RealmadridTalk

Real Madrid Wag of the Week: Mamen Sanz

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 05:51:49 -0800

Intro from Adam: This is a new weekly feature called "Real Madrid Wag of the Week" which my friend the "Sizzling Señorita" will be writing regularly here on the blog. I will bore you with my football analysis and she will entertain you with her gossip and WAG posts!

Thank you Señorita ;)

With an honors list like Raul's, there aren't many prized possessions that elude the magnificent number seven. But last week, the fantastic forward got his hands on his most anticipated award of all. Something that the striker had longed for more than any trophy the beautiful game can offer; a bundle of baby joy… wrapped in pink.

The striker and his gorgeous wife Mamen already have four children, all of whom are boys. And if Jorge (9), Hugo (7) and twins Héctor and Mateo (4) have inherited their father’s footballing prowess, then they already have the perfect ready-made five-a-side football team. The arrival of a little girl now completes the picture perfect family.

The sex of the baby was announced months ago, and ever since the news that Mamen was carrying a little girl became public, her arrival has been long-awaited here in Spain. So much so in fact, that famous Spanish Sports Journalist Tomás Guasch joked in his column in sports daily Diario AS that the couple would call their baby “La Decima!”

Fortunately, the dashing duo are not into the modern day fad of naming a child after the place in which he/she was conceived and have opted for the name Maria- just like her mummy (Maria Carmen). And like her mummy, the little princess arrived in perfect condition. There were no complications with the birth and mini-Maria weighed in at 2.9 kilos and measured 48 centimeters.

Ex-model Mamen must be delighted to finally have a daughter to dress up and have girly chats with, and there’s no doubt that Maria will be the apple of her Daddy’s eye.

Though heaven help any future suitors that see themselves fit to be with this little Miss Madridista. With four big brothers protecting her, getting close to Maria will probably be even more tricky than man-marking her famous father!

Raul has spent a lot of time on the sidelines of late, though the Madrid faithful are hoping he will be out of his bib much sooner than baby Maria will be out of hers!

Congratulations to Mamen and Raul, and welcome to the world Maria.

Hala Madrid!

Adam Bader su Facebook

Olympique de Marseille Vs Real Madrid Live Streams

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 04:45:25 -0800

Let's start with the rumored lineup:

Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Arbeloa, Alonso, Marcelo, Lass, Van der vaart, Ronaldo, Benzema

Solid or not?

I say solid. It is clearly not very different from the one we used against Almeria. Higuain and Granero were dropped in the favor of Benzema and Lass who are both French and have played Marseille before (especially Benzema since Lass spent most of his career in the EPL).

I think Pellegrini wants to build on Benzema's performances in the Clasico and the Almeria game. The coach is full of confidence that Karim will have a good game saying:

Benzema is a very young player who is adapting to a new team and a new language. He has already shown his quality. We'll probably see a great Benzema against Olympique. We have a lot of faith in him.

It is really good to hear these words from the coach especially If you are a certain 20-something young striker who has just moved to a big club in a different country where people speak a different language.

The social aspects of Benzema's life, especially off the field are not really much of an issue, but he has recently been under tremendous pressure from the Spanish media, which has been looking for anything against the player. It might seem a conspiracy theory, but it is not. I just feel that the media is putting the pressure just for the sake of it.

Benzema, however, isn't at his best at all, but as I said before, it is totally normal. For those who demand that Benzema proves his worth, I don't know what you are looking for. If you are uncertain about his talent and abilities, I think you must have been living on Mars as he had been Lyon's most important man and France's most promising and threatening young striker before he joined us. Nothing for him to prove really.

Back to the lineup, the only change that could happen would be to start Granero instead of Marcelo. Honestly, I don't know. Marcelo has been performing well while Granero has been spending most of his time on the bench, but I'd happy to see him start.

Regarding Higuain, it seems that Pellegrini wants to save him for Valencia which is a smart move. As for Raul, I was hoping he would start just so Ronaldo can move back to the left, but with Marcelo starting the captain will sit on the bench again.

I've seen a few fans talk of a draw for us and a defeat for Milan, but here is the thing: this is a must win game. Why? Not just because we'll qualify, but it will keep our spirits high, and help us maintain our form.

Statistics

GRUPO C TABLE
	GP	GW	GD	GL	POINTS	GF	GA
R. MADRID	5	3	1	1	10	12	6
MILAN	5	2	2	1	8	7	6
O. MARSEILLE	5	2	1	2	7	9	7

REAL MADRID vs. O. MARSEILLE
	Games	GW	GD	GL	GF	GA
REAL MADRID	3	3	0	0	9	3
O. MARSEILLE	3	0	0	3	3	9

2003/04	16/09/03	Real Madrid	4	O. Marseille	2
Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo (2), Figo (p.); Drogba, Van Buyten.
2003/04	26/11/03	O. Marseille	1	Real Madrid	2
Mido; Beckham, Ronaldo.
2009/10	30/09/09	Real Madrid	3	O. Marseille	0
Cristiano Ronaldo (2), Kaka (p.).

Stream links for the game

Hala Madrid!

Adam Bader su Facebook

Real Madrid's Kaká Is Out For Injury Until January

Sun, 6 Dec 2009 21:13:07 -0800

I remember that one of the readers here has mentioned a couple of times that If Kaká was not going to be rested then he'd pick up an injury. Well, as you all know he got injured around a week ago. While I don't know If the injury that he picked up in the Clasico was due to overload or bad luck, the club wants to do just one thing at the moment: rest Kaká until January.

The decision was taken this morning. Initially, it had been reported that Kaká would only be missing a couple of games and could make it for the Valencia clash, but now he is going to miss the Zaragoza game as well even If he recovers before. The club doesn't want to take any risks and wants to give more time to the player to fully recover.

I will in no way hold the club responsible for Kaká's injury, but I think he shouldn't have played as much as he has so far. After Ronaldo got injured, the focus shifted to Kaká and he, although starting from Day 1, has been essential for the team, so It wasn't easy to rest him.

