Netherlands 2-1 Cameroon
Arjen Robben came off the bench to help the Netherlands secure a 2-1 victory over Cameroon that seals top spot in Group E and sets up a last-16 date with Slovakia. Robin van Persie and Klaas Jan Huntelaar were on target either side of a Samuel Eto’o penalty at Cape Town’s Green Point Stadium as Bert van Marwijk’s Oranje preserved their unblemished record at South Africa 2010.
Robben returns as Dutch stay perfect
With the Dutch already through and the Indomitable Lions consigned to elimination, some might have expected a game lacking in passion and excitement. As it was, any fears of an under-strength Netherlands side facing an unmotivated Cameroon proved groundless, with both coaches sending out their strongest XIs in front of a noisy capacity crowd.
The Indomitable Lions were the first to threaten, with Aurelien Chedjou twisting into space 25 yards from goal and forcing a solid save from Maarten Stekelenburg after just three minutes. However, Cameroon’s early promise steadily diminished and, with 19 minutes played, the Netherlands should have moved in front.
Captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst split the Cameroon central defenders with a terrific lofted pass for Van Persie, but although the Dutch No9 controlled well on his chest, he fired in a tame volley on his weaker foot that Hamidou Souleymanou was able to gather comfortably. But the Dutch were getting closer, and after Souleymanou had again been called upon to deal with Rafael van der Vaart’s curling free-kick, the unmarked Dirk Kuyt drilled a right-foot effort wide of the far post when he should really have hit the target.
The Liverpool striker made amends five minutes later, however, when he was involved in a slick interchange on the right flank with Van der Vaart and Van Persie that ended with the latter being threaded through on goal. Again, the chance fell to his right foot, but this time the Arsenal striker was deadly, coolly slipping the ball between the legs of the advancing Souleymanou.
The goal was Van Persie’s first at South Africa 2010, and he might have doubled his tally five minutes into the second half after his pace and powerful running took him clear of the Cameroon defence. This time though, he was not able to outfox the keeper, with Souleymanou saving well from his powerfully-struck shot.
Van Persie made way for Huntelaar soon after and this change coincided with a switch in the balance of power, as Cameroon took control. First, Samuel Eto’o was denied by an excellent saving challenge from Joris Mathijsen, then Landry Nguemo side-footed just wide and, finally, with the best chance of the three, Stekelenburg saved from Jean Makoun’s unconvincing effort.
Frustrated from open play, Cameroon finally made the breakthrough from the penalty spot, Eto’o placing an inch-perfect spot-kick high to Stekelenburg’s right after Van der Vaart had handled inside the area. However, Van Marwijk still had a trump card to play in Robben, and after being introduced for his first taste of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, the Bayern Munich winger provided the inspiration for his side’s winning goal.
In a typical display of skill and directness, Robben drove inside from the right, beyond Cameroon substitute Rigobert Song and curled a superb effort against the inside of the post. Fortunately for the Dutch, the ball rebounded fortuitously to another substitute, Huntelaar, and with Souleymanou stranded, the AC Milan striker made no mistake with a perfectly placed right-foot shot.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to Milan for 15 million euros
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will play in Milan next season, following an agreement between Real Madrid and the club rossonero for 15 million euros plus a bonus payable in three years. The Dutchman, who arrived here last winter, is leaving after being told he was not a part of Pellegrini’s plans for the upcoming season. I would like to thank Hunter for his services for Real and would like to wish him luck for the future.
Update:
Official statement, just for the sake of it:
Real Madrid C.F. and AC Milan have reached an agreement for the transfer of Klaas Jan Huntelaar to the Italian club.
Hala Madrid!!
Raul pelle canna delpi + the Dutch exodus
Haha.. Confused you, didn’t I? If not I beg you to forgive me. But hell after making more than 950 posts I can bet that anyone will struggle to give suitable a title for your posts especially when there is not much to talk about. This is one such post. I just wanted to talk about last night’s rodeo against the bulls (I’d say bullocks) from Turin before I headed out to grab a sub and take a nice peaceful walk on the shore.
Anyhoo, getting back on track, both Manu Pellegrini and El Capitan have given their reactions to our first loss of the season. The coach’s reaction can be found here. He says that he is really concerned about the way on which we are defending set pieces. 5 goals conceded this season and all five from set plays. But what he also says is that the team hasn’t worked too hard on it. D’oh! We can see that Manu! When are we ever gonna change?!
If one person knows how to exploit us through set pieces it is Fabio Cannavaro. Hell, he was a part of the god damned tradition of conceding from set pieces for three whole years and I wasn’t surprised when I saw him jump up and grab himself a goal something he couldn’t do for us for three seasons. One other difference I noticed in him was that he was defending his heart out. Well, yeah, once you ditch The old lady for money and you want to get back with her you’ve got to do stuff you’ve never done before. I shant blame him. He had a few words to say after the match as well. Speaking to some random press guy immediately after the game he said:
It’s always good to win in the pre-season. We came up against a great Madrid side, a very strong team. But we will only see them at their best in September, once the pre-season is over.
The ‘Berlin Wall’ then admitted that he did not celebrate his goal in the third minute when he nodded in Alessandro Del Piero’s freekick out of respect for old former team-mates and fans, although he did assure that it was a weird feeling scoring against former club. Bah! He should’ve celebrated. he should’ve piled those clowns in grey and stood on them like he did in once here at Real. It was super funny to see that.
Moving on, Alex Del Piero insists Juve are better than Real. I don’t think we can talk about it. Three out of the last three for them. Patience amigo, patience. Il capitan as the Raul-wannabe is called, told the press:
These are emotions that are always pleasing and you can never get used to them. We did really well and we were organised and compact, giving the impression that we are more of a team than [Real Madrid] are. These are important wins that always give you motivation. We have shown that we can play at the highest level against any team.
I don’t give two hoots about losing right now. I hope we lose all the games we are destined to lose in pre-season itself. Its the real season that matters. If this had been the season in proper I’d have been ranting by now. I just hope things change and for the good.
El Capitan as usual was made to speak to the press in order to pacify the fans as we lost last night. He told AS:
There needs to be calm. We are still absorbing some concepts and some new ideas. It’s a long process, but we are on the right track. There have been noticeable improvements in every game. There’s no doubt that it will be a great year for Madrid.
