RealmadridTalk

Atletico Madrid Vs Real Madrid | The RealmadridTalk Podcast Episode 7

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 08:43:45 -0600

Attention: We have a new home on Facebook, so If you are a Madridista, please go there and become a fan. Expect some awesome stuff too!

Atletico Madrid Vs Real Madrid - Matchday 10 - La Liga | 07/11/2009 - 22:00 CET | Vicente Calderon

The last time Real lost to Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon was back in 1999. Since then, we have won 29 times, drawn 20 and just lost 23. We have scored 112 goals and they scored 109. And you don't wanna bench Raul for this game, because he has always found the back of the net against the team where he started playing as a child.

However, whether Raul should play, after being benched for two consecutive games, or not, will of course be up to Pellegrini to decide. Personally speaking, I would continue with Benzema and Higuain upfront, because they deserve to have a chance and they haven't disappointed. Higuain scored two goals against Getafe and Benzema scored a historical goal against Milan in the San Siro.

With that being said, I wouldn't mind seeing Raul start as long as he gets replaced If he doesn't perform well. What I care about is our performance and it doesn't matter who starts as long as they deserve to.

The only injured player we have is Ronaldo who will be examined again in the Netherlands after 14 days. It is good to know a surgery is not needed because that would mean a three-month recovery time.

Guti will sit this one out as well. Pellegrini insists it is not a punishment and rather an injury issue. The club hasn't officially confirmed that nor has the player, so you don't know who to believe. My guess is, it is yes a punishment because I can imagine Guti disrespecting the coach and If I were Pellegrini I would exclude him for no more than three months.

The weird case is that of Albiol. He was sent off against Getafe and Real tried to appeal his suspension but they failed. Now guess what? He is in the squad list. This is either a mistake from the teach team or another try from Pellegrini to appeal his red card.

In addition to Ronaldo --Diarra, Drenthe and Adan will miss the game due to technical reasons while Metzelder and Garay are back into action.

Atletico have been having one of their worst seasons as they sit 18th on the table with just 7 points. They have also just fired their coach and installed Quique Sanchez Flores.

They have won one match so far, drawn four and lost another four, and conceded 19 goals putting them as the team who has given up most goals in the league. However, they haven't yet lost in the Vicente Calderon where their single win and three draws occurred.

They did show some good football against Chelsea the other day with Aguero being the key man. He is always dangerous and with the addition of Forlan up front they will surely cause us troubles.

As I always say, these kind of games are special. It would be wrong to assume that because we have owned them in their stadium for the last 10 years means we will surely win. They remain a great team and could turn things around, however, that gives us more motivation to do well, we just have to use that motivation and play well on the bench.

And for those who have been asking about the RealmadridTalk Podcast, It is back! I apologize for not producing the podcast in the last two weeks, as I was traveling and the other guys were busy, but we are back again!

In the 7th episode of the RealmadridTalk Podcast, Kevin and I talk about the Milan game and preview the Derby. Ignore the over use of the word "like" and my excessive passion for Real Madrid, but do pay attention to what I had to say about the team, Pellegrini, Guti, Raul and find out my preferred lineup and my prediction for the 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.

Manuel Pellegrini Follows Adam Bader's RealmadridTalk

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:02:58 -0600

Attention: We have a new home on Facebook, so If you are a Madridista, please go there and become a fan. Expect some awesome stuff too!

Casillas: Shhhh, we owned you, you bastards!

..... maybe because he stumbled across one of OleOle's ads in the stadium or he has heard of me. Either way, Pellegrini did everything I wanted him to do last night; he started with Benzema and Higuain, played Arbeloa as a left-back and most importantly, played his game. Read my preview and you'll see that my thoughts were exactly his. I'm not surprised, it is obvious and common sense, but I'm very happy to see him experiment and the reward was a great improvement in our collective performance.

We had over 13 shots on goal. We raped AC Milan in the first half, we totally owned them. Hadn't they had Pato on the team, they wouldn't have been able to be as dangerous as they where yesterday especially in the second half.

Kaka was everywhere. He had a lot of freedom and motivation to play well, and for that he was literally raped by the Milan defenders. I'm not trying to criticize the referee here but I thought there were some unnecessary and harsh tackles on Kaka. Some might say this is the price of being a dangerous player and I agree, but what's the referee doing there?

For the first time in three years, captain Raul sat on the bench for the SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAME. this is a WOW. This gives you an idea of how much preference Capello, Schuster, Ramos and Pellegrini have given to him. Many complain that he slows and limits our game, and I sort of agree, because he is a unique player that you need to build the lineup around him. He doesn't have pace, he can't dribble nor make create something out of nothing -- he just scores smart goals exactly like Inzaghi.

