Casillas press conference
Iker Casillas assured Madridistas that Real Madrid will do everything in its power to conquer the league title during Friday’s press conference.
"We're not thinking about just winning it; we're thinking about conquering it"
Osasuna:
Osasuna is a physical team that can really do a lot of damage off set-pieces. They have 39 points and will be virtually assured of remaining in Spain’s top flight with a victory, so they will be anxious to win in the Bernabeu.
Importance of winning:
Any points that you let slip through your fingers can determine the outcome of the league. There are four matches left and twelve points at stake. We will have to congratulate Barcelona if they win out, and that’s that.
Barcelona:
Barcelona have a tough outing in Villarreal, but it won’t be any harder than our trips to Mallorca or Malaga or our home matches against Osasuna and Athletic. All our opponents have something at stake, as do all of Barcelona’s. Barcelona might not leave El Madrigal with all three points, but it won’t do us any good if we don’t beat Osasuna.
Xabi Alonso press conference
Although he is confident that Real Madrid will win out, Xabi Alonso made it clear that the team needs to keep its cool until the season comes to a close.
"We have four matches left until the league ends and we are planning on winning all of them"
Barca-Villareal:
We have to focus on ourselves and no one else. We have an important match this weekend against Osasuna, which is followed by Mallorca, Athetic and Malaga. We also depend on what Barcelona do, but we are only concerned about winning our matches. We have to prepare regardless of how their elimination from the Champions League affects them.
Title hopes:
We are fighting for the title. Both teams are strong and winning a lot of matches. We cannot worry about their results. We just hope they slip up and soon. We have to play our football no matter what they do.
Kaka:
The fact that Kaka is back is great news, but it’s a shame that Rafa is unavailable.
Albiol press conference
Raul Albiol has given solid performances throughout his first year as a Madridista. The defender said Real Madrid must win all their games and wait for Barcelona to drop points.
"We have to win our four remaining games and wait"
Barca-Inter:
Barcelona have to face Inter Milan in a very tough and intense match tonight, so they could drop points in the league next weekend in Villarreal, who are fighting to make it to the Champions League next season.
Title Hopes:
We have to win our four remaining games and wait. We don’t depend on ourselves to win the title. There is a greater chance for Barcelona to drop points away from Camp Nou. I hope it happens.
Importance of the Osasuna game:
There is much at stake for every team at this stage. Zaragoza are close to the relegation zone and use all their weapons. That’s no problem as long as they abide the rules. They kicked too much and played a rough game against us, which is why one of their men was sent off. We know every game left for us will be tough because there is much at stake for every team.
Kaka press conference
Kaka addressed the media at Valdebebas this morning. The player said he was happy with the goal he scored on Saturday. Kaka also believes Osasuna will be a tough team to beat.
"This squad believes it can win the title"
Zaragoza:
I am very happy with the goal I scored and for playing a decisive role in the match.
Osasuna:
Every game will be intense because there is something at stake for every team in the final stages of the championship. That’s what makes Osasuna a dangerous side. We regard our match against them as a final. It will be an important and decisive game.
Title hopes:
We have great odds to win La Liga. This squad believes it can win the title. A one-point cushion isn’t much of a lead and we trust we can overtake it by winning our last four games.
Fitness:
I feel much better. I am working hard to get into better shape. I’ve been suffering much from injuries since I arrived, but I now want to make the fans happy. I hope Raul and Van der Vaart recover as soon as possible. We are all exposed to that on a daily basis.
Raul’s future:
I hope Raul stays at the Club because he is an important player on this team. He should be the one to decide about his future.
Recap
The last time I made a post was before the Valencia game. It feels like a long time back though it has been only a couple of weeks or by speaking football two match-days during which we beat Valencia comprehensively and then beat Zaragoza not so convincingly, something that has been a part and parcel of this season. And during these past two weeks a lot has happened and I am sorry that I couldn’t keep you posted as and when the shit came in. Not that you care. But anyhoo, the fact is that I’m in my last few weeks of my days as a engineer-in-the-making and it has been sort of tight, you know, with my end-semester examinations and stuff.
So what has happened since the Valencia win? The clever way out would be to say a lot. Yes of course a lot has happened. Firstly, Raúl and Kaká returned to training and both were included in the Squad List that traveled to Zaragoza. Especially with all the news about Kaká faking it (no pun intended), it was essential for Manuel Pellegrini and the player himself to see some action after a 45-day hiatus. Raúl meanwhile, was out since the Barça game but recovered just in time to make the cut. But neither of them started the game. Pellegrini preferred to use the same line up that he used against both Almería and Valencia with Guti and Van der Vaart playing alongside Xabi and Gago – a move that left Esteban Granero fuming. Apparently, the young Spaniard who hasn’t started a game since the win over Atlético (?) only because of his poor form was spotted venting his anger over the manager’s decision to leave him out again only to be consoled and pacified by the veteran Malian Mahamadou Diarra. The Offside had the incident well covered and to get a better insight of the situation click here. One interesting point that Corey mentioned was the fact that both Diarra and Dudek are considered to be great motivators for the rest of the squad. It is not only the manager who has to motivate the players, its also the senior members of the squad. If you look at Van der Vaart’s and Kaká’s celebrations after their goals against Almería and Zaragoza you will understand what I am talking about. And as far as the Granero situation itself goes, I feel that he has all the rights to be frustrated but it is only a fact that he has only himself to blame. Real Madrid is not about fielding stars – but only about fielding the best players on form in the line up. If Granero is better than Xabi in training then it is Granero who will play. And I hope he does get back his place in the line up.
Next came the game at La Romareda. Real were dealt with a blow with just 15 minutes into the game. The ever physical Zaragoza got their first victim of their game when Rafael van der Vaart went out injured to be replaced by a somewhat half-fit Raúl. The first half ended scoreless but within five minutes of the second half we went ahead thanks to the super-sub. It is a fact that El Capitan, who was injured again during his cameo, was to be replaced by Benzema just before he scored but thankfully it came only after we went ahead.
