The injury crisis syndrome
EDIN-g to real?
Sergio Canales – out for a month (ankle ligament sprain).
Gonzalo Higuain – out for a couple of months (back problem).
Kaka – Will not be fit until and after the winter break – that’s again – a month.
Gago – No one knows when he will be back – let’s say a month again.
Cristiano – injured – but will play through the pain.
Garay – just recovering from a major injury and getting back to full fitness.
And that makes it 3 potential starters down injured (Yes, I am considering Kaka as a potential starter). The injury crisis syndrome has hit Real Madrid and this probably is not the right time for it to strike. The latest casualty is Sergio Canales who is now out with an ankle ligament sprain for three to four weeks as he was injured for the second time this season in training. While Gonzalo Higuain, who also is injured, is yet to decide whether or not to go under the knife.
Humiliated, insulted, disgraced, shamed, battered, mauled, smashed, ass-kicked. The words might vary but the effect is the same. The five-zip loss at Camp Nou was just what the doctor did not order. And Valencia come to the Bernabeu tomorrow to face a reeling Real Madrid side who from being league leaders going into Jornada 13 are a couple of points behind the following Jornada. And what a world of a difference do those two points make! Also, with La Liga being a two-horse race majorly the five goals that were scored could ultimately decide La Liga. Florentino Perez has apparently labelled that defeat as the worst in our illustrious history. It was embarrassing but I’d rank it right up there with the 2-6 loss at home. If we can concede 5 with this team then that score doesn’t look bad at all. Anyhoo, that’s that and its only better that we move on.
Moving on will not be all that easy with the striker crisis that we are having right now. Benzema and Ronaldo are the only two first team forwards that we have. But then again they are not the exact kind of forwards that we would want to see up front if you get what I mean. Yes, they can get you tons of goals but they don’t stick to defenders on the front third of the field and persist until they get a chance. They tend to like it when they have the ball at their feet contrary to a real number 9 who just wants the ball in the net. There are rumors emanating from Spain about Real chasing Edin Dzeko now that we are out of strikers for the next couple of months and there is also the continuing talks about Llorente. But both of them will come at a price that we are not willing to meet. And that too majority of their games will be coming in the next couple of months. And a new signing will at least need a month to settle in. I might have felt different back then but right now I feel we must have hung on to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. He’s scoring a lot of goals in Germany now and did start scoring before we let him go. He might have helped now and back during the times when we simply lacked a number 9.
Alright then. Kaka is back out on the field. He’s started outfield training and is on course as per his recovery plans. The docs had said it’d take him up to six months to be back at his best and its been just 4. So there’s still some time left until we see him back again. Though I’ve learnt not to have high expectations about him I just can’t resist from being tempted to think he might just make a rollicking return and show us fans the real Kaka.
Apart from that I don’t think there is much to talk about. I will get back again tomorrow with the proper preview for the game and along with Jose’s comments and the squad list for the game.
Before signing off, congratulations Russia for 2018 and Qatar for 2022. I have set my sights on the latter and having taken a look at what’s in store there I’d surely love to make a trip there.
Until then,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Real Madrid 5-1 Real Murcia
And finally the curse is broken!
Real Madrid avoided yet another calamitous Copa Del Rey exit with a resounding 5-1 win over Real Murcia at the Bernabeu. The match was full of incidents right from the sending off of our manager Jose Mourinho in the first half till Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso getting their names on the scoresheet. Real also ended up with 10 players with Alvaro Arbeloa being sent off towards the end of the game.
Mourinho made his line up more Spanish than ever by naming 7 Spanish players in his starting XI. The two others apart from the 9 already revealed yesterday were Diarra and Higuain with the latter being paired up with Benzema up front for the first time this season. Mourinho had reiterated that this was game should be used by the fringe players to prove their mettle and Esteban Granero made an immediate impact by scoring a blinder just four minutes into the game. Sergio Ramos, who started as a center half along side Albiol played a diagonal to Pedro Leon on the right. The former Murcia man laid the ball perfectly for Granero to curl in an unstoppable shot into the top corner from outside the area. El Pirata had a point to prove and that was one heck of a way to do so. And post-match he admitted it.
We were fortunate to score early. I am happy that I was able to help the team. I wanted to play well. We are Real Madrid and we know what is expected of us, but we are all professionals and we all try our hardest to earn a spot.
Real, I felt were far more dynamic than they were in the first leg of the tie. I don’t know if it was because of the change in strategy or because of the lack of players who prefer dribbling passing (like Ozil, Di Maria and Ronaldo). The passing was good and Real maintained possession well. Murcia needed the ball to score and Real clearly had other ideas. And having gotten the all important first goal Real were looking confident and comfortable. Granero and Pedro Leon to me were a class apart from the rest.
The match reached the half hour mark and Real had not created that many chances apart from the goal itself. There were fouls all over the park and two of our players were booked in the first 15 minutes. It was six twenty minutes later and then it happened. Mourinho, who was furious with the refereeing for a while now retorted both at the fourth official as well as Paradas Romero resulting in his expulsion from the game. JM was clearly outraged by what was going on in the center of the park and as he decided to express how he felt about the referee. As expected the post-match presser was full of questions with respect to the referee. This is what the manager had to say regarding the referee:
I cannot say he was a bad referee. I would make a terrible referee. All that matters is that we won.
Just look at this referee’s statistics. It is in his nature. I’m not saying he is good or bad. I am not one to judge him, but I do usually analyze referee statistics. This one has officiated about 50 matches in Primera and has shown more than 250 yellow cards; an average of more than six per match. He booked ten players in his last match. I knew once I was sent off that I couldn’t stay where I was, so I looked for the best vantage point and didn’t have a problem.
The sending off didn’t hamper the spirits of neither the fans nor the players. The Madridista faithful went on chanting Jose Mourinho and the players ensured that the team was in a comfort zone going into half time. The first attempt at that was when Higuain shrugged off a defender to shoot way over the bar from just outside the six yard box and the second attempt was the goal itself. Marcelo’s cross after a short corner fell straight to Higuain at the far post who slotted the ball in for Real to go 2-0 up on aggregate. There was a lot of confusion with respect to the legibility of the goal as Sergio Ramos was in an offside position when Higuain shot the ball. While the Murcianos felt that his presence affected the play, the referee felt otherwise. The goal stood and Real went into half time two goals ahead. Personally I felt that the goal shouldn’t have stood.
The second half saw Mourinho make two changes to the side that started the game. Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Canales came off for Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo. The manager’s intentions were clear. He wanted the team get as many goals as they can. But he also mentioned that he was not at all happy with the way Sergio Canales played. Well, I don’t know how exactly he wanted the youngster to play. As far as what I could see he was doing fine. The only bad thing that I could get out of his performance was his positioning. It looked as though he didn’t know his place on the pitch. I am sure he didn’t have a free role in the team as we were playing with two up front.
Anyways, Real continued their domination of the game as expected. The first chance of the half fell to Pedro Leon after a penalty box scramble involving Ronaldo and Benzema. The Spaniard could only fire wide when he definitely should have scored. Cristiano Ronaldo had the next chance after some clever interplay between Pedro Leon and himself. Ronaldo shot on the volley but the shot went just wide of the post. The match was closing the hour mark when Sergio Ramos’ beautiful through-ball found Arbeloa’s run perfectly but the latter was unable to cut the ball back to our forwards. Even though we dominated the game the number of times we had tested Dani Hernandez was far and few. Meanwhile, Murcia brought on Chando for Abraham Quesada. Real almost had their third when Pedro Leon played a beautiful/cheeky lob to catch Benzema on the run perfectly. The Frenchman’s shot hit the underside of the crossbar and fell to Ronaldo who was offside. And I was beginning to think if Benzema would ever score!
In the next minutes there were three changes made. Two for Murcia and one for us. Miguel Albiol, Raul Albiol’s sibling, made way for Camara while Rosquette was taken out for Canadas. Real brought on Di Maria for Pedro Leon who won a well-deserved ovation from the Bernabeu faithful. And the Argentine immediately tested the keeper which was probably why he was brought on. And while all this was happening Mourinho was sitting in the front row issuing orders to Aitor Karanka as animated as ever.
The third goal did come and as expected Di Maria was the creator. Xabi Alonso found a free Di Maria on the right whose low drive with the outside of the left foot found Ronaldo inside the six yard box. All that the Portuguese had to do was be there. Someone who wouldn’t be there in our next Copa game would be Alvaro Arbeloa who was sent off after being booked for the second time in the game. Real were down to ten men for the last 10 minutes. From the resulting free-kick Murcia won a penalty. Yes folks, it was all happening out there. Xabi Alonso was adjudged to have handled the ball and Pedro stood up to take the resulting penalty. He sent St.Iker the wrong way and the score was 3-1. Real have had a history of being knocked out on away goals and this seemed like one of those days.
