Spain vs Belgium | FIFA World Cup 2010 | Qualification | Preview
By defeating Belgium at Riazor stadium tonight, Spain will virtually be qualified to play in the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Madridistas Casillas, Alonso, Albiol and Arbeola have been called-up for the game.
Sergio Ramos is putting the finishing touches to his recovery and will miss the match. Coach Del Bosque will probably line-up Torres and Villa in the attacking front, and Marcos Senna and Cesc Fabregas have recovered from their respective injuries.
Senna, Xavi and Alonso could make the starting midfield lineup, joined by David Silva down the wings. Belgium are fourth in the group, ten points behind the leaders, and hope for a miracle to happen.
Spain haven’t lost against the Belgians since 1986, when they were defeated in the 1986 World Cup in the penalty shootout. They first met in 1920 and have faced each other 21 times since, resulting in ten victories for Spain, five for Belgium and six draws. Spain have netted 39 goals against Belgium and conceded only 22.
Alvaro Arbeloa to Publico
Alvaro Arbeloa talked to Publico about Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.
You’ve left England and Liverpool. It’s quite a change…
Yes, it is. Both personally and professionally. The great challenges for the season have just begun: Real Madrid and the World Cup.
Does the Spanish squad still think about the defeat to the US?
It was a harsh blow. Nobody expected it.
Everyone thought you’d face Brazil in the final.
Possibly. It think both us and the whole of Spain learned a lot from that defeat.
What do you mean?
I mean euphoria has disappeared. A victory like that has humbled us. Being favourites doesn’t mean you are going to win. I’m sure it did us a lot of good in the end.
How is the competition between you and Ramos for the right back position?
Strong. Football wouldn’t be what it is without competition.
But could it be bad for your progress to have a player like him as a team-mate?
I don’t think so. I can adapt to various positions. I’m also good as a left back; I’ve played there more than once with Spain.
Garay to Realmadrid.com
Although Ezequiel Garay recently offered his first interview to the club’s media, the Argentine has been the talk of the town since he made his La Liga debut five seasons ago.
New season, new team. What are your expectations?
I hope to earn a spot on the team. I started off on the right foot as a starter against Deportivo and I hope to continue so that I can win many titles with this team.
First match, first win. It couldn’t have started any better.
It is what we all wanted. We knew we had to start off with a win because we owed it to our fans.
Espanyol is up next; a tough opponent on their home turf.
Every team is hard to beat at home. They all want to defeat Real Madrid, especially after all the new arrivals. I am sure all our opponents will play at 200% against us.
The Pericos need to win after losing their opener against Athletic.
They didn’t start off well and need points, but we want to win as well. That is our goal on every pitch we play on. It will be a nice match.
Real Madrid will be the first official opponent in the new Cornella-El Prat Stadium, which makes for a very special match.
Definitely. There is too much on the line to lose. Expectation will be high and we must go there to win. It will also be special after the loss of Dani Jarque. It is a sad situation that they need to overcome as quickly as possible.
Real Madrid’s main opponent for the top spot in their Champions League group is Milan, but we cannot forget about Olympique de Marseille.
Every team in the competition is good. We will try our very best to finish top, but qualifying for the next round is what matters most.
Manolo Sanchis to Realmadrid.com
Manuel Sanchis Hontiyuelo played 708 official matches for Real Madrid, 523 of which were La Liga games. No Madridista has played as many, but that may soon change. Raul is two matches away from equaling Sanchis’ league mark and five away from the official match record. Realmadrid.com caught up with the man who will pass on the baton.
708 matches and 523 in La Liga. Who would have thought when you first debuted?
A long time has passed since then. It was 1983 and I did it alongside Martin Vazquez during a time that the team was plagued by injury. We debuted thanks to the courage of Alfredo di Stefano, who confided in us. We won the match thanks to my goal.
So many matches… Which do you hold the fondest memories of?
Of all the league matches, I will always remember my first. Fortunately there were many more victories than defeats after that. This club wouldn’t be what it is had it been any different. There were good and bad matches, but my general recollection cannot be any better.
You must hold a special place in your heart for the Champions League.
Of course. I have fond memories of 20 May 1998 when we won the seventh European Cup. It was a milestone in my career and for Real Madrid.
You have held the record for so long. It must be hard to let it go.
I don’t remember when I surpassed Carlos Santillana exactly, but I know the record has stood for about 12 years and it makes me proud to hand it over to Raul.
Like Santilla did with you.
Santillana was a true gentleman with me and he taught me the right way to pass on the baton and recognize achievements.
Your record will always exist. It has lasted over a decade.
I will stick with the honor of having enjoyed it all these years.
Ruud van Nistelrooy to Marca
Ruud van Nistelrooy has recovered from an injury which prevented him from playing during the last months. He talked about his recovery process and the new squad in an interview to Marca.
Do you feel reborn after recovering from the injury?
Yes, physically I’m in a better shape now than I was before. It was a complicated injury and the doctors said I could continue playing at high level for three more years if the recovery was perfect. It has been a long but successful process and now I’m a new person. I’m happy. I just need to grasp the pace of the game once more by playing matches. I’m training hard and playing a few minutes in games, which is very important for me.
Are you a couple of years younger now?
Yes, I am three years younger. I’ve always cared about my health and now I feel much better than before. The doctors told me I could play three more years and that once I retired I wouldn’t feel any pain. Before the injury I didn’t feel well. I couldn’t give 100%.
Why did you decide to stay at Real Madrid?
