bruised knee in training on Monday but was included in the squad as the coach was confident that he would recover in time. Pedro Leon or Karim Benzema were touted as being his replacements in case he had failed to recover in time.
The only ones still injured are Kaka, Garay and Gago. The latter is almost fine again as he trained with the squad on Monday. Lass, who had been injured for the past few weeks, is fine once again. But the Frenchman has not travelled with the side as Mourinho insisted that players not fit enough for a weekend game cannot be fit for a midweek clash. The rest 21 have all made the cut.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST:
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek, Adan.
Defenders: Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Marcelo, Mateos, Carvalho.
Midfielders: Khedira, Alonso, Ozil, Diarra, Canales, Granero, Pedro Leon, Di Maria.
Forwards: Benzema, Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo.
I am confident that Real will be playing the same formation as they have been playing till this point of the season – the 4-2-3-1 convertible. But what can possibly change is who plays and who doesn’t. Knowing Mourinho I don’t think there will be any but something tells me that Arbeloa might just get a game. Apart from that I don’t think there will be any changes to the side. Ozil, Di Maria and Ronaldo should give their defense a handful and hopefully get the better of the Milanese cunts.
Moving on and in case you didn’t already know Ruben De la Red has officially retired from all forms of the game and will take up a coaching role with the side. The player had remained optimistic of eventually making a return to the game, but Marca reports today that De La Red has accepted a coaching role at the club until his contract expires. Reports suggest that Florentino Perez had promised De La Red that the club would not leave him after the incident against Real Union, and now as promised the club have given him a role which can develop his coaching abilities alongside Jose Mourinho and Castilla boss Alejandro Menendez. De La Red’s position is thought help him to progress into working with one of the youth teams at the club and help players progress through the ranks. Sad but I am happy for the player. He was arguably one of the best midfielders that Castilla had ever produced and definitely would have played a vital role in the team if not for the condition that he suffers from.
And that brings this post to an end.
Hoping for a Real win.
Until next time,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Alonso press conference
Xabi Alonso addressed the media during a publicity act. The midfielder analysed the team’s performances of late, adding the team wants to defeat Deportivo to thirll their home crowd.
Xabi Alonso: "We are ambitious so as to improve on a daily basis"
Season so far:
I think we are trying to do our best, but we can still improve. We can do a better job collectively speaking. The more games we play, the more we get to know each other and the better we grasp the coach’s intentions, the more we will become stronger and competitive side. We are currently under construction and the team is working well. We are happy with our performances and we are ambitious so as to improve on a daily basis.
Squad:
The balance we have between defence and attack is good. We don’t concede goals, so I hope we keep this up. We’ve had many chances to score, especially against Ajax, although we only won 2-0. We could have won against Mallorca and Levante. The scores we earn shouldn’t tarnish the work we do. I hope our aim improves, but I’m not worried about it. We will start scoring many strikes again one of these days. Goal scorers have streaks and ours will soon get their’s.
Mourinho:
Our relationship with Mourinho is very honest. Everything he tells the media he’s told us beforehand. We have a clear idea of what we must do and the atmosphere in the dressing room is very good. Our coach has a very strong personality and a clear way of working both on and off the pitch. He tries to motivate us both on an individual and a collective level. He wants each of us to do our best.
Deportivo:
We want to win against Deportivo by performing well. We did very well against Auxerre. We controlled the match and created good ball movement. We lacked more chances on goal because they were fierce in defence, but we did a good job nonetheless. We try to speak out on the pitch so that our fans enjoy watching us play both at home and away. I’m sure the Bernabeu crowd will respond positively to our game.
Responsibility:
I always try to be as reliable as I possibly can and to help my coach and team-mates. I tend to think you are neither phenomenal when you have a great game nor a disaster when you don’t. You have to find a middle ground and remain calm. All of us in this project accept the responsibility and the pressure that come with playing for Real Madrid.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho offered his thoughts on Real Madrid’s victory at Auxerre following the match.
Mourinho: "My team came through in what was a tough game"
The match:
It was a good match all-in-all. It was tough playing a well-organized adversary fell back to defend and that created a lot of danger on the counterattack. It wasn’t easy because we wanted to control the match as well as defend against the counter. Winning this match and earning our sixth point are all that count.