But that wouldn’t be the case. Angel “The Angel” Di Maria came to our rescue winning a penalty for us. And to everyone’s surprise it wasn’t Ronaldo or Alonso who were tugging to take the kick. Benzema placed the ball on the spot and stepped and slotted the ball home confidently delighting not only the fans but also the players and the media so much that the headline on AS read “Even Benzema Scored!”. Benzema though was more happy with the way he was feeling as each day passed saying:
Scoring is always important, but what is even more significant is that I feel better and better each day.
The Madridistas would feel even better soon as Real Madrid won a free-kick just outside the box after yet another hand ball. Xabi Alonso shot low and the ball went in off a Murciano. Xabi of course was given the goal. Even Xabi Alonso scored, I thought.
Game, set and match, Real Madrid.
My men of the match choices were pretty easy. Pedro Leon until he was there was involved in all of our plays. He was simply fantastic showing us fans why he deserves to play more regularly. He was replaced by Angel Di Maria who showed us why players like Pedro Leon are still on the bench. Both of them were sensational and made a huge impact on the game. I know that Granero too had a good game but I doubt if it was a MVP-esque performance. The same applies to Karim. Sergio Ramos was actually brilliant. The fact that he is able to adapt so quickly wherever he plays simply amazes me every time it happens. He made sure that Carvalho was not missed. Arbeloa and Marcelo virtually had no work in defense. All their duties were offensive ones. Diarra was solid. He played a good destructor. I’ve already spoken about Canales so I’ll skip him. Alonso and Ronaldo were simply Alonso and Ronaldo. Enough said. Higuain was elated by the fact that he scored finally. His reaction to the goal displayed relief more than joy actually.
As far as the overall match is concerned, one of the positives that we can take out of the game is that we did not lose possession cheaply. We had the ball and we looked like we wanted to have the ball. The ideal way to play knock-out football if you ask me. After the game Pedro Leon told us why he thought we dominated the game:
This team’s attitude is great no matter who plays. Murcia really fall back to defend, but the first goal made them change strategies. We were given more space to work with and the chances came one after another.
That sums the game itself actually. Real went ahead virtually even before the game had started. And that piled on the pressure on the Murcianos. They had to score to stand a chance. They moved forward and Real capitalized. As simple as that. Mourinho was appreciative of our opponents though, saying:
It was a good match. Murcianos can be pleased with their team’s performance. They put Real Madrid in a bind. Madridistas can also be happy because they got over the Alcorcon and Real Union debacles. Now we must wait and see who we draw in the next round.
Match Stats:
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Granero, Mahamadou Diarra, Pedro León (Di María 71′), Canales (Xabi Alonso 47′), Benzema, Higuaín (Cristiano Ronaldo 47′);
Real Murcia: Dani Hernández, Mario Marín, Gotor, Amaya, Góngora, Isaac, Urzaiz, Albiol (Cámara 65′), Rubén Rosquete (Cañadas 69′), Pedro, Abraham Quesada (Chando 60′);
Goals:
1-0, 4′: Granero;
2-0, 44′: Higuain;
3-0, 76′: Ronaldo;
3-1, 83′: Pedro (Pen);
4-1, 86′: Benzema (Pen);
5-1, 90′: Alonso;
Referee: Paradas Romero
Booked: Granero (10), Diarra (37), Canales (14), Alonso (80), Urzaiz (86), Miguel Albiol (23), Gongora (46), Mario Marin (56), Canadas (89)
Sent off: Mourinho (38), Arbeloa (30, 78)
Notes: Last 32 of the Copa Del Rey. Real qualify to last 16 on a 5-1 aggregate
Played at: Santiago Bernabeu
Men of the match: Pedro Leon & Angel Di Maria
AC Milan 2-2 Real Madrid
The Road Runner (in white) and the Hungry Coyote (the old smelly cunt in red and black)
Real Madrid qualified to the knock-out phase of the UEFA Champions League thanks to Pedro Leon’s 92nd minute equalizer last night at the San Siro. The substitute’s goal could well have been the winner if not for some poor refereeing and surprisingly poor goalkeeping from none other than St.Iker which saw Milan come back after going down to a Higuain goal just before half-time through a Filippo Inzaghi brace.
As expected Real fielded the same XI that faced Hercules last weekend while Milan made two changes to the side that started a fortnight ago in Madrid bringing in Ignazio Abate and Kevin-Prince Boateng for Luca Antonini and Clarence Seedorf. Real started the game positively created chance after chance testing Abbiati repeatedly mostly from range. Milan did put up a good fight literally with the likes of Gattuso, Pirlo and Nesta bullying around with us throughout the game. Gattuso, in particular, was totally fired up and was at his Wolverine best.
The first chance of the game fell to Gonzalo Higuain who received the ball on the edge of the box from Marcelo to drill a shot which was saved well by Abbiati for a corner in the 4th minute. Real continued to dominate and probably the best chance of the half (apart from the goal) fell to Angel Di Maria. The Argentine was set free of the defense when his compatriot flicked a Sami Khedira clearance only for the little Argentine to blow it despite faking off two of their defenders. He could not even hit the target. Higuain had the next chance with Di Maria involved again. This time the winger’s cross was headed goalwards by Pipita only to be cleared off the line by Pirlo. His clearance fell straight to Di Maria whose half-volley was yet again blocked by the Italian international. The Argentines were awesome in all in the first half and always looked like they were going to score. And score they did. Sergio Ramos’ stole the ball from inside our own half to start a counter attack. His eventual pass to Angel Di Maria let the angel fly free into the other half. Di Maria twisted and turned and then made a stunning dissecting pass to Higuain when everyone thought he was going to shoot. Pipita made no mistake finishing aplomb to score Real Madrid’s 700th goal in European competition. Real thus took a well deserved lead going into half time leaving Milan trailing and with a lot of thinking to do.
The second half was more open with both teams wanting to attack. Ronaldinho, who until then had had a poor game, was replaced by Filippo Inzaghi with the 37-year-old Italian coming in seeking an equalizer for Milan at the hour mark. Inzaghi was irritating our defense, our midfield, our forwards and our fans with his constant pestering of our players and foul play. Gattuso continued to assault our players and with Howard Webb, apparently England’s seniormost referee, doing almost nothing about it the former Rangers midfielder was at his best. Eight minutes on Milan would get their first. Pepe slipped while attempting a clearance of a long ball and Ibrahimovic was quick to latch on to it. The Swede’s cross was completely misjudged by St.Iker who spilled the ball only for a rushing Filippo Inzaghi to score and start off with his weeping celebration. I hate footballers who cry after scoring a goal and this man has a doctorate on such a celebration. Milan were back in the game and Real decided to change things around and attack a bit more. JM brought in Karim Benzema, the hero from the weekend, to replace the man who had given us the lead, Higuain At the same time Ambrosini replaced Pato showing the contrasting attitudes of the two managers. But it would be Allegri who would celebrate as Filippo Inzaghi scored again from an offside position to give Milan the lead in a game which they were trailing only ten minutes ago. Gattuso’s ball over the Real defense was received by Inzaghi who was waiting behind our last man. The Italian surged into the box and slotted it underneath a rushing Iker Casillas for Milan to lead 2-1 after 78 minutes.
JM then made his master move. Pedro Leon was brought on to replace Pepe leaving only three defenders in the playing XI. And the former Getafe man was fantastic. He ran continuously not ceasing for a second and fought for every ball in his region. With time running down it looked as though JM’s homecoming would end in a defeat and thus end Real’s current undefeated streak under Mourinho. But that was when JM’s subs came into light. In added time Benzema made a clever reverse pass to Pedro Leon who shot low and hard for the ball to pierce through Abbiati’s legs to save both Mourinho and Real the blushes leaving the San Siro crowd silent. It was Pedro Leon’s first goal in Real Madrid colors and afterwards he said:
The most impotant thing about my goal was that it helped the team. I’m happy with eventually drawing the match because we deserved to.
We had a very good start to the match; we played well and had many chances to score. We suffered more in the second half and Inzaghi’s two goals hurt us. We managed to draw the score in the end and took a very important point that mathematically qualifies us for the Last 16. We also remain undefeated.