In Raul we believe. Period.
But what that loss doesn’t have an effect on is the transfer market. Players will be sold. Liverpool will be stupid. And you know the usual rumors will fly around. Both Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart are linked with moves to Inter Milan. The former though is wanted by a host of other top European clubs including Chelsea and Bayern. The player’s representitive, Soren Lerby, has revealed the midfielder could be tempted by a move elsewhere if he believes his first-team opportunites could be under threat in 2009/10.
The Galacticos have built a team which can compete in all the competitions, but you need good players to rotate. So Wesley doesn’t feel out of place because he wants to give everything for them. At the same time a big player needs to play regularly and that may not happen at the Bernabeu. If Wesley was to leave Spain he would only do it for one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
All this only means Sneijder needs more allowance which I am sure will be taken care of. On the other hand Rafael van der Vaart who surprisingly was left out of the Peace Cup squad (which only meant his services have been deemed unnecessary) is on the verge of a loan move to Inter with an option to sign him for 5m euros come end of the spell. Thats less than half of what we spent on him.
The other Dutch player leaving is Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Ajax, Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in him. There are rumors that he could be a part of the Xabi deal but Rafa insists that he is not interested in any of our players and is thus demanding 40m euros for the Basque. We on the other hand are only willing to spend 25m.
Thats about it for the day. I’m running out of stuff to type and I’m growing hungry by the second.
Cheers,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Huntelaar out => Arbeloa in
A nice and warm evening out here, I hope its the same there,
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is leaving. The final nail in the coffin of the whole Huntelaar saga was Pellegrini’s statement in his press conference earlier today that read:
I’ve spoken to every player and Huntelaar knows what I want. We have many strikers on the team and they can’t all stay. Everybody knows how good he is. We have an excess of strikers right now and he knows there is no place for him.
Now that was frank. I am quite sure that neither Schuster nor Juande would have put across the message that way. They would have been coy before actually saying such stuff. And this just makes me like Manu Pellegrini all the more. Infact I would like to go on record saying that I am officially a fan of his.
Anyhoo, coming back to Huntelaar, I do feel sad for the bloke. He spent only half a season here at Real and scored 8 good goals. He has an eye for goal and would definitely have done much better if he had been given the time and the opportunity. It is sad that he has to leave. But now the question is where? It is imminent that he doesn’t want to move to a non Champions League club after he rejected Sttutgart’s bid. Sp*rs were after him apparently. But Harry Redknapp has admitted that striking a deal will be difficult due to the Dutchman’s wage demands. That’s true. Paying him as much as Real is will be tough but he has to move somewhere. AC Milan too were looking to sign him but it was only on loan and that too broke as they went after Luis Fabiano. He basically is running out of suitors. Nevertheless I just hope things are sorted out soon and that we know what our squad is going to be like ASAP.
If Huntlaar’s departure is inevitable so is Arbeloa’s return, apparently. The former Madridista is likely to be the third returning Madridista after Negredo and Granero. Arbeloa’s representative, Manuel Garcia Quilon, remains in discussions with the Primera Liga giants and expects a conclusion by the start of next week. Quilon told The Sun:
Discussions with Real are not over and I expect a solution early next week.
Jorge Valdano has also confirmed that the 26-year-old, who played for the club in 2004-05, remains a transfer target. Valdano said:
Arbeloa is a basic part of our plans.
Arbeloa has one year remaining on his contract at Anfield and faces a fight for a first-team place on Merseyside following the arrival of Glen Johnson.
Xabi Alonso saga is still going on as Benitez is now trying to convince the ace midfielder to stay at Anfield. More on that on Marca.
The Peace Cup has commenced. Last night Juve beat Sevilla 2-1 in Group A and Liga de Quito beat Al-Ittihad 3-1 in Group B in which we are the third team. We kick-off our campaign tomorrow night against Al-Ittihad.
More on that game later,
Till then,
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
How fair is it to expect Real to win it all this season?
Morning all,
It has been a tremendous week for Real Madrid. Following Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raúl Albiol is the young French international Karim Benzema who will be at the Bernabéu for the next six-seasons. We have now spent over €200m and that just isn’t the end. Florentino says two more signings are on their way. One of them might just be Franck Ribery who has just done the maximum a player could possibly do to join Real Madrid. And the other hopefully should be a defender. At this point anyone could join Real Madrid. ANYONE. And that is what makes this club so special. At one point we were loaning in mediocre players like Julien Faubert just to give a shot at the title and now its players like Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema who are giving out an SOS for us to go and get ’em. But are these the players whom we really need to get, if not better, then at least to equal Barcelona’s feat last season? There can be no doubts when it comes to the quality and the temperament of each player we have bought. The likes of Kaka and Ronaldo have done it all. But my question at this juncture is whether their strengths will get added or be nullified in the course of playing time.
The Galacticos, the real ones, didn’t succeed too well when they were overloaded with stars. When that era began it was only Zidane, Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos and it was then that we won the Ninth title. (Luiz) Ronaldo joined and was crowned the Pichichi in his first season itself. We went only till the last 4 of the Champions league but still we managed to win the league. Hierro and Del Bosque were then sacked and that brought the demise of Real Madrid as a European super power. What Florentino failed to do at that point was get a real good replacement for the hole left by the two. He tried for Ayala and failed so he got players like Walter Samuel and Jonathan Woodgate who failed miserably. He tried out several managers and all of them were poor. The whole fiasco ended with the eventual resignation of Florentino Perez.
This time around he has brought in similar players. Kaka, probably the only person who can be compared with Zidane, then Ronaldo, definitely as good if not better than the great Luis Figo himself and a huge Ronaldo fan in Karim Benzema. We have the real Raul and a potential Roberto Carlos in Marcelo. Well, Marcelo is not bad. The change this time comes in with the signing of young Albiol and the presence of Pepe and Eze G (who was signed last season). This squad is definitely stronger overall than the one we had back then. And the rebuilding is still not over yet. Florentino has planned two more signings for us which means four more players will be sold.