The second blow to Zaragoza came when Contini was shown a red card for an alleged elbow on Pipita. Real were ahead both on goals and on head count and when we thought we’ve sealed the game they drew level through Colunga who latched on to a through ball from Aguilar which dissected our defense to beat Casillas scoring into an empty net. It was a vital blow both to the game and to the little chance that we have of lifting the title. And we needed a miracle to win as Zaragoza decided to play 9 men in defense with only Colunga lurking forward.
And was Jesus’ own son who came down to save us. Kaká who hadn’t played a single game for 45 days and has just gotten back to full training was brought on by Pellegrini in the 78th minute. His first touch of the ball was a super shot on Roberto’s goal which was saved. And within 5 minutes of that shot, Cristiano spotted the Brazilian inside their box and supplied him with a good pass that he finished in a Kaká-esque fashion.
Real Zaragoza 1-2 Real Madrid. One point behind Barcelona.
A clinical examination and MRI later revealed that the captain has a Grade II sydnemosis ankle sprain that will keep him sidelined for at least four weeks basically ruling him out for the season while a similar examination and MRI on the left thigh of Rafael van der Vaart revealed that the player has Grade I-II tear on his left femoral biceps that will keep him sidelined for at least three weeks. It was also feared that Rafa might miss the World Cup but later it was revealed that he would recover sooner than expected.
On the other hand, rumors were all around that the captain has played his last game for Real as his season came to an premature end. Marca later reported that it is in the Captain’s hands to decide whether to stay or not. It is a similar situation with Guti as he too revealed that this season would most probably be his last with Real. But rumors have it that Guti will continue for one more season. Only time can answer these questions.
Someone else who is bound to leave next season is Metzelder who revealed sometime back that he will see out his contract here and would probably look at a career back home in Germany. Sttutgart, Wolfsburg and Schalke are potential suitors with the latter being the latest team on pursuit of the veteran defender. And that leaves only Dudek and Diarra as the two remaining veterans on the side.
Other rumors linking players out of the club are Bayern Munich’s interest in Arbeloa, and Arsenal’s interest in Lass. Both seem too far fetched to me as both have vital roles to play in the side. Thereby I am rubbishing all rumors that say that Lass is unhappy at Real. It is only fair to Gago that Lass sits out his time. Gago did it in the first half of the season and now its the Frenchman’s turn.
And as far as players coming in are concerned, we’re pursuing every big star in the World. Latest are Ronaldo’s recommendation in Patrice Evra, Ashley Cole, David Silva, Franck Ribery blah blah blah…
And that brings the end of this post. It was good to go through the past two weeks for they have been good – you know – especially with Barcelona getting kicked in Milan and stuff. Let us hope that things only get better in the future.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Real Madrid Castilla 5-1 Toledo
Real Madrid Castilla played what arguably was their best match of the season on Sunday, a 5-1 victory against Toledo. Ruben Ramos got the Whites on the board on 8’, Juanfran followed suit by netting a shot from the midfield on 13’ and a lob over the keeper 19 minutes later and Cristian knocked in the fourth of the first half after combining on the edge of the six. Toledo grabbed one back on 59’, but Samu responded by beating the keeper as Castilla cruised to victory. The Whites are the highest scoring side in Segunda Division B Group II with 64 goals.
MATCH SUMMARY:
REAL MADRID: Adan; Luis Hernandez, Gary, Juanan, Nacho (Velayos, min.81); Juanfran, Mateos, Mosquera, Sarabia (Vazquez, min.61) ; Ruben Ramos (Samuel, min.67), Cristian.
TOLEDO: Bermudez; Amores, Selu, Alberto, Sergio; Vicente , Joaqui (Guille, min.66), Abel, Pulga (Dani Gail, min.55), Butra; Israel Jerez (Israel Delgado, min.45).
GOALS:
1-0 (min. 8): Ruben Ramos
2-0 (min.14): Juanfran
3-0 (min. 32) Juanfran
4-0 (min. 39): Cristian
4-1 (min.59): Dani Gail
5-1 (min.75): Samuel
Referee: Mr. Valdes Aller
Notes: Week 36 of Segunda Division B Group II. A minute of silence was observed in honor of the late Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Played at: Alfredo di Stefano Stadium.
Post-match comments
Jorge Valdano sung the team’s praises after their gritty 1-2 win against Zaragoza. Real Madrid head coach Manuel Pellegrini stressed his team’s ability to not let their nerves get the best of them. Raul had missed ten days and Kaka had been sidelined for 45, but the duo came off the bench on Saturday to lead Real Madrid to victory. Sergio Ramos and Fernando Gago offered their opinions on the victory shortly after the match concluded.
"The team showed just how mature it is"
Valdano:
Zaragoza were a solid team tonight who really put us in a bind. We were very determined throughout the entire match. Our lives were at stake and Zaragoza were trying to steer clear of the relegation zone.
The referee is there to calm the game down. Zaragoza played their cards and we were prepared to maintain order and discipline.
Raul is a club icon and very important both on and off the pitch. I congratulate him for his effort. We hope we can enjoy watching him play for a long time.
Kaka worked very hard to recover from injury. He is a noble person and an incredible professional. He will prove just that in the many years he has left on his contract. It’s the team that wins matches and we have managed just fine depsite the absence of such a significant player like the former Ballon d’Or winner.
We need players who are extremely focused if we are to remain in the title hunt. We are obligated to remain astute and to take on each match like we did tonight. You never know what weekend might bring some surprises.
Pellegrini:
We have two or three great chances that we didn’t finish in the first half, but we were prepared to play hard until the final whistle. I don’t think we would have deserved the 1-1 draw.
