Argentina 1-0 Nigeria
Argentina joined Saturday’s earlier winners Korea Republic on three points in Group B with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria at Johannesburg’s packed Ellis Park. Gabriel Heinze scored the game’s only goal with a diving header from a corner in just the sixth minute, although the two-time FIFA World Cup™ winners would have added more if not for the heroics of Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and their own wasteful finishing.
Heinze header downs Nigeria
As early as the fourth minute, FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi burst through the Super Eagles’ defence and set up Gonzalo Higuain in front of goal, but the Real Madrid man blazed wide of the target. Two minutes later Messi tested Enyeama from 20 yards out, but the Israel-based goalkeeper saved well with a dive to his right. However, from the resulting corner, Heinze ran free of his marker and made no mistake with his header from the penalty spot. The early goal sent coach Diego Maradona into raptures on the sideline, and surely he must have thought there was more to come.
Messi was a constant thorn in the side of the Nigeria defence, and in the 18th minute he cut inside and curled a left-footed shot towards goal from 25 yards out. But Enyeama was up to the task with a fine save at his post. Three minutes later, the Albiceleste threatened again but Higuain blasted his point-blank shot right into the goalkeeper. Enyeama was the Nigerian hero another time shortly after, denying Messi with his fingertips when it seemed like his curling shot would sneak in.
The introduction of Obafemi Martins early in the second period sparked Nigeria into life. The Wolfsburg forward showed his pace on the hour to latch onto a through-ball and play in Sani Kaita but he blasted over from 25 yards out. As the match opened up, Argentina found more room in the attacking third. In the 65th minute, they counter-attacked quickly to find themselves four-on-two and bearing down on the Nigeria defence. Carlos Tevez slid the ball dangerously into the middle, Angel Di Maria let the ball carry on to Messi, but the Barcelona superstar hit his shot agonisingly wide. Messi then set up Higuain for another opening, but Enyeama was again the victor in that head-to-head duel.
In the 71st minute, Nigeria left-back Taye Taiwo blasted a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area, injuring himself in the process. His replacement, Kalu Uche, had the best chance of the night for the Super Eagles in the 83rd minute, but he failed to keep down an effort from 12 yards out despite being left unmarked. Nigeria next face Greece on 17 June in Manguang/Bloemfontein, when Argentina and Korea Republic will battle it out for top spot in the group at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.
Morientes, Deschamps and Heinze press conference
Gabriel Heinze and Fernando Morientes returned to the Santiago Bernabeu with their new team and sat down with the press alongside their coach Didier Deschamps.
What does it mean to you to play once again at your former stadium?
Heinze: It’s a joy because we had great moments here. The best thing is to be again with the people you spent so much time with. And when we play at the stadium many memories will come to our minds, but we’ll stay focused on the match.
Morientes: I already know that feeling. I’ve gone through all those moments in the past and it’s still something special, but it’s no more than an anecdote.
Do you know how to put an end to Real Madrid’s starting run?
Deschamps: It’s always difficult to play here. Real Madrid is a very strong side, with great players and much talent. They score easily and it will be paramount to defend well amongst other things because we won’t have any chances otherwise. We have to be focused because any error against these players can cost you dearly.
Do you feel any resentment despite being a special moment?
H: Not at all. I don’t have any reasons for that. I’ll just remember the good moments at the Club.
What do you think about Benzema’s start to the season?
D: He’s a young quality player. He’ll get even better at Real Madrid. He’s very skilful in front of the opponent’s goal and he’s got everything a striker needs. He has had a brilliant start.
Years go by and Raul keeps being a starter…
M: I’m not objective, but he’s been a top-class player for many years and he has proved that he belongs to this team and that he can help it a lot. He keeps adding his charisma, quality and talent. He makes things easier for the coach.
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.
Just a confirmation…
Gabriel Heinze has officially left the club. The statement on the club’s website read:
Real Madrid and Marseille have reached an agreement for the transfer of Gabriel Ivan Heinze to the French club.
The 31-year-old will sign a three-year deal with l’OM, but the transfer fee remains undisclosed. Heinze, who was already in Marseille to complete his medicals and contract signing before the formal confirmation was released, said during his presentation:
The club’s sports project convinced me and from there, the negotiations were concluded quickly. The objective is clear and that’s why I am here. All the great clubs are always fighting for titles and that is what I will work for.
He then revealed that his decision to leave the Santiago Bernabeu was his choice, and not solely because he didn’t fit into the plans of coach, Manuel Pellegrini.
I’ve enjoyed two tremendous seasons at the club, but the life of a footballer is such. We are made to change clubs. I am proud to be here and I will give everything I have.
Good. Now over to the Xabi Alonso thingy.
Xabi Alonso is due to fly back to Spain with Liverpool on Saturday as the negotiations over his possible transfer drag on. Liverpool are playing in a friendly against Espanyol on Sunday to open the club’s new stadium and at the moment Alonso is expected to be in the travelling party.
A final decision is likely to be taken after the squad have trained on Saturday morning ahead of an afternoon flight.
Alonso is known to want to make his Madrid debut in his home town of San Sebastian on August 15, when the we play in Real Sociedad’s centenary match. Alonso started his career with the Basque club.
So I shall keep you guys posted.
Till then,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Good news?! Its Great news!
You think that it is your day when the headlines reads Alonso ‘requests transfer’. You definitely know that it is your day when it reads Heinze se marcha al Olympique de Marsella. The latter can be translated as Heinze goes to Olympique Marseille or simply Heinze is no longer a Real Madrid player for its official! Now isn’t that brilliant?!!
If that is brilliant then wait till you hear this, Xabi Alonso has handed in a written transfer request to Liverpool. Even though we have no official information as of yet, the news is apparently out on Liverpool Echo, one of the most trusted Liverpool tabloid. So I guess the news itself can be considered genuine. Speculation suggests a deal for the midfielder will be struck with Madrid within the next couple of days for a fee reported to be in the region of £25m. This is simply superb. I say superb because I felt that Xabi Alonso was the missing piece in the Real Madrid jigsaw and now that his arrival is on the cards I think that success is almost inevitable for this great club. Heinze out => Xabi Alonso in. Sensational!
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
The Spanish tinge to Real Madrid
Note: Spain lost to the U.S.A. You can read the match report which is right below this post. I am on the verge of tears. If I talk anymore about the defeat I will cry. So I shall zip up about Spain and all the talk shall be about Real Madrid alone.
Hello,
It has been quite a decent day at the transfer market for us. There are quite a few rumors on hand right now. And I must say that they are good ones. Good as in good for the club not the ‘Stephen Lichensteiner is wanted by Real Madrid’ kind. OK. Time to kick-off.
Raul Albiol has been signed by Real Madrid. The actual signature nor the medical hasn’t taken place but MARCA reports that Valencia and Real Madrid have agreed upon a deal worth around 15 million euros which sees the young Spaniard play the next five seasons at the Bernabeu if alls well. It also says that a week long negotiation has been going on between the two clubs and that the deal is finally complete. The player though is yet to comment as he is away on international duty with the Spanish national team. If all has happened as reported then Albiol will be the second Spaniard to be signed by Florentino following Sergio Ramos (in his previous stint as President) and his third acquisition of his current spell. Both AS and MARCA had earlier said that Albiol was close to signing for Real Madrid and this news comes in as a little less of a surprise. There are no official statements out from either camp yet.