With Benzema and Higuain upfront, however, we were able to play in a different way. It was a different team. Kaka seemed compatible with those three too. This is why I was asking for Raul to be benched -- just to experiment with different strategies and see what works best for the team. What do we have to lose? Raul is always there, so If this experiment fails (which it didn't) we can always have Raul back.

So what can we take away from last night's fantastic game? Here are the positives first

Arbeloa is a better left-back than Drenthe or Marcelo and he can still improve. He managed to contain (with difficulty) one of the most dangerous strikers in the world, Alexander Pato.
Lass is class and I dare to say he is one of the best players in the world. He has been incredibly consistent since his debut (touch wood) and this one is the untouchable - not Raul or someone else.
We owned AC Milan at the San Siro. Critics complain that Real have failed against big teams. Well, we have showed an improvement. We were able to own AC Milan last night and we could have won deservedly.
We are slowly showing quality, spirit and style. The Alcorcon defeat was harsh, but the victory over Getafe and the fantastic performance against Milan last night shows that we are capable of reaching our top form.

Now it is time for some criticism...

Alonso hasn't adapted/not in form yet. He is actually effecting the team negatively. The only game he shined in was the Valladolid clash. I still expect a lot from him, but If he continues to perform poorly, I would demand that Granero be given a chance.
Marcelo is a good winger, but not as good as someone as Robben or Ronaldo. This is no brainer, but I wouldn't consider him our primary option. I know Pellegrini doesn't think so as well, however, I thought he should have been taken off in the second half as he was out of breath and most importantly IDEAS.
Pepe and Albiol need to play more with each other, or to put this in another way, we need to pick two center backs and let them get used to each other. It is important to have a strong defense which its defenders understand each other and can communicate clearly.

In a nutshell....

It was a great display. We played well and we should have won. I hope Pellegrini sticks with this formation for a while, but he has to drop any under-performing players and give some of the bench guys a little playing time.

Hala Madrid!

RANDOM NEWS - FACTs

Albiol's appeal for his red card was not accepted and so he'll miss the derby.
Although Ronaldo has been unofficially declared as fit to play, the club made a statement to say he is still injured, possibly as a way to keep him away from playing with Portugal.
Benzema's goal against Milan was the team's first since Joseito's in 1956.

AC Milan Vs Real Madrid | My thoughts on the clash of clashes!

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 06:07:59 -0600

I originally wrote this article for Soccerlens, which has my thoughts on tonight's crucial game.

Having watched the last game at the Bernabeu and how Real Madrid failed to hold on and beat a relatively old, but collectively-strong AC Milan, I thought I’d share with you my thoughts on the return fixture and how Los Blancos can win it. There are four (4) key areas where Real Madrid will need to improve:

1. Bench Raul, think objectively, be fair, and start with Higuain upfront

It doesn’t matter if Raul is the captain or Perez’ girlfriend, If he isn’t performing well (which is the case now), he needs to be benched. The rubbish talk of Raul being the leader who instructs and helps others on the field is just plain useless.

Start Gonzalo Higuain instead. Not because he scored two goals against Getafe, but because he has some characteristics (which Raul doesn’t have) that can exhaust Milan’s Nesta and his friends. Pace and powerful shooting are just two. Dribbling? Yes sir, he got that. The only unique thing about Raul though, is his experience and good-positioning, but for this game, Higuain is the right man.

I know you might be asking, who should be playing with Higuain in attack? That depends on how Pellegrini wants to play, but I would add Van Nistelrooy If I wanted a great finisher and someone with experience.

Benzema is a good option too, but he is under-performing. Still, I would prefer him over Raul. No, I don’t hate Raul, it is just that Benzema can do well against Milan, the captain can’t. Period.

2. A strong and EFFECTIVE midfield is the key

Alonso, Lass and Kaka. Who else do you need? That looks like FIFA 10, but for Pellegrini, it is real. The problem though is apart from Lass, Kaka and Alonso haven’t been that great, at least they haven’t been Alonso and Kaka yet. Just their shadows.

Kaka knows Milan well. OK, that’s rubbish. He needs to use what he knows on the pitch. It is undeniable that Kaka is a great player, but he needs to step up his game and this is a good chance to improve. He loves spaces, but I doubt he will get many if Milan play their game, which bring us to the next point.

