Valencia 3 - 2 Real Madrid - Spanish Super Cup Review/Preview
Written by Adam Bader on Saturday, 16 August 08, 09:55 AM
Review:
Last night I had to visit someone and therefore I missed the match. From the reports and your comments, it seems that the defense sucked badly. I expected that with the absence of Pepe and Cannavaro.
I also heard that Robinho was crap. Not good for him, but If he was pretending to be crap to move to Chelsea, then he must be a jackass.
Anyway, I apologize for not providing more in-depth analysis, but boys, you all kick ass so please provide them in the comment section and I will include them here in the post.
UPDATE: here are my favorite comments so far, please keep them comin' and I will add them up here.
Dridian says:
Robinho looks like s@!t today, he looks so lazy, why wasn't he running?...Arjen Robben he is a worldclass player, he made R.Madrid looks exciting, and he covered alot of distance in the short time. Ruud he is still RUUD....Raul age showing
HalaMadrid says:
I think Robben outclassed Robinho today, the run in the second goal was phenomenal, that just shows the people who call him glass what he can do, but RObinho, to me, looked dead, he wasn't very involved in the game.Nontheless, our attack was brilliant, defense...what is Schuster thinking?:S Thank God we'll hvae Pepe for the second leg. It should be a great game at the Bernebeau, Hala Madrid!
Schuster's comments:
"There's still much to do at this early stage of the season. I'm sure we will play much better before our fans."
"We knew the game would be intense because a title is at stake. I think both sides played well, but some things still don't work at this point in the season. I think both teams had good moments."
"Valencia are returning to be the team we expect them to be. None of us understood what happened to them last year. They mostly have the same players. I think they are on the right path to improving."
"The four starting defenders had played more games than anyone else in the pre-season, so I decided they were the best to start. We should be careful and avoid forcing players who haven't played more than 45 minutes per game to make too much of an effort."
"What I least liked is that we gave Valencia too much life at some points. We lost concentration at times and lost the ball too quickly. On the other hand, we reacted well to the 2-1 result. I think we did some very good things, but not everything is working as well as we hoped."
"We will have to fight hard for 90 minutes next week. Winning 1-0 would be enough for us to win the title. We will play much better at the Bernabéu; I believe we will come back to win the title."
"Robben has worked hard throughout the pre-season; this could be his year."
MATCH REPORT:
3 - Valencia: Hildebrand; Miguel, Albiol, Alexis, Moretti; Albelda, Baraja (Fernandes, 74'), Joaquín (Pablo Hernández, 64'), Mata (Vicente, 70'); Silva & Mata.
2 - Real Madrid: Casillas; Salgado (Ramos, 63'), Javi García, Heinze, Torres; Diarra, De la Red, Van der Vaart, Robinho (Robben, 63'); Raúl (Guti, 73') & Van Nistelrooy.
Goals:
0-1 (13'): Van Nistelrooy.
1-1 (55'): Juan Mata.
2-1 (59): Villa.
2-2 (67'): Van Nistelrooy.
3-2 (80'): Vicente.
Next leg:
- Real Madrid - Valencia
- 24/08/2008
- Santiago Bernabéu
Preview:
Real Madrid kick off their new season with the Super Cup match against Valencia at the Mestalla tomorrow night. Bernd Schuster is having a hard time adjusting his lineup with a lot of absent players including Pepe, Cannavaro, Sneijder, Codina and probably Guti due to their respective injuries while Drenthe, Gago and Marcelo are on international duty.
There is also Robinho who is reportedly refusing to travel with the team to Valencia until his issue is resolved, and thats why Pedja Mijatovich is set to meet him in Valdebabes today. Spanish papers suggest that Pedja is gonna offer him 4m euros as a maximum to improve his salary while Robinho demands 5m euros and Chelsea are offering 6m euros, but If Pedja will really up his salary to 4m, Robinho will likely take it and lets hope he will.
Back to the match, thats being said, Schuster is in a tough situation. He has to make sure that the defense is solid, the midfield is capable of breaking and assisting and the attack effective enough.
Here is my lineup for tomorrow match, please post yours in the comments:
Goalie: Casillas
Iker has returned and he is gonna fill in this space unless Schuster gives some love to Dudek, but I think it will be Casillas.
After a phenomenal season with Real and awesome Euro with Spain and in addition to the long deserved vacation he had, Casillas should be goddamn ready!
Right-Back: Ramos
There are many options here, but I think Ramos will feature here with Heinze and Metzelder as center backs.
Sergio is absouloutly not the old Sergio and has tremendously improved during the last couple of years and I hope we will see something good from him tomorrow.
Center-Back: Metzelder
The German has been cursed with injuries many times but here he is fit and healthy. We haven't seen much from him and he has never impressed me, but Schuster has no option but to drop him in. Go Metz Go!