The Brazilian has played around 918 minutes and this explains a lot. This shows us that Pellegrini has been using him a lot in the league and Champions League regardless of his form -- he has been a key element in his starting lineup. In terms of performance, Kaká has been on and off and has only scored three goals. However, he has been essential and helped the team win on a few occasions with his killer assists (Against Espanyol, Zurich, Milan..etc)

In other news, Pellegrini has announced the list of the 20 men he is going to take to France to face Marseille in the Champions League tomorrow night. The list excludes Kaká, Van Nistelrooy, Metzelder and Guti who are all injured. However, Lass makes his return after missing the last game due to suspension.

Goalkeepers: Casillas, Dudek, Adan
Defenders: Arbeloa, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Albiol, Garay
Midfielders: Gago, Diarra, Lass, Drenthe, Xabi Alonso, Van der Vaart, Granero
Forwards: Raul, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain

I'll be previewing the game tomorrow morning, but I'd like to mention a few things here.

Marcelo has been in fine form and a starter as well, and now with Kaká sidelined I think he has more chances to feature against Marseille tomorrow. However, I'd like Van der vaart to start instead. I don't know about you, but Rafael has been pumped up as of late, and his performance against Almeria really really impressed me. I think he deserves to start, not necessarily ahead of Marcelo, but with Ronaldo fit, Lass back, and Granero and Benzema in improved form, I think Pellegrini will have to replace the Brazilian.

There is a good chance that Raúl starts because he hasn't been featuring much in the league recently and If he does, he'll be fired up. I believe Pellegrini made a correct decision with limiting Rau'l's playing time and started more consistent players instead and the results speak for themselves. However, I know for sure that either Higuain or Benzema's form will drop and here where I want to see Raúl or Ruud especially the later. The Dutchman is close to recovery and when he is fit, I want him to play. We can make a good use of him before he leaves.

So the important thing remains the same -- winning at Merseille is a must -- no question about that. This should be our priority now and we shouldn't be thinking about the Valencia game. A defeat against the French will complicate it for us, so we have to be careful.

Until tomorrow

Hala Madrid!

Adam Bader su Facebook

Real 4-2 Almeria | Real Madrid planning a £50m bid for Cesc Fabregas

Sun, 6 Dec 2009 03:40:35 -0800

"I'm human and I made a mistake. I have my flaws too, but I am a professional who doesn't like to miss or lose. I was sent off because I reacted instinctively. I wish to apologize for that."

There you have it. Cristiano Ronaldo apologizes for having some passion -- for taking his shirt off and for being soaked up in the match and not being aware of his actions. If you forget the tussle with Michel for a second, you'd realize he should be the man of the match If it wasn't Van der vaart.

Pellegrini thinks it was a matter of passion as well and so does Valdano.

The coach said:

"I don't think Cristiano did anything wrong. He lamented not scoring from the penalty, which is normal. He always celebrates every goal with his team-mates. Each person interprets things as they want, but I can guarantee you he is a good team-mate."

Valdano:

"Cristiano is a very passionate player and has a very positive effect on the team. His energy helps the team pull through when in doubt. Nevertheless, that passion makes him make mistakes such as taking his shirt off when he shouldn't."

Now please don't make a fuss about it. Ronaldo was not selfish when he didn't celebrate Benzema's goal. He was gutted. He wanted to score. That's it. Don't create other stories.

It is rather simple. He made a mistake. Thing is, If you are not a football player yourself (like most of football fans, ironically) you won't understand why he made it and why it is hard to avoid to make it. Theoretically, it would be easy to avoid taking your shirt off after scoring, but at that moment you are soaked in passion and you don't know what the hell is going around you, it is extremely difficult

The only solution to this emotion-managing problem that I know is to keep trying hard to put everything under control. It is not easy and no matter how hard you try you'll slip up, but you'll avoid it most of the time.

The fact that Ronaldo acted in that way doesn't portray him as unprofessional, or makes him a less successful player. He didn't butt a defender in his chest, and he didn't do what Pepe did against Getafe last season either. He kicked Michel because the later had hit him in the head aiming for sending Ronaldo off, and he succeeded. It was a normal reaction which should have been controlled.

Ronaldo was the key man, but he wasn't alone. The whole team played very well in the first half except that we missed the last touch (like in the Clasico) which could have cost us a lot. We also have to give Almeria's goalkeeper, Diego Alves, some credit as he was outstanding.

Alonso, Granero, Van der vaart, Ronaldo and Ramos all had a fantastic first half. Almeria didn't have a single shot on our goal, and we created a lot of chances through crosses, corners, through the defenders..etc, it was probably our best first half in addition to the ones against Milan and Barcelona this season.

The second half was another story. Almeria struck twice in 15 minutes through Soriano and Uche. Defensive mistakes cost us two goals this time, but the team showed spirit and came back from 1-2 to win 4-2 through goals from Higuain, Benzema and Ronaldo.

To say that it was a perfect game, it is exaggeration. We still have this problem of starting very well and then slowing down (in all areas) -- and this cost us the games against AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. We just don't finish our opponents off. We gotta work on this.

Pellegrini made a change that I thought was strange.

Benzema for Van der vaart? I mean, Rafael was having his best game of the season. He was our playmaker and most dangerous midfielder in the first half, and most importantly, he was putting in the effort. He was determined.

Then in the second half, Pellegrini decides that he should be replaced with Benzema. I think it should have been Marcelo instead as he, although had a decent game, was our weakest link, but Pellegrini wanted to play with three strikers up front.

Raul was warming up but he didn't go in as the game changed after we were up 3-2. Pellegrini sent in Diarra and Drenthe later in the game for Marcelo and Alonso to secure the victory. Nothing special there, but it was a normal tactical and correct decision.

So with Ronaldo suspended and Kaka injured, we'll have a more difficult task against Valencia next weekend, but although upset that Ronaldo will not make it, I'm a bit optimistic after seeing Van der vaart play well and Benzema score.

I'm confident that we will do well against a stubborn Valencia side If Pellegrini continues with the current starters and makes use of the excellent Granero and Van der vaart. I know he is under-pressure for ignoring Raul, but I think the results speak for themselves. Having said, I'd like the captain to play when Higuain or Benzema can't do the job inside the box as was the cast last night in the first half.

There is Olympic Marseille to take care of first and for that there is Ronaldo. It is, as I said before, a must-win game and I think it won't be a piece of cake, but we've showed a lot of potential last night to win games effectively.

The Daily Mail is once again linking us and Barcelona with Cesc Fabregas who could leave Arsenal this summer. The English paper quotes the daily silly Marca which claims that Perez is willing to table a £50m (€55m) bid to sign Fabregas.