The two upcoming signings will be the most crucial ones but and might just involve our players as a part of the trade. The two major rumors have been Negredo plus cash for Xabi Alonso and Robben and Van der Vaart/Sneijder plus cash for Franck Ribery. Personally, I oppose both the moves. I like Alvaro Negredo a lot and I can see him getting us the goals we need in the league. Also I don’t think we need Xabi Alonso. Arjen Robben though injury prone is just an amazing player. Rafael van der Vaart is just settling down and Wesley Sneijder is just out of form. So I really hope the two players aren’t Ribery and Alonso though Ribery looks sort of inevitable. Florentino wants him, he wants us, well it just has to happen. There are other rumors about the arrivals of Alvaro Arbeloa, Maicon and Ashley Cole as well. Both are cunts. So I’d be against them even if they do join Real. We’ll just have to wait and see.
With Javier Saviola and Jordi Codina already leaving the club the others who are likely to leave are Royston Drenthe (mostly to Fiorentina on loan), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Tottenham, Besiktas, Lyon are all after him), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Milan have him as their backup target), Christoph Metzelder (to Besiktas) and Gabriel Heinze (they said Liverpool but there is nothing concrete on that). Ruben De la Red being ruled out for yet another season might just see lesser number of midfielders being sold.
If Drenthe, Heinze and Metzelder leave as rumored then we will definitely have to strengthen our defense. Ivan Marcano from Racing was a good option, but Villareal have scooped him. We definitely need a reknown left back because I too see Marcelo as a potential left winger and not as a defender though he was brought into the club as one. Miguel Torres is a special player. His crosses for Raul’s goal against Sevilla and Van der Vaart’s goal against Villareal proves that he has a fairly good left foot. He has played on the left even under Capello two seasons back and it all depends on Manu Pellegrini as to whether he would continue to play the Lahm like right-footed left-back role. Center of defense will be a problem in case Metzelder leaves. We’ll be left with two proper center backs till Pepe comes back. And in case someone carries an injury crisis will strike. Gary is good but immediately into the starting line up would be too much of an ask from the young Uruguayan. St.Iker is there. But for the King’s Cup games and other lame ass games we might need a decent keeper. I’ve heard quite a lot about Antonio Adan. So I hope they bring him up through the ranks. Right back won’t be much of a problem. Jack of all trades Lass and Sergio Ramos are there to take care of the position. My only hope is that Sergio Ramos attacks lesser now that we’ve added that much needed flamboyance in attack. To sum it up we still need reinforcements, more so in defence rather than up front. I just hope the ‘two more signings’ Florentino hinted about is fills the holes in our team rather than overloading the already filled ones.
Now coming to the question that I posed initially as to whether it is fair to expect Real to emulate what Barca achieved last season this coming season I would say it is a big NO. No because the team has been shaken right from its foundation. It has been given a new lease of life by getting in players galactic by nature. To expect it to perform tremendously well as though it is an automaton that takes an input has five world class players and gives three trophies as output is simply ridiculous. But expectations will be there. I’ve just listed a few here…
- First a better Champions League story which means going farther than a first knock-out round exit or being throttled in the last 16.
- Next a little more care given to the Copa Del Rey in which we have been one of the poorest sides in Spain. Now that there are better players, players from last season can be given Copa Del Rey duty along with some bright youngsters and I’m they’ll fare well.
- Top two in the league has now become mandatory especially because of the lack of talent present in Spain at the moment except for a maximum of 5 or maybe 6 clubs.
- The icing on the cake would be a double on Barcelona (in which we clobber them 7-0 in one leg and 8-0 in the other) and a massive win at The Riazor (18 years due).
- One of strikers shoul get the Pichichi which I deem would be tough only because we have too many of them and the goals we get will split.
- And finally depending on our defense the Zamora Trophy for St.Iker. Am I expecting too much?
I’m not expecting the team to fulfill all six either. The last three are just something the fans would love to relish whereas the first three are the ones which we really have to look at achieving.
So basically to answer the question asked in the title of this post, I’d say that it is natural to expect such a dream team (on paper at least) to perform but we must understand that though supreme by talent they possess they too are humans and they will definitely take a little to acclimatize to their new home esp when three out of four are players coming in from other leagues. So patience, something that we Madridistas generally lack, is what is required. Florentino has done all that he can to pump in new blood to a team that was suffering severely and left in the dust by the previous office but we cannot expect the recovery to be magical. We will succeed if not now very very soon. Its destiny.
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!!
36, 42, 27, 194, 185…
Morning all,
I’m sure the title of this post caught your eye as you saw it. If thats the case then its job is done. I remember when I was in my 8th standard (not Grade, We don’t call it grade here in India) I remember this guy who took a few classes to help us with our public speaking skills. The first thing he said were a few random numbers which no one understood as to why he was doing so. And it was then that he said “It caught your attention didn’t it? That’s the secret behind public speaking.” and the rest was all blah blah and more of blah to me as I went back to what I was actually doing. What a loser!
Anyhoo, moving on to the post itself, it has been a dull weekend with all the people involved in the transfer market spending time with their families, girlfriends or all alone. Spain played South Africa and won on Saturday snatching the World record for most consecutive wins which Brazil held for quite some time now. Brazil beat Italy comprehensively last night knocking them out of the tournament. At their expense the team that went into the semi-finals to meet Spain was the U.S.A who beat Egypt 3-0.
The Transfer Market itself has been quite dull lately. The David Villa saga is still going on. Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema are being linked with us just for the heck of it. All the dutch starlets are linked with a move away from the club along with Fernando Gago. And we are planning to swoop both maico and hell Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
On Friday Valencia’s president Manuel Llorente declared that David Villa will not be sold in this transfer window. Manuel Llorente has said that since there aren’t any good offers currently David Villa will probably continue his career at the Mestalla next season but that would be the case only if there aren’t any amazing offers.
Llorente said:
We have taken the decision to not sell David Villa. We’ve taken this decision after some days of thought in which we studied the advantages and disadvantages. We think David Villa is the best striker in Europe and we have the fortune to have him in our team and we are going to fight to keep him.