Difficulty:
The team came through in a very difficult game. We were put through two tough moments on defense; the first in the first half and another in the second. We didn’t create as many chances as we have been, but we moved the ball well. We sought other solutions in the second half.
Ozil:
I spoke to Ozil before subbing him in in order to explain what I wanted once he was on the pitch. It was a pre-planned change. Perhaps there was a communication issue because of the language difference and maybe he didn’t understand very well.
Chances:
We created many more chances against Mallorca and Levante and we left empty-handed when everyone thought we would win. We created fewer opportunities tonight, but scored one goal and leave with three points in hand. It’s all a matter of being pragmatic.
The Dubious Foul:
The distance from the foul to where Di Maria was is so far. You couldn’t even see him on the television. He was very far away. I don’t know if it was a hand ball by Ramos.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho addressed the media in Auxerre the day prior to Real Madrid’s second game in this season’s Champions League.
"Benzema will be a starter because this is the time to build his confidence"
Auxerre:
It is a pleasure for me to play at Auxerre’s stadium. They qualified after a fantastic season. I wish to congratulate Jean Fernandez and the whole team. We currently have three points and we want to continue with the positive start we had against Ajax. Real Madrid are in a very difficult group. Other teams are in groups more typical of the UEFA Cup than the Champions League, but we haven’t had that luck.
Three points:
Real Madrid, Ajax and Milan have won 20 European Cup titles between them. Auxerre represent French football, which has always been very strong. We want points. It will be better if we take three, that’s why we’re here. Every point taken is positive in this competition.
Playing at Auxerre:
I’m very happy to play here. It seems this is a great event for teams who don’t have a tradition in the Champions League. It is a beautiful time for the stadium and the people here. I hope people from Auxerre enjoy the match. I obviously want to win, but I hope they enjoy having Real Madrid here.
Benzema press conference
Karim Benzema will play a special game tomorrow. The French striker will face Auxerre in his home country and hopes to help Real Madrid take three points.
"I feel fit and ready to score goals to help the team"
Starting the game:
The coach decides. I feel fit and I am very excited about playing this game, which is very important to us.
Auxerre:
Auxerre are having a good run in their league, but the Champions League is a different competition and they will be looking to play a good game tomorrow. They are in this championship because they are a good team.
Scoring:
This is only the start to the season, so it’s natural for us to lack some things. But we are working very hard and we hope to give a great performance against Auxerre.
Mourinho:
Mourinho is helping me to make progress. He is especially helping me in what regards my mentality. I’m sure I will improve considerably with him.
Mourinho press conference
During post-game comments, Jose Mourinho expressed his concern with the team’s inability to score after creating so many chances.
Mourinho: "Only one team played to win tonight, but we need to score to win"
The match:
We created a lot of chances tonight, some of them being really good, so I am obviously concerned becase we need to score. We are a solid team on defense. We have only allowed one goal in six official games; five in La Liga and one in the Champions League. Our tactics aren’t the problem, but we aren’t scoring. It’s not because of our players because we all know just how capable they are of scoring, but we aren’t right now. That is my only worry.
Not scoring:
Only one team played to win tonight. It’s not a critique. Every team plays with the weapons it has. But we didn’t score, and whoever doesn’t score doesn’t win. Every point earned is one more in the books, but we want to win every match we play. So these are two less points that we have. We are not happy about earning only one point. We must win every match. Had we drawn against Real Sociedad I would have said it was a fair result, but the two games that we have drawn were precisely the two that we dominated offensively and had complete control of. Creating chances isn’t enough. We need to score.
Strategy:
We knew exactly how Levante would play. If we want to play our game and are prevented from doing so by the opponent, it’s obviously going to be frustrating. I am happy that no Levante player ended up going to the hospital because it looked like one or two might.
Rotation:
If we change the team around we might not create as many chances, but perhaps we create two and score two goals. We have the balance and we have the ability to create chances, but we you have talented players who can’t finish you have trouble. I don’t have that problem. We have very skilled forwards. It’s a matter of streaks. It isn’t normal that our players need to many chances to score; or not to like happened tonight.
Positives:
My team played with a positive attitude and fought until the very last second. I am not a coach that will get upset with a player for missing a goal. I prefer to provide confidence and calmness.
Arbeloa press conference
Alvaro Arbeloa discussed Saturday’s draw against Levante and the team’s upcoming Champions League game at Auxerre during Sunday’s post-training press conference.