I am always worried when I see the team play anxiously and nervous, but we managed to calm down and earn the win.
Zaragoza were too aggressive and fouled too much.
Kaka has always been an important player for us and he proved it again tonight.
We don’t control our own destiny. Our goal is to reach the 98-point mark and hope that Barcelona slip up.
Real Zaragoza 1-2 Real Madrid
Zaragoza needed a win to help secure a spot in top flight football next season. Real Madrid had to earn the three points to keep their title hopes alive, and they did just that with goals by Raul –his 228th in league play- and Kaka.
Raul and Kaka steer the Whites to victory
The Whites dictated the pace early with overwhelming possession of the ball, while Zaragoza relied on aggressive tactics to keep the visitors from giving their football any continuity. The match had barely gotten under way when Higuain found Cristiano Ronaldo alone in front of Roberto, who kept the Whites off the scoreboard. Minutes later the keeper had little trouble stopping another powerful right-footer by the Portuguese forward. Injuries took their toll on the quarter hour mark, when Raul stepped in for Van der Vaart and Colungo came off the bench to replace Suazo.
The pace increased but Real Madrid continued dominating possession. Raul had a try on goal but Roberto steered the ball clear of net. It was the first and only warning shot by the captain, who in the second half put the Whites ahead after Cristiano Ronaldo found him alone in front of goal. Raul exited the match on 52’ as Benzema made his way onto the turf.
Zaragoza let their tempers get the best of them and Contini was sent off after elbowing Higuain, but even a man down they managed to pull level. Colunga slipped behind the back line, feinted passed Casillas and netted the equalizer.
Real Madrid continued to pressure on offense. Ramos sent a header off the woodwork and both Guti and Cristiano Ronaldo were stymied by Roberto. But this was an evening for reappearances and Kaka scored the winner in his first match back after being sidelined for 45 days, thus ensuring Real Madrid keep their title chances alive for another week.
Lineups:
Zaragoza: Roberto, Obradovic, Edmilson, Contini, Ponzio, Jarosik, Gabi, Abel Aguilar, Ander (Uche 76′), Eliseu, Suazo (Adrián Colunga 20′ (Jorge López 89′));
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Garay, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Guti H., Gago (Kaká 76′), Van der Vaart (Raúl 15′ (Benzema 52′)), Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín;
Goals:
Referee: Mr. Undiano Mallenco
Booked: Ponzio, Gabi, Eliseu, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Kaká;
Sent off: Contini
Notes: Week 34 of La Liga. A minute of silence was held prior to pick-off in honor of Juan Antonio Samaranch, who passed away on Wednesday.
Played at: La Romareda.
Real Zaragoza vs Real Madrid | Spanish Primera Division | Round 34 | Preview
The season has come down to the last five matches and Real Madrid look to close in on the historic 98-point mark with a win on Saturday against Zaragoza in La Romareda.
The Whites look to move three points closer to the 98-point milestone
The Whites are committed to earning the 15 points that are still at stake, a feat that would give them 98 points on the season and hopefully a league title to go with them. Earlier this week Alvaro Arbeloa stated that “by wearing this shirt you are obligated never to give up,” which is precisely the team’s mentality as it heads into action on Saturday against Zaragoza.
Raul, Kaka and Metzelder have all made the trip after being called up by Manuel Pellegrini. It’s especially good news for the Brazilian, who has missed more than a month of action due to an adductor injury. Hats off to Raul as well. The captain is good to go after missing only ten days when he was expected to be sidelined between two and three weeks. Albiol stayed in the Spanish capital due to suspension, while Drenthe is unavailable due to injury.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek
Defenders: Arbeloa, Ramos, Marcelo, Metzelder, Garay
Midfielders: Gago, Diarra, Lass, Guti, Kaka, Granero, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul, Higuain, Benzema
Zaragoza are currently 16th in the table only two points above the relegation zone. The situation of Los Maños would be much more precarious if it wasn’t for the contribution of several important signings during the winter transfer period. Despite the different situation each team faces, both are in need of a win. Jose Aurelio Gay is without the services of Pennant, who is suffering from a niggled left calf.
ZARAGOZA SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Roberto, Carrizo.
Defenders: Paredes, Contini, Pulido, Obradovic .
Midfielders: Jorge Lopez, Ander, Edmilson, Gabi, Jarosik, Abel Aguilar, Eliseu, Babic, Ponzio,
Forwards: Colunga, Arizmendi, Suazo.
Real Madrid and Zaragoza have met 111 times, of which the Whites have won 70, drawn 22 and lost 19. Even at La Romareda the Madridistas have the upper hand having won 23 times, drawn 16 and lost 16.
Referee: Mr. Undiano Mallenco
Pellegrini press conference
Manuel Pellegrini told the media his main objective is to win every game left in the campaign.
"I hope we can win the league title by not dropping any points and focusing just on ourselves"
Zaragoza:
Every opponent will be complicated to defeat at this stage in the season. We are having a great run in La Liga. We’ve been able to make comebacks in difficult moments, fighting hard for the title against a great Barcelona. We’ve taken an incredible number of points already. This squad will showcase it’s character to the end.
Pressure:
We feel the same pressure every week. Tension is always the same because I always want my team to perform at the same high level. We’ve been fighting for the title being level or just slightly behind Barcelona all season. I hope we can win the league title by not dropping any points and focusing just on ourselves. We shouldn’t worry about what Barcelona do or fail to achieve.
Style:
Our style is suited to our characteristics and virtues. We have straightforward players. We combine teamwork with individual efforts. People say we don’t use the wings enough, but I think that’s not true. We wouldn’t have been able to score so many goals if we hadn’t made use of them.
Arbeloa press conference
Alvaro Arbeloa said the team is extremely motivated to face the final stretch of the season during today’s press conference.