Gaizka Mendieta, a few years ago, too was almost assured of playing in Real Madrid when Valencia blocked his transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu. Instead it was to Rome that he went to don the colors of Lazio who paid a record sum at that time to gain the midfielder’s services. Ofcourse he went and ruined his career there. Valencia, according to reports from Spain, are supposedly doing the same thing here. Llorente though insists the current move is not a ploy either, saying:
It’s not a strategy, but to avoid all the rumours. Because they affect Valencia, the media and the player. We have to be calm and think about the project. When we talked of selling it was because we thought that some players could bring in a lot of money, like Villa. But it’s not been like that.
Llorente did admit though that the decision taken by Valencia does not necessarily guarantee Villa will still be at the Mestalla next season.
I cannot say that because there could arrive an amazing offer.
The striker’s agent, Jose Luis Tamargo, said:
They [Valencia] have put us through a situation that is, sadly, very unpleasant because this is no good for anyone. Valencia have changed their minds and they are telling us they don’t want to sell the player after, as everyone knows, having talks with three of the four top clubs.
The player himself is unsure of his club future but he insisted that he wouldn’t let this uncertainity affect Spain‘s Conferderations Cup campaign. But one thing is for sure, Villa will remain in Spain, is atleast what his Fernando Torres thinks.
One other Spaniard who is linked with Real Madrid is Xabi Alonso. The Telegraph and The Daily Express reported that Xabi might be on his way out of Liverpool. But on Sunday the player himself said that he is not planning on leaving the club this summer. But then according to The Mirror Chelsea have joined the £18million race to grab Xabi Alonso.
Karim Benzema too has been linked with us. Jean-Michel Aulas hinted that he could be powerless to keep Benzema from leaving Lyon. But The Telegraph insists that Karim Benzema will not leave Lyon before the next World Cup.
Manchester United are rumored to make an offer that Real can’t refuse for Iker Casillas. Well, forget Iker Casillas, WE WON”T SELL A VIRUS TO THAT MOB.
Fernando Gago is worth 20 million euros apparently and Juve are interested. Read this.
Going Dutch, according to The Daily Star, Ruud van Nistelrooy wants his Dutch compatriots to move on if they do get a chance. Hahahahaha!
Royston Drenthe is linked with a move to Italy to Fiorentina but ON LOAN which is really really good. NOTW says that Aston Villa have lost the race to sign the Dutch youngster and are now onto Jurado.
The Guardian has an article that says Real Madrid have warned Arjen Robben that they are prepared to leave him out of their squad next season if he refuses to leave the club this summer whereas The Dutchman himself is not keen to leave the Santiago Bernabéu (which is wonderful to hear as we will need him). As to the whole banishing thing: BULLOCKS!
Another Dutchman who doesn’t want to leave Real is Wesley Sneijder. Speaking to AS he said:
I have no intention of leaving Real Madrid. Nobody called me to speak about that and what I want to do is stay at Madrid because I battled hard to join this club and being successful in this shirt is my aim. No doubt about it. I am pretty much relaxed and cannot wait to get back to work. Playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka or Franck Ribery is an honour for every player.
Does that mean Ribery is in?
There is another rumor that says Frank Rijkaard wanting Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to link up with him in Turkey. Bullocks again.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is desperate to leave Inter and to move to Real Madrid, is what Marca says. According to Marca, negotiations are going on between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Real Madrid. Inter in return want Mahamadou Diarra, Sneijder, Robben and Higuaín. And I want to whip Massimo Morati’s arse all around Milan. Personally I am no believer of Ibracadabra. I don’t like his attitude. We already have Ronaldo to do the tricks. We don’t need the Swede. But if I am proved wrong…
According to Corriero dello Sport, Marco Branca, the technical director of Inter Milan, is in Madrid to discuss the possible transfer of the Brazilian full-back Maicon. Why do we need a right sided player again?
And about someone who will surely wear Real Madrid colors next season in Cristiano Ronaldo, The Mail says that Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract dispute with Real Madrid is understood to have been resolved which means the record deal will be completed soon. Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he made up his mind to leave Manchester United last summer. And according to The Mirror Sergio Ramos and co. are OK with Ronaldo’s wages.
And finally Vicente Del Bosque speaks about Raul‘s possible return into the Spanish National Team.
Thats it. End of post. More from me soon.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
P.S: Our kit for next season has been released. The serigraphy on the shirts have also changed.
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!!
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!!
Huntelaar press conference
Huntelaar has only been here for six months, but he has great admiration for “the greatest club in the world.” The player has perfectly adapted to the Spanish league and hopes the team leaves a good impression in the last game of the season at the Bernabeu.
What do you know of Florentino Perez?
He is a former Real Madrid President and a good candidate for the coming election, but we still don’t know if he’s going to win.
Would you like to stay at Real Madrid to prove you are a good player?
Of course. I came here to play and win titles.
Your arrival coincided with the team’s great run in the second leg. What’s your opinion on these past six months on both a personal and collective level?
We’ve only lost three games, but the match against Barcelona was crucial. The good streak we were having came to an end with that game. We must continue to win and prove our worth in the next two games.
Did it bother you to be benched in the second half of the match against Villarreal?
We played badly in the first half and I was replaced. I would have liked to do more, but the coach is the one who decides on the pitch.
On Sunday you’ll play your last league game at the Bernabeu. Will the team strive to send out a good image?
Of course. You can’t lose three consecutive games. We must try to win both for our fans and for that which we stand for.
How does it feel to see your name on the list of players that may leave the team next season?
I’ve only been here for six months. I came to play and win more games with Real Madrid. I never regretted signing for the best club in the world. It was a chance I grabbed with both hands and I want to show people what I’m capable of doing.
Huntelaar to Sportsweek
In statements made to Sportsweek, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar declared that he is convinced Real Madrid can win the league title this season. According to the striker, it is crucial that the Whites maintain or reduce Barcelona’s six-point lead before the Clasico.
We have our chances and it would be foolish for us to throw in the towel. Personally, I will do everything that I can. I believe blindly that we can win the league title,” said Huntelaar, who has scored eight goals for Real Madrid. It is the minimum that we have to do; if we can reach the derby with the gap at six then we can build. Before, they have more games at home and their fixtures seem easier, but if we close the gap to three then anything can happen.
Huntelaar press conference
Huntelaar only thinks about winning. The Dutch striker is having a great run and will be a key figure in Real Madrid’s remaining nine games in La Liga.
You were sitting on the bench when the whole incident with Guti in Malaga happened. What did you see?
