Kristen's RealmadridTalk

SAGA IS DONE! + English Realmadrid Site CRASHED!

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 18:11:23 -0500

THE SAGA IS DONE! Kaká is a Real Madrid player, and Floretino Perez's first signing as president. AC Milan has officially announced the deal on their website, the Spanish version of Real Madrid's website has updated it too, but the English version has CRASHED! Me and some of my friends have been getting the same message.

An HTTP error occurred while getting: http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/Home

The offical press release states the following:

"Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, Kaka, is a Real Madrid player after an agreement was reached with AC Milan. The Brazilian footballer has now successfully passed all medical tests. Kaka has signed a contract with Real Madrid for the next six seasons."

Kaká has signed a six-year contract and will earn €9.12 million a year at the Santiago Bernabeu. As expected, he'll wear the famous number "5" shirt previously worn by legends such as Fabio Cannavaro and Zinedine Zidane.

Kaká's arrival could also mean that Cristiano Ronaldo might not be needed. The club has denied that there has been any meeting between United or Manchester United winger, even though many sources, such as Sky Sports, claim that there has been a meeting....

Anyway, this is Real's first summer signing. The Spanish giants have also been chasing Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich and David Villa and David Silva from Valencia.

More to come later when details become available. :)

UPDATE: Reports said the transfer fee was around 68 million euros ($94.05 million).

Madrid v. Racing Live Blog

Sat, 7 Feb 2009 12:48:42 -0600

90': All over at the Bernabeu and Madrid come over with an unconvincing 1-0 victory, courtesy of Higuain's fine finish early in the second half. Thanks for joining me!!

88': Time is running out for Racing now and Madrid appear to have weathered the storm.

85': WHAT A CHANCE FOR ZIGIC!!! He leaps superbly to meet a right-wing cross, but can't quite keep his header down. Madrid are hanging on.

81': Racing continue to press Madrid. Nikola Zigic wins a near-post header and steers an effort just wide. Far from convincing from Madrid in the second half.

77': Ramos makes his third and final change. Van der Vaart is replaced by Marcelo.

74': SO CLOSE TO AN EQUALISER FOR RACING!!! Jonathan bursts through, but Casillas is just quick enough to block his initial attempt. Fabio Cannavaro clears the danger.

71': Javi Garcia is introduced by Ramos. Wesley Sneijder makes way.

69': Racing are enjoying a good spell, with Jonathan in particular looking dangerous. Madrid have to be careful here, this game is far from won.

62': Racing make a couple of quick changes. Moral and Peter Luccin enter the fray at the expense of Mohamed Tchite and Mahdi Racen.

61': Robben's return to action is cut short on the hour mark. Replacing the Dutchman is Julien Faubert.

54': Fine save from Tono! Higuain is released on the right and shoots low on the angle...Tono gets down to save with his feet.

53': Corner to Madrid on their right. Raul swings it over, Tono flaps...but the referee sees a foul on the keeper and Racing have a free-kick.

49': GOOOAAAALLLLL!!!!! Raul's flick header sends through HIGUAIN, who cuts inside Gonzalez and curls a fine right-foot shot past Tono to put Madrid ahead. Lovely finish.

49': Nice jinking run from Robben, but once again the end product is poor.

46': Away we go with the second half! No changes to report from either side.

Half Time: The half-time whistle blows in Madrid and we enter the break goalless. Madrid have been the better side, but they failed to take their chances so far. Back in 15.

45': Higuain twists and turns inside the box, before shooting left-footed from 15 yards...his effort is blocked but Madrid win a corner. Racing clear.

42': Lassana Diarra goes in the book for a tug on Jonathan's shirt.

39': Jonathan lets fly for Racing and Iker Casillas is forced to tip his swerving left-foot drive over the bar.

36':

I know that this is totally not related to this match, but I was looking on the match commentary for the AC Milan match and the one comment read the following:

3' There is a female linesman running along Milan's right flank next to David Beckham. The TV cameras keep focussing on her, presumably expecting her to swoon at the great man's very presence.

ROFL! :D

30': Rafael Van der Vaart has two chances in a minute. The first sees him clean through against Tono...he attempts to lob the keeper but Tono blocks. Seconds later he meets a near-post cross, but Tono saves again.

27': Robben cuts in from the left, shoots right-footed from 20 yards and draws a sharp save from Antonio Tono...Madrid are getting closer.

25': Oscar Serrano bursts down the left for Racing, but Pepe comes across to make a fine saving tackle.

21': Robben launches on a raid down the left, he beats one and offloads to continue his run...Ramos concedes possession however.