Mourinho then brought on Albiol for Ozil immediately so as to avoid a disaster. Real thoroughly deserved to win the game but in the end had to settle for a draw. We played an excellent first half and probably should have finished off Milan when they were on the back foot. We wasted several chances and in the end we paid for it. The other thing I noticed was that Real was careless at times. Milan were given the ball too easily when we had to keep them under pressure. The manager was quick to acknowledge the fact that the game was rightfully ours in the post match presser. He heaped praise on Pedro Leon and Benzema and said that he will be forced to start Karim if he goes on playing the way he is playing at the moment and I concur. He also said something that really interested me:
My team has yet to learn and improve. It has to learn how to play Champions League knock-out stages, which showcase a completely different way of playing football. I believe tonight’s match was a fantastic experience for my men.
I believe we can play at this level at the end of the campaign. I have faith in all my men. I’m happy with all of them and I’m grateful to them all. Those aren’t just mere words. To thank them means to use them on the pitch. That’s why I will eventually use a rotation system. We have a fantastic squad and some of the benched players sometimes live each match more intensely than those on the pitch. I couldn’t be happier with my players.
And it couldn’t have been put in a better way. We haven’t played in a Champions League quarter final since 2004 and what he just said says it all doesn’t it? We really don’t seem to know how to play knock-out football. It speaks a lot about our Copa record as well.
Casillas had an awful day considering the standard which he usually sets. He lacked judgement and I realized that that’s a mistake even the best of players can make. Sergio Ramos was good. He kept Ronaldinho out of the game and forced him to make long balls and was pretty good in attack as well. Pepe I feel was not all that great. I don’t know whether it was the pitch or lack of concentration – the Portuguese was not as solid as he usually is. On the contrary Ricardo Carvalho was fantastic. We might have conceded two goals for the first time this season but I have to say that I was totally impressed with the way he controlled our defense. Marcelo I felt was playing like the Marcelo of last season. Attack more and defend less. It probably was because Ronaldo was on the left most of the time which meant that there was virtually no one there. Alonso was just Alonso. You just couldn’t see him but he was behind everything. Khedira I felt was not present in the fixture. It is very important that a holding midfielder makes his presence felt unlike Alonso. But it just was not his night. Ronaldo was OK. Then again, its only because of the standards he has set for himself. I felt that a few of his claims for a foul were pathetic. Ozil had a poor game. He virtually had no effect on the game and I was surprised to not see him subbed earlier. Its probably fatigue and that’s just my gut feeling. Di Maria and Higuain were fantastic. And I mean Fantastic. They virtually created all our chances. Di Maria would have been the standalone Man of the Match if only he had scored from the vital chance he had in the first half. But sadly that wasn’t the case. Benzema came on late and was really good. He created Pedro Leon’s goal from a zazzy reverse pass and worked really hard just like the other difference maker from last night Pedro Leon. Both the subs were running hard, going for the ball as though it was a matter of life and death. He had defensive duties as well considering the fact that he had replaced Pepe and he did that too with perfection. Hats off young lad.
Its easy to say that Pedro Leon would be my Man of the Match because of obvious reasons. But it wouldn’t be a whole hearted decision considering the fact that Di Maria and Higuain too were awesome. Yes, our official website handed them the honor of being the men of the match and I too will do so but will be adding the names Pedro Leon and Ricardo Carvalho along.
Its now time to shift our focus to the Madrid derby and Pipita came straight at it.
We achieved our main objective to reach the next round. We would’ve liked to confirm the pass as group leaders, but we have yet to play two more games and we will work very hard to achieve this. We are now very motivated to face Atletico Madrid. We managed to remain undefeated after such an important game and we want to keep this streak up.
And that we should. Its derby time!
Match Stats:
Lineups:
AC Milan: Abbiati, Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Prince-Boateng, Pirlo, Gattuso (Seedorf 84′), Ronaldinho (Inzaghi 60′), Pato (Ambrosini 72′), Ibrahimovic;
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe (Pedro Leon 80′), Carvalho, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Khedira, Di Maria, Ozil (Albiol 93′), Ronaldo, Higuain (Benzema 74′);
Goals:
0-1, 45′: Higuain;
1-1, 68′: Inzaghi;
2-1, 78′: Inzaghi;
2-2, 92′: Pedro Leon;
Referee: Howard Webb (ENG)
Booked: Gattuso, Ibrahimovic, Prince-Boateng, Abate, Carvalho, Pepe;
Venue: San Siro
Attendance: Full house
Men of the match: Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Ricardo Carvalho and Pedro Leon
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.
Argentina 4-1 Spain
Higuain scored in Argentina's big win
Argentina handed Spain only their third defeat since 2006 after putting the reigning world and European champions to the sword with a 4-1 scoreline in Tuesday’s international at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuain, two players who ply their trade in Spain, put Argentina two up inside the opening 14 minutes and Carlos Tevez made it 3-0 in the 34th minute following a costly slip by Jose Reina. Spain, who hit the woodwork three times in the match, pulled a late goal back through Fernando Llorente but Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero made it 4-1 for the home side in injury time.
That wrapped up the scoring and saw Argentina, under the guidance of interim boss Sergio Batista following the departure of Diego Maradona, join USA and Switzerland as the only sides to have beaten Spain in the last 58 matches – 52 of which have seen the Iberian nation emerge victorious.
Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque made five changes to the side that started Friday’s 4-0 UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying win over Liechtenstein, resting the likes of Xavi, Fernando Torres and captain Iker Casillas, and the new-look line-up soon found itself in trouble.
Tevez gave an early warning to the visitors when he beat the offside trap to get on the end of Messi’s fine through ball, but the Manchester City man dragged his shot wide of the far past with only Reina to beat. The same two Argentinians were involved four minutes later as Spain were cut open again, but this time with a different outcome. Tevez put Messi in inside the area and the Barcelona man coolly chipped the ball into the net as Gerard Pique and Reina closed in on the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year.
Tevez was heavily involved early on and in the 14th minute he helped make it 2-0 with a great pass for Real Madrid forward Higuain, who looked to have gone too wide as he rounded Reina but still found the net from a tight angle.
That was hardly the sort of start Spain would have been expecting but they settled down and were soon passing the ball around in trademark fashion. Then, in the 28th minute, they came within a whisker of pulling a goal back when David Villa hit the top of the far post with a stunning 30-yard left-footed drive. If that had gone in it would have seen Villa equal Raul’s national record of 44 goals, and also given Spain a lifeline back into the match.
However, it flew away for a goal-kick and six minutes later Spain found themselves 3-0 down, and Reina nursing a very red face. There appeared little danger as Reina collected Alvaro Arbeloa’s back pass but the Liverpool goalkeeper slipped as he looked set to return possession to his team-mate and Tevez nipped in to slide the ball home.
That was a real setback for Spain just as they looked to be getting into their stride, and the European champions must have realised it was not going to be their night when Villa struck the post for a second time just before the break. The number seven’s free-kick from outside the area took a deflection off new Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano in the Argentina wall before striking the far post.
Del Bosque made four changes at the break and Spain had Argentina on the back foot for much of the second half. Llorente went close with a header before Santi Cazorla saw his brilliant dipping volley tipped onto the bar by Sergio Romero. Romero then palmed over a Pedro Rodriguez shot as Spain continued to push for at least a consolation goal.
That goal finally arrived in the 84th minute when Pedro fed Llorente, who turned and stabbed the ball inside the far post. Spain had a half-chance to pull another goal back through Cazorla at the far post but Argentina survived that and then added gloss to the win when substitute Aguero headed home Gabriel Heinze’s cross late on.
You scratch my back and I scratch yours
Crucial international fixtures
As the international week rounds off to a conclusion at least temporarily the Whites participated in their second training session of the week at Valdebebas on Tuesday and were joined by four academy players. The seven first teamers not on international duty viz. Dudek, Adan, Marcelo, Pedro Leon, Pepe, Mateos and Granero worked out under Jose Mourinho’s supervision along with youth teamers Alex, Juanfran, Morata and Sarabia.
The internationals on duty will play their last matches today; Germany, France, Portugal and Spain’s Under-21 play qualifying games for the Euro 2012, while Spain and Argentina meet in Buenos Aires for a friendly.
And Gonzalo Higuain, who will play a part in the friendly, offered his thoughts on the Spanish national team.
Iker is the best keeper in the world. He is incredible. He is making history. Nothing is impossible in football. Spain has been the best team for a while because they have earned it. They are a cut or two above all the rest. Their football is some of the best ever seen, but Argentina is capable of beating anyone.