All of us know how essential Fabregas is to Arsene Wenger and there is no chance that Arsenal will let him go easy. Additionally, Fabregas was a Barca youth teamer and I'd think he'd prefer to go back to Barcelona even though he has never ruled out a move to Real Madrid.

Regarding where he'd play If he came, I don't know. We have Alonso, Lass, Granero and Van der vaart who are doing a great job. I'm not even counting Guti and Gago because I no longer see them as part of the team and neither does Pellegrini (due to their inconsistent performances), still I think we are overloaded in this area.

If Perez is really serious then he might be thinking of offloading either Granero or Van der vaart, and more specifically the later. Fabregas is different to Van der vaart and is, as you all know, more similar to Alonso, so he'd initially compete with Alonso If Pellegrini wants two creative midfielders together (like last night) but I doubt he'd be dropping Lass anytime soon.

It is complicated, but it is all rumors. I can see Fabregas leaving Arsenal especially for Barcelona as Arsenal aren't as successful as they have been, but to Madrid? We would need a few risks football-wise and financially as well.

What do you think?

Hala Madrid!

Adam Bader su Facebook

Real Madrid Vs Almeria Live, Gago to leave Real Madrid + Pepe to renew his contract

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 21:03:29 -0800

UPDATE: Real Madrid 4-2 Almeria - Goal Videos

I can't help but laugh at both Marca and AS who announced two weeks ago that Pellegrini would be sacked a few minutes after the referee ends EL Clasico. It seems that they've either lost control over the club or that Perez wanted to make them look like idiots If he told them that he would sack Pellegrini.

Now, Pellegrini isn't completely satisfied with the result of the Clasico and I admire him for that. He had said before the game that he would not settle for anything but a win and I think his winning mentality helped us go neck-and-neck with Spain's and Europe's current champions. If you can remember, Bernd Schuster had raised the white flag a week before the Clasico last season and for that he was sacked.

Pellegrini, on the other hand, knew how to deal with the pressure and most importantly with the press which is now on his side. It is really weird If you ask me, because I thought Marca and AS would heavily criticize him, but instead they are on his side and are even trying to make excuses for the loss with their analyzes focused on lasers effecting the players and Puyol having the best game he has ever played.

So it is good to know that my beloved Marca and AS are not sacking Pellegrini anytime soon. I hope the coach in return doesn't disappoint them as they'll sack him, you know.

Now let's talk about the game although there isn't much to talk about, but I have a few things that I need to get off my chest and a couple of news bits to discuss.

Benzema

On the podcast (which you can find below), we discussed Benzema who has been under a lot of pressure recently. His critics claim that he is under-performing. That's not entirely false, but it is unfair to judge him at this stage. It is fair, however, to judge Higuain, Drenthe, Van der vaart, Ramos and Gago because they settled in a long time ago and had more time to adapt and focus on football.

Moving to another country, let a lone to a different club and league is not easy. Yes, there are people who perform well from day 1 (Lass & Van Nistelrooy for example) but they are in the minority. Zidane didn't shine until Week 13 of the league.

The point I'm trying to make is: Benzema has nothing to prove. He is one of the most skilled strikers in the world and that's why we signed him. The evaluation needs to be done after the season ends -- not just with Benzema but with everyone else including the coach.

The starting lineup

I'm convinced that the starting lineup we have been using since the Getafe game is a perfect one for Real or at least at this stage. With Arbeloa as a left-back, Ronaldo on the left, Benzema and Higuain upfront, we are more balanced offensively and are also defensively stronger.

It is fine to experiment but I feel that major changes are unnecessary. We can use our next friendly against Tirana, which will be played in Albania on the 20th of January and will bring us two million euros in revenue, to experiment with Castilla players or major lineup changes like the 4-3-3 we adopted against Alcorcon and failed miserably.

With that in mind, I hope the coach will play our same regular lineup against Almeria.

Gago

Marca says, while Pellegrini denies, that Gago wants to leave the club. I'm not surprised, but I thought that Gago was totally fine with being benched. It seems, however, that he wants a spot in Argentina's World Cup squad and that's why he wants to leave.

But now here is the question: why Gago isn't a starter?

My un-biased objective answer: Gago isn't a starter because he has had over two years to prove his worth and failed, plus there are others who are better than him.

Why are they better?

Well, they have been consistent like Lass. Gago has never been consistent. Alonso hasn't been consistent neither Guti has, but overall, Gago has had aroudn two years and a half to show his worth but never impressed.

My advice for him If he wants to stay at Madrid would be to work as hard as he can. If he can't do better than what he has done so far, then I wouldn't imagine seeing him a starter on another team, at least not at a club like AC Milan, Manchester United or Chelsea. I'm not sure If he has the talent, but If he does, then it is matter of working-hard and focus to improve.

Is selling him a good decision for Real and most importantly for Gago?

For both yes. Real have Lass, Diarra, Alonso, Granero, Van der vaart and Guti so there is a lot of competition and it is tough to go ahead of all of them especially If they are performing better and you are not ready.

Gago will need more playing time If he believes he hasn't reached his full potential and I think he can get better chances to play If he moves away.

Pepe to renew his contract + World Cup Draw

Here is a bit of news which came out this morning. AS says that Florentino Perez will get together with Jorge Mendes, Pepe's agent (who also happens to be Ronaldo's) to renew the player's contract which expires in 2012. The goal is to extend it until 2015 and there also might be an improved salary.

Pepe is undoubtedly the best center back we currently have despite the occasional weird mistakes he does. There was a lot of fuss about his arrival mainly due to his expensive price tag (€30m) but over time, he has proved his worth so it makes sense to renew his contract.

The other news is the World Cup Draw. I'm sure nobody missed it and there wasn't a lot of surprises there. My national team Italy is in a relatively easy group with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia.

Italians are known to mess up in the group stages but end up in the semi-finals or the finals later so don't be shocked If they struggled in the beginning.

Kaka and Marcelo will have to beat Ronaldo and Pepe If they want to top their group as Brazil, Portugal, Korea and Ivory coast are all in one group -- dubbed by Kaka as the group of death. A lot of Brazil fans are confident that it will be easy to beat Portugal, but I don't think that will not be the case. Also be aware of the other two teams especially Korea whose football has advanced in recent years.