17': Not much to report in the last five or six minutes I'm afraid. Madrid are moving the ball around nicely, but they are yet to find the final ball.

12': Raul slinks his way past a defender, cuts in from the left and shoots...but his effort is blocked.

10': First real chance for Madrid, as Ramos stretches to meet a free-kick in the Racing box and puts his volley just wide from 10 yards.

5': Sergio Ramos bizarrely slices out to concede a corner. Racing whip it in early, but Madrid clear easily at the near post.

3': The pitch looks in immaculate condition at the Bernabeu - perfect for flowing, attacking football.

1': Away we go with the first half and Madrid are straight on the attack. The home side are of course in their famous all-white strip. Racing are in green and black.

Before Kick Off: Arjen Robben is back in the Madrid starting line-up after another in a long line of injury setbacks. Elsewhere there is a familiar look to Juande Ramos's team, with Raul and Gonzalo Higuain likely to float about and get forward whenever possible.

Before Kick Off:

Starting XI (according to numerous sources)

Real Madrid

Casillas
Pepe
Cannavaro
Heinze
Ramos
van der Vaart
Sneijder
Diarra
Robben
Higuain
Raul

Racing

Tono
Valera
Lozarano
Navas
Marcano
Pereira
Colsa
Lacen
Serrano
Tchite
Zigic

Before Kick Off:

Suspended

Real Madrid

Fernando Gago

Racing

Munitis

Before Kick Off:

Injuries

Real Madrid

Guti
Christoph Metzelder

Racing

none

Before Kick Off:

Hey everyone! Kristen here for Kristen's Realmadrid Talk. I will be your source today for the live blogging goodness. :) From now on, for all of your Madrid goodness, please visit Ultra Sur Madrid and Kristen's Real Madrid talk. Today's match is proving to be pretty good. Racing have what the British press call, "the Spanish Peter Crouch." His name is Nikola Zigic. He stands at about 6'7". He will be a very tough player to beat.

Sorry For Being Gone

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:07:40 -0600

Hey everyone! How have you all been? I am really sorry for not being on here this past week. I have been really busy with some things and some family issues…mainly my oldest sister’s health had kept me away. It was really scary to hear from my brother-in-law that she had to go to the emergency room due to her blood pressure. :( It is really scary you guys. Anyway, I am back and ready to get the latest news in my classy “azzurri fashion.” ;) Anyway, thanks for understanding

~~Kristen

Gago on the Up and Up (from realmadrid.com)

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:12:21 -0600

Sorry, no time to write a post. :( I will be back soon tho. :)

It's been two years since a 20-year old Fernando Gago debuted for Real Madrid, and since arriving in Spain the Argentine midfielder has done nothing but grow and improve to become one of the most consistent players on the team.

Gago has played 1,243 minutes this season which is already almost 50% more than last at this point of the campaign. He has become the go-to guy having received more passes than any of his teammates (529), for an average of one every 2.1 minutes.

The midfielder has then passed 763 times, of which 642 have successfully found their target... An astounding 84.14% accuracy rate.

Offensive improvement
In 13 matches this season Gago has provided 13 assists on goal, three of which have resulted in goals. He has also taken eight shots on goal and finally managed to score his first goal as as Madridista.

Defensive specialist
The Argentine continues has made 98 recoveries and is on pace to finish the season with 10 more than last season. He is also committing fewer fouls, and his average has dropped from one every 42.86 minutes to one every 40.28 minutes.

Calderon Resigns as Real Madrid President

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:51:24 -0600

Real Madrid are in chaos after Ramón Calderón announced that he had resigned as the club's president after reports that he had rigged the recent general assembly came out.

Marca revealed that a number of non-members were at the meeting to vote through proposals and the scandal has now claimed the man at the top and others look set to follow.

Having denied the allegations earlier in the week, Calderón was cornered by photographic evidence of the vote rigging and put under pressure to go by his fellow directors.

On Thursday evening it was believed that he had told friends and associates that he would resign before reports emerged that he had changed his mind and would hold out to hold elections in the summer.

That is said to have infuriated some directors and many were considering resigning themselves at a board meeting on Friday morning unless Calderón himself told them that he was going.

Despite winning back-to-back league titles in his two full seasons at the helm, the 57-year-old's "reign" has been plagued by problems including the manner in which he won the presidency.

Postal votes were not counted and have not been so and that allied with his failed pre-election promises to sign Kakà and Cesc Fàbregas has angered some supporters.

A verbal attack on David Beckham was also not well taken after the England international's decision to join the LA Galaxy and more recently Calderón has been exposed when a former club secretary revealed several embarrassing stories.