"By wearing this shirt you are obligated to never give up"
Barcelona:
Barcelona may drop points in any of the five games they have left, just like us. We pay little attention to what they do because what matters to us is how we fare. We cannot afford to fail. We will play a complicated match against Zaragoza, who are fighting to avoid relegation. Their stadium has always been a complicated venue for Real Madrid.
Real Zaragoza:
The match will be special for me because I came from Zaragoza’s academy. I played my last game in Spain before leaving for Liverpool at La Romareda. My motivation upon returning home will be different this time around. The match will be difficult. There’s always a special atmosphere there.
Team Spirit:
We’ve showcased great character in complicated situations and we’ve managed to overcome them. We are even more motivated now that we’ve cut our distance with Barcelona by two points. We are very excited. It is impopssible to be more motivated.
Title hopes:
It is mathematically possible for us to win La Liga. We hope Barcelona drop more points. Hope is the last thing you lose. We will fight to reach the 98 point mark.
Real Madrid:
Part of the history of this club is staging comebacks with character, pride and courage. I think it’s part of the genetic composition of the club, and that is why it is so great. By wearing this shirt you are obligated to never give up. We are second right now, but we will fight to the very end.
Consequences of not winning the title:
It will be hard to swallow if we do not win the title, but we will congratulate the champion for making history with the highest point total ever. Until that day comes however… I would bet on us reaching the 98-point mark, so we’ll see what happens come 16 May.
Pellegrini:
We are standing by our coach’s side no matter what. We believe in him and he has our full support. He has given his heart and soul to this club and I think he is doing a great job. No matter what happens he has our support as well as that of the fans.
Garay press conference
Ezequiel Garay said Real Madrid can’t afford to fail any more if they are to win the league title.
"We know we have to win every game come what may"
Title chances:
I think the last five games will be complicated, but we have to take three points in each. We know we have to win them all come what may and wait for Barcelona to make a mistake so that we can take the title. We really want it. We have to win the five finals that remain.
Barcelona:
Barcelona dropped two important points. We can’t afford to fail. We have to be ready to overtake them if they fail again. We just have to focus on what we have to do.
Higuain press conference
Gonzalo Higuain believes the team can end up winning the league title this season.
"The team has a lot of faith in itself"
Title hopes:
We can win the league title. This team has a lot of faith in itself. The match in Zaragoza will be very difficult. They fight to avoid relegation and we fight to win the title.
This season:
We know 98 points are a hell of a lot and taking that many by season’s end would be incredible. I think we are having a great campaign; we’ve won many consecutive games. We always create many chances on goal and we have a solid defence. We have taken an incredible number of points already. The coach was right in saying whomever wins the league title in the end will truly deserve it.
Personal Contribution:
I try to help the team any way I can. Teamwork is what really counts because that’s the only thing that can give you a title. I’d love to win the Pichichi and Golden Boot trophies, but it’s more important for me to help the team win the title. It would be beautiful to achieve all things at once, but the league title is more important.
Goals:
I only think about the five finals that remain and about helping the team with my goals. The final stretch in the championship will be complicated for both us and Barcelona. We are just one point behind them with five games to go and I believe we can take them over.
Enzo Francescoli to Realmadrid.com
Former Uruguayan player, Enzo Francescoli visited Real Madrid City on Tuesday to interview Gonzalo Higuian, but Realmadrid.com jumped on the opportunity to interview the ex-River Plate star.
"Real Madrid will win the league"
How did the team look to you on Sunday against Valencia?
They played well. It was important that they won because Barcelona had drawn the day before. The team didn’t only perform well, but it also showed that it is mentally prepared, which is crucial with only five matches left. The players proved that Real Madrid is ready to fight for the title.
You place special emphasis on the psychological aspect.
Pellegrini deserves a lot of credit because he has done a great job in that sense. Barcelona have to feel the pressure because they must have felt like they had won the league after winning the Clasico. Two matches later everything is the same as it was.
What argument can Real Madrid make for winning the title?
In attack they have the talent of players like Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo. When Gago and Xabi Alonso play together the midfield is very balanced. Finally, this is Real Madrid. We are all familiar with the values of this team. They showed control and speed against Valencia. They practically didn’t let the opponent play, and that is praiseworthy.
So you think Real Madrid will win the league?
Even though it is difficult, yes. The lead is as small as it gets, and Barcelona have the challenge of dealing with fatigue. The Champions League can distract them and they have two complicated road matches against Villarreal and Sevilla. All of this can favor Real Madrid, who only have to think about the five games they have left. Either way, both teams should feel proud of their accomplishments.
How would you assess the job Pellegrini has done?
It isn’t easy to adjust a team with so many new players, but Pellegrini has done a good job. The team is very confident and has improved a lot. This Real Madrid has shown great striking ability and ball possession.
Which Madridista is most like you were?
I don’t like making comparisons. Perhaps the football in the later stages of my career is similar to Higuain’s. I always tried to finish off the play just like he does.
Universidad Las Palmas 2-0 Real Madrid Castilla
RM Castilla gave a good performance despite loosing 2-0 to ULP due to local goals by Omar and Pedro Vega. The Whites tried to make a comeback until the very end to no avail. Their chances to make the promotion playoffs are over.
MATCH REPORT
UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS: Santi Lampon; Soto, Juanfran, Sergio, Ivan; David Fas, Alberto, Eloy, Omar (Pachi, 79′); Angel Sanchez (Nacho Quirino, 88′), Pedro Vega (Gustavo, 90′).
REAL MADRID CASTILLA: Adan; Nacho (Luis Hernandez, 69′), Gary, Mateos, Marcos Alonso; Juan Carlos (Sarabia, 69′), Cordero, Mosquera, Vazquez; Cristian, Ruben Ramos (Samu, 55′).