I have confidence in myself. I know I can play at the highest level. The reason I worked so many hours during such a long recovery period is to keep playing for Real Madrid. It would have been easier to sign for a minor club, but I’m not going to leave Real Madrid at this point. There are many opportunities for playing. I can start from the bench or be in the initial line-up, always playing minutes. I want to find my place here. If I had left the Club I would have never known what could have happened and I couldn’t have forgiven myself for that. I want to be an important piece of the squad. I’m going to give everything I’ve got. But if it doesn’t turn out well I’ll look elsewhere.
What do you think about the new signings?
Many things have changed. There’s a new team, a new president and a new coach. It’s an exciting new era. The quality of the squad is amazing. We can have two top-level teams at the same time.
Marcelo to Realmadrid.com
Marcelo showcased his quality during the previous campaign and is now beginning his fourth season at Real madrid. The Brazilian left back shared his thoughts on the present edition of La Liga with Realmadrid.com.
This will be your fourth season at Real Madrid. Will it be the one in which you strengthen your position on the team?
That’s right. I’m sure I can be successful here. I am training very hard and I regard every game I play with this shirt as a final. My intention is to remain here for many years. I am happy here.
How much have you changed since you arrived?
I couldn’t point out anything specific, but I guess I’ve changed both on and off the pitch. I’ve gradually matured throughout the last three years, both personally and professionally.
You are very young, which means you can still improve. What would you like to be better at?
Every player has his own qualities and I think I’ve got mine. I couldn’t really say just one thing I’d like to improve on. I would like to be better at everything. I believe no player can be 100% perfect. We must always strive to improve.
You started last season as a left back, but you then played as an interior left midfielder. You’ve returned to defence again. How do you feel in that position?
I feel great and comfortable in the position I play in. Juande made me play in midfield last year, but everyone knows my natural position is that of a left back. I simply tried to help him and the team.
Full backs are venturing more in attack this season. This is something you greatly benefit from…
Sure. I played in a similar way in Brazil. There are no true wingers like Cristiano Ronaldo over there. Full backs have to help out in attack and reach the goal-line to cross the ball. I think that helps me.
Drenthe and you cover the left back position. How’s the competition amongst you?
It’s fine (laughs). I think it’s very positive. No player has a guaranteed spot at Real Madrid, so we can’t afford to relax. The team benefits from competition.
Its the Internatio-dull break and hence loads of comments
Morning all,
Xabi Alonso, Bernd Schuster, Rafael van der Vaart, Miguel Torres, Iker Casillas, Franck Ribery, Jorge Valdano, Florentino Perez, Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi – the list goes on. Everyone has something to say. Lets just look at a few of them who have spoken about Real Madrid over the past week or so.
Xabi Alonso has revealed that he first came to the conclusion he was ready to leave Liverpool when the club tried to sell him last summer. He told Sky Sports News:
It was a very difficult decision for me to make. After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world. That’s why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure. Last summer the club proposed me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players.
It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind and I thought that maybe from that moment that maybe it was time for a change.
Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benitez deteriorated when he demanded to leave but the Spain international reveals that their relationship was always a professional one. He added:
There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that it has been simply a professional relationship. I have always tried to do what he asked to do. What he asked of me on the pitch, to do the talking on the pitch, and that’s that.
All that I can say is that he has made the right decision.
Real Madrid Squad Numbers 2009/10
Now that the season has started, Spanish clubs are announcing their players’ definitive shirt numbers and Real Madrid is no exception. The only spare is the number ’16′ shirt.
1.- Iker Casillas
2.- Alvaro Arbeloa
3.- Pepe
4.- Sergio Ramos
5.- Fernando Gago
6.- Mahamadou Diarra
7.- Raul
8.- Kaka
9.- Cristiano Ronaldo
10.- Lassana Diarra
11.- Karim Benzema
12.- Marcelo
13.- Jerzy Dudek
14.- Jose Maria Gutierrez ‘Guti’
15.- Royston Drenthe
17.- Ruud van Nistelrooy
18.- Raul Albiol
19.- Ezequiel Garay
20.- Gonzalo Higuain
21.- Cristoph Metzelder
22.- Xabi Alonso
23.- Rafael van der Vaart
24.- Esteban Granero
25.- Antonio Adan (inscribed in the Champions League)
Miguel Torres transferred to Getafe
Miguel Torres has completed his switch to neighbours Getafe on the final day of the summer transfer window, the buying club have announced on their official website.
Getafe will pay €2 million for the young full-back, while Torres will sign a five-year contract at Coliseum Alfonso Perez. Madrid retain the option to re-purchase Torres with a two-year buy-back clause included in the contract. The 23-year-old has played for Madrid 52 times since making his debut in 2007.
The Spain Under-21 international had been linked with a number of clubs, including city rivals Atletico Madrid, before becoming coach Michel’s seventh summer signing for Los Azulones.
See ya soon!
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
P.S: Corey surely hates Real Madrid now.
Just another Madridista
More comments as the Internatio-dull fixtures near
Comments galore. We have Cristiano, Xabi, Albiol, Guti and several more to come.
Before leaving for Sweden with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo told AS he is delighted at the Club.
Xabi Alonso gave a press conference after training with Spain. The midfielder had a bandage on his right leg due to suffering a harsh tackle from Arbeloa during the session. Damn!
(more…)
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September 4, 2009 | Categories: Comments, Happy Birthday! | Tags: Cristiano Ronaldo, José María Gutiérrez 'Guti', Raúl Albiol, Xabi Alonso | 2 Comments »