I only saw that everyone was warming up. I was getting dressed and watching the game. That’s all.
How do you think Guti is doing?
We are all united and we fight together to win the league title. I think he’s doing as well as the rest of the team.
Is the team especially happy with the victory because it hardly had time to prepare for the game?
It was a very important victory, especially because we sustained many injuries. Barcelona also won and still hold the same lead, but we will continue to fight.
Men that don’t usually get a chance to play did rather well. Does that mean Real Madrid have a squad strong enough for the next nine games?
We want to win more than anything else. We all do our best to catch up with the leaders and win the title.
Barcelona will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League. As a Madridista, what would you prefer happened?
I’m not too worried about it, but it’s important for us that they start giving out signs of exhaustion. We should take advantage of that.
Do you think you can be compatible with Van Nistelrooy in the future?
That’s up to the coach. I just think about this season and our next game. Whatever has to happen will happen.
Do you feel like you are ahead of him thanks to your excellent run and the fact that he’s injured?
I’m only thinking about the current season. Whatever happens will depend on many different things.
Do you still think the team can win all its games?
Of course I do. Our next game will be at the Bernabeu. We will have to take each game at a time and wait for Barcelona to drop points.
The election campaign hasn’t started yet, but there are rumours about future signings. How does that affect the squad?
I personally feel no pressure. I focus on the next game and I think everyone else does too.
Ronaldo always used to make a bet saying how many goals he was going to score during the season. Do you dare say a number?
I would like to score many goals. What’s important is that the team continues to win its games. I can’t really say how many goals I’ll score.
Do you think Juande deserves to stay at Real Madrid?
We’ve been doing a good job since December. I think Juande Ramos is a very good coach that positions each player where he can do his best.
Which do you like most of the things fans have been saying about you?
I still don’t understand it all because they use words you don’t learn in Spanish lessons. What I’ve most enjoyed is the attitude they have with me.
Huntelaar to Hala Madrid
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar sat down with Real Madrid’s Hala Madrid magazine to discuss the early stages of his career and the goals he has set for himself during his time in the Spanish capital.
How did you get involved in football?
I started when I was four of five by playing on a team that some of my family placed on. My dad was the coach, so he was the one who got me started.
Your oldest memory as a footballer?
When I started winning trophies and the change to professional football. That’s when I realized I could make it big in the world of football.
Do you remember your first match?
Yes. I had a lot of fun playing. I was a forward on the first team I played for, but back then there was no game plan. Everyone went where the ball went.
Were you always a forward?
I played goalkeeper once when I was with De Graafschap. I enjoyed it, but it was a one-time thing.
Did you think you’d become a professional while playing for your first team?
Everything happened one step after the next. When you start on an amateur team you don’t really think how far you might get. I always took things slow and with a lot of self-confidence. I worked hard to make it to Ajax, and I felt proud once I got there. Then I continued working hard to reach where I am today, Real Madrid.
Who did you look up to?
Gullit and Van Basten when I was small and then Dennis Bergkamp.
How does it make you feel to be compared to Van Basten?
I don’t know. He stopped playing when I was very young. I don’t like to be compared to anyone. He was a great player recognized through all of Europe, so it makes me proud to know that people compare us.
What is it about Dutch football that produces such great players?
It starts at a grassroots level because teaching and training methods are so structured. The Dutch are crazy about football and they work hard to teach it to youth.
Does having fellow Dutchman on the team help with your adaptation?
Of course. In training for example I can ask them in Dutch what the coach is saying. It makes communicating easier, but they also helped me with other stuff when I first arrived.
What do you like most about Real Madrid?
The stadium and the fans. Both are fantastic.
And what about the city?
I love the old buildings because I really like culture. I haven’t had the chance to walk around, but I came here a year ago with my family for vacation and I got to see a little.
What was the first thing to cross your mind when Real Madrid called?
That I couldn’t think twice. It’s the best club in the world and I am convinced that every player they call doesn’t have to think twice about the decision. I had made up my mind because although Ajax is a fantastic club, Real Madrid is better. I also like the white shirt because it has special meaning.
Why?
I like how classic, traditional and historic it is, I want to celebrate a lot of goals in it.
How does playing and scoring in the Bernabeu feel?
The first match was to get a feel for the atmosphere. The stadium is huge, but I don’t notice it when I am playing because I am too focused on the match.
Is La Liga a tough league?
It’s a great competition and along with England I think one of the two best in Europe.
What goals do you have while playing for Real Madrid?
To win many titles. I have a lot of years ahead of me here and winning leagues and the Champions league are dreams of mine.
Any message for the fans?
I will give them all I’ve got. I know I will improve here and score many goals for this team.
Huntelaar to uefa.com
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar teamed up with UEFA to reveal the secrets to being a prolific goal-scorer.
POSITIONING:
When the ball is on the wing I choose the right position, I look where the defender and the ball are. I take my position in back of the defender, then I can come in front of him or around him. I can choose either. If you’re in front of him it’s difficult to choose which side.
SHOOTING:
I look at where the goalkeeper is standing and then choose my side to shoot. Then I watch the ball and make sure I hit it really well in the middle.
It’s important to practice finishing a lot because then you know when to shoot and how to shoot. You have to look at the goalkeeper, see where the space is and shoot there.
GROWING UP:
When I was younger my idols were Van Basten and Gullit. When I was a little bit older they quit football and I looked up to Dennis Bergkamp and Kluivert. But I mostly followed Bergkamp because he was a smart, clever player.
Huntelaar to Marca
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar sat down with Marca and offered his views on news concerning Real Madrid, the battle for the league title and his current form.
All I want to do is help the team by scoring. There are plenty of players here who are capable of finding the back of the net. Robben, Raul, Sneijder, Higuain… Van Nistelrooy is an amazing striker who I have a lot to learn from. We speak often and he helps me. During my first few matches when I was unable to score, he told me to remain calm and not lose focus. I owe it to him. The day I signed for Real Madrid was the happiest day of my life. I play for the best club in the world and I am satisfied to no end to play with this shirt and in a stadium like the Bernabeu. We will do whatever it takes to win every match and will wait to see if Barcelona stumble.