GOALS:
2-0 (62′): Pedro Vega
Referee: Costas Soto.
Booked: Juanfran, Angel Sánchez, Marcos Alonso & Cordero. Eloy and ULP coach tecnico Almeida saw a red card each.
Notes: Second Division B, Group II, Matchday 35.
Venue: Pepe Gonçalvez.
Post-match comments
Manuel Pellegrini was very satisfied with the victory over Valencia. The coach had words of praise for all his men. Valencia coach Unai Emery admitted that his side were simply beaten by a better team. The Real Madrid squad was happy with the victory. Everyone agrees the league is still open.
"I am proud of my men's mental strength"
Pellegrini:
We studied Valencia’s style thoroughly, so I am delighted with the victory. I am proud of my men’s mental strength and fighting spirit.
We’ve won 15 of our 16 home games in La Liga and we’ve also scored an important number of goals. I am very satisfied with what my men do both on and off the pitch. It was very important to win in Almeria and seal that victory with another one here tonight. We are a straightforward and goal-scoring team.
We try to make progress in each game. Our intention is to always win.
I am very happy for Guti. He is having a great run, but we need our 23 men to be in top form if we are to win the title.
Emery:
Madrid has been better and that is reflected on the scoreboard. At Real Madrid’s home ground it is very difficult to stop them because they have great potential. The result is fair and we have not challenged effectively.
We came with the intention of winning the game, but our opponents are competing for the league and have been better than us. The difference is how often they have chances to score and the result, that is the reason for the difference in the table between [everyone else] and Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The first thing is to get back that offensive and defensive strength. We must reinforce our home form and strengthen it on the road. We must win five games. There is no cushion whatsoever, we go match by match. Away from home we must have more chances to win, I am convinced that will change things.
Guti:
We had many chances on goal and managed to control the entire match despite facing a great team.
We are proving the league is far from over. We have to win every game to put pressure on Barcelona. We have to make them feel we are coming closer to them each week. Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two best teams in the championship. The winner of the title will be the side that does best from here on end.
Real Madrid 2-0 Valencia
Real Madrid defeated Valencia 2-0 thanks to a great performance and goals from Higuain and Ronaldo. The Whites are now just one point shy of leadership.
The Whites take major step in La Liga
Real Madrid’s game was intense from the start. Eight minutes into the match, Van der Vaart had already shot twice on target, while Guti and Xabi Alonso pressurised Valencia in attack, thwarting Silva’s moves early on.
Guti came close to scoring from a pass on the goal-line by Ronaldo on the 21-minute mark. The Portuguese player did the same two minutes later, serving the ball to Higuain this time, but the Argentine was inches too late. Minutes later, Higuain scored the opener after receiving a ball from Guti, dribbling past a centre back and nutmegging goalkeeper Cesar (24′).
Pellegrini’s men had many more chances on goal before half-time, but Valencia also had their share, the most dangerous being a shot by Mata that hit one of Casillas’ posts. The Whites failed to score again in the first 45 minutes mainly because Cesar made some good saves and their aim wasn’t always perfect.
Marcelo had the first chance in the second half, but Cesar saved the day for Valencia yet again. Cristiano followed suit to no avail. Silva pulled rank and Joaquin and Vicente were brought on by coach Emery, reinvigorating Valencia’s attack – one of their chances hit the crossbar.
Moments later, Marcelo ventured down the left wing and crossed the ball into the box. Cristiano Ronaldo finished off the assist with a powerful and unstoppable shot, netting his 20th goal of the season.
Lineups:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Guti H., Gago (Lass 70′), Van der Vaart (Granero 80′), Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín (Benzema 84′);
Valencia: César, Bruno, Alexis, Maduro, Alba, Banega, Silva, Albelda (Baraja 72′), Pablo H. (Joaquín 46′), Mata (Vicente 61′), Villa;
Goals:
Referee: Mr. Teixeira Vitienes
Booked: Albiol, Ronaldo, Alexis, Bruno, Maduro;
Notes: La Liga, Matchday 33.
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid vs Valencia | Spanish Primera Division | Round 33 | Preview
Real Madrid’s goal is to win the six games that remain in the campaign. They greet Valencia tonight at 21:00 CET, having a chance to put themselves just one point behind Barcelona following the latter’s draw with Espanyol last night.
Looking to cut the leaders' cushion short
Manuel Pellegrini has called up all his available men. The coach said this week his team “always faces up to a challenge,” which is something the fans are aware of. They will pack the Bernabeu tonight to help Real Madrid win another crucial match.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
- Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek
- Defenders: Arbeloa, Ramos, Marcelo, Albiol, Garay
- Midfielders: Gago, Diarra, Lass, Guti, Granero, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart
- Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema, Juanfran
Valencia have injured defenders; only four have travelled to Madrid. Their dangerous front line is nevertheless intact; Villa, Mata, Silva, Joaquin and compnay will do their best to give Valencia their eighth away victory of the season.
VALENCIA SQUAD LIST
Goalkeepers: Cesar, Moya.
Defenders: Bruno, Alexis, Maduro, Marchena
Midfielders: Albelda, Baraja, Ever, J. Alba, Vicente, Joaquin, Pablo, Mata, Dominguez
Forwards: Zigic, Silva, Villa
Real Madrid only think about winning the match and they will count on Cristiano Ronaldo to help them. The Portuguese player scored a phenomenal goal against Almeria on Thursday, proving just what kind of footballer he is. The entire squad shares his winning mentality and will do its best to defeat Valencia in order to put themselves just one point behind Barcelona.
Referee: Mr. Teixeira Vitienes
All days are not Saturdays – Valencia pre-preview
Time to step over Valencia
¡Hola!