Center-Back: Heinze
With both kings, Pepe and Cannavaro out, Heinze is the guy who will lead the defense. He has a lot of experience having played for Fergie and for Argentina, so It is a good idea to partner him up with Metz, this means that Torres will take the left back position.
Left-back: Torres
Capello discovered him in a cave, I mean Capello brought him into the first squad and the lad had a good season, but with the arrival of Pepe, Heinze and Metzelder, he couldn't earn himself a spot, but this match should give him another chance to prove himself.
Personally, I like Torres, he has the potential to be a good defender, but as the same with all youngsters at big clubs, he needs consistency which is usually difficult to have.
Defensive Midfielder: Diarra
The humble cute guy is here and he is gonna kick ass. He has had an awesome vacation I assume and so he gotta be ready.
I expect him to help crushing their midfield and keep an eye on their most dangerous players.
Offensive Midfielder: Van Der Vaart
With Guti possibly sidelined and Sneijder fucked up for three months, Van Der Vaart will lead the midfield and he will do that brilliantly.
On his debut, he was awesome and he proved that he is a good signing and so I wouldn't be surprised if he played well tomorrow, he is the kind of player who adapts quickly and engage with the team well.
Left-Wing: Robinho
Hopefully, Robinho will travel with the team. He is crucial for us, and I really do expect him to play.
Right-Wing: Robben
I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of him and he has never impressed me, but his performances with the Netherlands in the Euro were phenomenal. So he is gonna surely start, no doubt about that.
Striker: Van Nistelrooy
Ruud dumped Holland so he focuses more on Real Madrid. He is still one of the best strikers in the world and every single defender fears him. Tomorrow night, he is gonna start, Schuster can't bench a Dragon like this, he would be a jackass then.
Striker: Rau'l
IL Capitano, I sometimes hate him for being stupid, but he has and will be one of the greatest players who have ever played for the club.
Matches like this, need someone like Rau'l. His leadership is important and since Schuster took over, Rau'l has been performing well, so lets hope that continues.
They are going through a tough period, however, big teams suffer but never die, so Schuster needs not to underestimate them. They are still a great team, and they have a cool bunch of players.
Mata and Villa are set to play after recovering from their respective injuries. We will see how Villa performs tomorrow, maybe he will impress Calderon and we will bring him on board. However, I hope he will have a bad match lol
Prediction:
I don't know, Apoc (one of my awesome readers) used to kick ass at predictions, but why dont you give it a shot yourself?
In the meantime, Hala Madrid!
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Robinho
Real Madrid
i totally agree with your lineup!i just have one question...why raul is stupid sometimes?plz answer...
I am sure we will concede. I don't know why but I'm having a strong feeling that we will concede. But irrespective of that we will win. Not like the 5-1 last time out but with a decent scoreline.
I must also say that I won't be surprised if it's a scoring draw and Villa while trying to impress our president does the job on us. 
But I'm a Madridista and I'm praying for a Madrid win.
Hala Madrid!!
I agree with you, we probably will concede as Valencia have a wonderful attack and our defense is not the same yet I have a feeling Heinze's going to be left-back and Javi Garcia will be centre-back.I hope for the best and if Robinho, Robben and VDV are at their best and with a little end product, sorry Valencia but you should really not think big because our attack only spells trouble. Hala Madrid!
Reply to MadristA4EveR:
I think Real is going to lose tomorrow unless Robinho plays,and if he played i am very sure that he will score a goal
Well, I can't deny that Robinho is crucial for us, and I actually said that in the article, but Real can still win without him so I disagree with you on this one.
Reply to lambros:
i totally agree with your lineup!i just have one question...why raul is stupid sometimes?plz answer...
Well, Raul is approaching retirement and he isn't anymore that Raul in 97,98,99,2000,2001..etc
He sometimes gets it wrong and cant convert passes, that me, a crappy guy can score them. I said stupid just referring to the fact that he is usually inconsistent, but he is undeniably a great player, no one disagrees here.
Real confirms that Robinho is traveling to Valencia, yay.
FAREWELL VALENCIA 
Hala Madrid, Hala Raul Gonzalelz Blanco, the Angel of Madrid! 
I just hope somewhere out there there's another Raul who can grace the Bernabeau with his wonderful skills, I just wish we would be more active with our Youth, they need chances 
Can't wait for the Super Cup *jumps*, Hala Madrid! 
, but i like all summer long and american badass 
45 Madridistas have commented on "Valencia 3 - 2 Real Madrid - Spanish Super Cup Review/Preview"
I think Real is going to lose tomorrow unless Robinho plays,and if he played i am very sure that he will score a goal
Reply to MadristA4EveR:
What a nice fan you are, very optimistic, right?
I think it should be a very tough game yet if every thing goes like it should, I say we're going to win 2-1 or if we play the Real Madrid way then I would say nothing short of 4-1. Robinho will play don't worry, those reports have been rubbished and he's in the squad. Hala Madrid!