Spain, on the other hand, is in Group H with Switzerland, Chile and Honduras. On paper, it is a piece of cake for Spain especially with the kind of football they are playing, but they'll have to focus and play as they are doing now.

For all the draw results, go here and for the reaction of our players go here.

More on the podcast

On this week's podcast, myself, Kevin, Corey and Mark got together to talk about EL Clasico, Benzema, Ronaldo and the Almeria game.

As always, you can subscribe to the podcast using this feedburner link (Apple hasn't yet approved us!), or you can either download this episode or listen to it below.

Hala Madrid!

Adam Bader su Facebook

Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid | EL Clasico, Ronaldo, Benzema & Marcelo

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:18:07 -0800

"I haven't seen Real much this season but they played very well. We were made to suffer because we had to play against a great team with great players."

That was Barcelona's captain Carles Puyol, who had one of his best games ever. If it wasn't him, we would have won. He saved his team many times by blocking balls from Marcelo and Higuain. I loved his spirit and he was truly outstanding last night.

We were very good as well although I don't like the fact that Barca controlled the game and had more ball possession than we did. We just seemed more dangerous and had we had the ball more often, we would have made a lot of damage.

It was evident that Pellegrini's team is improving, even little by little. I have said many times before that patience, faith, hard-work and consistency are crucial and I hope last night's performance convince those doubters everywhere.

However, to say that Real Madrid played very well last night is an exaggeration. To say that Pellegrini didn't make a mistake here or there or all of our players had an outstanding game is very subjective.

So, here are a few things I would like to mention:

No Benzema

Pellegrini started with Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Arbeloa, Lass, Alonso, Marcelo, Kaka, Ronaldo and Higuain. He used a 4-3-1-2 formation with Kaka behind Ronaldo and Higuain and Marcelo helping Arbeloa on the left to contain Messi.

It wasn't a bad formation and I understand that Higuain has been in amazing form, but I thought we would have been more effective had we started with Benzema and Gonzalo together.

First off, Benzema is someone who is very good with the ball. He has pace, powerful shooting and is physically strong and I'm very convinced that he would have made a lot of damage to Barcelona had he received the balls Marcelo and Higuain had.

When he came on in the second half for Ronaldo, he was very active and did create danger. He had a good goal-scoring chance but his ball went over the bar. He also used his talent to keep possession and create chances for his teammates, and that's why I'm convinced he should be a starter.

If you think he isn't playing to his full potential, that's right, just give him more time (we did give time to Gago, right?) and see what he will do.

Marcelo on the left instead of Ronaldo

As I mentioned above, Manuel used Marcelo plus Arbeloa on the left to shut down Messi and to prevent Alves from attacking so often. It worked to some point, and Marcelo actually went forward and attacked, but he wasn't having a good day at all.

The Brazilian, as the case with Higuain, has been in fine form as of late, but he was really bad last night. Not because he failed to score from that fantastic chance in the first half, but because he gave away a lot of balls to Barcelona and was both defensively and offensively ineffective. It was like we were one man down.

Effectiveness is a word that I probably overuse, but it is what describes a great player or team. We lacked effectiveness last night and so did Marcelo.

So I think Manuel should have reacted quickly. He should have immediately taken him off as he was not helping us at all. If I were him, I would have sent in Benzema and moved Ronaldo to the left.

Ronaldo was great

Considering that he hadn't played in something like two months, Cristiano Ronaldo gave a fine performance at the Camp Nou despite the booing, laser, and the hatred expressed by the home fans. He had a clear chance in the first half which Victor Valdes amazingly blocked and was a constant danger to Barcelona.

And to those who are complaining and thinking that Pellegrini was dumb to take him off, here is what you don't know. Ronaldo couldn't have started If Manuel didn't take some risks. Club doctors had told him that Ronaldo would only be able to play for no more than 60 minutes, and last night's game was not a normal one. It was physical and mental.

They were worried about his lungs not ankle. If you are a soccer player you'd understand that.

Had Ronaldo been in his best shape, would he performed better?

Absolutely!

But, was starting him a good decision?

Yes, although a tough one, but again he should have played on the left instead of Marcelo. We would have been more stronger that way.

What else to say?

Well, we should be proud of our performance. We are no Inter and we fought. Thanks to Xavi and Iniesta, Barcelona had an excellent midfield. And thanks to Ibrahimvoic, they had an effective man upfront who scored five minutes after he went in.

A draw would have been fair, right?

Yes, right, but Barcelona deserved to win.

What's next now?

Well, Almeria is next and we are still in a good position. We are just two points behind in the league and we still have another Clasico to play at the Bernabeu.

Keep the faith.

Hala Madrid!

EL Clasico: Barcelona Vs Real Madrid Live | Talking With The Enemy

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:42:56 -0800

EL Clasico: more than a football game.

The time has come. It is finally EL Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

I've always said I would choose to beat Barcelona home and away over winning the league, and I don't care If that doesn't make sense.

What also doesn't make sense is statistics, form guide, squad lists and preview talk. All of that is irrelevant when it comes to the Clasico. It is a different game full of passion, rivalry and thrill. It is the only game that makes me very nervous and worried. It is the only game that gives me tremendous joy when Real win or puts me really down when they lose. And it is the only game which all football fans will watch. Millions, literally, millions of viewers will watch Messi, Ibrahimvoic, Henry, Xavi and Iniesta clash with Ronaldo, Benzema, Kaka, Alonso and Casillas. This is the game of the season.

In order to provide you with the best analysis of both teams, I've sat down with my friend and Barcelona blogger Isaiah Cambron to talk about the game and Barcelona. The best way to learn more about your opponent is to ask one of its passionate fans, and not only is Isaiah passionate but biased too -- though it is totally understandable.

Anyway, read what we both had to say about the game and let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

Adam: First off, congrats on the new blog. I hope we will see a post bashing how badly Barca played against Real after the game.

Isaiah: You won't, of course, but it's adorable that you have your Christmas wish list out already. Would you also like a Mickey Mantle rookie card?

Adam: We will see ;). I have seen some of Barcelona matches this season and no matter how many new players they sign or promote from the second team, they still pretty much play with the same style which I find amazing. What do you think is the key to all of that? Is it the coach? You changed him a season ago.