Arbeloa: "We are all performing well on defensive duties, but we will continue to improve"
Not scoring:
We weren’t able to hit the target, but I doubt it’s a problem this team is going to have often. We have a lot of talent in attack. Levante fell back to defend at the very beginning, and attacking that kind of defense is very difficult. I am convinced we will score a lot of goals.
Defense:
We are all performing well on defensive duties. We have a new coach, which requires going through an adjustment period. Playing for Real Madrid is one of the most demanding jobs there is, but we are doing everything we can to improve.
Dropping points:
Losing points is never pleasant because we know we might miss them once the season ends. What is done is done, so all we can do is analyze what took place and improve.
Champions League:
Tuesday’s match is going to be very difficult. Auxerre aren’t doing that well in the Ligue 1 right now, but the fact that they are playing Real Madrid will motivate them. We are very focused and we hope to earn the three points in play.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho said leading the table is being in a “privileged situation.” The coach also said he is happy with Benzema’s work of late.
"I have a very good relationship with my players"
League leaders:
To be group leaders is not fundamental at the moment, but I would rather prefer it. It isn’t dramatic not being at the top, but the margin of error is smaller. Our situation is privileged, but meaningless now. The team is coming together with victories, which gives us confidence.
Replacing the turf at the Bernabeu:
The staff who replaced the pitch has done a fantastic job. I have never seen something quite like it in terms of quality, dedication and professionalism. A fungal disease is to blame for what has happened on the pitch and that was uncontrollable. Last year most of the pitches in Italy also suffered this. The people dealing with this problem both at the Santiago Bernabeu and at Valdebebas work very hard to maintain the pitches in perfect conditions. The Chief Groundskeeper is doing a fantastic job. Real Madrid signed him because he is very good at what he does and we have a lot of faith in him.
Benzema:
I like Benzema’s game and the way he is working with the team much more now. He is not playing entire games, but it is worth it. He knows what he has to give to the squad. I trust him more than I did two months ago. He is on the right path and now it is my turn to give him more opportunities because he deserves them.
Carvalho press conference
Ricardo Carvalho is an essential piece in Real Madrid’s defence. The defender addressed the media following this morning’s training session.
"Our strength in defence is the result of team-work"
Mourinho’s motive:
The most important thing for Mourinho is to have a competitive team. In order to have that, we must be solid in defence, but he also likes his teams to be offensive. Our fans want us to play well and score many goals. We’ve been defending well so far and we also want to be good up front.
Fans:
We know our supporters aren’t very happy because we haven’t been playing very well. We admit we can do better. What matters is we’ve earned victories, but we want to earn them by playing well. We are ready to do that.
Auxerre:
Auxerre aren’t having a great run in the French league this season, but the championship has only just started.
Training:
Mourinho is the boss and we must respect that. We would like to spend more time at home, but we are professionals. We’ll do whatever he believes is best for us. The squad is happy.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho was satisfied with the victory against Espanyol.
"We played better when we were both down to ten men"
The match:
We took three points and grabbed the first position on the table. We’ll see if we are still at the top tomorrow night after Valencia’s game. We had more chances to score in the second half and grew calmer. This team still needs to improve, but above all it needs to rest.
Satisfaction:
I am satisfied given the circumstances because it isn’t easy to play on a potato field, it isn’t easy to play a third game having had only two days to recover, and it isn’t easy to face an opponent that had nothing to lose. My team played a great game. These are the easiest games for teams who are between the fifth and tenth position of the table: they feel no pressure, they are motivated, and they are quality sides. It’s great for them if they win, but if they lose by playing well their morale is boosted nonetheless.
The second half:
We played well with Khedira and Arbeloa because the team was tighter. Our three central midfielders made us solid and we began to put more pressure, to make easier steals and to keep more possession in attack while our forwards had their backs covered. Balance comes from playing and thinking at the same time. We found balance right at the end, when the pitch grew larger because the game lacked two players but it was really smaller because our side was tighter. I hesitated at first to make two substitutions after Espanyol were left with ten men, but I had already made my mind up and my team needed to be tighter. We controlled the game better from then on.
Decisions:
Real Madrid only have one coach who can make decisions, and he always makes them after thinking carefully about them. He sometimes uses intuition, but most of his decisions are carefully thought through. My team was tired and it wasn’t tight; we were beginning to lose control for the first time in the game. Khedira, Xabi and Lass made the lines come closer together.