Spain and Argentina have faced each other 12 times, resulting in five victories for each and two draws. The last time they played each other our very own Xabi Alonso scored a brace in the 2-1 win. The midfielder too had kind words for the Argentine National team:
Even though there aren’t points involved, the game against Argentina isn’t a friendly one, as it was proven in the game in Madrid. We aren’t fighting for points but we are fighting for things equally important, like prestige. We have to defend the world champion star on our national team shirts and the game will be watched by millions.
The enticing friendly will be played at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium. Most probably, the starters from Friday’s win would be rested for the clash to avoid fatigue as it is just a friendly.
In other news, Karim Benzema is fit again and will travel to Bosnia with the French National team in what would be a crucial game. Sergio Canales too plays an important game as Spain must win against Poland in order to qualify for the play-offs.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
RCD Mallorca vs Real Madrid | Preview
Mesut Ozil, one of the six, who could make their debut tonight
Finally it is here. The 2010-11 season of the Spanish Primera División has kicked off and Real Madrid start their campaign later tonight at the ONO Estadi against Real Club Deportivo Mallorca in what would be the first official match of Real Madrid under the reign of manager Jose Mourinho.
Real start their journey towards their 33rd League title with six new additions to the squad and under a new manager. Angel Di Maria, Pedro Leon, Sami Khedira, Ricardo Carvalho and Mesut Ozil have all been drafted in during the transfer window with the legendary Raul and Guti exiting the club they had played all their life for new challenges away from Spain. Manuel Pellegrini who took us to our best finish ever in the league last season failed to win a single trophy and was sacked as the treble winning Jose Mourinho was signed as Real’s new manager from FC Internazionale Milano.
Mourinho’s Real have had a pretty solid preseason which saw them lift three trophies in Munich, Hercules and at home in the 32nd edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy against Penarol. The tour of United States of America too was successful as Real won both their games there against Club America and Los Angeles Galaxy respectively. Their only draw came against Standard Liege at Liege where they drew 1-1.
The club has pinned a lot of hopes on Jose Mourinho, known worldwide as ‘The Special One’ to bring to the Santiago Bernabeu the major trophies, something which we haven’t won in two years. Like the manager himself admitted earlier in the week in a press conference, the club has indeed spent a lot bringing in a lot of youngsters to replace the old ones a few who were even deemed irreplaceable. We fans likewise too have a lot of hope and I personally am seeing Mourinho as the only one who can bring back to Real the glory days that we are all used to and end the barren spell of not winning Europe’s finest competition, something which we have won more than any other club in the world.
With such high hopes on his shoulders, Jose seems to be as calm as he always is and seems to be doing a good job till now. But all that wouldn’t matter when we face up against Michael Laudrup’s Mallorca.
Mallorca are about to start their 14th consecutive season in the First Division. Having been dumped by UEFA from participating in this season’s Europa League, despite finishing fifth in La Liga, Mallorca begin their campaign with the sole goal being to avoid relegation. Mallorca too like Real have made several changes to their squad. Key players like Aritz Aduriz, Borja Valero, Mario Suarez, Julio Alvarez and Mattioni have been replaced by Jonathan de Guzman, Cendros, Brazilians Joao Victor and Edson Ramos, and Fernando Cavenaghi. Emilio Nsue too has returned to the team this summer following his loan spell at Real Sociedad last year.
More than the trouble posed by Mallorca themselves, Real have other worries. As many as seven first team players are out injured including a few who are facing a long spell out. Pepe, Kaka, Garay, Albiol, Gago, Diarra (who would probably be leaving us soon) are all unavailable due to injury. Kaka, Garay and Gago are ones out with long term injuries. Drenthe has been excluded from the squad list whereas Castilla’s Mateos has been included.
SQUAD LIST :
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek, Adan
Defenders: Carvalho, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Mateos
Midfielders: Khedira, Lass, Granero, Xabi Alonso, Canales, Pedro Leon, Di Maria, Van der Vaart, Ozil
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain
Mallorca have only one injury woe as center-back Ivan Ramis will miss the match against due to an injury and it is still uncertain if Fernando Cavenaghi will make his debut against the Whites.
The last time both sides clashed in Mallorca was on 5 May 2010, resulting in a 4-1 victory for the Madridistas with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his only hat-trick till date and a solitary goal from Gonzalo Higuain. Pipita, speaking about the match ahead of the game to bwin.com, stressed on how important it is to win the first game, saying:
It is going to be a very important and exciting game. It is vital to start the season with a victory. We will have to fight their tactics with our own style. What we want is to win at Son Moix. We have a team capable earning the three points.
His partner up front, Karim Benzema, too spoke to AS about his hopes and aspirations for the season in an interview with AS.
Real would be hoping the two strikers really get going this season as they need it if they have any hopes of winning titles. The other attacking prospects too would be keenly observed as Mourinho begins a new era at Real. We might not play as beautifully as Barcelona does but we surely would get to know how we win games. That said, now I feel we do have all the qualities that a team needs to play good attractive football as well as the match winners that every team needs to win those games which decide the fate of the title.
I am not hoping for the treble nor am I expecting Real to play attractive football. All that I am expecting from this season is for us to show some sign of improvement and stability and justify the changes made during the season break.
Prediction: RCD Mallorca 0-2 Real Madrid
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Los Angeles Galaxy 2-3 Real Madrid
The Whites come back to win in Rose Bowl
Mourinho continued testing the waters in Real Madrid’s second match of the preseason. With Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for kick-off, Benzema was alone in attack and flanked by Van der Vaart and Di Maria. The French striker had another solid outing and often fell back to the wings to allow for the incorporation of Ramos and Drenthe on offense.
Real Madrid created numerous first half chances but were unable to finish successfully. Di Maria’s shot on 32′ hugged the post but on the wrong side. Shortly before halftime, the Galaxy capitalized on a corner to beat Dudek and take the lead after more than three deflections. The hosts advanced their positions and provoked Drenthe into committing a penalty on 45′. Landon Donovan converted the spot kick to put LA up 2-0 heading into the break.
Mourinho made ten substitutions to start the second and brought Cristiano Ronaldo, Canales, Pedro Leon, Casillas, Xabi Alonso, Higuain, Marcelo, Pepe, Gago and Arbeloa off the bench to join Garay. Real Madrid took control of the match and didn’t need much time to pull within one. Cristiano Ronaldo provided a fantastic pass to Higuain and their was little the goalkeeper could do to keep the Argentine from scoring. Six minutes later, Higuain had a goal disallowed after being flagged offside, but replay clearly showed the defense behind the Madridista. There was no sense in panicking, though, as minutes later Higuain wowed spectators with a brilliant feint and shot into the corner of the net to pull Real even with half an hour still to play.
A magical heal flick by Canales to Higuian on 71′ nearly made the come back a reality, but the goalkeeper managed to get a hand on the shot. Pedro Leon got a foot to the clearance and the ball sailed into the back of the Galaxy net after deflecting off a player. Real Madrid continued to pour on the pressure even with the match in the bag, but they would have to settle for a final score of 2-3, the same result as that against America in San Francisco.
Higuain to Realmadrid.com
Gonzalo Higuain’s preseason is off to a flying start after the Argentine scored Wednesday night’s equalizer against Club America.
Higuain: "Mourinho is a serious coach who is backed by his past success"
Your first preseason match and your first goal.
I am happy to have started off with a goal. That is my job and the reason I am here. We need to continue getting used to Mourinho’s methods and tactics and to hope that the new players adjust quickly. I will continue trying to score goals if and when the coach includes me in the starting eleven.
What is working for Mourinho like?
It is great. We are all very anxious to learn from him. It is going to be a tough year but we believe we can win every title we compete for. We are very motivated.
What is it about him that the players identify with?
He is a serious coach. We are all aware of his past success and we mutually want to help one another win titles with Real Madrid.
What are you goals for the upcoming season?
I hope to score more goals than last seasaon because it will help the team accomplish its objectives. I scored a good number of goals last year and would love to score even more this season.
And what about the team’s objectives?
Our goal is to win all three titles we have in play. It would be a nice reward for our fans, who are hoping and waiting for it to happen.
What would winning the Champions League mean to this club?
It would be very special. This team has won more European Cups than any and we are hoping to win the Tenth this year.
What woud you like to tell Madridistas heading into the new season?
I ask that they support us as always and want to tell them that we will play the very best we can. I hope they have fun watching us and that they help us celebrate should we win any titles.
