The backheel of Riazor
Everybody’s talking about it. Guti’s astonishing heel pass against Deportivo is what everybody in the football world is discussing. The midfielder shares his views on what he pulled off on Saturday with El Mundo.
It’s amazing how people are talking about it. I didn’t score a single goal at Riazor. Benzema scored. I always knew what to do. I didn’t hesiitate. I knew Benzema was coming up behind me. I could see him from the corner of my eye. I did what I thought was the most useful option for the team to score.
I don’t do heel passes out of the blue. I will always do it as long as I’m convinced it’s the best option for us. If I hadn’t had it clear in my mind I would have shot on target.
Many of my team-mates said I should have tried to score. Albiol said I was crazy. But that’s my style. It comes naturally to me. It makes me happier to give a pass like that than to score a goal.
I’m glad people liked what I did. It’s nice to hear that it could eventually become an historical play. I never thought it was such a big deal.
I want the team to take centre stage. We played after Barcelona did and we felt a lot of pressure. I think this victory will do us a lot of good because it seemed we were cursed at that stadium. The league is far from over and Barcelona don’t seem to drop any points. We can’t afford to make any mistakes.
Raul press conference
Raul talked to the press about his situation on the team and about Real Madrid in general.
Situation:
My situation isn’t ideal for any player. I’ve played in practically every game during the past 15 years and I’ve begun to play less in the past three months. This moment had to arrive sooner or later. You have to accept the situation as it is. I must be humble and realise my team-mates are also in great form. I just want to help them. I still feel privileged and important at the Club. I’m at the coach’s disposal for whenever he may need me and I will always try to do my best. I am proud of the work I’m doing. I know there are many players on the team who also want to play and their behaviour couldn’t be better.
Future:
Real Madrid is currently my present. I want to focus on the team and on the two competitions we are playing in. There will be enough time later on to think about my future.
Current form:
We are fighting hard. Everyone is playing well. We can’t afford to make mistakes in the final months of the season.
Casillas to uefa.com
In the latest edition of Champions, the official magazine of the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid CF’s Iker Casillas discusses his goalkeeping heroes. Here are his top ten in his own words.
Peter Schmeichel
This list is not in any particular order, but if I were to choose my number-one all-time No1, then it would be Peter Schmeichel. Simply the best. I first saw him on television when I was just a kid and thought, ‘Wow … this lad is invincible!’ I was eleven at the time and Schmeichel was playing for Denmark in the 1992 [UEFA] European Championship. He was just fantastic. The impression he left was of sheer perfection. From then on I knew I wanted to be just like him: he became my football hero. I followed him closely after that, watching him on the telly at every opportunity. I wanted to learn from him.
Gianluigi Buffon
It is hard to know where to begin when it comes to pinpointing his outstanding qualities, he has so many. And it’s impossible to pick out a weakness. One of the most important qualities in a goalkeeper is calmness – an ability to stay cool under pressure is very important – and if he can transmit that quality to the defence and to his team-mates, it has a very positive effect on the way the team play. Buffon’s presence reassures his colleagues. He is the contemporary keeper everyone playing in goal looks up to and aspires to emulate.
Oliver Kahn
King Kahn or the Titan, they called him – which says it all. He is certainly a very different character to me, and it’s fair to say he was quite eccentric. I don’t know if that helps a goalkeeper, but it certainly worked for Kahn. I’ve always said your mental approach to the game and state of mind is more important than physical preparation – and for me, the ideal presence in goal is one of stability and calm. Kahn was nothing like that, but at the end of the day he has won more trophies than any other keeper in history.
Just another Madridista
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