Real Madrid 3-0 Almeria
Real Madrid defeated Almeria 3-0 tonight and therefore stand undefeated in La Liga in 13 consecutive games. Marcelo scored a beautiful goal from outside the box and Huntelaar netted two strikes in the second half, very much in the style of legendary Madridista and current Almeria coach Hugo Sacnhez, who received a warm welcome from the crowd.
The players of both teams wore special FAO shirts as part of the Footballers Against Hunger campaign. Juande Ramos used the same line-up that scored five goals against Athletic Bilbao last week. Marcelo had a chance on goal as soon as the game started with a shot from outside the box that was slightly off target. Sneijder also had a chance on the 4-minute mark. Mane had Almeria’s first chance moments later and Uche came close to scoring from a header, but Casillas saved the day (7′).
Raul came close to finishing off a good cross from Sneijder (12′), and two minutes later managed to hit another cross from the Dutchman, but his shot was deflected by a defender. The visitors managed to keep possession and had more chances on Real Madrid’s goal. Both teams used long passes and focused on playing in midfield. Then, Marcelo stepped up, controlled the ball right outside Almeria’s box, and sent the ball through Diego Alves’ top right corner with his right foot (23′).
Almeria didn’t give up and played well in midfield, but they had few chances to score. Lass and Sneijder also kept busy in midfield, and on the 32-minute mark, a play started by the former and continued by the latter ended in a shot off target by Raul. Huntelaar had a similar shot to Marcelo’s, but he hit a defender.
Piatti had a weak shot on target at the start of the second half. Real Madrid’s first chance in the last 45 minutes came through Marcelo, who took advantage of a mistake made by Bruno and sent the ball to Alves’ crossbar. The Brazilian came close to scoring again from inside the box, but the keeper managed to send the ball out. A corner kick was awarded and Raul tried to score from a header, but Alves cleared the ball only to send it to Huntelaar, who scored from a powerful shot (53′).
A few moments later, Ortiz cleared a header from Heinze on the goal-line following a corner kick served by Sneijder, who later started a counterattack by passing the ball to Robben. The latter came face to face with Alves and failed to defeat him, but the ball landed at Huntelaar’s feet and the striker scored his second goal (66′).
Lass was given a standing ovation when Juande replaced him with Gago. Metzelder and Torres came on for Pepe and Heinze and the intensity of the match decreased. Robben managed to pull off a few impressive dribbles down the right wing, but he didn’t shoot on target. In the end, Real Madrid won an important victory that will put more pressure on Barcelona.
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Marcelo, Pepe (Metzelder 80′), Heinze (Torres 85′), Sneijder, Robben, Lass (Gago 68′), Huntelaar, Raúl;
Almería: Diego Alves, Bruno, Acasiete, Pellerano, Mané, Juanito, Crusat, Iriney (Nieto 86′), Juanma Ortiz (Ortiz 61′), Piatti, Kalu Uche (Corona 69′);
Goals:
1-0, 23′ – Marcelo;
2-0, 53′ – Huntelaar;
3-0, 67′ – Huntelaar;
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz.
Booked: Sergio Ramos, Heinze, Gago, Raul, Lass,Bruno, Iriney.
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.
Huntelaar to AS & Marca
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has scored six goals in ten games, and two of them helped in Real Madrid’s impressive 5-2 victory in Bilbao. The Dutch striker told AS and Marca that he believes the team can win every game if it plays as it did on Saturday.
I am very happy, especially because the team won. It was a very important game and we proved we will fight hard for the title.
The first goal I scored against Sporting made me more confident and I now feel fine. I’ve adapted to the team very quickly and, luckily, I’m scoring goals. I’ve never been obsessed by it, but I am naturally happier when I score.
It was incredible to play at San Mames. People on the stands were true fans. Everyone supported Athletic and you could feel that on the pitch. It was wonderful. It was a tough game; we had to fight hard.
I’m not used to playing with my back to the goal. I prefer to face it as much as possible, look for openings and ask for the ball, but I also know how to bring the ball down if required.
It’s paramount for us to play as a real team. We were strong in Bilbao because of this. I play for my team, not for myself, and we will be able to win the 11 games that are left if we continue to play like a proper team.
I feel great at Real Madrid. I am a little happier every day for living here and playing at the best club in the world, even if the last few days have been a little rough on all of us.
It is our duty to win at Real Madrid. We knew we couldn’t afford to fail after the Liverpool defeat. The league is the only competition left for us this year and we will have to do our best to win the title.
Post-match comments
Juande Ramos was pleased with his men’s victory and believes his team deserved to win. Iker Casillas was satisfied with the victory obtained at San Mames, the same stadium that witnessed his Primera Division debut. Real Madrid Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic offered his opinion on the victory at San Mames. Huntelaar and Metzelder spoke positively about Real Madrid’s victory over Athletic Bilbao.
Juande Ramos:
The score reflects what took place on the pitch. Real Madrid were the superior team. We allowed two unfortunate goals. One was an own goal and the other a defensive mistake. It was a shame because the draw made it much more complicated. But the team responded and did what it had to. It was especially important after the intense match we played last Tuesday against Liverpool.
There’s a lot of friction and intensity in Athletic-Real Madrid matches. It was a heated contest but you have to accept it as a part of football. I don’t think the referee influenced the final result. The penalty for example was quite obvious.
I decided to play with two free-roaming players like Marcelo and Robben, which is the reason for Higuain being a sub.
If we had to choose I would have preferred to continue in the Champions League. But on a positive note, it’s clear that we now have seven days to prepare for each match and Barcelona do not. Fatigue though isn’t always a factor. It doesn’t mean we will narrow the gap sooner.
Casillas:
We were coming off a tough loss and we won a great match in a difficult place to play. We did our homework. We must continue playing like we did tonight. Winning here was the best recipe. It was a must and we took care of business. Now we need to see what Barcelona do in their visit to Almeria.
Lass and Huntelaar are two great players and tonight they proved it with solid performances. But what is most important is how well we played as a team and our desire to bounce back from two disappointing performances.
I don’t want to judge the referee’s call to send Yeste off. Fran came onto me too strong and it was a rough collision. I think he was sent off because he hit me in the face.
Athletic Bilbao is a rugged team and they sought the victory until the very end. We will fight until the very last match to win this league.