Isaiah: The continuity of style comes from La Masia, Barça's youth academy. Not only is it heavily supported financially, it's actually located across the street from the Camp Nou, meaning the kids grow up looking at the stadium they will one day play in, if they're good enough. Everyone who comes out of La Masia has been trained in the specific Barça style, probably best summed up by Guardiola when he said his team absolutely hates not having the ball: when you don't have the ball, you don't control the match, so go get the ball and keep it. Because it's a highly technical style reminiscent of Total Football, Barça Atletic players are working more on their future than on winning in the short term in the lower leagues. They are often called up to the first team to gain experience or blood them, so to speak.

The story of La Masia started 20 years ago, in 1989, when Johann Cryuff wanted to establish a system that would reinforce his vision of how the club should play. One of the first students/players to attend La Masia was Pep Guardiola, so the continuity of style is fairly understandable and expected, though certainly the success of last season was mind-boggling for a first-year coach.

Because Madrid has spent such a gargantuan amount of money on their latest squad members, are the expectations in the Madrid camp and among the fan base drastically higher than they usually are? What is your personal take on this offseason's expenditures and how they've done so far?

Adam: Well, I think all big teams spend a lot of money. Barca have spent a lot in the last two seasons as well. How do you expect to sign someone like Messi or Ronaldo?

One of the problems Real have is the media, in particular Marca and AS. They rarely provide constructive criticism and only care about traffic and more sales. Statistically speaking, Real Madrid is the best in Spain and Europe, but when it comes to beautiful and collective football, this is not really the case. I think we have done very well so far. As a matter of fact, we haven't had such a great start in La Liga in something like 18 years. All of that with a new president, new coaching staff, and new players. We are the first in the league and in the Champions League and we are told we play poor football. I wonder If we play very well, how far could we go!

I believe Perez has managed to build a balanced squad and all of that spending was natural. As I said earlier, you must pay a lot to bring those world-class players. We only need patience and faith. It doesn't matter If we don't win this year, our goal should be to build a strong squad for the next seasons.

Alright, so many people think that Messi and now Ibrahimovic are the most important players for Barca. I agree to some point, but I think while they are really important, in my opinion, Barca would struggle without Xavi and Iniesta. They are the backbone of the midfield, do you agree?

Isaiah: I have to agree that while Messi obviously provides the razzle and Ibra the dazzle, Xaviniesta is the key to everything. They control not only the possession game in terms of moving the ball around, but also the tempo. It's rare to find a Barça attack not going through one of them and usually the attacks start with them. They're also extremely essential in getting Messi one-on-one situations where he's virtually unstoppable. If you can somehow stop both of them (via man-marking) you can sometimes shut the whole team down, but their versatility and sheer talent is usually too much for that to be an effective strategy, meaning for the most part that you can play in a shell or you can die by the sword. Obviously we're lucky to have both of them, but isn't it interesting that Iniesta was a Madridista as a child and wanted to play for Madrid B until they didn't offer him a spot and Barça did?

Adam: Well, the reason Iniesta went to Barca was becaused Real's training grounds where near an area populated by hookers so his parents had their worries and didn't want his allownce to be spent on condomes, even though I think he is spending 50% of his salary at Barca on chicks and condomes now. I'm not joking, this is the reason. Our training grounds where located in a family-unfriendly area (of course at night), though I wouldn't mind living there If I moved to Madrid during the summer!

Anyway, what are your thoughts on Barca's performance this season so far both in La Liga and the Champions League. Are you satisifed, or do you think the team is not performing to its full potential?

Isaiah: For the most part I'm satisfied because we've only lost once in all competitions (1-2 against Rubin Kazan) and we've done so without a fully healthy squad. This might be the first match we have all of our available pieces fit enough to take part (Milito doesn't count), which would be good, but also means that the squad hasn't fully gelled. Because of that lack of consistent playing time together, I think we're not even close to our full potential--Ibra brings so much to the table, but hasn't fully integrated into the system so when he does, we'll be a force to be reckoned with. The Champions League has obviously been slightly disappointing thanks to two scoreless draws (at Inter and at Rubin), but it's hard to be very disappointed in first place with one game left to play, especially coming off our last match, where we torched a very good Inter squad while fielding an irregular lineup (thanks to the aforementioned injuries).

How about your team's performances? Given the inconsistency in Real's season (9-1-1 in the league and first in their Champions League group, but out of the Copa del Rey), how do you think that Pellegrini will approach this match? Will he put out a defensive shell or will he try to outplay Barça?

Adam: Well, in his pre-match press conference he said he will not settle for anything less than a victory. I like his winning mentality and I think Real Madrid must always aspire to win. Having said that, I think he'll be extra careful. He has played Barcelona many times, he beat them and was trashed by the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi so he knows them very well. This will really help us a lot. I don't expect him to park a bus in front of goal, but he will in no way play a very very open game. As you said Isaiah, Barca loves to keep the ball, and the only way for Real to win is to disallow them from having it and to score from as much changes as they can get. Effectiveness in front of goal will be essential for Real.

Can you update us a little bit on Barcelona in terms of injuries or suspensions?

Isaiah: We have no suspensions, but there's some doubt as to the fitness levels of Ibra and Messi, who are training fully with the squad, but aren't necessarily fully fit in the sense that they haven't played competitive matches since their injuries. Yaya Toure is returning from the swine flu and Dani Alves has a slight ankle knock that kept him out of full practice on Thursday, but was back to full training today (Friday). Abidal is apparently fully fit after making a surprisingly fast recovery from both a leg problem and the swine flu, meaning that this might be the first time Guardiola has everyone available.

What about you? What noteworthy injuries or suspensions is Madrid currently dealing with?

Adam: We don't have any suspensions as well. However, we do have a few injured players including Guti, Metzelder and Van Nistelrooy. Guti's case has been both mysterious and controversial, but my take on it, is that Pellegrini no longer includes Guti in his plans. Add to that the fact that Guti misbehaved during the Alcorcon game in Copa Del Rey. I fully back Pellegrini, and If I were him, I would actually kick Guti out of the club altogether. Nobody disrespects the manager!

So, who do you think are the most effective, consistent and dangerous players on the Barcelona squad that Real should be aware of?