Fatigue:
The team is tired because it still isn’t a proper team and the coach doesn’t use rotations. I usually rotate four or five players successfully once my teams are constructed after years of work. I will do this with Real Madrid whenever I feel the team is in a different stage of construction. We will be at a different level in February if we reach the next round in the Champions League. I will use rotations then. I prefer not to use them for now.
Referee:
I prefer to talk about referees when they do a good job. I talked about the ref in San Sebastian because it was a pleasure to see such a good performance. I’d rather not comment on the ref today. He wasn’t fortunate and we were left with ten men. Espanyol were innocent enough to earn a red card just after this happened. I was too far to see Higuain being elbowed. I haven’t seen the penalty on a TV yet, so I cannot comment.
The hand-ball incident:
I work with my players to improve on defending from free-kicks. You have to protect your face when in doubt. You must jump or stay still when defending a free-kick depending on what the coach tells you, but you should never use your arms. These are negative doubts, but the referee didn’t do a good job tonight. His decision didn’t really influence the score, which is what matters and what we all ultimately want.
Khedira press conference
Sami Khedira said the team deserved its victory against Espanyol yesterday and that the squad currently only thinks about facing Levante.
Khedira: "We work hard every day to find our own style"
Finding it hard:
I think it is understandable for players to find it hard to come to grips with a style when there is a new coach on a team. We work hard every day to find our own style. It’s difficult to win every game. We try to play well; we are still under construction. We played well against Ajax and we want to do even better than that in the future.
Fans:
Our supporters want to see us play fast and offensive football, but the truth is we’ve played a game every two or three days in the last few weeks. We have to spread our efforts throughout 90 minutes. We deserved to win against Espanyol. We played an especially fast game in the second half. It wasn’t a great performance on our part, but we deserved to win. We have great players.
Cristiano Ronaldo:
Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent individualist player, but he is also an excellent team player. He plays with the team. He will help us take many points.
Mourinho:
Mourinho’s style is clearly identifiable. He has a specific style, well-defined tactics and he is very disciplinary with his men. He uses a solid defence and a very offensive attacking front. He gives opponents few chances to score. I am very happy with the role I play on this team.
Champions League:
We currently only think about Levante. We’ll have time to think about the Champions League after the game.
Mourinho press conference
According to Jose Mourinho, “the goal is to make this team as stable and consistent as possible” while Real Madrid also “continue winning.”
Mourinho: "From a prestige standpoint, becoming coach of Real Madrid is like reaching the moon"
Ajax-game:
What I liked most about Saturday’s match is that we didn’t need 35 shots to score two goals like we did against Ajax.
Cristiano Ronaldo:
Cristiano Ronaldo has made it this far thanks to both his skills and his shortcomings. That is how he won the Ballon d’Or, the Champions League, titles, prestige… He works hard every day and on the pitch. He provides a lot of help to his teammates. He is a fantastic player.
Canales’ injury:
Sergio Canales is very talented but he has a lot to learn. He’s on the right track and he works very hard. The kid has it all to be very good. It’s a shame he is injured and will be out some time, but he will return.
Granero press conference
Esteban Granero addressed the media following the training session held at Valdebebas this morning.
"We believe we can and must be on top of Barcelona this year"
Sociedad:
We found it hard to get the feel of yesterday’s game and Real Sociedad were also strong. We reacted well in the second half. They scored the equaliser when they least deserved it. We reacted to that and earned a victory. We are excited about defeating Espanyol at our stadium. We’ve had a good start to the league and we must keep it up. We believe we can and must be on top of Barcelona this year.
Heavy Fixtures:
We play many games in a short amount of time, but this squad is solid enough to pull through.
Players Mentality:
Ozil and Khedira have adapted well despite the language barrier. Their performances are helping them. It makes it look easier. They will surely bring much to the team and the squad has given them a warm welcome. I don’t believe Cristiano Ronaldo is anxious. He just has a lot of responsibility. I believe he is playing at a good level, better than last year. He is more relaxed and we are all convinced this will be a great year for him.
Atleti-Barca:
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will be important opponents this year. Whatever happens tonight with Barcelona, we will still be ahead on the table. This is good, so we must keep it up, even if it doesn’t mean much at this stage.