One other Spaniard who just might wear white next season is Alvaro Arbeloa. The versatile full-back who is currently plying his trade with Liverpool is being rumored to be on the verge of signing for Real Madrid. With Liverpool signing Glen Johnson this week and with only one year left in the player’s contract it was said that his agent was in Madrid to conduct talks with the Bernabeu officials. Arbeloa welcomes the transfer talk and concedes that it is not certain he will be plying his trade with Liverpool next season. He said:
I am especially proud of what the club is doing. It is a big project with the return of Florentino (Perez) – and obviously if Madrid is fixed on you it makes you proud.
Arbeloa added in Marca:
I would be lying if I said I was sure to start the season with Liverpool. I’ll be able to think about all this by next Monday.
We have also been linked with Liverpool’s midfield pair of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso. The Argentine is flattered about the rumors linking him with us and Barcelona. He has been tipped to join the Camp Nou outfit this summer while his representative, Walter Tamer, is understood to have jetted to Catalunya to hold talks last week. But it is Alonso on whom we are keen on. Valdano while speaking to AS said:
We have possibilities there but I don’t want to say anything that will make the negotiation more difficult. We will wait a reasonable amount of time.
Valdano had a few words to say about Arbeloa as well. He added:
The lad only has a year left on his contract with Liverpool and this gives us more possibilities. He can play in two or three positions and this versatility is good. He is another option to evaluate.
The arrival of Arbeloa and Alonso could spell the exits of one Gabriel Heinze, who admitted that he would consider moving back to the Premier League if we are looking at selling him. Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham are the clubs which are said to be interested in him. Please take him. I beg you. Continuing with England, there is a rumor about Michael Essien saying he would find it tough to resist a move to Real Madrid. The arrival of either Xabi or Essien would spell the exit of Rafael van der Vaart who might just go back to where he came from, HSV, only after a year that too. At least that is what MARCA says. But this they’ve been saying for ages.
One player who is definitely staying is Iker Casillas. He was behind the microphone of Al Primer Toque, where he made it very clear that his future is with Real Madrid following reports linking him with Manchester United.
I am very happy at Real Madrid and thrilled with the project. I have no intention of leaving. I was raised at Real Madrid and it is where I want to be. I worked hard to reach the first team and have been here for ten years now.
The long wait to decide the future of Franck Ribery could soon be over after the player’s agent revealed that the Frenchman wants to sign for Real Madrid. Ribery has his pick of Europe’s top clubs this summer, but appears set on a move to the Bernabeu. This is some fantastic news. I will wait till I hear more on this.
But he isn’t the only Frenchman who wants to be come to Real. With having ended the David Villa pursuit Real were planning to spend the money that Valencia was supposed to get on Lyon’s Karim Benzema, who has been a target for sometime now. However, the French striker will prove to be a difficult target for Perez and co. Lyon have insisted that they will keep hold of Benzema, but their statements have always ended with a ‘but anything is possible’. president Jean-Michel Aulas said:
Karim has long expressed his desire to remain with Olympique Lyonnais. The club wants him to stay and restructure around him. Now it’s true that the transfer market is very surprising and the news from Real, Chelsea and Manchester United makes me very perplexed. No-one is in-transferable, but knowing Karim, if he did leave, it would be to Real Madrid. For the moment, we are not talking about transferring Karim.
Benzema is valued at €40 million, with rumours indicating that Lyon would have to take on a cash-plus-player deal Arjen Robben or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. BOLLOCKS!
Fiorentina are believed to be keen on signing Dutchman Royston Drenthe, initially on loan for a season with the option of a permanent deal at the end of the 12 months. His agent Ernesto Bronzetti claims Real would be happy to let Drenthe leave, but only for a considerably higher fee. He explained:
I had a chat with Pantaleo Corvino and he admitted he wants Drenthe. They want to loan him and then buy him for £6m. Real Madrid are OK with the loan but they would like more money for the permanent transfer.
Bronzetti also warned Fiorentina they could face competition for Drenthe, who has been linked with Genoa and Tottenham. He said:
Royston is young and talented. Perhaps he is Real Madrid’s most wanted player so Fiorentina will have to make an effort to buy him.
BOLLOCKS again!
One person who has left officially is Julen Lopetegui. He has been fired by Real Madrid as the coach of Real Madrid Castilla. An official announcement on the club’s website read:
Real Madrid CF wishes to announce that it has reached a deal with Julen Lopetegui for the latter to leave the club. Lopetegui signed on in 2008/09 to coach Real Madrid Castilla, who he nearly led to the playoffs of Segunda Division B. Real Madrid would like to thank the coach for his services and expresses its best wishes for future success.
Away from transfers, the 30th edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy will be contested by A.C.Milan. Yeah. It was confirmed on the official website here. I just can’t wait for that! I just can’t! Kaka versus Milan!
Oh yeah, there is a rumor or two about the prospective signing of either Godin or Gonzalo from Villareal. But nothing solid can be said about it yet.
I’ll post as soon as anything about the Albiol move comes out.
Till then,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
An early morning brain wave
Its sometime around 0730 or 0800 or whatever here and I am up already. Hell I am getting no sleep. Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah. I could go on and on like this. But this isn’t about that. I’ve got a lot of other stuff to talk about
For the past few weeks or so I’ve been concentrating too much on the big names like Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Franck Ribery and David Villa the former pair have been signed and the latter duo have been strongly linked with us. But what I seem to have forgotten already was the fact that we do have other players on our team who have been linked with moves away from the club (Six in-Nine out Policy of Florentino) and plus there are millions of other European quality players.
So without further adieu lets get rollin’…
This is what David Villa told the press following the game in Bloemfontein after again being quizzed about his future:
I have made my decision. My agent knows my wishes, and he is now working on that – so I am relaxed. There is no deadline on the subject, and I really do not have any more details as this whole thing is not totally dependent on me.
We are hearing this amongst the rumors that the striker wants to stay in Spain and that only Real Madrid and Barcelona are contenders to sign him. At the same time there have been other rumors as to the only club Villa would move to would be the one in which his La Roja strike partner Fernando Torres is in at the moment. Well, just because they celebrate every goal of theirs like they’ve just given birth to a new baby, it doesn’t mean… Hell.. what am I saying?! This is a future Madridista we’re talking about. But why is he linked with Barcelona?!?
Anyhoo, moving on, the next rumor is about an exit from the Bernabeu concerning a one Mahamadou Diarra who was sitting at home throughout last season nurtuting an injury. The Malian central midfielder has been linked with a move to Juventus who are very keen on the 28 year old. Diarra is said to have been recommended to the Bianconeri by Fabio Cannavaro. He knee injury is unlikely to scupper any potential deal.
Diarra admits he would be willing to discuss a move to Italy, but insists any such agreement will rest in the hands of his current employers which is ofcourse Real Madrid. Speaking to skysports.com he said:
I am feeling very well at the moment and I hope to come back even stronger next season. Real are recruiting a lot of big stars at the moment and I am looking forward to the next campaign.
Thats nice to hear. But he did have a few words to say about Juve:
Juve? They are a great side, one of the best in the world, so to be linked with them is fantastic.But to play there, I don’t know yet. We will have to wait and see what the new officials at Real have planned.
It is true that we are having an abundance (of players) in the middle of the park with Lass, Gago, De la Red, Kaka, Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Guti, Parejo, Javi Garcia which means that we will sell one or two or maybe send them on loan. Diarra is a good player. No doubt. And it is very obvious that he is our most mature defensive midfielder with the lesser mature being the likes of Lass, Gago and Javi Garcia. So do we sell him?
