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Archive for April 5, 2009

Post-match comments

Juande Ramos believes his team deserved to win because it played better than Malaga in the second half. Both Higuain and Parejo were satisfied with the team’s victory over Malaga. Torres, Pepe and Gago were happy with the victory in Malaga and said the team will not give up the fight for the league title.

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Juande Ramos:

We knew this was a difficult venue because Malaga are having a magnificent season. Many of our men had played two consecutive games with their national teams and had little rest, and we also sustained several injuries. Those players who normally have fewer chances to shine played extremely well, but that didn’t surprise me. I expected them to react this way. We dominated in the second half and I think we deserved to win.

Cannavaro played two 90-minute games in just a few days and I thought he needed rest given his age. Matzelder was fresh and I thought this would be a good game for him.

We weren’t worried about Barcelona’s victory. We can only catch up with them if we win all our games and if they drop points. We can’t obsess about Barcelona because they are playing at a high level and winning regularly.

It’s been nice for me to come back to this stadium. I’ve seen many of the friends I made during my stay here. The stadium looks beautiful and it should be packed for every game.

Higuain:

I’ve got nothing against Malaga, I simply try to score all the time regardless of the opponent. I had many chances and the goal I scored luckily gave us the victory. The entire team worked to win. I’m always ready to help and try to do my best. This victory is important because it allows us to keep our distance with Barcelona. We missed many players, but we are all equally important and we all do well on the pitch. I’m happy because the team tried hard to win. Juande said we are all important and he’s right. I gradually score more goals away from home; I hope this streak continues.

Parejo:

This was a complicated game in a difficult venue. These three points are very important in the fight for the league title. Many of our internationals missed the clash and Malaga are a difficult opponent, so this means more than just three more points. It was essential to pull through. Morale is high on the squad. There are many Madridistas in Malaga and we felt their support.

Malaga proved to be a great team in the first half. We scored a quick goal at the start of the second half and the game opened up. We haven’t lost a single league game in 2009 and we must keep this up. We must now focus on our game with Valladolid. There are nine weeks left and we must cut our six-point difference short. Everything’s possible.

Miguel Torres:

It was important to be calm after the league stoppage. I think we played well and we are happy with the result. After the game, we talked about the fact that we deserve another league title.

We must now focus on our work and keep an eye on Barcelona’s games because they will now play on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Malaga played very well, probably because they had more time to prepare for the clash than us. Juande made some interesting changes by bringing Parejo and Garcia on; it was an important gesture towards the youth system.

Pepe:

This is an important triumph following a league stoppage. This team has proven it can overcome all adversity and that it will fight to win the league title to the end.

Malaga complicated things for us, but we won thanks to our efforts.

Gago:

We did a good job and deserved to win. The team played well and fought hard until the ref blew the final whistle.

There are nine finals left and we will try to win them all.

April 5, 2009 | Categories: Post-match Comments, Spanish Primera División | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Malaga 0-1 Real Madrid

You can’t ask for more. Winning is all that matters and that’s just what Real Madrid did tonight at La Rosaleda despite the absences of regular starters like Robben, Marcelo, Cannavaro, Heinze and Lass, and a starting 11 with many internationals that had played two games in the previous five days. The Madridistas haven’t lost a league game in 14 weeks.

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Metzelder was paired with Pepe in the middle of defence, with Torres and Ramos down the flanks. Gago, Sneijder and Van der Vaart covered the midfield, while Raul, Higuin and Huntelaar formed the attacking front. Baha and Adrian Lopez returned to action for Malaga.

The locals pressurised from the start and kept the ball from Real Madrid, who hardly had any clear chances on goal in the entire first half. The first of these came through Torres, whose cross into the box was sent out by Higuain (8′). Van der Vaart came close to scoring a minute later with a shot down the right wing, but as time went by the locals began to dominate. Duda and Eliseo opened up Malaga’s game and swapped positions to great effect.

Adrian tried to surprise Casillas on the 20-minute mark, but the keeper managed to grab the ball. Following a poor clearance from Real Madrid’s defence a couple of minutes later, Gaspar had a shot on target, but Casillas cleared it with his fists. Malaga kept possession and gradually reached the Whites’ goal more often. The Madridistas had a couple of chances through Higuain and Sneijder, whose shots from a distance were both off target (33′ and 35′). Casillas had to pull rank once again right before half-time, saving a free-kick taken by Duda on the far left corner of the box.

Real Madrid were a different team in the last 45 minutes. Malaga lost concentration in midfield, where Higuain stole the ball, dribbled past Wellington, and ran towards the goal only to score the team’s only strike with a beautiful crossed shot. It was his 16th goal this season and his fifth against Malaga. The locals responded with a tough shot by Adrian aimed at the top right corner of Casillas’ goal (51′) and by bringing Luque on for Eliseu (55’). Malaga had to try harder in attack, giving Madrid more room to play in.

The locals kept trying for an equaliser and Gaspar soon tested Casillas again in a one-on-one, but the keeper’s reflexes again saved the day (63′). Juande Ramos then decided to focus more on defence and brought Garcia on for Huntelaar (65′), while Salva replaced Baha for Malaga. Goalkeeper Goitia was put to the test several times in the final minutes and sent Ramos’ and Higuain’s shots to corner-kicks (73′ and 76′). In the end, Real Madrid took three more points that keep them alive in the fight for the league title.

La Rosaleda remembered Juanito

Those who knew him and saw him play say Juanito knew no middle ground as a winger. Some loved him and others didn’t, but he played for Real Madrid ten years and spent his last two seasons as a professional player at Malaga. La Rosaleda remembered Juanito during the Malaga-Real Madrid fixture, two days after the 17th anniversary of his death.

Juanito left Real Madrid in 1987 and signed for Malaga -where he was regarded as a national hero- one season later. He felt strange playing at the Bernabeu as a visitor, but he nevertheless defeated Buyo with an amazing 25-metre lob shot in 1989. Juanito scored his last goal before retiring against Zaragoza on 27 June 1989. He played 71 games as a Madridista, scoring 15 goals. He also won over the heart of Malaga supporters.

Juanito died in a tragic car accident on 2 April 1992 returning to Merida -where he coached- after seeing the UEFA Cup fixture between Real Madrid and Torino at the Bernabeu. Since then, Real Madrid fans chant his name on the 7th minute of every game, singing “¡Illa, illa, illa, Juanito maravilla!” Malaga fans wanted to pay tribute to him tonight and sang this chant on the 7-minute mark at La Rosaleda.

Lineups:

Málaga: Goitia, Manolo Gaspar, Jesús Gámez, Weligton, Calleja, Apoño, Lolo, Duda (Nacho 82′), Adrián, Eliseu (Albert Luque 56′), Baha (Salva 67′);

Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Metzelder, Torres, Gago, Sneijder (Parejo 87′), Van der Vaart (Drenthe 90′), Higuaín, Raúl, Huntelaar (Javi García 67′);

Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco.

Booked: Raul, Sneijder, Sergio Ramos, Gago, Duda, Calleja, Manolo Gaspar;

Notes: Matchday 29 of La Liga.

Venue: La Rosaleda.

Attendance: full house.

April 5, 2009 | Categories: Match Reports, Spanish Primera División | Tags: , , | Leave A Comment »

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