Isaiah: Xaviniesta are a hydra-headed machine of awesome that are just so hard to contain. Xavi is getting near his 500th match for the club, but shows no signs of slowing down or dropping in consistency. He's the one that runs the farthest in our system and the one who controls the strings of the offense. You can't, however, forget about Seydou Keita if he starts (do you start him or Iniesta? If Keita, who do you start up front?) because he'll do the dirty work and also crash the box for powerful headers. He somehow has 6 goals already this year, 3 from a hattrick, even though he only had 5 all of last year. He's become a serious offensive threat and a defensive juggernaut. Forgetting about him means pain when he reappears to score.

What about Madrid, who will be the most decisive player and why?

Adam: This is a very good question, but I'm going to say that Real Madrid doesn't really depend on a player. It may look like we depend on Higuain or Ronaldo, but in fact, we are trying to play as collectively as we could. I'm not saying that that players like Higuain and Ronaldo are not important, I would be laying If I said that, but we can still win without them. Having said that, If Ronaldo plays and I know he is fired up, I think Guardiola should develop a plan to contain his danger. There is also Kaka who is unpredictable, as well as Benzema and Higuain who partner up very well.

A related question: does the fact that Real have game-changing players like Kaka, Ronaldo, Alonso and Benzema worry you? Who do you think will be influential for Real?

Isaiah: Worry is probably not the right word for my emotional state at the moment. I'm conscious of their abilities, of course, but no, I'm not worried. I trust Barça to put the hammer down on Sunday. That said, there's no doubt that Kaka is the one I will have my eye on the most. He'll have it tough through the middle with us, but in my opinion he's the best player in the squad (yes, better than C. Ronaldo) and his slicing runs can open holes in a defense. Benzema doesn't worry me at all, actually, because I don't think he's integrated with the squad enough yet. He'll be a threat in the future, but for now I think Higuain is a better player and a better fit for RM's attack. If RM deploys a doble pivote (Xabi Alonso and Lassana Diarra, I would imagine, since Gago has been fairly awful this year), I think they're walking into a trap that would allow Barça to control the midfield and thus the game. I think Pellegrini would do better to put out a single holding/defensive midfielder, but hey, what do I know?

Though wait, regarding Pellegrini and his selections, will Raul get the start or will Pellegrini continue to put him on the bench? He's been hugely influential in past Clasicos, of course, so will he be able to work some more magic for RM this time around? What are your general thoughts on your captain's current position within the squad and where do you see him at the end of this season?

Adam: My general thoughts on Raul have always been the same. He is a football legend that made history at the club. But as with all strikers and footballers in general, you reach a period when you can't play well consistently. It is a fact and nobody can deny it. I don't consider it as Raul's problem, it is just a natural thing. We want him to retire whenever he thinks it is the right time to do so, but the team is more important. So the solution is to bench Raul when he is not at his best form, and make a good use of him when he is fired up. It is impossible for a striker, let a lone someone who is above 30 to perform consistently during the whole season.

If I were Pellegrini I wouldn't start Raul against Barca. I know that he adds some flavor to the Clasico, but I would only consider starting him If Ronaldo started. The reason being, If Ronaldo starts, that will naturally add a lot of strength to our attack. Also that will free up some space for Raul as the focus will shift to Ronaldo. The Captain has no pace or dribbling skills and that's why I prefer Benzema and Higuain. Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised If he started or even scored. Pellegrini can be unpredictable and so can Raul.

Now, without bias, what do you think of Real this season and do you see them winning the Clasico?

Isaiah: I don't have an unbiased bone in my body when it comes to RM, to be honest. Still, I think it's fair to say that they haven't really been playing scintillating football. I've watched maybe five of their matches and found myself wondering where their creativity went--it's possible, of course, that it went into the medical center with Ronaldo's injury, but even before that I didn't think they were lighting the world on fire. They're obviously solid (nine wins in eleven matches is no joke), but fun to watch is not how I would describe it.

They definitely have a chance to win the match on Sunday, but I don't see it happening, not when Barça has won all five of their home matches and controlled them the entire time. Julio Baptista might have something to say about that, of course, but since he's not going to be playing, I feel confident in saying that RM will not win.

In any case, what is your prediction and lineup?

Adam: Sorry, this is the Clasico - no predictions. It would be dumb to predict the result of a game between Barcelona and Real Madrid. No previous stats, numbers or form guide is relevant in this case. There will be a lot of factors that will decide the game, but small details and who will be 100% concentrated and effective will win.

My lineup is: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Garay, Arbeloa, Lass, Alonso, Kaka, Ronaldo, Higuain and Benzema.

You said you are confident you'll win, now show me your lineup!

Isaiah: Valdes, Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Yaya, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Ibra, Messi. Classic 4-3-3. Final score: 2-0, goals by Messi and Ibra. Visca el Barça!

Hala Madrid!

FACT: Real Madrid Is The Best Team In Spain And Europe

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:42:27 -0800

One Real Madrid fan was bragging saying

"Heck, we are bashed out for not playing well while we are the best team in Spain and Europe, offensive, defensively or however you look at it."

Well, as a matter of fact, he was not bragging. He was saying the truth.

Thing is, the media can be, sometimes or most of the times, misleading and evil. Take a look at the Spanish dailies for example, two to mention in particular: Marca & AS (the later's name is derived from assholes by the way). All they care about is getting Pellegrini sacked.

No matter how many games the coach wins or how effectively and collectively we play, the Spanish media portrays Pellegrini as the only problem the club has. It is undeniable that Manuel has made a few mistakes so far, but he is clearly not the problem nor it is the players. The major and real problem as I said previously relies within the philosophy and mentality of the club.

There are three things that have been going on at the club for over seven years now. Changing presidents, changing coaches, and of course changing a dozen of players at once.

Just take a look back at what happened this summer. A new president, a new coach and a new group of players. This has happened a lot in a very short period of time and all the blame has always been one one person only which is the coach. It was rare that Raul, Guti, Ramos, Casillas or Van Nistelrooy were blamed for something. It was rare that the club's president was blamed for all of this. The media was just focusing on the coach for some reason or another and it has become very ridiculous recently with Marca and AS calling for Pellegrini's head everyday.

To those who say Real Madrid is history and fantasy football, I'll give you numbers, If that's your sort of thing.