For sometime now The Offside guy has been whining to get to back the Cantaneros who are doing so well now at every other club (almost (OK, exaggeration)) other than Real Madrid. One such player who has been linked with us is Álvaro Arbeloa of Liverpool. The player has admitted that he would consider a return to Spain as he believes he has a point to prove in his homeland.And also there is this little fact that he has only one year left in his contract and Liverpool are close to signing a certain Glen Johnson who too plays in the same position as our young Cantanero. Anyhoo, Arbeloa has been talking and we too have been talking about a right sided player (God knows why). He told Elmundo while on international duty at the Confederations Cup:
I am happy at Liverpool, but I have something to prove in Spain as I did not show my best form in La Liga. One day, I’m sure I will return.
It is always nice to be linked to big teams – even to this Madrid side in a time of transition. They are working hard to build a great team.
I have one more year remaining on my Liverpool deal, but anything can happen. A contract renewal is in the air. I am contracted for one more year, but if Liverpool get an offer they will consider it. It is all in the hands of my agent.
If there is one Cantanero whom I would never want Real to sign it would be him. First of all he is cheap and second of all he has played for both Deportivo and Liverpool. And ofcourse there is obvious reason that we don’t need a Right sided defender who can do nothing but play on the Right side.
And if there is one Cantanero whom I want us to sign ASAP it would be Esteban Granero. But Getafe president Angel Torres has said that Granero would be made to stay for another year atleast despite being linked with swap deals to Valencia and Villareal.
Bayern Munich is confused. Der Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer is yeah, senile. Franck Ribery is AWESOME. Even though these three phrases don’t sum up to mean anything they are independently true.
It was Beckenbauer who told Bild that:
We discussed the issue at our last board meeting and we all agreed that, if he really wants to leave, then we will deal with the issue.
Immediately reports emanating from Spain suggested that Real are leading the chase for the sought-after Ribery by offering Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder as makeweights in the deal which is SO BLOODY FOOLISH. And Zidane was quoted as saying:
We will do whatever it takes to make Ribéry come to Real Madrid. It is the voice of Florentino Perez and mine.
But then Bayern made all this just a little more than a speculation by releasing an official statement that said:
There is no such resolution by the advisory board of FC Bayern Munich AG which includes the issue of a sale of the player Franck Ribery. The transfer (sale) of a player does not need the approval of the advisory board, according to the constitution of the FC Bayern Munich AG board of directors. The FC Bayern Munich AG board of directors have made the overwhelming resolution that the player Franck Ribery is not for sale.
There are several reasons as to why you can love Arjen Robben and there are several more reasons why you can love Hans Robben, Arjen Robben’s father, who is also the Dutch International’s agent. The following is one amongst them. He told Dutch paper Algemeen Dagblad:
There are reports currently circulating on the internet that the agent of Arjen has confirmed there are talks with Spurs. But the only who is representing him is me and I don’t know anything about it. At the moment we are not in action with any other team than Real Madrid.
Robben Senior is adamant his son will not be playing under Harry Redknapp next season adding:
I even want to bet on a bottle of wine Arjen won’t play there.
Staying with England, Tottenham have put in a 30 million pound bid for Real Madrid trio, Arjen Robben, Gabriel Heinze and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Sportsmail revealed that Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy is in Madrid along with finance director Matthew Collecott to meet Florentino Perez.
Harry Redknapp’s priority this season is a winger, striker and left-back. The White Hart Lane boss has already gone about trying to get hold of another Madrid player, Ruud van Nistelrooy, but the Dutch striker’s wage demands are too high for the North London club.
F*ck you Tottenham! F*ck you Redknapp! F*ck you North London!
Oh talking about North London, we are apparently vying for the signature of Arsenal’s French full backs Bacary Sagna and Gaël Clichy. Sagna went from ‘not against’ Real deal to ‘deny any knowledge of link to Madrid‘. But then again why are we after a right back? And about the other Gunner, he straightway declared that Arsenal is his only club but at the same time he is flattered that he has been linked with Real Madrid.
Another player of ours who is linked with a move to England is Royston Drenthe. After Barry’s move to Man City the player has been linked with a move to Villa Park to play under Martin O’Neill. Villa have supposedly made a bid close to 5 million euros. Reject it immediately. Period.
Luis Antonio Valencia is still linked with Real Madrid. Its false. Don’t believe it.
I wouldn’t blame you if you haven’t heard of Luca Dürholtz. This is a kid who plays under-17 football with Bayer Leverkusen and is considered to be the next Bernd Schuster (ofcourse he has blonde hair). We are apparently ready to pay 700,000 for the youngster to lure him into Castilla. He is a German international at the U-16 level and plays offensive midfield.
Staying with Castilla, Real Valladolid are targeting Alberto Bueno, Miguel Torres and Dani Parejo. The wage structure of Dani Parejo though doesn’t match with his suitors. But one kid who will be staying at Real Madrid when he grows up will be World Champion Pablo Sarabia. The youngster has declared that his goal is to play at the Bernabeu.
Now that was a lot of rumors considering it being a single post. *Sigh*
I’ll make sure that it isn’t the case next time out. And yeah, Hala Madrid will be following a new format soon (tentatively from 1st of July). The changes will be obvious and so I am not going to list out all the changes and stuff.
Until then, Cheerios!
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Cristiano Ronaldo Update: Madridista reactions
Kaká:
I rejoice in the signing of Cristiano. I do not want to talk any more about this subject because I am here with the Selecao and we are only thinking about winning the Confederations Cup. But there’s no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world and he will help Real Madrid fight for every title next season.
Iker Casillas:
Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player, without doubt. I believe that if Real Madrid do the deal then he will help return the club to No.1 in the world. Ronaldo will be welcomed by the dressing room. I prefer that Ronaldo and Kaka are part of our team, rather than playing for opponents. We need to win something next year because our supporters deserve it – and with these players we will have more of a chance. They are the new Galacticos and know what it is like to win the league and European Cup.
Pepe:
I’m very happy because it is another Portuguese player who will be in Spanish football and I hope it’s completed as soon as possible. The transfer will make history, but Real know Cristiano Ronaldo’s potential well and the qualities he has to help the club perform.
Ramon Calderon:
It’s going to be a big event for Real Madrid – Ronaldo is going to add a lot to my club. Last season, Manchester United decided not to do it because they thought it was too early. Everyone involved in the operation agreed to do it this season. That is what I can say. I don’t mind that I was unable to sign him during my presidency. I am a Real fan and I’m very happy. The most important thing is the club. Real are very well organized with a lot of income, and the new president [Perez] can now spend the money I made and saved. We needed to improve by one or two players, and that’s what Perez has done by signing Kaka and Ronaldo.
Juande Ramos:
Am I surprised (that Ronaldo is joining Real Madrid)? No, because I knew it would happen at some stage. We already knew that Real Madrid had a pre-contract agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo and that it was only a matter of time. I don’t know exactly when that agreement was made, but I do know it was in place.
Claude Makelele:
My former club needed this transfer (Ronaldo) to tell the world that they are still the most famous team on the planet. I think they have gone backwards in the last few years when you compare them to Barcelona and Manchester United. People, me included, will say it is a lot of money, but it is worth it for a player of that quality. If Mr Perez has invested that money, it is because he feels he can recoup it. And I think Ronaldo is worth it. They now need to focus on their defence and they can become a force again. Manchester United and Barcelona are still the teams to beat next season, because with the money they now have United will be stronger again next season.