El perfecto Domingo. The perfect Saturday. I had a good morning, a good lunch, a good siesta and a great workout. It all went so fuckin’ smooth. So smooth that I am wondering what’s in hold for me on Sunday. Whatever it is I am hoping it isn’t going affect either Espanyol’s win over Barcelona or our win over Valencia.
More on Valencia later but let us start with the one Cristiano Ronaldo, who seems to be having his periods right now. Couple of days back he decided to file a lawsuit against the buggers who went on air saying that Ronaldo partied both before and after the Clásico. He then went to Almería and scored an absolute peach of a goal that showed why he is still the best in the World. Yesterday he broke his own 10 seconds record in some training grid set up by his sponsors. After the event, while speaking to the press, he told them about a lot of things including his menstrual cycle but that is not of our concern. He spoke about the coach and his situation with the club and was quoted as saying:
We are very happy with the coach. I am also happy with my teammates. I don’t want to play with anyone else, although there are many talented players out there.
Just when we thought all is well at the club, Sky Sports reports that Ronaldo believes Jose Mourinho would be the ideal man to take charge at the Bernabeu. Speaking about Jose, Ronaldo has told Sky News:
He is a special coach. He has shown that he is one of the best in the world so maybe the people don’t like him because he is top, his character, he is a special person. I know him very well. I like him a lot – I know his character, he is a winning guy. This is why the people don’t like him. Madrid he’d change a lot – he’d buy new players, new coach.
With the menstrual cycle taking a toll on the 25-year-old, the player admits that the team are desperate to win silverware this season. He said:
We are out of the Champions League, the Copa del Rey,
so we are not very happy of course. We are still in the league to fight so it’s possible to win. We’ll be very frustrated if we don’t win anything. A team like Madrid has to win something every year.
I still believe we can improve in the next games, the next months, the next year, we’ll be much stronger than we are at the moment. So if we don’t win this season, definitely we will win next year.
Even though I am not sure how those comments mean that Ronaldo thinks that Jose Mourinho is the ideal manager for Real Madrid I too feel that Mourinho will do a lot of good if he were to be appointed. Of course he is a good manager – a proven winner as well. But not even he can guarantee us a treble in his first season in charge. Similarly, Arsene Wenger would be the ideal man to take charge of Castilla, whereas Wayne Rooney, Filipe Luis and David Silva are the ideal players to replace Pipita and Marcelo and whoever-plays-on-the-god-damned-left-wing in the starting line up. But this isn’t the ideal World. In an ideal world Barcelona would be facing Castilla in the Segunda Division. That isn’t happening, is it?
By saying that, I do not mean that Pellegrini is not good enough. He has done a splendid job. We’ve always remained in the title race for the league throughout the season. Cup defeats do happen. None of our previous managers since 2004 were able to take us past the last 16 in the Champions League in their first season. And before they could have another shot at it they were long gone. Pellegrini is not like anyone of them. He is clearly better. His credentials are known to all. He took a team like Villareal to the last four of the Champions League. He can hell even win the title with a team like ours. Just give him his fuckin’ time. We’ve spent a lot of money. Yes. But football isn’t a shop where you get your stuff as soon as you throw in the money. Patience is a virtue that we need. It is a virtue due to the lack of which Perez went through a miserable period earlier this decade. Hell I am tired of going through this again and again. Basically, we do not need Mourinho right now. At least one man agrees with me.
On to the game tomorrow and it is Valencia who are visiting the Bernabéu this Sunday in the 21:00 CET kick-off. And before I could do the pre-preview, the players themselves did it for me through several interviews across the media world. First I’ll start with Rafael van der Vaart who pointed out the fact that we generally perform well against Valencia on Bwin.com. But as important as our win is the Espanyol-Barcelona Derby which if in favor of us will do a lot of good. He pin-pointed that as well.
The match against Valencia will be difficult because they have great forwards, but we always play well against them. We are strong and we’ve lost just one home game this season. We fear no one at home.
It is important for us Espanyol defeat Barcelona tonight. A derby is always important.
Like me, St.Iker too believes the team can win the league title. Unlike last season we came out of a Clásico with a hard fought victory against Almería at Almería which is something that even Barcelona couldn’t do. Casillas then spoke about Valencia, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses in an interview with AS:
Winning in Almeria was another step towards our goal to win the league title and take as many points as possible. We could have scored more goals, but I’m glad we took three points.
Valencia have fast, short and cheeky players we will have to watch out for. They have problems in defence, but the match will be complicated. We have to win.
VALENCIA SQUAD LIST
GOALKEEPERS: César, Moyà.
DEFENDERS: Bruno, Alexis, Maduro, Marchena.
MIDFIELDERS: Albelda, Baraja, Éver, J. Alba, Vicente, Joaquín, Pablo, Mata, Domínguez.
FORWARDS: Zigic, Silva, Villa.
REAL MADRID SQUAD LIST
GOALKEEPERS: Casillas, Dudek
DEFENDERS: Arbeloa, Ramos, Marcelo, Albiol, Garay
MIDFIELDERS: Gago, Diarra, Lass, Guti, Granero, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart
FORWARDS: Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema, Juanfran
Pellegrini would ideally stick to the starting line up from midweek but I doubt if Guti will start so soon again considering his age. Granero has fallen out of favor not for the first time this season. With Garay’s return I think Marcelo will shift up the field especially considering the likes of Joaquín, Mata and Silva loving to play in the wings. I doubt if Benzema will start the game but will definitely come on at some point. Gago went off injured half way through the game midweek. Lass and Diarra are both fit and should play depending upon the Argentine’s fitness. I’m happy to see Gago back as first choice again I must say.
Probable Starting XI: Casillas, Ramos, Albiol, Garay, Arbeloa, Gago, Xabi Alonso, Marcelo, Van der Vaart, Ronaldo, Higuaín;
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Valencia
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
Pellegrini press conference
Manuel Pellegrini analyzed tomorrow’s match against Valencia for the media.