Real Madrid are having their best start in about 18 years. They have collected a total of 28 points from possible 33 in just eleven games. They are also topping the league with Barcelona lagging with one point behind.

Statistically speaking, Real Madrid are the best in all aspects. In terms of defense, attack, holding possession, pressure on the opponent...etc see for yourself:

Defensive Statistics

STEALS
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	568	56.8
Barcelona	564	56.4
Sporting	553	55.3

SHUTOUTS
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	6	0.6
Deportivo	6	0.6
Barcelona	5	0.5

SHOTS ON TARGET BEFORE CONCEDING GOAL & TRIPS TO BOX BEFORE CONCEDING GOAL
Team	Shots	Trips to box
Real Madrid	18.25	41.63
Espanyol	14.3	33
Sevilla	14.14	38.43

Offensive Statistics

PLAYS IN OPPONENTS' BOX
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	76	15.2
Atletico Madrid	60	12
Valencia	42	8.4

POSSESSION ON THE ROAD
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	463	92.6
Osasuna	460	92
Racing	455	91

SHOTS AT HOME
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	110	22
Atletico Madrid	104	20.8
Sevilla	95	19

GOALS SCORED WITH THE RIGHT FOOT
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	17	1.7
Barcelona	12	1.2
Mallorca	12	1.2

GOALS SCORED BY INDIVIDUAL PLAY
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	10	1
Valencia	4	0.4
Sporting	2	0.2

Other Statistics

MOST LA LIGA MATCHES WON THIS SEASON
Team	Total	Average
Real Madrid	8	0.8
Barcelona	8	0.8
Sevilla	7	0.7

Now let's analyze our performances in the Champions League. Just after five games, Real sit first on the table (with 10 points) while other teams praised for their fantastic performances (by the likes of Marca and AS) such as Barcelona and Inter Milan are struggling with the possibility of them being eliminated (and I'm not going to talk about Liverpool) and no, Real's group is tough as well. AC Milan, Olympic Mersielle and Zurich are not easy, trust me.

Some interesting stats:

Real Madrid have scored in all five UCL matches this season.
Real Madrid have carried our more plays in attack than any other team (496), followed by Porto and Atletico Madrid (480). Two-hundred fifty-nine of the 496 have been at home, which ranks first among UCL teams.
Real Madrid have carried out 29 plays in their opponents' box at home and share the lead in this category with Barcelona.
Real Madrid is the most efficient direct free-kick taking team thanks to Ronaldo’s two goals in Matchday 1. Fifty percent of Real Madrid’s direct free-kicks have resulted in goals, while Olympique Lyonnais are second at 33.33%.
Real Madrid’s three set-piece goals are best among all teams and put them in a three-way tie with Olympique Lyonnais and Girondins Bordeaux.
Real Madrid force most corners in their favor. They have taken over 40 corner kicks.

After last night's game, you should see more numbers than the above. The bottom line is, Real are not doing as bad as the Spanish media is saying.

That is not to say Real are playing beautiful football. They are just playing football and getting results. I can't see a team at the moment which is producing amazing results and playing sexy football week in and week out. Not even Barcelona.

Plus, considering that the team is new, from its supreme (Perez) to the new secretary (which I met in Madrid and is hot), these are not horrible results at all. Add to that the fact that Ronaldo has been out for about two months. Pellegrini had to cope without him and anyone would be liar If he told you Real didn't miss him.

Now that he is back, you should see more improvements. He only played for 10 minutes last night and changed everything.

It would be interesting to see how Marca react to these statistics and it would be awesome to see their reaction If Real beat Barca. After all, they set the Clasico as the day when Pellegrini will be sacked!

Hala Madrid!

Real Madrid Vs FC Zürich Live Stream

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:53:38 -0800

Ronaldo is back!

Just a quick post about tonight's game as I didn't have a lot of time to produce a thoughtful preview.

Rumors floating around suggest that Raul will be starting tonight while Benzema will warm the bench. The French striker has started in the last 10 games against Tenerife, Marseille, Seville, Valladolid, Milan, Alcorcón, Getafe, Milan (in the San Siro), Atletico and Racing.

Just to do a simple comparison between Raul and Benzema (as I know a lot of the readers here have been debating on who is better), the captain has played 952 minutes and scored five goals while Karim has played 978 and only scored four goals. However, Raul scored once every 244 minutes, while Benzema scored once ever 190 minutes.

Statistically speaking, both seem equal but it seems that Benzema is more compatible with the likes of Higuain, Kaka and Ronaldo. Moreover, he is a more talented player, whereas Raul is better in terms of positioning.

It would be wrong to compare Benzema to Raul at this stage. There is a lot of factors and variables in here let alone the fact they are two different players. I might do a future post on this.

Now to the match and as I said, Benzema will be on the bench and Raul will start -- that's at least what I heard. With that in mind, and with a full squad save for Guti (who DID train but was not called due to his flu thing), I think Pellegrini will go for this lineup:

Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Arbeloa, Alonso, Lass, Kaka, Marcelo, Higuain and Raul.

Ronaldo should obviously be on the bench but we'll surely see him in the second half. There is also Van Nistelrooy, Granero, Van der vaart and Benzema whom we can all use in case we needed to. A win for Real and another for Milan will see both go through to the knock-out stages.

This is a must win game regardless of how Milan do against Olympique de Marseille. It will be also another boost for us before EL Clasico next weekend.

Stream Links for Real Madrid Vs FC Zürich

More will be added during the game.

Hala Madrid!

Real Madrid 1-0 Santander | Los Blancos Top La Liga!

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:10:13 -0800

Real Madrid are having the best start they've had in the league in the last 18 years. Not only that -- statistically speaking, they are the best team in Spain in terms of defense, attack, holding possession, technique and effectiveness in front of goal.

While all of that is over-looked by the media and the majority of Real Madrid fans, Pellegrini continues to improve the team and provide good results.

Last night's win over Santander at the Bernabeu was important not just because it pushed us to the first place on the league's table as Barca were held in a 1-1 draw against Bilbao, but the team also managed to fix some of the issues we have been talking about in recent weeks.

Pellegrini started with Casillas, Arbeloa, Pepe, Garay, Drenthe, Alonso, Granero, Kaka, Marcelo, Higuain and Benzema. It had been rumored before the game that he would start with a three-man attack (Higuain, Raul and Benzema) but he later decided that Raul would sit on the bench for the fourth consecutive game, something that hasn't happened in ages.