Gabriel Heinze:
I have a year left on my contract at Madrid, but the media have said that I don’t figure in the plans of the new coach. I have not spoken with anyone about this. I would love to play with Ronaldo and Kaka. Cristiano Ronaldo will be a great buy for Real Madrid. He is a fantastic player and can succeed at any club in the world. I have not spoken with him yet but I am glad an agreement has been reached. I know that he is an ambitious player and his dream will be to become the best at Real Madrid. There is a lot of talk about the size of the transfer. But a player can only be judged on what he does every week on the field and not the amount he is getting paid. It must have been a hard decision for him to leave Manchester United, but I am sure he is ready for a new adventure.
Carlos Queiroz:
I want to congratulate Cristiano. This is a dream that had been there for a year, or at least since I’ve known him. Just like (former Portuguese internationals) Luis Figo and Rui Costa, Ronaldo is an example of a talented player, who through his past work coupled with the serious and rigorous preparation done at their clubs and with the federation, has allowed him to culminate his dream.
Zinedine Zidane:
It’s a relief for me because the cost of Cristiano has seen me lose that record, which was quite heavy to carry. You could say that thanks to Cristiano I could breathe again.
Let the transfers begin…
Now that we have a new president, presidential adviser, director general, sporting director and a new manager its time to start off with rebuikding the squad. We still have about three months left but rebuilding a squad is no three month process. We need to have settled the squad issues by mid July atleast considering the fact that we have a new manager and a set of new players. Time to adapt is essential.
We all know who all we’ve been linked with. Right from Kaka, Ribery, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic to David Villa, David Silva, Juan Mata, Xabi Alonso are supposedly our targets. Hopefully Pellegrini will first keep an eye on our defense before altering any other part of the team. He already has Garay at his disposal. The most likely exits are that of Dudek, Heinze, Saviola, Metzelder, Drenthe (on loan), Van der Vaart ( 😦 ) and some say even Sneijder and Marcelo might be sold. Personally Sneijder has had a poor season but I would never sell him. Lass, Gago and Diarra are fighting for the same position. So one of them should leave if we are planning on getting new midfielders. Thus we will also need one or two left backs. Miguel Torres and Sergio Ramos can play on the right. Both are young and good. A couple of SOLID central defenders. A couple of world class playmakers are needed and thats where the Galacticos policy comes into play, Raul and Ruud are 32 and 33 respectively. Hunter seems to have lost it. Pipita is just too good to be sold. So a world class striker is definitely needed. I am wondering about the roles of Guti and Salgado next season as well. Guti has an attitude problem. Salgado is a useless prick.
With so many problems already we need to decide on our team ASAP. What looks likely is we will have stars again. And along with them we will get more players who are much better than Pavons.
Excellence will return.
Hala Madrid!!
Heinze press conference
Heinze stressed the professional nature of every Real Madrid player during his press conference, adding they will do their best to defeat Osasuna on Sunday.
How have you prepared for the match against Osasuna, who will risk everything on Sunday?
It is our duty to win always and to prove we are ready to play any game. There’s more at stake for Osasuna, but we risk wearing this shirt and what that represents. There’s much at stake for both teams on different levels.
Is this season being hard for you on a personal level?
It’s part of the game and we know that. Things change when you risk nothing. Having no goals or possibilities of winning something makes things fall by their own weight. I’m not interested about what people are saying.
Do the lists of players that may leave the club bother you?
They don’t because I know how things work. I know how I am and what I do for the team.
By winning in Pamplona you could have the best second leg in the team’s history…
That will be so even if we lose; I’m not ready to disregard everything we’ve achieved this season. That’s just a fact, but also an extra incentive to achieve something nice. We must give our all while wearing this shirt.
How does the squad feel?
We’re sad for losing the last few games, especially the one against Barcelona, which ended our great streak. It was all over after that game. We’re hurt, but we think about the following match each week in order to win.
Has this been the toughest season of your career?
It’s been a strange and tough campaign because of everything that’s happened. Players have to play and win, but I feel attached to the Club and I am fond of the people here, so I’m interested in other things as well. It hasn’t been an ideal year for such an important club.
Several teams risk relegation this weekend. Should they be worried about how well you’ll play?
We have a professional squad; people shouldn’t question it despite the results. I can assure you the men that will play will be very professional. We respect our opponents. There’s much at stake for us too because we defend this shirt.
What did you think of Manchester United’s performance in the Champions League final?
I expected more from them, but Barcelona also deserve credit. They played a great game. Manchester United’s coach said the best team that night had been Barcelona.
You have a year left on your contract. Would you like to stay?
I have a year left, I’m happy and I feel well. The new people at the Club will have their opinion and I will give them mine. I hope I can stay here another year because I feel fine and strong. I would very much like to stay for another year.
Messi and Cristiano will fight for the Ballon d’Or. Who do you think should win?
Leo deserves it because of everything he’s done. Cristiano won last year and Messi has achieved great things this season. I think he deserves to be acknowledged for that.
Post-match comments
Juande Ramos recognized that Valencia were the deserving winners on Saturday night. Real Madrid Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic offered his impression of the defeat against Valencia. Despite losing to Valencia, the players won’t give up and will continue playing to win. Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Ramos and Gabi Heinze insist the team will continue doing whatever it takes to win their three remaining matches this season.
Juande Ramos:
The match began on level footing. We had twenty good minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net. We wanted to win but Valencia got luckier on goal. They dominated the match after the first goal and were the deserving winners. The score reflects the security with which they played. I think we could have scored in the first half.
We were a solid team up until the last two matches. We didn’t concede goals and we put together a good streak. There is no explanation for the number of goals we have conceded recently.
We will see what Barcelona do tomorrow, but I think winning the league has become very complicated.
Balance is the most important aspect for a team, and that is what I think we are missing. We don’t score more goals by having more forwards. We needed midfielders. We didn’t control the match, which is why I made the changes I made.
We are professionals and we must win all our remaining matches and work hard. That’s all that is left and it’s all we can do.
Pedja Mijatovic:
We knew it would be complicated. Last week’s defeat still hurts and Valencia were very motivated. It wasn’t because of our players’ attitude. They did what they could, but it was hard after losing to Barcelona and finishing second in the table. I always enjoy returning to Valencia because it is where I really became a player. I had three great years here. I am happy to return, but I am leaving sad.
Marcelo:
We need to win our remaining matches because we are still mathematically alive and we need to fight for our fans. We tried to win the match, but sometimes things don’t turn out like we want them to.
Valencia played well. Now we need to forget this match and focus on the rest. We need to win them.
Metzelder:
We knew Mestalla was a tough place to play, but Real Madrid can play on any pitch. We are going through a difficult patch and must do whatever it takes to defend the image of this club. We easily lost two matches and must cheer up to take on the matches we have left.
We worked hard over the last few months to catch Barcelona and after last week’s tough loss it is hard to move forward. It’s hard when we don’t have any chance to win the title.
We need to win our matches. Barcelona have had an amazing year and deserve to be champions. I don’t care if it’s tomorrow or next week. We had a few tough months this year, but we diplayed commitment and dedication. When all is said and done, we can only say we didn’t have a great year.
I want to continue playing here because it’s the best club in the world and players are proud to wear this shirt. It’s up to the club so we will see what happens this summer.
Higuain:
Nobody likes to lose, so we have to save face and finish off the season as best as possible. It quickly became an uphill battle and we couldn’t stage a comeback. We need to move on.
Heinze:
It’s a shame for our fans because we play for a club that is used to winning. We are professionals and will fight for this shirt until the very end.
We knew we had to play Valencia, but each goal hurt did more damage. We thought we could win, but that wasn’t the case. We are finding it hard to keep our chins up, but we need to finish the season in the best way possible.