"Valencia are a great opponent and they will make tomorrow's match difficult for us"
Almería:
My team responded by playing a great match in Almeria. My men have always faced up to adversity. Almeria were a complicated opponent and they had been having a good run. We took three points, which is what really matters.
La Liga:
Whichever team wins the title will deserve it. Real Madrid and Barcelona are great goal scorers and have been fighting head to head for the title all year long.
Valencia:
Our next match is always the one we worry about the most. We now face Valencia, a great opponent that will make the match difficult for us. I hope we have sufficient weapons to win.
Marcelo press conference
During Friday’s post-training press conference, Marcelo sent out a warning message that Real Madrid do not think about throwing in the towel any time soon.
"There is a long way to go and we will continue fighting"
Almeria game:
Last night’s victory served us well. We knew that Almeria were a tricky opponent. We need to continue fighting. The match was very complicated. We knew it would be tough because not many teams had won in that stadium. We were eager to leave there with three points. We won because we were very united.
Title hopes:
Winning the title will be hard, but there is still a long way to go. We have seen thousands of times that many things can happen down the final stretch of the season. There are many matches to be played, we have faith and we will continue fighting to win the league. We will continue doing our job, which is to win all that is left.
Run-in:
There are no more easy matches. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, they will all be difficult. Valencia will be a very tough team to beat.
Post-match comments
Jorge Valdano had nothing but words of praise for Real Madrid following their victory against Almeria. Manuel Pellegrini was pleased with several facets of his team’s performance, but especially their mental preparation. Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael van der Vaart, Gonzalo Higuain and Raul Albiol expressed their thoughts on their important win on Thursday night.
Valdano:
We did a great job and had a lot of scoring chances. We deserved this win and we earned it in a very difficult place to play.
Winning was a must and the team responded magnificently. We got over any jitters and the players put on a great display of professionalism. Our fans really value the fact that we don’t ever give up.
We have champion-worthy numbers. We need to maintain this rhythm to make things as difficult as possible for Barcelona. We don’t control our own destiny, but we know exactly where we stand and will resist losing in every way possible.
Pellegrini:
We played well in many aspects. We managed to recover psychologically, which was very hard after the last match. Tonight we also were more elaborate in creating plays, as we had been in previous matches. We had six or seven clear chances, but Alves had a great night.
The final outcome gives me the impression that the team was wary about Almeria’s chances of equalizing, but we had plenty of chances to increase the lead over the ninety minutes in order not to be so mindful of conceding another goal.
The team will continue fighting every Sunday to be as far on top as possible. We can only wait for Barcelona to slip stumble. Tonight we beat a tough opponent that played very well. There are plenty of points still in play and both we and Barcelona have complicated matches coming up.
Ronaldo:
We managed to win which was all that counted. These were three crucial points. The team played well. We had to win and now we cannot give up. We are Real Madrid and we cannot stop fighting.
Almeria 1-2 Real Madrid
Real Madrid kept their title hopes alive on Thursday with a come-from-behind win against Almeria. Cristiano Ronaldo equalized after Crusat put the hosts in the lead and Van der Vaart completed the turnaround with twenty minutes left in regulation. One final down and six to go en route to the team objective of 98 points.
License to dream
With risky play implemented by Almeria head coach Lillo, the hosts proved why they have lost only twice at home this season. Both teams had excellent chances of going ahead on the score board in the first half, but the Whites’ opportunities outnumbered those of Almeria, eight to four.
Van der Vaart missed an early chance as Alves managed to clear the shot and Almeria. It was the first warning put up by Real Madrid, but it was Almeria who struck first… And on their first opportunity of the match. Uche fired a low cross into the box and Crusat had no trouble firing passed Casillas.
It didn’t take long for Real to respond, and it was Cristiano Ronaldo who got his name on this score sheet. The Portuguese forward received the ball at the top of the box, advanced with several dazzling step-overs and stuck the ball by Alves. In the ensuing quarter hour, Guti found nothing but post and his teammates had several chances to head into halftime with the lead. Van der Vaart missed wide following Guti’s rebound and Alves stretched to get a hand to an Higuain shot.
Marcelo came close to putting the Whites in the lead on the first play of the second half and Higuain followed on two occasions, but the Argentine sailed the ball high on the first and a defender cleared the ball across the byline on the second. It appeared it wouldn’t take long in scoring and that was precisely the case. Alves first managed to stymie Marcelo in a one-on-one, but the Brazilian keeper had no answer for Van der Vaart’s left-footer that put the Whites up for good.
Lineups
Almería: Diego Alves, Pellerano, Cisma, Míchel Macedo (Corona 75′), Bernardello, Crusat, Soriano, Mbami (Goitom 86′), Vargas (Juanma Ortiz 57′), Piatti, Kalu Uche;
Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Albiol, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart, Gago (Diarra 47′), Guti H. (Lass 79′), Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuaín (Benzema 88′);
Goals:
Referee: Mr. Perez Lasa
Booked: Gago, Diarra, Guti, Albiol, Bernardello, Pellerano, Cisma
Notes: Week 32 of La Liga
Played at: Mediterranean Games Stadium.
Attendance: 11,500.
Just another Madridista
Osasooner rather than later – Osasuna pre-preview
Time to leave them sitting ducks
C.A. Osasuna a.k.a Los Rojillos are placed 12th in La Liga with 39 points, seven clear of the relegation zone and can confirm their status as a top-flight club with a win in tomorrow’s 19:00 CET kick-off against 2nd placed Real Madrid C.F at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Osasuna with their über-cool 4-2-3-1 formation arrive in Madrid having scored the second fewest goals in La Liga – a meager 30 from their 34 games. Real Madrid on the other hand have scored more than any other team in the league – a humongous 89 from the same number of games.