Elections at Real Madrid will be planned, but may not take place until after the end of the season with an interim leader, Vicente Boluda, the club's vice president, being installed until then.

BREAKING NEWS: Ronaldo To Join Real In Summer

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:28:54 -0600

Yes, this is true this time. Spanish journalist Guillem Balague said this morning on his website that the Manchester United star's agent, Jorge Mendes, has come to an agreement with Madrid president Ramon Calderon meaning that Ronaldo will move in the summer.

The Portuguese international said in a press conference before the FIFA ceremony on Monday:

"My agent does not have an agreement with Florentino Pérez."

Now, Balague has spoken to Sky Sports News, giving "access to the details of the agreement, including the financial terms," as promised within his initial claim.

The agent explained:

"Ramon Calderon, I understand, has got an agreement with the player. He is going to play €12 million to Cristiano Ronaldo, €8m to Jorge Mendes, the agent, and they've got €85m - which will go up to €105m - to pay Manchester United.

"All that doesn't mean there's any agreement between the clubs. Still, I put all these things to high standing figures at Real Madrid, and they all came out with the same answer: 'We're not going to deny this, we're not going to say that it's true, but you're on the right path'."

Hmmm....seems pretty iffy...but he was the one who broke the Berbatov move to SSN. So, we will have to wait and see.

Monday Training News and Other Junk.

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:04:30 -0600

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Monday....I know that I didn't...but that is another story. Hot off the heels of a wonderful victory on Sunday, the players of Real Madrid were back on the training pitch. Manager Juande Ramos has decided though to give the players Tuesday off....hmmm must be a trend! (I don't have to go to school tomorrow) The squad used the grounds of the Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium due to the fact that the normal pitch used for training was still covered in snow.

After a pep talk from manager Juande Ramos and team captain Raúl, the 22 squad members who had made their way to the academy stadium ran their usual laps before splitting into two groups. Group one had the starting XI from Sunday's win and the other group had the bench players and the ones who did not make the squad list for the trip.

There were some squad members that were missing though. Dani Parejo is still recovering from a sprained knee and Guti was in the gym with Arjen Robben. Guti is trying to recover from muscle problems.

The team will resume two-a-day training sessions on Wednesday to get ready for this Sunday's match against Osasuna which is to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu.

In other news, it seems that Goal.com has reported that Bayern Munich reject Lucio is trying to get a deal with Real Madrid. You can read the whole story here.

That is all for now. Talk to you all soon! :)

HALA MADRID!

Kristen

Mallorca 0:3 Real Madrid--Match Review

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:36:44 -0600

Hello everyone! Welcome to the first (non-welcome) post of Kristen's RealMadrid Talk! :) Hmmm...where to start? Well, Arjen Robben! Robben was CLEARLY the Man of the Match. He was a playmaker and played as almost a partial striker. It was a breath of fresh air to see him actually come forward. The team gelled and I thought that THIS is the Madrid that I know and love.

Mallorca started the match pretty well, going forward and putting pressure on the defense. But, as quick as the match started, they forgot all about Robben, who in the 2nd minute of the game, received an amazing pass from Higuain, went forward to face the goalkeeper and sent the ball into the back of the net. The 2' and the match was already all over.

Juande started with the same lineup he used against Villarreal but with the addition of Gonzalo Higuain who had just recovered from his injury.

Here is the exact lineup: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Lass, Gago, Robben, Sneijder, Higuain and Raúl. Juande chose Gonzalo instead of Klass. This was a wonderful choice, in my not so expert opinion, because Higuain did not disappoint this evening. In the 17th minute, Higuain cut through the Mallorca defense to pass the ball to captain Raúl, who brilliantly flicked in with his trailing leg. Sergio Ramos also shone tonight. He scored a very nice goal from a pass by Fernando Gago. It was nice to see Sergi back on the score sheet, and hopefully, this will be the start of a very nice run by Sergi. This win was the first away win of 2009 and our first away win in the league since October 18. We are now second with a 12 point gap between Madrid and Barcelona, who won a very nice and exciting match against Osasuna today.

This was Casillas' 450th match and Raúl's 500th as a Madrid player.

Let’s hope our knights in white get some more under the belts. Until next time Madridistas, this is Kristen signing off. HALA MADRID! ~~Kristen

Welcome!!!

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:22:21 -0600

Hey everyone! How have you all been? Yes, I am writing for my third Real Madrid based blog. Some things have been going on and I have decided to write for my own Real Madrid based blog. So, stay tuned mis madridistas! :)

Kristen