Real Madrid 3-2 Club América
The Whites win first preseason match
Mourinho’s unexpected 4-4-2 formation to start the match saw Canales in attack with Benzema and Cristiano and Pedro Leon glued to the wings, but Canales and Ronaldo on several occasions switched positions and it was the Portuguese who would join the Frenchman as the most advanced player.
Real Madrid’s game plan was quite obvious during the opening minutes of the match. Players relentlessly chased the ball and pressured the opponent. Once the Whites had the ball in their possession, they would send it to one of the two wingers or cross it from one flank to the other. It was a perfect reflection of what had been worked on during training.
Already wearing the number ‘7’ shirt, Cristiano Ronaldo had the first scoring opportunity of the match but Ochoa managed to clear with difficulty. Real Madrid had clear control of the game, while America hoped to pull the upset by way of counterattacks. Benzema could have given the Whites the lead 15 minutes before halftime, but his header struck the crossbar.
A brilliant combination between Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Canales resulted in the first and best goal of the match. The ball was stolen in an advanced position, Cristiano curled it into the box and Benzema lifted his head and passed to an unmarked Canales, who tapped the ball into the back of the net. A goal that combined speed and precision and did justice to what had been seen on the pitrch.
The second half began with several new faces on the turf as Higuain, Granero, Diarra, Drenthe, Adan, Di Maria and Nacho came on for Canales, Benzema, Pedro Leon, Marcelo, Juanfran, Gago and Dudek. The game plan was still the same as Granero filled in for Canales and ‘Pipita’ replaced Benzema. The changes, however, resulted in some players not covering their positions and Esqueda capitalized for America. The Mexican side advanced and on a counter took the lead with a goal by Sanchez.
Having to come from behind, Higuain pulled Real Madrid level by beating Navarrete on his first touch of the ball. Real Madrid loosened up and regained control. With ten minutes left on the clock, Cristiano Ronaldo struck gold off a set piece and sent the 47,000 spectators into a frenzy. With the game in the bag, Mourinho brought in youth teamers Tebar, Alex and Morata for their few minutes of glory.
Higuain press conference
Gonzalo Higuain appeared very motivated and upbeat during Monday’s post-training press conference.
Number ‘7’:
It doesn’t matter what number a forward is wearing on his back. What matters is the number of goals he scores. I am going to continue wearing my number because I am fond of it and I have played well while wearing it. Numbers don’t matter, but the crest does.
Raul:
Raul helped me a lot and he is a Real Madrid legend. I am very grateful, but he decided to start off on a new adventure in Germany and I hope it goes well for him.
Mourinho:
Mourinho is a winner. He has won eveything there is to win and we hope he does the same with Real Madrid. He demands the most from us and we will incline.
Training:
All the ball work we are doing makes training much more pleasant. It is important that we have contact with the ball because it allows us to hit our form faster.
Argentina 3-1 Mexico
Argentina set up another FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final against Germany by overcoming Mexico 3-1 at Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium. Carlos Tevez emerged as the hero with a brace of goals, while Gonzalo Higuain was also on target as Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste set up a rematch against their 2006 conquerors.
Argentina vs Mexico - Preview
The Mexicans ultimately proved no match for their clinical South American opponents, yet it all started so promisingly for Javier Aguirre’s side, with Carlos Salcido rattling the crossbar with a stunning long-range drive after just eight minutes. There was another lucky escape for Argentina just a minute later, when Andres Guardado drilled in a shot from the edge of the box that spun away from the far post just as the net looked set to bulge.
Maradona’s side were hardly lacking in attacking menace themselves, however, and Lionel Messi soon embarked on one of his trademark elusive runs before attempting a chip over Oscar Perez that the Mexico keeper judged well. Messi’s hunt for a goal at South Africa 2010 continues, but it was not long before the Barcelona talisman played a key role as another of Argentina’s star forwards opened his tournament account.
Tevez might have thought his chance had gone when Perez raced out to block bravely at his feet, but Messi was quick-witted enough to return the ball towards goal, where the Manchester City striker was waiting to head home. Breaking the deadlock enabled Argentina to take a firm grip on proceedings, and within seven minutes that hold was strengthened as Mexico reached for the self-destruct button.
Quite what Ricardo Osorio was thinking when he played a square pass to the feet of Higuain is unclear, but it was a gift the Real Madrid striker readily accepted, coolly dragging the ball around the grounded Perez before side-footing into the empty net for his fourth goal of the tournament. Even with the best part of an hour remaining, it was difficult to envisage Mexico finding a way back into this match, and Argentina could have been out of sight altogether by half-time had Higuain not headed wastefully wide with the goal at his mercy. Maradona’s men are capable of scoring at any time though, and from any situation – as Tevez proved six minutes into the second half.
The Albiceleste No11 benefited from a fortuitous break 25 yards from goal, but there was no luck involved in what followed, with Tevez lashing an unstoppable drive into the top-right-hand corner for one of the goals of the tournament. Mexico must have realised the game was up at this stage, but it was to their credit that they continued to attack with conviction, and they should have pulled a goal back on 63 minutes when Javier Hernandez headed over when it seemed easier to score.
The Manchester United-bound youngster made amends with 19 minutes remaining, however, brilliantly turning Martin Demichelis on the edge of the box before rifling a stunning left-foot shot into the roof of the Argentinian net. It would prove scant consolation for the crestfallen Mexicans, but while El Tri return home with their dreams dashed, Argentina can begin plotting revenge against some familiar foes.
Argentina 4-1 Korea Republic
Gonzalo Higuain fired a memorable hat-trick as Argentina wrapped up a thrilling 4-1 victory over Korea Republic to virtually assure themselves of a place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup™.
Higuain's hat-trick sinks South Koreans
There was some scintillating attacking football from La Albiceleste as they became the first team at South Africa 2010 to reach six points. Nudging Higuain for individual honours as Korea Republic – impressive winners over Greece in their opening Group B fixture – were torn apart was the mercurial Lionel Messi, who had a hand in all four goals.
Argentina were quickly into their smooth-passing style, switching the ball quickly to their creative talents, with Carlos Tevez eager to nag away at the Korean defenders. Angel Di Maria also demonstrated the potential to make it a difficult afternoon for Korea Republic right-back Oh Beom-Seok, who had come in for Cha Du-Ri. It was following a foul on the Benfica winger that Argentina went ahead. Messi’s free-kick was perfectly judged, looping towards the penalty spot where it came off the shin of Park Chu-Young, leaving Jung Sung-Ryong powerless to keep it out.
A stunning right-footer from distance from Ki Sung-Yueng indicated that the Asian team were not going to take that blow lying down but chances were virtually non-existent as the South Americans continued in comfortable control, probing away and posing all manner of problems. Tevez zipped a free-kick just too high and on 32 minutes Argentina had their second goal. A free-kick was played short this time with Messi inviting Maxi Rodriguez to deliver the ball into the danger zone where it was flicked back towards the far post where Higuain was waiting to steer in a header.
It was so comfortable for Maradona’s team with Sung-Ryong denying Di Maria, and Messi only fractionally wide after a wonderful jinking run that bemused a clutch of defenders. But then a lapse in concentration allowed the South Koreans back into the match. That certainly seemed to be the case with Martin Demichelis who was guilty of dwelling on the ball as the first half entered into added-on time and Lee Chung-Young took ruthless advantage.
After the break Sung-Ryong did well to keep out Higuain’s effort but Diego Maradona’s team, now without Walter Samuel, who was forced off with an injury, were vulnerable to Korea Republic’s pace on the counter. That was never better demonstrated than in the 58th minute, when Park Ji-Sung slid a perfect pass into the stride of Yeom Ki-Hun, who could only hit the side-netting.
The last words went to Argentina however and Higuain. After a one-two, Messi tore into the area and saw his first shot repelled by the goalkeeper. His follow-up struck the inside of the post and there was Higuain to apply the final touch. Messi and Higuain were not finished yet. With ten minutes remaining Messi’s beautifully executed scooped pass put Sergio Aguero clear down the left and his cushioned cross was met with a clinical header from Higuain to wrap up his hat-trick.
Pipita is here to stay!
Finally all the rumors about Gonzalo Higuain being ill-treated by the club management and that he is looking out for a move away from the club can be put away as Argentina’s No. 9 put pen to paper to seal a contract extension that keeps him at Real until 2016.
His representative, his father, Higuain Sr. met with the club officials earlier sometime to decide upon his new contract and had revealed to Marca that the negotiations went well. And now finally his words have been substantiated as Higuain penned his extension with the club that he loves.