Mourinho-Portugal:
I understand everything that’s being said about the possibility of Mourinho coaching the Portuguese national team, but it doesn’t concern me. The things he’s said don’t bother me and I don’t believe they could bother anyone.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho discussed Saturday’s match against Real Socieded as well as Portugal’s interest in signing the Madridista coach to manage the national team during Friday’s post-training news conference.
Mourinho: "This will be our toughest match to date"
Saturday’s game:
This will be our toughest match to date, and I don’t say it because it’s our next game, but because I believe they are the toughest opponent that we will have played against so far. Teams that are promoted from Segunda Division have the attitude and morale and confidence soaring through the roof after winning their league last year, which makes playing against them harder than playing against a team that has more Primera Division experience but sits in the middle of the table. These are championship-winning teams with winning attitudes. I have watched their two previous games and I can say that they are very organized and defend well. They are a compact group that waits to counterattack. Their attack can be devastating.
Real Sociedad:
Real Sociedad have had a full week to prepare, while we haven’t had that privilege. It’s hard for me to accept the fact that we play on Saturday after having played a Champions League match on Wednesday. That said, we are professionals. There was a lot of wear and tear from the Ajax game and it hasn’t been easy to recover in only two days. We respect the decisions made and must be in top form if we are to win.
Managing Portugal:
The Portuguese Football Federation did not contact Real Madrid. The club was made aware of the situation by me. I owe myself to this club and therefore cannot say ‘yes’ to the national team. Neither can I easily say ‘no’ because I am Portuguese and I have strong feelings towards the team. But the fact remains that we will not win only because I am coaching the team. Real Madrid has every right to keep me here and I cannot go against their word.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho didn’t hold back his satisfaction with his team’s performance during Wednesday’s post-match press conference.
Mourinho: "The goals will come; I am very optimistic"
The match:
We played well. We pressured a lot and in a very advanced position. We didn’t allow Ajax to play, and they are used to controlling the ball on an open pitch. The team’s physical and mental strength increases by playing. They need time to adapt to the new playing method. They need time to adapt because we play with a lot of intensity.
Style:
It isn’t easy playing the way we do; we are focused for 90 minutes and are ambitious. Tomorrow we will have a recovery workout, we will train on Friday before traveling to San Sebastian and then we will recover again for Espanyol. That is why I draw all my conclusions from matches. We can improve little by little. I need time, but I am very optimistic.
Less work for Casillas:
I would be worried had we only had two shots on goal or if Casillas was our player of the match. For many years Casillas was the best Real Madrid player. In the last three matches he has barely touched the ball. Perhaps my forwards weren’t so successful on goal because they pressured so much. We lost some efficiency on goal, but we gained a lot in the sense that we completely dominated the match.
Alonso press conference
Xabi Alonso will face Real Sociedad, the team where he began his career, on Saturday.
"There will be three points at stake against Real Sociedad, so we will be opponents for 90 minutes"
Sociedad:
There will be three points at stake against Real Sociedad, so we will be opponents for 90 minutes, although I’ve always been and always will be a Real Sociedad supporter. It’s always nice to go back home. They’ve always greeted me well over there.
Key players:
Ozil is a very good footballer. He has good timing, works from the back and has great vision. His work on the team is fantastic and I believe he may become an important player in the future. Cristiano Ronaldo is not anxious. He just wants to help the team and I’m sure he will score again. Karim Benzema is a quality striker. He may be introverted, but his devotion to the team is solid.
Mourinho:
Mourinho isn’t a defensive coach. His Chelsea was demolishing. We want to win our games with authority and to become a competitive team. I hope we keep up the tendency we showcased yesterday. The coach focuses on small details when he analyses our opponents and every player he has ever coached speaks highly of him. Everything he says in the press has been previously said to us.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho addressed the media the day prior to the team’s match against Ajax at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Mourinho: "Real Madrid have a great history in the Champions League and so do I"
The current Real Madrid:
This team is under construction. Our goal is to continue to grow and to reach the next round in the championship. We will be a tighter side in the Last 16 and in the most decisive moments of the competition. We have yet to play six games in a tough group.
Special one?:
I don’t feel anything special. I just have faith in my work, in that of those who work with me and in my players. Real Madrid have a great history in the Champions League and so do I, so it is natural for us to have a special feeling and to think something positive will happen. Real Madrid want to win their tenth European Cup title as much as I want to win my third, but it will be difficult.