The results of continuing with playing with this lineup don't disappoint. Real Madrid have won four games and drawn just once with this compination of players. Three of these games were intense -- against Getafe, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, so what's the key?

I think there are three things that make this lineup work.

Arbeloa on the left isn't as bad as Marcelo/Drenthe playing in their not-so-favorite position. Yes, Alvaro is originally a right-back but he did play for Liverpool on the left and there was nothing preventing us from experimenting with him. He played on the right last night as Ramos was suspended and he did a very very good job. Not only did he defend well, but he also went forward on many occasions and contributed to our attacking efforts. Once Ramos is back, I would like Pellegrini to move Arbeloa to the left. Drenthe and Marcelo are more effective as wingers and the proof is their performances. Marcelo looks more dangerous than ever when he knows someone is behind him and protecting the backline while Drenthe's improved dribbling skills and pace can be used in a better way If he plays as a winger.
Higuain and Benzema starting together upfront gives us many options. They are not entirely similar. Higuain is more of a traditional striker who is also good with the ball, but Benzema is something different. I'm not necessarily saying he is just like Ronaldo (the Brazilian) but he is quite similar. Great technique, fantastic work with the ball, powerful shooting, physically strong and moreover, he is talented and can create something out of nothing. Plus, he seems compatible with Higuain in attack as the two seemingly understand each other.
I've already mentioned this, but thanks to moving Arbeloa to the left side of the defense we can now have some wingers in the midfield. We sold Robben and Sneijder in the summer so we had to rely on Ronaldo, but since he is injured we haven't played with any pure wingers until Pellegrini did the Arbeloa experiment and used Marcelo on the wing. The Brazilian added something to our performances. He gave options to his teammates. Kaka would look for Benzema, Higuain or Raul, but now he has a certain Marcelo running along the wing. Not only he provided solutions but also goals. One goal to highlight is the one against Atletico Madrid. The way it was scored it illustrates how compatible Marcelo can be with our attacking line. The one-two with Benzema and the narrow angle from which he scored -- pure class.

Furthermore, there was a good point to consider last night. The team actually controlled the tempo of the game. You know why? Alonso was in mood. For the first time in a while, Xabi Alonso was pretty effective. Great passing, but most importantly great leadership in the back. I have been talking about how much we miss a leader in our defensive line and Alonso filled that role last night. If you can watch the match again, just watch him as he instructs Garay, Pepe, Arbeloa and whoever is near him to do this or to do that. I think he is capable of performing this role for a couple of reasons:

Having played with Liverpool for five years, he has the required experience to instruct others. Not only that, his personality qualifies him to be a leader and not just his important role as the team's backbone.
Due to his creative mind and vision during the game, he is mentally active and can alert his teammates and wake them up from their occasional day dreams.

Alonso did not make a single mistake last night and he seemed comfortable playing with Granero, the other new face in addition to Garay in the starting lineup. I don't think his good performance was as a result of the absence of Lass -- on the contrary, I think with Lass, he should have more freedom and feel "safer" knowing a high-performing and fast Lass can do all the tackling and dirty work.

The goal wasn't really spectacular. Kaka crosses the ball, Garay heads it, it gets reflected but Higuain makes sure it goes into the back of the net.

Benzema's goal was nicer, but he unfortunately was offside. Speaking of offsides, Santander's goal, which was ruled out for the same reason as well, was legitimate and their coach, Miguel Angel Portugal, didn't really bother to complain about it saying :

"Other teams have come here and played in a more ambitious manner, and been thrashed. The disallowed goal was legal.

"But referees make mistakes, like players and coaches. On this occasion, it has cost us.

It might haven't cost Santander as much as it did cost Ireland, but their defeat last night will put them in a very critical situation even though it is too early to be worried. However, Atletico Madrid's last minute defeat to Deportivo will give the Verdiblancos another chance to get up and steer away from the relegation zone.

So while the scoreline doesn't reflect how well the team played and controlled the game in the first half and most of the second half, it is crystal clear there has been an improvement, especially since the Getafe game. It is unfair to rate the team's performance only by depending on the scoreline.

The coach said:

"We had chances to score more goals, but we didn't finish them off. We played a rather good game despite the fact that Racing focused on defending for the most part. We played very well at the start."

"We've played worse in other games and nevertheless scored more goals. It is important to win as many games as we can to grow confident. Our performance tonight was neither good nor bad."

As Pellegrini says, we've played worse and scored a shower of goals in some of our previous games, and guess what? Everyone complained saying we win thanks to individual performances and not to beautiful collective football.

Now some are still complaining that one goal is not enough. I completely agree for one reason which is: one goal is not enough to secure a game but it is perfectly enough to win a game. As long as the team is playing well, the goals will come whether a couple or a dozen. We have to concentrate on our collective performance and don't worry about goals, they'll come.

So in conclusion, it was a good game. We looked confident again and considering this was our first match after the international break and with a few key players absent, we did well.

We have an important game in the Champions League against Zurich who were kicked out yesterday from Switzerland's Cup by Basel (they lost 4-2) and it is a must-win encounter. We could also see the return of Ronaldo to action even though he would only have a few minutes but it would be very important if he made it as we travel to Barcelona next weekend for the famous EL Clasico.

Speaking of Barcelona, things aren't really looking too great for them. Not only did they they drop two points against Bilbao last night and lost the pole position to us, they also have a few injured key players. Ibrahimbovic and Messi will miss their Champions League clash with Inter and it is also highly unlikely that they will make it in time for the Clasico. There is also Abidal and Toure who have caught the Swine Flu virus and have been prevented from training with the team to make sure the other players don't get infected. It is unknown If they will play in the Clasico so I will have some updates for you regarding this.

In the meantime, I sincerely hope that all of their players completely recover. Football aside, it sucks to hear that a friend or a family member catches the flu especially with all the scary coverage of the media. It is really a big blow to Barca and while they can somewhat cope without Abidal ad Toure, it will be hard for them to play as effectively as before without Messi and Ibrahimovic.

So Madridistas, that's it for today. I'm trying to keep a consistent and daily posting schedule (blogging in the morning before going to school) and I need your encouragement to keep it up.

Until tomorrow.

Hala Madrid!