Sergio Ramos:
It was a tough blow. We must be professionals and keep chugging along. We knew what Valencia would bring to the table They are a great team and very talented.
We must focus on recovering and moving on. We will fight until the end for this shirt.
Injury woes: Sneijder out for a month
Wesley Sneijder is set to miss upto 4 weeks of football becuase of an hamstring injury conflicted upon him during the final few minutes in the game against Recreativo.
The Dutch sensation was subbed out and replaced by compatriot Rafael van der Vaart in the closing stages of the game and was carried out in a strecher. He was sent for scans on Sunday to determine the full extent of the problem, with a tear being identified.
Also, Gabriel Heinze, who missed the match at the weekend due to a knee complaint, will miss tonight’s clash against city rivals Getafe as well where as Lass is suspended and will thus sit out this game.
How lucky can Barcelona get?!?
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Heinze press conference
Defender Gabriel Heinze said the squad believes it can win the league title at the end of the campaign.
The team’s been having an excellent run, but does it still believe it can win the title seeing how well Barcelona are playing?
Sure. We must believe we can win as long as there is a mathematical chance to do so. We don’t depend on ourselves, but we do believe.
Are you envious of Barcelona’s excellent form?
I really don’t like that word. I don’t feel envy, but I am a bit stirred because I represent a great club and I would naturally like to be in their situation.
The next game will be special for you. The goal is to cut the distance short…
The game will be special for me, but I play for a different team now and I hope we take the three points. Fondness will have to be pushed aside. I was treated very well at Valladolid and I will always be grateful to the club and the city for that.
You are earning record-breaking numbers with Juande, but you are still six points behind the leaders. Is that frustrating?
It isn’t because we do what is asked of us: win. We don’t depend on ourselves and we will have to congratulate Barça at the end of the season if they fail to drop any points. We have to win, win and win, and wait for them to drop points. That’s the only thing left for us to do until the season ends.
Will the Real Madrid-Barcelona clash be crucial to see who will win the title?
You can’t afford to think about Barcelona if you haven’t won your previous games; the points we may take against them will mean little if we fail to win before. We must win all our games in order for the Clasico to be a decisive clash.
The squad is confident and really wants to win…
Yes, it does. The atmosphere is always best when you win. I’ve only had positive experiences here. There’s always painful downslides, but winning allows for confidence and a good atmosphere.
Some say being in three competitions is very tiring, but others say it motivates a team even more. What do you think?
I think the more competitions you are in, the better because exhaustion is much more bearable. You avoid exhaustion by eating well and resting more. One always likes to play those games. We now play in the weekends, but having games in mid-week means you are alive. That’s beautiful for a team like Real Madrid.
The coming election gives way to rumours. A newspaper’s front page says today that Robben may leave. Can things like this hurt the squad?
I never read front pages and I think the only one that can be hurt by something like that is the player, not the whole squad. We are all grown ups here and take no notice of that. We know these things are common on teams like this one. We would support him if he felt bad about it. I don’t actually know how true these allegations are. I don’t believe what the papers say until they tell it to my face.
Exactly how significant was Guti’s intention to silence doubts about his relationship with the coach?
I think it’s good for people to express themselves as Guti did. The problems he had with the coach have been resolved, which is good because he is a very important player. I never saw anything wrong going on. He must have had his resons for speaking the other day.
Has the squad talked about last years’ 7-0 victory over Valladolid?
No. This game is different. Thinking about how well you did one year ago can play against you.
Coach Mendilibar has said he wants his team to attack. He doesn’t mid facing Real Madrid.
He is very capable and coaches his team as he sees fit. What he said shows he has faith in his men.
You were suspended last week.
I’m anxious to play. I’m available for whatever the coach may need.
Toure Yaya said Barcelona are the best team in Europe. Do you regard that as a lack of modesty?
It doesn’t have to be that if he truly believes so. It’s obvious they are having their best streak of the year.
Which is the best European team in your opinion?
I couldn’t say. I would really have to think about it.
How much credit does Guardiola deserve for Barcelona’s great run?
I personally like him very much. I respect him because I know what he’s values are. I like how he handles the squad. I’m always glad when people like him succeed; the only problem is that he coaches our great rival. I like to hear him talk because I learn a lot from him.
If you were President, would you like to sign him as Real Madrid’s coach?
I’m a player still and I like to listen to him because there is meaning behind everything he says.
Have you managed to forget about your defeat against Bolivia?
I will never forget it. I’d like to believe it was just an accident because I’ve thought about it much and still can find no answer. It’s easy to blame the altitude, but Argentina should never lose like that. It’s better to move on and learn from our mistakes.
Was the altitude really that noticeable?
Everyone would notice it immediately. It’s not really that you lack the air to breathe; you feel different, that’s all.
Weekly News Round Up
There have been several things that have been happening in the past week or so at Real Madrid. From Paco Monedero’s visit to the Bernabeu to Juande’s completion of 100 days at work, from Gabi Heinze’s Plant for the Planet campaign to Raul’s goal of the season. We shall have a look at them in detail.
Athletic Bilbao 2-5 Real Madrid
Two teams gave it their very all on Saturday at San Mames. Tension, passion, struggle and goals; plenty of goals. Real Madrid bounced back nicely and defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-5 with goals by Robben, Heinze, Higuain and a brace by Huntelaar. The Whites are now three points off Barcelona, who tomorrow visit Almeria.
Athletic Bilbao stuck to a game plan similar to that implemented against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey seminfinal a week and a half ago. Real Madrid however withstood the initial pressure from the direct football the hosts put forth and slowly but surely gained the upper hand.
Lass was the main lifeline in the midfield alongside Sneijder, who fed ball after ball to the attack. The majority of the Madridista offense though was produced along the right wing, where Robben was very active. On 22’ the former Chelsea star received a perfect ball from Sneijder, feinted past a defender and curled a shot into the net. Twelve minutes later, Gabi Heinze headered home a free-kick taken by Sneijder.
Athletic unsuccessfully continued trying to beat an inspired Casillas, but minutes after scoring for Madrid Heinze could only watch as his clearance attempt found the way into his own keeper’s goal. On the ensuing play Casillas was knocked to the turf by Fran Yeste, who was immediately sent off by the referee. The match increased in friction and Athletic managed to capitalize minutes before the half when Llorente brilliantly steared a cross from the right wing into the potato sack with his head.
The Whites struck quickly after the break when Huntelaar hugged the right post and beat Iraizoz. The former Ajax striker has come on strong in recent matches. He capped off the night with a lob over the keeper following a spectacular assist by Robben as the two galloped down the pitch on a counterattack.
The match was in the books. Scuffles broke out frequently and there was little football to be seen. Marcelo was tackled inside the box in the closing minutes and Higuain converted the penalty kick for his 15th goal on the year. Now it’s time to wait and see how Barcelona fare, albeit while only three points off their lead.
Pepe dislocates the ring finger on his right hand
According to Real Madrid’s medical services, Pepe dislocated the ring finger on his right hand. He will undergo further tests on Sunday to determine if there is any bone damage.
Lineups:
Athletic Club: Iraizoz, Iraola, Aitor Ocio, Amorebieta, Koikili (Balenziaga 51′), Javi Martínez, Toquero, Orbaiz (Susaeta 61′), David López (Gurpegi 57′), Yeste, Llorente;
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Metzelder, Pepe, Heinze, Marcelo, Lass, Sneijder, Robben (Faubert 72′), Huntelaar (Parejo 84′), Raúl (Higuaín 70′);
Goals:
0-1, 22′ – Robben
0-2, 34′ – Heinze
1-2, 36′ – Heinze (OG)
2-2, 45′ – Llorente
2-3, 47′ – Huntelaar
2-4, 61′ – Huntelaar
2-5, 85′ – Higuain (Pen)
Heinze press conference
Gabriel Heinze was the first player to offer a press conference following Real Madrid’s elimination from the Champions League.