The club released an official statement on the website which read:
Real Madrid C. F. and Gonzalo Higuain have reached an agreement to extend the player’s contract with the Club to June 2016.
Great news! Now we don’t need to look at signing another striker.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Stevie G, Angel D, Maicon and the rest of the football world | Ins and Outs | S02P01
Agreement in principle
So when José Mourinho said he was targeting three to four summer signings the press went ballistic. They had the whole world of football to choose from the three or four special players that the Special One was targeting. And now it looks as though they have decided upon three of the possible four signings while making the fourth slot as a variable which they could fill up with a player of their choice every week.
The three lucky winners chosen are Steven Gerrard, whose exit is apparently eminent after Benitez’s departure, Angel Di Maria, who has already signed a deal with Real Madrid in a secret meeting that was held months ago, and Maicon who has openly admitted that he will choose Real Madrid over Man City any given day. And the fourth spot till now has been occupied by the likes of Fernando Torres, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and David Silva among others.
#1
Let’s start with the rumor regarding Steven Gerrard who will be England’s captain in the upcoming World Cup. Gerrard is believed to be one of Mourinho’s leading transfer targets following his arrival at the Bernabeu and he recently said of the midfielder and his England colleague Frank Lampard that “both are two great players and always give everything.” Mourinho had attempted to prise Gerrard away from Anfield during his time at Chelsea, has now “hinted” that he could be interested in the England midfielder and the Spanish press reported on Friday that a €30 million bid is in the offing.
The focus shifts to South Africa
With yet another thrilling season of La Liga completed and having crowned FC Barcelona as Champions yet again the focus now shifts to South Africa where the FIFA World Cup 2010 will take place. Madridistas taking part in this edition of arguably the World’s biggest sporting event will include Iker Casillas, Raul Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Kaka, Gonzalo Higuain and Rafael van der Vaart. Lass and Benzema will miss out on helping France due to an injury and a strategic decision respectively while Metzelder too has been excluded from the Germany side chosen to represent the country.
The World Cup kicks off on June 11th with Spain being tipped as the favorites to win considering their impeccable run in to the trophy having not dropped a single point during qualification. Like all the other players, Albiol too is excited about the World Cup. Speaking to the press with reference to the same he said:
Spain are favorites, like some of the other teams are. We have to prove this. We must be humble and work hard to win our games. Every Spaniard dreams about winning the World Cup.
Compatriot Xabi Alonso though is keen to avoid the favorites tag. Alonso told GQ:
We have a good opportunity . We don’t think if we’re favourites. What does it mean to be favourite? It doesn’t add anything. The team is in a good way, but we learned at the Confederations Cup that if we had a bad day we were out of the race.
In this sort of competition you have to be really consistent and it’s very important that the players arrive in good shape. This year we have a lot of determination and conviction; there are reasons to believe that we can win the World Cup.
Argentina, Brazil, The Netherlands and Germany go in as the other favorites while Portugal, Italy and France are not as strong as they were in the previous versions of the prestigious trophy.
The road to the World for the various Madridistas can be summarized as follows. The Reds began preparing for the championship on 24 May. Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Albiol and Xabi Alonso joined their Spanish team-mates in Las Rozas. The team’s preparation will follow three stages: Spain, Austria and Spain again. Higuain’s national side started preparing for the World Cup on 20 May in the sports grounds of the Argentinean FA. The team will travel to South Africa on 28 May. Kaka’s team met on 21 May at Atletico Paranaense’s training facilities. They will leave for Johannesburg five days later. Their flight will have a stage in Brasilia, where the team will be received by President Lula da Silva. Cristiano Ronado and Pepe are currently with Portugal, who got together on 14 May. The team will leave for Johannesburg on 5 June. Van der Vaart’s national team will remain in Seefeld, Tyrol (Austria), between 19 and 31 May. They will face Hungary in their last pre-World Cup match on 5 June.
No surprises as far as which team I will be supporting. It will be Spain and Hala Madrid will follow The Reds throughout their campaign right from their pre-World Cup friendly on 29th May against the Saudi Arabians.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Post-match comments
Jorge Valdano transmitted a message of hope following Real Madrid’s 5-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao. Manuel Pellegrini was very pleased with his team’s victory on Saturday, but he didn’t shy away from commenting on his displeasure with the score in Seville. The message is loud and clear. Members of Real Madrid’s first team still believe they have a shot at the league title and 98 points after beating Athletic Bilbao 5-1 on Saturday.
"We will fight until the end."
Valdano:
We are still hopeful. We have fewer chances percentage-wise, but we will fight until the very end. A lot can happen in this sport including things that seem impossible.
We took care of business in the second half after suffering from a lot of anxiety in the first. The best news was the five goals we scored for our fans. Their support was a deciding factor.
We are setting records for wins and are close to the all-time scoring recod, which proves that this is a great team that has only improved over the course of the season. We will not be discouraged. We will defend Real Madrid’s pride in Malaga and will fight until the very end.
Ronaldo and Higuain have a great partnership, but we also have other talented players like Benzema and Kaka. Ramos’ goal was evidence of his grit and pride. He has had an exceptional season and will one day go down in the history of Real Madrid.
Pellegrini:
The team felt anxious and discouraged for a while. We have one more match and although we had a lot of hope riding on the game in Seville, Valladolid have a lot at stake when they visit Barcelona next week. We will maintain our pressure until the end.
We knew that Barcelona’s match against Sevilla would be more complicated than next week’s against Valladolid, but you never know what may happen. We need to maintain this spirit and fight until the very end. Hope is the last thing we can lose.
We closed out a great season at the Bernabeu. We won 18 of 19 matches and scored 60 goals here, which is more than three per match. We have now scored more than 100 goals. The numbers are there. We are the top scoring team.
Real Madrid 5-1 Athletic Bilbao
Real Madrid notched their 31st victory on Saturday by drubbing Athletic Bilbao in what was the Whites’ final home match of the season. With one game left to play, Higuain and Cristiano have combined for 53 of the team’s 101 goals this year.
One victory shy of 98 points
Winning was all that counted for Real Madrid if they were to keep their title hopes alive and make it to the final week of action with a chance to notch 98 points on the year. Only four minutes had ticked off the clock when Cristiano Ronaldo put Iraizoz to the test. Five minutes later the Madridsta sent another shot just wide of the post. Caparros surprisingly left Fernando Llorente on the bench, but it didn’t prevent Athletic from putting on their own pressure.
Amorebieta was sent off on 21′ and Cristiano fired home the ensuing penalty kick to put Real up 1-0. The Whites took complete control of the match with a one-man advantage and Athletic retreated in search of a deadly counterattack. Despite their numerical superiority, Real Madrid slowed their pace and Yeste managed to capitalize by beating Casillas. The teams headed into the dressing room level and one goal apiece.
Kaka stepped in for Gago at the restart, but Athletic remained well-positioned and Real couldn’t successfully complete the final pass. Granero looked in dismay as his shot from distance struck off the corner of the crossbar. Athletic grew confident and Yeste nearly gave his side the advantage, but Casillas made the frantic save.
Pellegrini replaced Granero with Benzema in search of more fire power with only 23 minutes left to play. Higuain was lucky on his third attempt and put a header by Iraizoz following a corner kick. Pipita’s 27th goal in league action was all the Whites needed to keep their title hopes alive, but they weren’t done yet.
With nine minutes left in regulation Sergio Ramos dribbled through defenders to put the third on the board and one minute later Benzema hammered home the fourth. Athletic Bilbao had been done in, but Marcelo got his name of the score sheet on 90′ after a mistake committed by the defense. The 98-point objective is now only one win away.
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Guti H., Gago (Kaká 47′), Granero (Benzema 67′), Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín (Diarra 83′);
Athletic Club: Iraizoz, Iraola, San José, Koikili, Amorebieta, Gurpegi, Iturraspe, Javi Martínez, Yeste (Gabilondo 66′), De Marcos (Susaeta 54′), Toquero (Llorente 75′);
Goals:
Referee: Mr. Muñiz Fernandez
Booked: Guti, Gago, Arbeloa, Iraizoz, Iraola
Sent off: Amorebieta
Notes: Week 37 of La Liga played at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bilbao pre-preview
We are down to the last two games of the season and it has been quite a long one already. We still do not know where La Liga title is heading and this week probably will be decisive as far as the league title is concerned as Real face Athletic Bilbao at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in 21:00 CET game on Saturday and Barça face off against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
King of Mallorca, the leader, our hope
He is one of the best professionals I’ve seen. He’s a winner, someone who does not want to miss a game. He says what he thinks, but he also has a mindset that is focused on the collective.
