Juande press conference
Juande Ramos talked about the shape the international players have returned in and tomorrow’s match against Malaga.
Real Madrid have suffered from the international games this time…
That’s right. It’s been a tough day because most of our internationals have returned with problems. We will have to find a solution and look on the bright side. Those who usually get less chances to play will be able to help out. I have faith in them.
Couldn’t clubs protect themselves against situations like these?
That would be convenient and advisable, but it’s hard. Some players stay in Europe and travel a short distance, but others travel much further. We still miss our South American players, which means they won’t be able to play. I hope someone finds a solution to this, but we have to accept it for now. These stoppages have a greater effect on teams with many international players.
Will you count on Robben for the match?
We have doubts about some players for several reasons and we will include some new faces on the squad list. We have to talk to the dotors in order to see what we can do.
How’s the situation with Guti coming along?
There’s no problem with Guti. He is just another player on the squad that we use when we deem necessary. Leaving him out one day isn’t a big deal. We use him when we believe his efforts may help the entire team.
The team always seems to win right after a stoppage…
I hope that streak continues. Every game is different and Real Madrid must only think about winning every game in order to cut distances short with Barcelona, and hope the latter make mistakes. Only by winning our games will we be able to catch up with them.
Leo Messi returned to Barcelona in a private jet. Do you think sharing costs is a valid option to bring players back sooner?
Entities should discuss sharing costs of flying a plane, but the routes we need to cover are different.
Why don’t you ever announce your squad list before a press conference?
I consider every player on this team to be equally important. It doesn’t really matter who makes the list. They are all Real Madrid footballers. They all have similar quality and different individual characteristics.
Does it hurt to know that something could have been done to bring Gago back sooner?
Flying to Barcelona isn’t the same as flying to Madrid. The Club has people handling flights for the players. What hurts is not having all my men fit for a game. Even if he had arrived on time, all that Gago would have been able to do after such a long trip is jog in a recovery session, do some stretching exercises and had some massages. He wouldn’t have been able to train hard after such a long flight.
Don’t you think some players use these trips to take some extra time off?
I believe we have an excellent group of professionals that try to do what’s best for them and for their Club. Most of them arrive the same day and they are all nice boys that want to be available for their Club as soon as possible.
Have you seen a change in Guti’s attitude that satisfies you?
Guti is a disciplined player that works as hard as any other. I am delighted with him. There’s nothing wrong. This controversy arose when he didn’t make one squad list, but he is just another player on the squad that we use to help the team as a whole.
Do you understand Guti not seeing it that way?
I think he is an intelligent player that has been a long time at Real Madrid. This is a great club that has many players of different characeteristics. You choose the players that best suit your interests depending on the situation.
People used to say your style was boring, but many now want you to stay on…
As I always say, everyone is entitled to an opinion. We have to do our best to the end. Those who will end up running the Club must decide what to do. We shouldn’t side with any of the candidacies. I work for Real Madrid and I will try to do my best until my last day.
Lass is one of the pillars of this team. How serious are his injuries?
We are worried because we have another injured player, but the fact that we have enough men to make a starting lineup puts our minds at ease. I will be very happy if Lass is able to play because he is doing a great job, but someone else could take his spot and do equally well. I’m not too worried because we have a 25-man squad and some now have the chance to prove they are as good as those who play regularly.
Do you think the election campaign could be bad for you?
The Club has gone through several delicate moments on an instututional level, but we on the sporting side of things pulled through them. I hope our sporting exploits continue to be set aside so that we can do our best to the end.
What do you think of Malaga?
They are having a magnificent season as a local team. They recently suffered from a heavy defeat against Barcelona and they will want to save face before their home crowd. They are very motivated, but that doesn’t surprise us. I think we will have a chance to win as long as we play our game.
Higuain to AS
Gonzalo Higuain shared his views on the upcoming match with Malaga at la Rosaleda.
I have fond memories of our 4-3 victory over Malaga in the first leg because I scored the four goals and we turned the score around with just ten men. I hope we can win like that again and put more pressure on the leaders. I’ve scored 17 goals this season; 15 in La Liga, one in the King’s Cup and another in the Spanish Super Cup. You always improve through patience and perseverance… It’s important to be confident. This team believes it can celebrate the title at Cibeles this season. It will be incredible to win this year because we were far behind the leaders at one point. It would be incredible to win three consecutive league titles. Malaga fight hard. It will be important to win this game. There were international matches last week and Malaga have been able to prepare for tomorrow’s game throughout the last copuple of weeks. It will be vital for us to win if we want to keep our chances of taking the title. There is much at risk for Malaga too.
Just another Madridista
Junta speak