How would you describe the elimination?
It’s a very tough blow. It was devastating, but I won’t dwell on it.
Raul apologized to fans after the match. Do you believe the team wasn’t up to par?
I am upset we didn’t make it through, but the opponent was better than us. They deserve to be in the quarterfinals.
Why was there such a noticeable difference between the two teams?
They are a well-composed team. They know what they need to do on the pitch. They are a compact squad and their game has been developed over the course of many years.
Do you think the referee’s performance was relevant?
At this level it’s a bit bothersome because it meant two goals, but there is nothing to say. It hurt us this time, but he is only human.
Does it strike you that Casillas was considered a hero and the rest of the team as villains?
This is football. No one gets away with anything here. There are no heroes or villains because we were all eliminated. We are a group and I will not accept the word villain. We lost; we all lost. We win together and lose together.
How do you overcome this situation?
By winning on Saturday.
Would you hold early election?
I am a player. Saturday is all I am thinking about.
How is the team’s state of mind?
Last night’s defeat was hard on all of us. A footballer also loses a lot in defeats like this one. But when playing for this club you need to search for strength wherever you can find it.
All the team can do now is focus on La Liga.
But there’s nothing positive in that. It’s only because there is nothing else left. We must focus on this competition and do the best we can.
Is this the toughest defeat of your career?
It’s a very sad time, but all defeats are. I don’t know if this is the hardest or not, but I haven’t stopped to think about it .
Are you mad or sad?
Sad.
Has the team come to any conclusions about what happened?
It’s hard to talk after losing. Little is said when people are down, so it’s hard to draw any conclusions.
Do you think the defeat was the appropriate conclusion for a season plagued by problems?
Everything has an influence, but that is no excuse. Players come out to play, not directors. Yesterday we were not thinking about the club’s problems, but about our excitement to win. We must be professional and reach every match in top form.
Was the difference between the two teams a matter of skill or attitude?
It wasn’t a matter of attitude. I think there was a difference in game plan and work put forth.
How is a team capable of picking itself up and turning things around?
Everyone has to come up with an answer. That is why we are here. We live with lots of pressure and sense of responsibility, but I know where I am and who I play for. I feel privileged to be here and I will hold my head up high until the day I leave. We must all move on. We are a strong, good group. We’ve had our rough patches and we know we can overcome them.
Is going from a superstar to being asked to leave in one match upsetting?
Absolutely. I try to brush everything off. This is a great club and it’s an everyday occurence. We just need to move on when bad things happen and maintain a balance when things go well.
Its not just a field, its just Anfield!
It was a disastrous result wasn’t it last night? Whats more irritating is that it was sheer luck that they got the all important away goal right at the end despite both teams playing equally abject football. What this means is that we travel to Anfield in two weeks’ time a goal behind on aggregate with the slightest hopes of overhauling the daunting task that lies ahead of us. It is intimidating.
Liverpool minus Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres is as harmful as a Butterfly. If we are capable of losing to them at home just imagine how bad we really were. Arjen Robben was no where close to living to the tag line of ‘Real Madrid’s answer to Lio Messi’ despite many declaring him as our M.O.M. Guti and Heinze were pathetic and I mean pathetic. I cannot believe I am saying such a thing about Guti of all people. Raul and Higuain posed no serious threats. Lass was as usual hard working and he along with Sergio Ramos, according to me, would be the only two players who turned up to play a serious champions league game last night. Marcelo was good but he clearly didn’t have the experience required to play such a crunch encounter.
Caught by the Benayoun sucker punch
I don’t know what got into Juande’s head. I don’t know why he did not even bother to bring on Van der Vaart and Sneijder if not start them. If its form that he is looking at, then he must learnt by half time that we had left our form from the Betis game in the dressing room itself for we looked really bad. Nothing was working. Why did he try to be defensive? Why was he saving up Sneijder and Van der Vaart two of our best players?! He could’ve taken off Higuain or Raul or even Robben for that matter just to shake things up a bit couldn’t he? There are so many more questions that we can raise at this moment but one thing is for sure, its an uphill task now for us to travel to England and turn the tie in favor of us. Only one team in UEFA Champions League history – AFC Ajax in the 1995/96 semi-finals – have recovered from losing the first leg at home to progress. But then again we have had more than one setback this season. And every time we have come back stronger than ever before. All that I hope is for this to be yet another situation in which we’ve shown to the world the grit and the determination that we have.
But on the other hand, our players would be traveling to not some field. Its Anfield. One of the toughtest grounds to play football not because of the field but simply because of the crowd, The Kop so on and so forth. Do we have the players on whom we can rely on to go out and do the job for us? Chelsea couldn’t do it for sometime until last year (thanks to John Arne Riise), Barcelona too had a go but failed miserably*. Arsenal failed despite trying their best to overcome. Do we have the match winners on our side which those giants to complete the Liverpool job? We are bigger than any of the above clubs aren’t we? We are second to none when it comes to the best club in the world. We are Real Madrid and I am a madridista. I am not going to lose hope just because some short Israeli came home and snatched an away goal. We have Raul Gonzalez, the player with the most number of goals in Champions League history. We have the best keeper in the world in St.Iker. We have one of the best defenders of all time in Fabio Cannavaro. We can do this can’t we? Raul needs just two more goals to equal Gerd Mueller’s record number of European goals. We need just two goals with conceding a maximum of one or for that matter even without conceding to go through. Does El Capitan still have it in him for yet another memorable European night? He does doesn’t he? Not that I doubt his capabilities, I’d be a fool to do that for he has proven to everyone in this world as to how good he still really is. On the other hand Fabio Cannavaro’s last European goal came against Liverpool only – for Juve though. None of us would mind a repeat of the same feat come the return leg of the fixture.
But what also needs to be thought about here is the return of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Both are world class players. Given a chance they know how to make their presence felt. And they would definitely play key roles inn deciding which way the tie goes. Also, Albert Riera will be suspended and that means Little Yossi should start barring any injuries he sustains in between now and Anfield. We have Gago out injured. He’s missing the Espanyol clash and Lluís Companys – which would be our last clash against them at the Olympic style stadium – but I doubt if he would be out for so long. We do not have any other injuries (of course barring Ruud’s, Diarra’s and Ruben’s). It all doesn’t depend on our form in the league. It only depends on how much our players want to achieve. Its human to lose hope but its insane to not try and get something out of nothing. All I want is an repeat of what we saw at the Camp Nou earlier this season. We might have lost but certainly did put up a very good fight that too despite fielding a second string side. If we can bring the mighty ‘in-form’ Barca to the edge we sure can knock the stuffing out of the Merseysiders. If Everton can beat Liverpool we can. If Man United can beat Liverpool we can. If John O’Shea can score against Liverpool, hell even Gabriel Heinze can! All we need to have now is hope. And I am hoping for the best to happen.
Irrespective of what the result of the return leg is,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
*There is only one compliment that I can think of from the stat, Barca gave away two away goals though they got themselves one goal at the Camp Nou. We gave away only one goal despite scoring none. Goals given is in the ratio 2:1 in favor of Barca.