He is the first to arrive and the last leave training. I see him and say to myself, ‘I have to train harder’. He’s a wonderful guy, a total leader.
– Raúl González on Cristiano Ronaldo
When someone like Raúl has that to say about you then you are definitely worth all the money in the World. And Cristiano Ronaldo is! The Portuguese single-handedly demolished Champions League chasing Mallorca by scoring a brilliant hat-trick at ONO Estadi on Wednesday in a 4-1 win for Real. It was his first hat-trick for us and they were his 23rd, 24th and 25th goals in the league this season and made brought his tally to 5 goals this week alone. His first two goals were provided by Sergio Ramos and he spoke about them on Punto Poleda:
Our first goal against Mallorca came from a sort of play we pull off often. I noticed Cristiano was leaving his markers behind and the bounce of the ball suited his speed. The second goal was similar. The ball went straight in both cases and we luckily scored.
And both will play a very vital role if we are to win tomorrow night against Athletic – Cristiano in offense and Sergio Ramos in defense. As Higuaín put it Bilbao will not be an easy game and we need to show the World how much this title means to us yet again this weekend.
Athletic Bilbao have a long history of success and they deserve credit year in and year our. We need to win this game to show how bad we want to win the league. We hope to go to Malaga as the top team in the table even though all we are thinking about is winning our next two matches.
Warnings galore
As much as we are aware of the threat they possess their players have already sent out signs warning us that they are ready for us. First up it was Ander Itturaspe who said:
We will have plenty to say at the Bernabeu. They have players of the highest standard in the world in attack. They are players who, if they get their chances usually are not forgiving
And then David Lopez:
This season we have already played very well against good teams and we have shown that we know how to cause them worry. We already won against Real Madrid at home; why can’t we do the same there? We are going to do our very best to take the three points or a draw.
Yet another team with a European dream
Athletic Bilbao are looking to qualify for Europe next season. They are currently eighth on the table, one point shy of reaching their goal. Considering their dismal away record this calendar year it doesn’t seem like happening in the next game. Bilbao have won 10 of their 18 games as locals, losing just 4 but have taken only half of those points on the road. They’ve only won 4 away games this season though but none of them in 2010.
Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao have clashed 78 times in la Liga, resulting in 50 victories for the Whites, 15 draws and 13 wins for the Basques. Real Madrid defeated them 3-2 at the Bernabeu last season thanks to two goals from Higuain.
Lass and Marcelo return; a few worries for Bilbao
Marcelo returns to Manuel Pellegrini’s squad list to face Athletic Bilbao following last week’s suspension. Lass has recovered from his back injury and has also made the cut. Raul, Van der Vaart and Pepe are the only ones who will miss the match due to injuries. No Castillla player has been called up.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek
Defenders: Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Albiol, Garay, Metzelder
Midfielder: Gago, Diarra, Kaka, Lass, Guti, Drenthe, Xabi Alonso, Granero
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain
Probable Starting XI: Real Madrid
As far as Bilbao are concerned apart from having a few long term casualties on their injury list including the likes of Ion Velez and Aitor Ocio there are doubts over the fitness of a few regular first teamers such as Koikili, Pablo Orbaiz and Javier Martinez.
ATHLETIC CLUB SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Iraizoz, Armando
Defenders: Koikili, Ustaritz, Amorebieta, San Jose, Iraola, Iturraspe
Midfielders: Yeste, Gabilondo, Susaeta, Gurpegi, Javi Martinez
Defenders: Toquero, Llorente, Muniain, De Marcos, Etxeberria
Probable Starting XI: Athletic Bilbao
And here we go again…
Transfer speculations have begun all over again as the opening of the transfer window nears. Edin Dzeko, Steven Gerrard (!), Juan Manuel Vargas have all been linked to the club while Van der Vaart (to Liverpool) and Higuain (to Chelsea should they fail to get Torres) have been linked out of the club. I guess its time to start Season 2 of Ins and Outs.
Prediction: Real Madrid 4-2 Athletic Bilbao
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Post-match comments
Director General Jorge Valdano praised his team for earning a crucial victory in Mallorca tonight. Manuel Pellegrini was very satisfied with his team’s victory. The coach pointed out his men performed better in the second half. Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano declared that the difference between Real Madrid, Barcelona and the rest of the Primera Liga is “astronomical.” Afterwards, Manzano acknowledged the superiority of Los Merengues and in particular Cristiano Ronaldo. Delighted with the victory and his hat-trick, Ronaldo shared his thoughts on the match with the media. The Real Madrid squad was delighted with the victory.
"We improved considerably in the second half and won a difficult game"
Valdano:
We were somewhat uneven in the first half, but we showcased our dominating skills in the last 45 minutes. We concentrate on the job at hand and we always show our professional character and excitement to win this title.
Cristiano Ronaldo showcases the Club’s trademark winning spirit. He is an extraordinary player, but I don’t think it’s fair to say the team depends on him.
We will have to win our match this weekend regardless of what happens between Barcelona and Sevilla. We must play a serious game, like we did during tonight’s second half, and wait for our chance.
Pellegrini:
I think there was a considerable difference between our performances in the first and second halves. We suffered a lot in the first against Mallorca’s counterattacks. We were better organised in the second part and managed to tip the scales towards us.
We knew we were going to have a rough time. We all know what Mallorca are capable of, especially as locals. We luckily managed to win the match and to do so decisively.
We all know Cristiano is an extremely important player. This team plays in regard to the quality of its men and Cristiano is one of them. He plays a crucial role. Nevertheless, the team responded well when he missed two months because of an injury.
We need to defeat Athletic Bilbao and Malaga to reach the 98-point mark. There’s much at stake for both sides. We feel strong and confident both on and off the pitch, but we still don’t depend on ourselves, so we have to avoid mistakes and wait for Barcelona to make some.
Manzano:
For 60 minutes we played a very good game. We kept the order, nullified Madrid and we created chances but the second goal affected us in terms of mindset. Then, we opened up looking for an equalizer and Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in individual actions. He is very dangerous with the ball at his feet.
It is very difficult to take the ball off Madrid, despite the enormous physical effort we made. The difference between Madrid and Barcelona with the rest of the teams is astronomical.
Mallorca 1-4 Real Madrid
Real Madrid earned their 30th league victory tonight, reaching the 92-point mark. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Mallorca, who had previously only conceded 11 strikes at their stadium. The Madridistas continue to head towards the 98-point mark.
- Cristiano Ronaldo showers Mallorca with goals
Mallorca had a strong start and scored the opener 15 minutes into the game through Aduriz, forcing Real Madrid to make another comeback.
Ten minutes later, Cristiano Ronaldo magically controlled the ball, sprinted towards the goal, leaving his marker behind and defeating the goalie with a lobbed shot (25′).
The striker gave Real Madrid confidence and they began to dominate the encounter despite occasional dangerous counterattacks from Mallorca that put Casillas’ reflexes to the test. Gago responded to this with a long pass that Higuain tried to head in to no avail.
The Whites pressurised more in attack after half-time. Within five minutes, Ronaldo assisted Higuain, but the Argentine missed the target. Both men pulled off a similar effort two minutes later, but this time the keeper intercepted Cristiano’s pass. Several minutes later, Sergio Ramos served a great ball for Ronaldo, who controlled it with his chest in the box and defeated the keeper again with a subtle and elegant shot (56′).
Pellegrini wanted his team to dominate more in midfield and decided to bring on Guti and Kaka. It worked and Mallorca, who still hadn’t recovered from the blow of conceding a second strike, deflated.
Ronaldo was clearly still hungry and soon scored his third goal after controlling a divided ball and defeating Aouate in a one-on-one. This was his 25th strike in La Liga this season.
Gonzalo Higuain clearly wanted his share in the glory and netted an amazing goal on the 81-minute mark, sealing the victory and also tallying his 25th league strike in the campaign.
Lineups:
Mallorca: Aouate, Josemi, Nunes, Rubén, Ayoze, Julio Álvarez, Borja Valero, Martí (M. Suárez 61′), Castro, Aduriz (Webó 79′), Víctor (A. Keita 61′);
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Garay, Arbeloa, Gago, Xabi Alonso, Granero (Diarra 76′), Kaká (Guti H. 60′), Higuaín, Cristiano Ronaldo (Benzema 84′);
Goals:
Referee: Mr. Clos Gomez
Booked: Josemi, Nunes, Valero, Aduriz, Arbeloa, Granero
Notes: Matchday 35 of La Liga
Venue: ONO Estadi
Higuain press conference
Gonzalo Higuain believes the team can end up winning the league title this season.