Contenders:
There are between six and eight teams that could win the championship. We will be much stronger than we are now if we reach the next round.
Champions League:
The Champions League is the competition everyone wants to win. You can’t compare it to other championships, not even to a World Cup because these teams are different to national sides. It is the greatest title a club can aspire to win and it is also a championship in which small details are very important. The best team doesn’t win. On the other hand, the league isn’t decided by details. You can come back from a mistake. The best always wins, despite the fact that there is less prestige in it than in winning the Champions League. Winning a league is good to boost a team’s self-esteem. Neither championship is more important than the other. Today, the Champions League is more important to us, but this weekend it will be La Liga.
Ajax:
Ajax are a great club with great tradition. Both they and Real Madrid are giants in this championship.
Osasuna:
It’s up to the press to debate about or game on Saturday, not to us. I clearly said after the game I had no problems. I don’t feel more pressure. I am calm. No one can teach me about negative reactions in a stadium. I know what true boos and whistles are and they have nothing to do with what was heard for ten seconds on Saturday. When you score in the opening minute of the second half, you leave the stadium calm because you won the match. I don’t care. Those who pay may do what they want and those of us who work at Real Madrid have to accept that.
Cristiano:
Cristiano Ronaldo did not criticise the fans. He always risks injuries and his future as a player when he’s on the pitch, even when he is in delicate shape. He wants players and fans to share the same goals. That’s it. He knows he can make a difference and he is aware of what the team needs. He always tries to do better. That’s a good thing.
Higuain press conference
Gonzalo Higuain is very motivated for the Champions League match against Ajax tomorrow.
Higuain: "Mourinho is a great coach and his experience will be key in this competition"
Mourinho:
Mourinho is a winner; he’s always proved this. That’s why he was signed and we hope to take Real Madrid where it deserves together with him.
Champions League:
The Champions League is an important competition and we hope to take the Club to the very top in Europe, to the Wembley final. We’ve been eliminated in the Last 16 for some years now, something inadmissable at a club like Real Madrid.
Taking chances:
We shouldn’t worry about not scoring more form the many chances on goal we had on Saturday. What matters is that we continue to improve as a team. I hope we capitalise more on our chances against Ajax.
Playing with two other forwards:
We forwards feel comfortable when the three of us play together, but what’s important is that those who make the starting lineup do their best.
Cristiano Ronaldo press conference
Cristiano Ronaldo is confident things will improve and has a feeling the team will win a title this season.
"We have all the necessary ingredients to win the competition, but we have to take one step at a time and avoid putting pressure on ourselves"
Champions League:
This club, as always, has the ambition to win the Champions League. I have a special feeling about this season. We can win, but we cannot put pressure on ourselves. We have all the necessary ingredients to win the competition, but we have to take one step at a time.
Osasuna:
We are happy with our game on Saturday. Our goal was to win the match and take three points. We can play better and score more strikes. I’m sure we’ll do better, we’ll grow more confident and we’ll win. We are going to win this year. I have a feeling we will. I am abitious and I want to win. Mourinho is the best coach in the world and I’m sure we will win and create spectacle.
Style:
At times it isn’t possible to play well and be spectacular. It’s better for the fans to help us and motivate us to play well. Our supporters have fun when the team plays well and scores goals, but we can’t thrill them with brilliance all the time. It is on occasion convenient for fans to thrill players as well. All of us at the stadium want what’s best for Rreal Madrid and, together, we can make this a feared team at home.
Mourinho press conference
Jose Mourinho discussed his thoughts on his first official win as head coach of Real Madrid.
Mourinho: "We didn't have any trouble on defense and we haven't conceded a goal in two games"
The match:
I don’t think it was a very complicated match. Winning was quite easy. Casillas didn’t have to make any saves and we didn’t find ourselves in trouble. We lacked some clarity and calmness when it came time to building plays, but it will all come in due time. We could have played at a different level had we scored a second goal.
The formation:
Playing with three forwards was a bit of a risk because I didn’t have another one on the bench. The fact that Benzema got the start is a vote of confidence for him. He knows that he can play alongside Cristiano and Higuain. He looked motivated and did a good job. Playing with three attackers is possible, but those three players also have to defend and pressure like we did in the second half.