Internationals and a little more
Thirteen Madridistas have been called up for international duty this week: Casillas and Ramos (Spain), Marcelo (Brazil), Gago and Heinze (Argentina), Cannavaro (Italy), Pepe (Portugal), Lass (France), Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Robben and Huntelaar (Netherlands), and Adam Szalai (Hungary). Juande Ramos will have to wait until Thursday to have his full squad on hand to begin preparing for Saturday’s clash against Sporting Gijon.
Faubert and Luccin: Don't they look like twins?
In other news, Beto and Uche, who played alongside Julien Faubert at Girondins, sat down with newspaper AS to discuss the Frenchman’s potential.
Uche:
I was very happy to read that Real Madrid has signed him. He’s the kind of player that all forwards like because they can capitalize off his crosses. I remember that we connected well when playing together because Faubert is fast.
Beto:
He will be very important for Real Madrid and he will triumph there if they allow him to. He’s a good person. He accepted me like he already knew me when I signed for Girondins. Speed is his best asset. He played as a right back or right winger for Girondins, but I don’t know where Juande will position him. He had a couple good seasons with West Ham and now has the chance to do the same here. He just needs a little luck.
Amongst claims that we are playing boring football, Pipita has suggested that it is not the case. He said:
The key thing is that we haven’t conceded any goals and the team continue winning. I don’t think that we are boring. The team have won once again and picked up three points from a difficult game.
The most important thing is that we continue along this line, to win seven successive games isn’t easy. We have to continue like that, to win next Sunday in Gijon, then against Betis in the Bernabeu and wait for the Champions League game.
The tie against Liverpool is a very important game for us, if we win the two games leading up to it we will go into that match with a lot of confidence. What is important now is that we rest and think about the next game. We need to continue along this line and continue working.
Iker Casillas equaled Francisco Buyo’s record of 454 official appearances in goal for Real Madrid in Saturday’s win against Racing. Guillermo G. Honrubia from uefa.com has more to say.
And finally, Real Madrid Foundation President, Vicente Boluda, and President of the Cervantes Association for Cultural Action and Hispanic-Moroccan Friendship in Tangier, Dr. Mohamed El Khattabi, will sign a collaborative agreement on Wednesday 11 February at Souani Stadium to open a Social Integration Sports Academy for 900 boys and girls.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Official First Team and Castilla Photo 2008/09
Real Madrid had their official 2008/09 photo taken this morning. The first team was accompanied by Honorary President Alfredo di Stefano and Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic. It is the first team photo with Lass, Huntelaar, Parejo, and Juande Ramos’ coaching staff.
First Team
Real Madrid Castilla had their official team photo taken for the second time this season on Thursday. Alfredo di Stefano Stadium hosted the event, which included Real Castilla President, Francisco Moreno Cariñena; President of Honor, Alfredo di Stefano; and Sporting Director, Pedja Mijatovic.
Castilla
Real Madrid’s academy is the heart and sould of the Club. Many important players in the history of Spanish football came from the youth system. One third of the current squad is made up by academy men -Raul, Guti, Casillas, Torres, Codina, De la Red, Javi Garcia, Parejo and Palanca-. This picture, taken a few minutes after they posed for the official team photo, proves it.
Real Madrid has always had a youth system and it was professionalized in the 1950s with initiatives such as the Social Tournament. De Felipe was the first of 50 academy players to become internationals for Spain. In total, they have all played 1,000 games for their country.
Spanish national coach Vicente del Bosque also came from Real Madrid’s youth system, just as Isidoro San Jose, Ricardo Gallego, Isidro Díaz or Rafael García Cortés, who currently work for the Club’s academy. But the most illustrious group of players to come from the youth system were those from La Quinta del Buitre. These men had the same values as legends like Ramon Moreno Grosso, Mateos, Velazquez, Santisteban, Benito and Camacho.
José Mª Gutiérrez “Guti” and Miguel Torres belong to different generations of players, but their run at the Club has been very similar. They both joined through the Social Tournament and they have played for every team in the Club. Iker Casillas joined with the Under-8 side and has become one of the most important players in the world. On the other hand, captain Raul joined when he was 15 years old, but his hard work and his devotion to the Club is such that it seems he’s been here all his life.
Jordi Codina, Javi Garcia and Ruben de la Red stood out on every team they played for and were promoted to the Second Division with Castilla. Dani Parejo is a quality player that has won an Under-19 European Championship and was briefly loaned out to Queens Park Rangers before Juande Ramos decided to bring him back to join the first team.
Miguel Palanca is a strange and curious case. He arrived at the Club last summer after growing up at Espanyol, but his devotion to Real Madrid is that of a true youth teamer.
Heinze press conference
Gabriel Heinze is straight to the point and calls a spade a spade. In Tuesday’s press conference, the defender recognized that the team is currently struggling but that there are a lot of matches yet to be played.
How is your recovery coming along?
Very well, but I’d really love to be training by now. There are set dates and I don’t know if I’m going to be fit by then. It’s not my goal now. I have to day one day at a time and see how the week goes.
What are your thoughts on last Saturday’s match?
I was nervous, and I am never nervous when I play. I thought it was a good match, but when we lost I felt bad that I couldn’t be with my teammates.
They are still talking about the fouls Messi received.
That’s not my problem and I am not interested in what is being said. I would have taken the same route had I been playing. No foul was to harm him. It was a physical match. At no time was the intention to hurt him.
What do you think of the way Messi was marked?
In matches like Saturday’s you have to mark you men well and stay attentive, but it doesn’t just go for one player. Everyone needs to help. I think we did well covering him, but Messi is a brilliant player and can easily get away from one, two or three defenders. God gave him amazing skills. All my teammates did a good job
How do you feel about Schuster’s dismissal and the arrival of Juande Ramos?
I don’t like change. If it happened, I too am responsible. I am the first, just like the former coach. It’s a matter that makes me serious. I still haven’t worked with Juande because I am injured, so I can’t say. We have to let him work though and give him our full support.
Positive and negative conclusions can be drawn from the Clasico. What will you stick with?
Football is a game of eleven against eleven. Names and injuries aren’t excuses. We lost and that’s final. Everyone worked hard but it didn’t help. Barcelona scored the winner off a set piece knowing they couldn’t win any other way, but that’s football. However, there aren’t excuses in this game. Using injuries as an excuse is disrespecting those who played. There are 25 of us here playing for the best team in the world and we are all equals.
Is thinking about qualifying for next year’s Champions League what this team should now aim for?
The season is far from over. All I need to focus on now is working. I can’t play for Real Madrid and say it’s over; we are mathematically still alive. It’s obvious that if Barcelona don’t lose any points they will be crowned champions. Hope is the last thing I will lose. I have faith in my team and we will do whatever it takes to start winning matches.
It looks like Juande speaks to players more than Schuster did.
I had a good relationship with Schuster, so I can’t say that. We conversed often.
What opponent do you prefer in next Friday’s draw?
Every team is as good as the next. You need to play the best to reach the final. I don’t care who we draw. We’re going to play the same way against any team.
How were team spirits on Saturday?
Sad for losing el Clasico. Who wouldn’t have been? But they are still very eager.
Is the team stronger from a pyschological point of view?
I am unfamiliar with that pyschological phase. I do know however that you want to impress the coach when he is new and that everyone is anxious to do well.
This team has conceded more than any other in La Liga.
We need to change that. There’s no other choice. It’s not just a defensive problem, but rather of the entire team.
Do you think this team needs a new player or two?
I don’t get involved in that. It’s a matter for those upstairs. Whoever comes will be warmly welcomed. I need the man next to me and he needs me. We all want to win.