Mijatovic:
It’s important to take one match at a time in this league because every victory is crucial if we are to finish as champions.
Today’s victory, in a stadium as tough as San Mames, was important. This victory boosts our morale as we head into forthcoming matches.
We must only focus on our next opponent and win every match we have left.
We played well, which is more important than my two goals. It was a tough match, but I think we deserved to win.
We still have a chance to win La Liga. There are a lot of matches left and we will do our best. Barça must also still visit the Bernabeu.
Metzelder:
It was a heated contest but we knew how to handle all the emotion. The red card was fair in my opinion. We know we will be booked if we push a player, and in such a heated match with so many fouls we knew the referee would be quick in booking players.
It was a key play because it was easier to play against ten men, but the referee didn’t influence the match’s outcome.
We wanted to have fun playing after what took place in Liverpool. We enjoyed it out there and I am sure people had fun watching us.
Things change quickly in football. We knew we had the talent. What happened in the Champions League was a horrible defeat, but we showed that we’re still very much alive. It was important to finish this match with eleven men, to play calm and to finish off our plays successfully.
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)
Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid and Atletico put on a great show that thrilled the crowd at the Bernabeu. The exciting match ended in a draw thanks to goals from Forlan and Huntelaar.
Despite the absences of Pepe and Sneijder, Juande Ramos had no trouble coming up with a strong starting line-up. Lass took on right back duties and Guti returned to the starting 11. The new face on the Atletico front was Camacho, who played instead of Maniche.
The game was very tight and players plagued midfield. Guti created the first chance with a cross into the box that Ramos picked up, but Leo Franco cleared his shot with his fists. Guti tried again seven minutes later with a powerful shot that hit the keeper and produced a corner-kick. Robben later had a great chance. He dribbled past several defenders, but his finishing touch was again met by Franco.
The match grew quiet and both teams had fewer chances. Robben again dribbled the ball brilliantly past Ujfalusi and Antonio Lopez, but his shot hit the keeper (21′). Aguero was the first Rojiblanco to come close to scoring a goal. He faced Iker Casillas alone and the keeper’s great reflexes saved the day (35′). Suddenly things changed for the Whites. The ball landed at Aguero’s feet after a corne-kick served by Real Madrid. The Argentinean began a fierce counterattack and gave a brilliant pass to Forlan, who defeated Casillas and put Atletico in the lead (37′).
The Madridistas looked for an equaliser at the start of the second half. Juande replaced Guti and Heinze for Higuain and Salgado, positioning Lass in midfield and Marcelo as a left back. The goal came soon after the substitutions. Higuain sent the ball to the front edge of the box, where Huntelaar controlled it and scored a brilliant and precise goal (57′). The game opened up again and Atletico had the next chance when Forlan’s shot from a pass by Aguero hit the near post (58′). Raul responded by seneding the ball over the crossbar a few minutes later (69′).
Both teams put on a great show as they looked for a winning strike. Atletico’s attack was vibrant and dangerous, but inconclusive. Real Madrid were more poised and organised, but they also failed to score. Raul nearly did from an amazing bicycle-kick on the 80-minute mark, and a free-kick from Van der Vaart nearly went through the top left corner of Franco’s goal, but the encounter continued to be a tight affair and ended with a 1-1 score.
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Marcelo, Heinze (Míchel Salgado 56′), Lass, Gago, Robben, Guti (Higuaín 56′), Huntelaar, Raúl (Van der Vaart 85′);
At. Madrid: Leo Franco, Pablo, Ujfalusi, Antonio López, Heitinga (Perea 81′), Paulo Assunção, Simao, Ignacio Camacho (Maniche 70′), Maxi Rodríguez (Sinama Pongolle 62′), Agüero, Forlán;
Goals:
0-1, 38′ – Forlan;
1-1, 58′ – Huntelaar;
Referee: David Fernández Borbalán.
Booked: Míchel Salgado, Fernando Gago, Paulo Assunção.
Notes: Matchday 26 in La Liga.
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Attendance: 78,000.
Post-match comments
Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic was extremely upbeat when assessing the team’s ninth straight victory. Gonzalo Higuain scored the first goal of the night and put Madrid on track to win their ninth straight match. Juande Ramos discussed his team’s performance during his post-match press conference. Real Madrid’s overwhelming performance against Betis was due in large part to Pepe and Huntelaar.
MIJATOVIC:
We are very pleased. The team played great and was focused from the very start. We knew this would be an important match. It’s been a good weekend, but it’s time to change our thinking and start focusing on Liverpool.
We won relatively easily, but we must maintain this rthythm and keep the streak going. It was our ninth straight win and we must continue until the very end. Every player on this team can come in and decide a match. The season is still long.
We were a little scared heading into the match with Liverpool just around the corner. Betis played a complete match against Barcelona, but the team was focused from the very start.
We’ve had our difficulties, but in recent weeks we have proven that we’re capable of playing good football. We have always had this scoring capacity, and now we also have a very secure defense. We’re conceding very few goals.
HIGUAIN:
The team is very happy with its performance. The final score is proof of the hard work. We played great football and deserved to win. The first goal completely broke down their defensive game plan because it came so early. No one thought the match would unravel the way it did. We know we have several finals coming up and that we’re doing well.
It’s time to start thinking about the next match. The Champions League is up next and we need to maintain this rhythm. It’s great to cut more points off the lead, but we must continue focusing only on ourselves. We need to remain strong with important matches on the horizon, the first being that against Liverpool.
Wednesday’s game is another final. It will be a very difficult match against a great team that does well under such pressure. But Madrid is Madrid and that’s a plus for us. We will do our best and hope to have the upper hand heading into the return leg of the tie.
Raul’s two goals are only scored by great players. He will score many more. Fans need to come support us. We’re going to leave everything on the pitch and I am confident we can give them a win against Liverpool.
JUANDE RAMOS:
We are getting closer, but I never said that the league was a foregone conclusion. There is still a lot of competition to be played and points at stake. The team hit a bump in the road during the first half of the season, but I think all teams take their foot off the gas at some point. We managed to chip another three points off, but there’s still a substantial lead.
The team shares all duties. It has grown a lot and every players has improved. There is a lot of talent here, and it must be put at the team’s disposal.