More stats, Real Madrid have won 37 and drawn 14 of the 63 matches played against Gorritxoak. And at home the Whites have won 24 out the 31 ti,mes they’ve played them. And in the current season Osasuna have only notched points in six of their 17 matches away from home.
But all that will not matter when eleven of our men take on ten of theirs and Walter Pandiani. All that will matter is the performance on the pitch. And that means we need to be at our best in order to have any kind of chance of winning the league. Barça play Villareal at El Madrigal in the late kick-off on Saturday and going by what happened midweek against Inter, when they were tactically played out by Mourinho’s men, they wouldn’t be in the best of mindsets thus giving us a very good chance of going ahead of them in the table. Either way, irrespective of whether they win or lose, we must get to the 98 point mark. Its unequivocally mandatory. Kaká could not have agreed more with me. Speaking to bwin.com he said:
And with reference to the Barcelona-Villareal game:
Team news now and Osasuna first. With Javad Nekounam’s availability still in question, Puñal may get the nod as the defensive midfielder along with Ruper or Vadocz while Monreal will suit up for Jose Antonio Camacho’s team after serving a one-match suspension. The exact squad list will be posted in the proper preview to the game.
Their strategy is quite simple and well known to all. They attack using their quick wing-backs and wingers. Keeping tabs on them will stop the supply to the brawny Pandiani thus preventing them from scoring. Ricardo is in fine form and we must remember that we haven’t scored against them this season. They are the only other team apart from Bilbao and Barcelona in Spain to have achieved that.
Probable Starting XI: CA Osasuna
As far as we are concerned we will definitely be without the services of Raúl, Pepe, Van der Vaart and Drenthe. The latter though participated in full training today but will definitely not make the cut. The other three are missing for obvious reasons. We also have a few niggled players in Diarra, Arbeloa (niggled left patellar tendon), Lass (lower back pain) and Guti (strained left hamstring) who completed specific recovery protocols in the gym. Saturday’s session, scheduled for 10:30 CET, behind closed doors will be when the final squad is decided.
I think Kaká, Benzema and Ronaldo will start. I am not fielding Guti, Arbeloa and Lass and am keeping Granero along with them on the bench again. But it isn’t me but Manuel Pellegrini who will make the final decision. So let us just wait and see.
Probable Starting XI: Real Madrid C.F
The game should be a walk in the park for us. More of a formality than a task. We are in the right spirit with a good win last weekend. We seem to have players in form. And more importantly this is a home game. I am sure we are up for it. If we play like we do every week we will come out victors. We just need to keep it simple.
In other news, as most of you must already be knowing, Russell Crowe visited the Valdebebas yesterday and managed to take quite a few snaps with our stars during his promotion of Robin Hood in Madrid. Also, Veterans of Real Madrid and AC Milan will be clashing once again this season, this time for a good cause. Click here to learn more about it.
Transfer news and I sincerely request all you young Real Madrid fans to not believe the rumors about Carlos Tevez or Wayne Rooney coming to Real Madrid. They are as fake as David Villa accepting a move to Barcelona. On the other hand, the rumor linking Mahamadou Diarra to Manchester United might just be true. Momo is getting no time to play here and might as well feel like plying his trade in some other country now that he is nearing the end of his career. With Metzelder already leaving, Raúl and Guti contemplating whether to honor their contracts or not and Diarra planning to move – Dudek might be the only real veteran in our squad. Casillas, Ramos, Xabi and Kaká all have experience but then again age wise at least these are the players with the real major experience. The latest news regarding Guti is the rumor about him playing in Dubai.
And as far as José Mourinho managing Real Madrid is concerned, you’ve got to admit that you are flattered by the prospective. He is a special man and with a special talent as a manager. But then again, it all comes down to what we want. Do we want to win irrespective of the way we play? Or do we want to win the Real Madrid way? If you don’t understand my point then take this for example. Chelsea was a good club playing some real good football that almost all football fans loved watching before Mourinho took over. The only thing that they did not do was win titles. And then came Mourinho. Fans all over the world started hating Chelsea complaining about their style of play and their tactics. But that wasn’t the only thing that changed. They started winning titles. Even though they missed out on the Champions League they did make it to the last four more than once. It all comes down to what we want. Going by the dry period and the investments from Florentino we must agree that we are in desperate need for silverware. But thinking again, we are Real Madrid and we have a brand. Is Pellegrini maintaining our brand name?
If yes, we have to give him time – at least one more season. He now knows where his team is lacking and what needs to be done to improve them. Who knows, we might just have our best season next year. Pellegrini’s team has only shown signs of improvement. Drastic improvements so to speak. The only thing that needs to be corrected from this season is playing in do-or-die situations. We don’t seem to have enough number of big match players. Not big name players but big match players. The ones who can step up to the next level when the situation calls for it. We do that and we might just be the next set of invincibles. Far fetched or just a possibility?
If no, then we fire him and silverware is still not guaranteed next season. Every manager needs his settling-in period – even the special one. Also, he will definitely tinker with the team composition as much as he wants to so that it fits his game plan. And that means more money spent. Then, his team needs time to adapt thus taking more time. It is only then that we will win titles under him.
Also, there is the major factor about the players wanting to play under him. He is a man who is known to have the magical power of controlling big egos. Pellegrini seems to be doing a good job as far as that is concerned and at the same time is keeping his players happy. Will Mourinho be able to do the same? Ask Balotelli.
Ultimately it all comes down to what we want. What do you want?
I want it sooner rather than later.
Para Siempre Blanco!
Hala Madrid!!
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April 30, 2010 | Categories: Comments, News, Pre-preview, Transfer Rumours | Tags: Christoph Metzelder, José María Gutiérrez 'Guti', José Mourinho, Kaká, Mahamadou Diarra, Manchester United FC, Manuel Pellegrini | Leave A Comment »