Why should we believe in Real Madrid?
We believe. I don’t care who doesn’t believe in us as long as I do. I’ll make you believe by winning matches. All that matters is that I believe and that the man next to me does as well.
What can three weeks of no Gabriel Heinze do to the club?
Absolutely nothing if you are asking me. Frankly whenever I see us concede he seems to be right in the middle of everything. He needs a good injury and a great comeback. He is a great player but at the moment not even half as good as he usually is. So I guess he needs some time out. And considering that this injury has come at a good time. What injury? Medical examinations and a magnetic resonance have determined that Gabriel Heinze is injured with a hematoma on the deep fascia of his left leg, separating the triceps surae muscle from the flexor muscles. The player will miss approximately three weeks. So I guess he will miss Getafe, Sevilla and mostly Barcelona as well which could be a factor. He’ll also miss a Champions League game at home against Zenit which will nnot be a factor. Hopefully he’ll be fit for the home game against Valencia. Wishing him speedy recovery.
Hala Madrid!!
Heinze to Marca
Gabriel Heinze told Marca the squad is united and that he feels confident Real Madrid will put an end to its negative streak of results.
The team seems to be free falling… What’s wrong?
It’s strange… Nothing we try seems to work. We are having a bad streak, but I’m sure we’ll pull through.
What can be done?
I think hard work and sacrifice are the only solutions. We have to be humble and realise we have to work even harder. The team has a good squad and the only reason why things aren’t working is because we are in a bad streak. We are all sad about what’s happening. I understand the fans’ disappointment, but I want them to know that this team has enough pride and quality to win the league title again. We will at least try our best.
How did the squad feel after the defeat in Valladolid?
We were all sad. We were also angry for losing another match. We wanted to win in order to put an end to this streak. We are a united bunch and we just said we have to keep trying, trying and trying… That’s what came out of our mouths. We will come closer together in these difficult times.
Do you think the squad is good enough to win a title this season?
Yes. Of course we’re good enough. We’ve played rather well at times this season and we will do so again. There’s enough quality to play well and to win. This is just a bad streak of which we’ll pull through.
Will the team miss Van Nistelrooy?
Van Nistelrooy is a great football player, but I always say a single player doesn’t make up an entire team. His injury is a real shame, but I’m sure other team-mates will pull rank and help us pull through. Higuaín, for example, is doing so already.
Do you think the Club should seek reinforcements in the winter transfer window?
That’s not my job. I can’t talk about signings. I only talk about those of us who are on the team.
After the match, you said the squad felt lonely. Why?
Criticism is very harsh when we lose and people say things that aren’t true. We feel lonelier than when we won. I just wanted to say we have to be united when we lose because nobody outside the team is going to lend us a hand. The entire team knows this. It all comes down to our efforts. We also know we have to united more the more we are criticised.
Do you accept the view that the team is in crisis?
This is football, a sport in which you can win, draw or lose. We are currently losing, but we’ll go back to winning again. I’m sure of this. I can’t say we are in crisis; I wouldn’t play if I thought we couldn’t pull through. We all know we can have a good streak again. These things happen in football. Luckily, neither La Liga nor the Champions League are lost for us. The season is very long and we will react in time.
How do you feel?
I don’t feel well, but I am willing to take the challenge of getting out of this situation. This is football’s ugly side. You can’t always win. We have to face the facts and pull through.
How do you think Schuster is doing?
He is worried, like the rest of us. We support him. Rumours about lack of unity on the team aren’t true.
Post-match comments
Raúl, Marcelo and Heinze offered their thoughts on Saturday’s defeat at José Zorrilla Stadium. During his post-match press conference, Bernd Schuster commented on his tactical changes and the bad luck experienced by his team.
Raúl:
We all knew Valladolid is a team that plays well. They put us against the ropes a couple times, but never really had any good scoring chances. We have to have faith in all of us who are working, in the coaching staff, and the players. The situation is neither nice or pleasant, but we cannot throw in the towel and we must continue working. We have to right ths ship in upcoming matches. The team knew what was at stake, but things didn’t turn out as we had hoped.
Marcelo:
We started off well and knew that Valladolid were strong at the beginning of matches. They hurt us in the second half and scoring the equaliser became an uphill battle. We have always put a lot of heart and soul into our matches, but this time winning simply wasn’t possible. Real Madrid has more titles than any other club for a reason. This situation is just temporary.
Heinze:
We just have to keep our heads up and continue working hard. There’s no other choice. We played a serious match. That we didn’t want the ball simply isn’t true. Football is played with a ball and we wanted it. That’s why we had our opportunities. Those of us here will do our share to make this work. The match turned out the way it did and we cannot do anything about it. It’s a bad patch, but there is a lot of talent and attitude here. United we can make this project work.
Schuster:
We were unlucky. It’s very disappointing to lose a match we didn’t think we would lose. The teams works hard to do things right. We made a few changes because we were missing a player. They never created any scoring opportunities other than their goal. That’s what matters; not suffering defensively. We had chances to score a goal or two, but our hard work bore no fruit. We are working hard to find what is best for the team. The final score doesn’t help at all. We didn’t want to lose and at least take a point. We intended to avoid the pressure put on by Valladolid, which is why Guti, Gago and Javi García played together in the midfield. We suffered here a lot last year due to their presure, so in order to avoid it, we tried more direct plays in search of our forwards. That’s why we didn’t play like we usually do. Proof lies in the fact that they didn’t have one chance in the first half and in the second they only had one that turned out well. That’s what supports our approach.
Just another Madridista
Hala Madrid 
Kaka out till January – Marseille pre-preview
The Champions League is back. Matchday 6 sees Real Madrid travel to the Vélodrome in search of a victory against an Olympique Marseille side which could see them top Group C. Though Real have virtually sealed their passage to the knock out stages, anything worse than a loss by 3 goals coupled with a Milan victory in Zurich could see us knocked out from the Champions League and into the Europa League spot. On the other hand, Marseille’s only chance of getting through to the next round is by either sharing the points with Real in case of a Milan draw or loss or by beating Real by three or more goals if Milan take three points from their game in Zurich.
That said even OM’s coach Didier Deschamps has admitted that the chance of latter happening at the Vélodrome is one in a million. But then again, like we saw against Almeria nothing, no matter how simple it is, can be taken for granted in football. Speaking to the press prior to the game, the former Monaco and Juventus coach said:
Real Madrid welcome back Lass into the 20-man squad after the Frenchman missed the weekend’s action through suspension. Guti (thigh), Van Nistelrooy (thigh) and Metzelder (hamstring) are out through injuries. And so is Kaka. According to AS the Brazilian magician is out till January 3rd because of the groin injury he is suffering from. Real too do not want to take the risk of a premature return to action for the player in order to ensure a seamless recovery and hence are prepared to wait until and after the Christmas break. The report went on to say that if Real were to risk Kaka before he recovers completely the injury might just become worse and the player could see no action for 2-3 months thus jeopardizing his chances of playing in the knock-out stages. OM too have similar injury worries. Cyril Rool (knee), Julien Rodriguez (ankle) are out of the game whereas Stéphane Mbia (ankle) is doubtful and mostly will not play a part in the clash. Bookings to Marcelo or Lass could see them miss our next game and the same applies to Gabriel Heinze, Brandão and Stéphane Mbia.
(more…)
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December 8, 2009 | Categories: Comments, News, Pre-preview | Tags: Fernando Morientes, Gabriel Heinze, Kaká, Képler Pepe, KF Tirana, Olympique Marseille | Leave a comment