You may think Betis didn’t do anything, but don’t forget they were coming off a win against Sevilla and a draw against Barça.
In regard to Lass and Huntelaar, we had to pick one or the other, and because of the team’s needs we determined Lass was more appropriate. That is what the decision was based on.
We only knew about what was going on at the Camp Nou because of the updates on the scoreboards. We didn’t have radios on the bench. We were only focused on and concerned about our match.
PEPE:
We are very satisfied. We needed to have a first half like that at home. We played very well and the whole team was up to the task. We need to stay on track if we’re to accomplish our goals.
When I heard the crowd cheer after Espanyol scored their first goal at the Camp Nou, I had to ask what was happening because I hadn’t a clue. Then I found out they had scored. It was a great night because of the atmosphere. I am happy because the fans are happy.
It’s important that Barcelona stumbled, but there are still a lot of matches to play. We must maintain this rhyth, and take one match at a time.
Liverpool shouldn’t fear us. They should respect us, just like we do them. We’ll have the crowd on our side on Wednesday and we’ll capitalize on that. We need to be determined. I will be happy if we score half as many goals as we did tonight, but it will be a very different match.
HUNTELAAR:
I am happy to have scored two more goals for this team. That makes three, but I need to score many more to help this team win matches.
I am pleased that Barcelona lost and that we managed to cut into their lead. We’re seven away. We’ll have to see what happens in upcoming weeks.
We played very well, especially in the first half. The whole team played well. Scoring is great, but I don’t want to stop now.
Real Madrid 6-1 Real Betis
Real Madrid routed Betis 6-1 on Saturday and chipped another three points off the lead held by Barcelona, who fell at the Camp Nou to Espanyol. It was an unforgettable night for Madridistas, who hope to witness a repeat performance on Wednesday when Liverpool come to town.
The Brace boys!
Fans hadn’t yet found their seats when Higuain opened the scoring for Real Madrid. Four minutes had ticked off the clock when the Argentine met Raul’s soft header and put the ball in the back of the Ricardo’s net.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was quick to follow. The striker scored his first goal last week in El Molinon in what was his first appearance in the starting eleven, and in his first start in the Bernabeu on Saturday, the Hunter finished in spectacular fashion. Heinze’s cross into the six was met by a diving Ricardo, whose clearance was met and finished off by the Dutchman to put Madrid up by two. Sergio Ramos hung a cross for Huntelaar to get his head to nine minutes later. Ricardo made a brilliant save, but the deflection hit the crossbar and Huntelaar punched it in to complete his brace.
Although Betis had very few answers, Oliveira did manage to pull one back for the visitors with a long range strike on 29′. Madrid weren’t done however and Raul added his name to the score sheet on two occasions; the first after meeting Marcelo’s cross in mid-air and hugging it along the right post, and the second a perfectly-executed lob over Ricardo following a pass by Gago.
Halftime hadn’t arrived yet when Sergio Ramos got in on the action. The right-back successfully layed out for a corner taken by Heinze and again proved that very few defenders possess the same scoring ability.
Juande Ramos made three changes at the restart by pulling Raul, Cannavaro and Higuain for Guti, Robben and Sneijder. Ramos moved into the Italian defender’s spot and Lass retreated to the back right wing. Madrid had undergone many changes, but their dominance continued. Robben and Marcelo had several chances to extend the lead, while fans cheered during every update from Barcelona, where the league leaders lost at home to cross-town rival Espanyol.
With ten minutes left on the clock, Huntelaar watched his powerful shot from the corner of the box stike the post. He didn’t manage to complete his hat-trick, but not to worry with plenty of seasons ahead of him. Real Madrid clinched their ninth consecutive win for Juande Ramos, who celebrated his 250th match in La Liga. Real Madrid are scorching hot and have scored ten goals in two matches. Liverpool are up next…
By winning his ninth straight match as head coach of Real Madrid, Juande Ramos pulled even with Luis Molowny, who in 1985/86 won nine consecutive matches with players of the likes of Butragueño and Camacho. Molowny’s Madridistas went undefeated between weeks 22 and 30 by beating Zaragoza, Atletico Madrid, Osasuna, Athletic, Sevilla, Hercules, Barcelona, Cadiz and Valladolid. This season’s streak began on 20 December with a 1-0 win against Valencia and has been followed by victories against Villarreal, Mallorca, Osasuna, Deportivo, Numancia, Racing, Sporting Gijon and Betis.
Only Miguel Muñoz managed to strink together a longer run than Molowny and Ramos. The legendary coach is responsible for the two longest streaks in club history: fifteen matches in 1960/61 and eleven in 1962/63.
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro (Guti 45′), Heinze, Marcelo, Lass, Gago, Higuaín (Sneijder 45′), Huntelaar, Raúl (Robben 45′);
Real Betis: Ricardo, Nélson, Melli, Fernando Vega, Damiá, Arzu (Juanma 80′), Juande (Luciano Monzón 53′), Mehmet Aurelio, Emana (Alberto Rivera 61′), Mark González, Oliveira;
Goals:
1-0, 7′ – Higuaín;
2-0, 15′ – Raúl;
3-0, 24′ – Raúl;
3-1, 30′ – Oliveira;
4-1, 36′ – Huntelaar;
5-1, 42′ – Huntelaar;
6-1, 46′ – Sergio Ramos;
Just another Madridista
Hala Madrid 
Press comments
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored another two goals on Sunday to bring his total to eight since joining Real Madrid. The Dutchman was the toast of the town for the Spanish press the following day.
PUBLICO
Huntelaar uses the same rule of three as Hugo Sanchez: Two balls, two goals.
EL MUNDO
The Dutchman is a predator who kills on first sight or takes advantage others’ carrion.
AS
Huntelaar the Hunter
Maximum effectiveness: Two chances and two goals. He’s on fire and has eight goals in six weeks.
MARCA & EL PAIS
The two periodicals emphasize Huntelaar’s average of one goal every 84 minutes.
La Razon
He’s responded with eight goals in six matches since Juande handed him a spot in the starting eleven.
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March 23, 2009 | Categories: Post-match Comments, Spanish Primera División | Tags: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, UD Almería | Leave a comment