"The team has a lot of faith in itself"
Title hopes:
We can win the league title. This team has a lot of faith in itself. The match in Zaragoza will be very difficult. They fight to avoid relegation and we fight to win the title.
This season:
We know 98 points are a hell of a lot and taking that many by season’s end would be incredible. I think we are having a great campaign; we’ve won many consecutive games. We always create many chances on goal and we have a solid defence. We have taken an incredible number of points already. The coach was right in saying whomever wins the league title in the end will truly deserve it.
Personal Contribution:
I try to help the team any way I can. Teamwork is what really counts because that’s the only thing that can give you a title. I’d love to win the Pichichi and Golden Boot trophies, but it’s more important for me to help the team win the title. It would be beautiful to achieve all things at once, but the league title is more important.
Goals:
I only think about the five finals that remain and about helping the team with my goals. The final stretch in the championship will be complicated for both us and Barcelona. We are just one point behind them with five games to go and I believe we can take them over.
Post-match comments
Manuel Pellegrini was very satisfied with the victory over Valencia. The coach had words of praise for all his men. Valencia coach Unai Emery admitted that his side were simply beaten by a better team. The Real Madrid squad was happy with the victory. Everyone agrees the league is still open.
"I am proud of my men's mental strength"
Pellegrini:
We studied Valencia’s style thoroughly, so I am delighted with the victory. I am proud of my men’s mental strength and fighting spirit.
We’ve won 15 of our 16 home games in La Liga and we’ve also scored an important number of goals. I am very satisfied with what my men do both on and off the pitch. It was very important to win in Almeria and seal that victory with another one here tonight. We are a straightforward and goal-scoring team.
We try to make progress in each game. Our intention is to always win.
I am very happy for Guti. He is having a great run, but we need our 23 men to be in top form if we are to win the title.
Emery:
Madrid has been better and that is reflected on the scoreboard. At Real Madrid’s home ground it is very difficult to stop them because they have great potential. The result is fair and we have not challenged effectively.
We came with the intention of winning the game, but our opponents are competing for the league and have been better than us. The difference is how often they have chances to score and the result, that is the reason for the difference in the table between [everyone else] and Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The first thing is to get back that offensive and defensive strength. We must reinforce our home form and strengthen it on the road. We must win five games. There is no cushion whatsoever, we go match by match. Away from home we must have more chances to win, I am convinced that will change things.
Guti:
We had many chances on goal and managed to control the entire match despite facing a great team.
We are proving the league is far from over. We have to win every game to put pressure on Barcelona. We have to make them feel we are coming closer to them each week. Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two best teams in the championship. The winner of the title will be the side that does best from here on end.
Just another Madridista
Hala Madrid 
Sporting Gijon 0-1 Real Madrid
Bring it on!
Real Madrid battled past 19 fouls, 6 yellow cards, a red card and an extremely hostile atmosphere at El Molinon to grab three points thanks to a solitary Gonzalo Higuain goal to silence Manolo Preciado and the Sporting fans and regain the top spot in the Primera Division table. It was once again Karim Benzema who played the super sub role as it was his effort that led to the eventual goal eight minutes from time. Iker Casillas proved for the umpteenth time that he is still the best goalkeeper in the world by making yet another top notch save from a David Barral header which could have easily been Sporting’s equalizer. We were jeered, booed and whistled continually by the crowd but the players remained focus to finish the job off which was particularly important considering all the happenings prior to the game.
Valdano said it all about the game when he remarked that the match had more fighting than actual playing in it. Preciado’s men’s attitude was crystal clear. They went for the players from the word go and it looked as though the only place where they wouldn’t foul was their own penalty box. But that failed to bother our men as they proved that they too had mettle and the first chance of the game came within the first ten minutes. Ozil’s lay off from Pepe’s pass found Higuain’s run perfectly but Pipita’s low drive across goal met the post and went straight to Juan Pablo’s hands. And that was as close as we would get in the first half as Sporting failed to let us settle. But we did trouble their defense constantly with Ronaldo and Di Maria doing a fair bit of dribbling going past three to four defenders at a time only to be fouled by all three or at least one of them. Real then tried the aerial route with Di Maria repeatedly crossing in from the right but sadly all of them were cleared easily by Sporting’s defense. One other disappointment were our set pieces. There were a lot of free kicks that we won and from a few good positions. The fact that we were not able to materialize any says a lot about that side of our game. Real continued to attack and Sporting continued to throw whatever they had at us. Hell, even their fans started throwing stuff. But Real saw them all off. The game was still 0-0 with a half to be played.
Following the interval, four minutes into the second half, Di Maria brought out the best from Juan Pablo from a wonderful shot that was going into the top corner after he had cut in from the right. All this reminded me of last season when Real were repeatedly denied by Juan Pablo as Sporting held on to a 0-0 draw. The game did have a lighter side to it, believe it or not, when Sergio Ramos was asked to leave the field for sporting number 4 on his jersey and number 3 on his shorts. How he ended up wearing Pepe’s shorts, I dunno. With 63 minutes gone Real brought on Karim Benzema for Angel Di Maria to give a different dimension to our attack. Di Maria was active when he was on the field but I am sure the management had the physical nature of this game in mind when they made the replacement. Juan Pablo continued to save the blushes for Sporting as he brought about yet another splendid save this time to deny Gonzalo Higuain who only had the keeper between himself and the goal. Sporting would have gone ahead a minute later when Sangoy fired just wide of the far post after being put through. But that was just an one-off chance as with quarter of an hour to play Juan Pablo was made to deny Real again this time through Benzema’s shot from outside the box. It did look like one of those nights when things didn’t go well and Sporting made a couple of changes bringing in Barral and De Las Cuevas for Carmelo and Sangoy.
The last ten minutes brought about all the exciting moments of the game. Firstly we went ahead in the 82nd minute when Karim Benzema powerfull headed Sergio Ramos’ cross which Juan Pablo could only scupper leading to Higuain tapping in from inside the six yard box. A minute later Iker Casillas showed the world why we call him St.Iker when he reacted in a lightning quick manner to deny a darting header from David Barral. That sapped out all the confidence that Sporting had of scoring. Lass came on for Higuain in the 84th minute to stabilize the defensive side of the midfield and Arbeloa replaced Ozil in the 88th minute further solidify the defense. Three minutes into added time Botia made a deliberate foul on Ronaldo to earn a direct red. Ronaldo clamored “Mas, Mas” in the bring it on sense but that was as much as what was left in the game. Our players celebrated the sending off as much as they celebrated the goal and the game ended 1-0 in favor of the good side.
Following the game Ronnie spoke about the coach:
And the captain spoke about the crowd and the coach.
But to me it was Higuain who summed it all up perfectly.
It couldn’t have been better written. We needed three points from a crucial game. We knew that it would be tough. We also knew that it is games like these that win you titles. And we did a good job. The only worry coming out of the game would be that Carvalho picked up an ankle knock during the course of the game and the extent of the niggle remains to be seen. But I doubt if it would culminate to be anything serious.
Right then, the international break is on and with Portugal playing Spain and England playing France it should be fun to watch. The players have been given a well deserved rest for a couple of days and should be back by Tuesday. But that’s not gonna stop me from writing. Before I sign off here are the match stats.
Match Stats:
Lineups:
Sporting de Gijón: Juan Pablo, Lora, Gregory, José Ángel, Botía, Rivera, Diego Castro, Eguren (Luis Morán 88′), Carmelo (De las Cuevas 73′), Nacho Novo, Sangoy (David Barral 80′);
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Marcelo, Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Özil (Arbeloa 91′), Cristiano Ronaldo, Di María (Benzema 66′), Higuaín (Lassana Diarra 86′);
Goals:
0-1, 84’: Higuaín;
Referee: Turienzo Alvarez
Booked: Diego Castro Gimenez (11), Gonzalo Higuaín (35), Gonzalez Carmelo (45), Sami Khedira (45), Sebastián Eguren (72), Alberto Ramos (82), Miguel de las Cuevas (89), Luis Morán (89)
Sent Off: Alberto Botía (90)
Notes: 2010/2011 Spanish Primera División
Played at: El Molinón
Men of the match: Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo
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November 15, 2010 | Categories: Match Reports, Post-match Comments, Spanish Primera División | Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, El Molinón, Gonzalo Higuaín, Iker Casillas, Sporting Gijón | Leave a comment