Not scoring:
I cannot be worried about any of my forwards because they are all talented and have had successful careers. I am not upset with them in any way. They cannot feel the pressure I put on them and I am sure they will answer with three goals one day. They helped out by recovering the ball, running back to defend and by sprinting towards the opponent’s goal. This is a team. I liked how Pipita performed.
Just another Madridista
Hala Madrid 
D-Day edging closer
Demented Dani: Is your Derby still sexier than me?
Hi all,
With just one day left before the Madrid derby kicks off I sit here thinking what would you call a Turkish-born German. Would it be a Turkan or a Gerkish? I think I’d call him Ozil. And Super Mesut is what I am going to start with. I had a dream last night. It was about Kaka returning to the squad one fine day. Probably Ozil might be 30 by then and Jamaica would have won a World Cup but nevertheless Kaka returned to the side and that’s what matters. No, I cannot tell you how many games he lasted before going back to the gym and posing on the cycle or the pool but I can assure you that he returned and did touch the ball in the game that came in my dream. Hypothetical but true. So yeah, what should be done if Kaka returns to full fitness? Must. Not. Laugh. Would Ozil be benched to honor the Brazilian? Considering the position in which Kaka generally plays it is no different from where Ozil is playing now. It will be a like for a crocked like sort of switch. But class wise maybe they are at par for sure. What should be done? Stupid question I admit. Obviously the player who works harder must be given the game. But what if both of them work equally hard? Hypothetical question I admit. Obviously if that happens we use the rotation system. Then, what if one of them is unhappy because of the fact that he is not playing despite working hard? Ridiculous question I admit. The player is being simply stupid.
In all seriousness, I cannot wait for Kaka to return. Return he will but I am more concerned about Kaka becoming the Kaka we all know. He is right now more of a pseudo-Kaka or the evil-twin-but-Jesus-loving brother of Kaka. I want the Kaka who can stroll past defenders as though they were never there. I want the Kaka who can score goals from anywhere on the pitch. I want the Kaka who can inspire even a lousy Atletico team to win a derby. I want the Kaka who can even knock sense into Louis van Gaal’s head. I want the Kaka who can silence Sir Alex. I want the Kaka who can even make Liverpool win the league. Is that possible?
Mesut Ozil though will not give up his place on the team that easily. He said:
So what have you got that Kaka doesn’t have? The Brazilian can fake full fitness and play the World Cup. Can you?
Interesting answer. Can you make Atletico win a derby?
Haha. Good one Mesut. Cheers. Oh btw, you can have your place in the team. No hassles there.
OK. Time to shift my focus on the derby then. As you all know very well already, Real and Atleti face off at the Bernabeu tomorrow night at 21:00 CET. Albiol did the little preview that players generally do prior to the game for bwin this time. And like it has been for the past few years he picked out Kun and Diego as the danger men.
Clean sheet is what I am looking at. We need to make keeping clean sheets as a habit. Something that we were able to do until we faced Hercules. Milan was disastrous that way. If we can keep Aguero-Forlan quiet we can definitely keep most of the other attacks in the world quiet. And the person who would probably help us the most in doing that would be Ricardo Carvalho. The Portuguese center half met up with Forlan to play FIFA 11 in a promo-like thingy for EA. He said:
And St.Iker too has a vital role to play. We need him to be at his best throughout this month. He spoke to the press after yesterday’s training session. He emphasized the importance of a derby game to Madridistas despite the fact that it has been dead rubber since 1999 and also had kind words for De Gea, their goalkeeper. He then spoke about Forlan and Kun Aguero but since I’ve covered enough about those two lads, I’ll move on. He finally spoke about the Clasico.
Anything can happen. Anything. I mean ANYTHING.
One person who will be unable to help us beat Atletico would be Pope Dudek. Did I say Pope? I meant Pole. The Dudek suffers from lower back pain and will be subjected to medical treatment apparently. Massage maybe?
All said and done a Wonderful derby is awaiting us.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
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November 6, 2010 | Categories: Comments, News, Pre-preview, Press Conference | Tags: Atlético Madrid, Diego Forlan, El Derbi Madrileño, Iker Casillas, Jerzy Dudek, Kaká, Mesut Özil, Raúl Albiol, Ricardo Carvalho, Sergio Agüero | 1 Comment