3. Play your game and force Milan to adapt to it

I think Barca is more than a night club, but I do like them because they do their own thing, play their game and FORCE you to adapt to it. They are just really good at that, and that’s why they usually win.

Real needs to control the tempo of the game. Alonso has to do it. Lass will be there to help out, but it will mainly depend on Alonso. When Real plays with style, dominate and force Milan to react to it, it will be very easy for Los Blancos to win.

They sort of managed to dominate in the first half of the first leg, but they lacked effectiveness in front of goal. But with Higuain or Van Nistelrooy upfront, scoring goals shouldn’t be a hurdle If you can assist them.

4. Communication and proper organization at the back is essential

Here is the other difficult part (in addition to playing with style and dominating). Since we sold Cannavaro, we have been missing a leader in the back. Pepe isn’t one. And Ramos needs who leads him. I can only think of Casillas, but we need a defender who shouts as loud as he can, who can awake Marcelo and Ramos from their day dreams, and who can organize and lead his teammates.

There is no quick and perfect solution at the moment, but Pellegrini needs to address this issue to his defenders. We’ve conceded off set-pieces, counter-attacks and even corners in a silly way. Sevilla scored two silly goals, Pato got away with a sneaky one and who knows If we don’t figure it out tomorrow night how Pato will get way with another one.

We need to be organized and awake all the time. We also need to be strong. Ramos on the right, Pepe and Albiol in the center is fine, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable seeing Marcelo or Drenthe on the left. I would prefer to play Arbeloa out of his position and put him there. Pellegrini experimented with him against Getafe and the former Liverpool man did a good job. What do we have to lose anyway?

Hala Madrid!

Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe | Higuain Beats Getafe Again

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 06:11:26 -0600

In addition to being a journalist and the Realmadrid blogger, I'm also a life hacker. I optimize everything and love to do experiments. If you don't do the same, life will be just darn difficult and boring.

Pellegrini seems to be similar, at least last night. Benching Raul, starting with Benzema and Higuain and playing Arbeloa on the left was an experiment and I loved that. As a matter of fact, I had been demanding that we try Arbeloa on the left and I think he did a good job. He was more solid than Marcelo which is not strange considering that Marcelo is attack-minded.

The question is, however, can Arbeloa perform better than that in the left-back position and most importantly does he like playing there? This is very important. The last thing you want to do is to play a player in a position he doesn't like. It happened to me, and it happens to many, and it is bad for all parties.

Many fans are claiming that the team is much more better without Guti and Raul; it is the same in fact. We still don't have style, but when you exclude Guti and Raul (when they are under-performing) and play in-form players (like Higuain and Lass) or vice versa, the team is better. That's common sense.

I know how the captain felt last night. He always wants to play. Who doesn't, and he was reacting to the game from the bench, he was looking everywhere, and in his head -- he wished he was there. I liked that, but sorry it was Higuain's turn.

Albiol was undeservedly sent off. He should have been booked instead and I think many of you agree. He complicated the game for us, but we managed to win. You see, If you have that spirit, nothing will get you down.

Ramos moved to the center-back position with Pepe while Arbeloa took on the right-back position and Marcelo was back in his left-back area.

This change meant that we were not able to attack along the flanks that much, because we were minus a winger, but that wasn't a big difference anyway. Getafe were organized and hard to break, the only thing you can do against them is to play with one touch football, accurate passing and great finishing. Another way is through counter-attacks, but they were really careful. They were not brave enough especially before we scored.

Higuain and Benzema still don't understand each other and that's totally normal, they need more time together, but they DID show some compatibility. What Higuain can't do, Benzema can and they can both set up and assist each other.

Benzema assisted Higuain's second goal, while the Argentine scored his first off a Marcelo cross. Beautiful goals, If you ask me.

The important things for us were:

Get the three points and continue undefeated at home.
Experiment with Arbeloa on the left and Higuain partnering up Benzema upfront.
Recover some of our spirit following the Alcorcon game and we succeeded at that. We won with 10 men.

This win will undeniably allow the team to breath a little bit, and the fact that Barcelona screwed up last night (Pique scored an own goal in the injury time to help Osasuna get a 1-1 home draw) means the Spanish press will be busy elsewhere (not that the draw was a huge setback for Barca but we are only 1 point behind now)

Next is Milan and at the same time of writing this, I'm also watching Arrigo Sacchi on Sky who has said something interesting. He said If Milan play collectively, it will be hard for Real to win. If we compare each of our players to theirs, we have the upper-hand, but they do play well as a team.

RANDOM NEWS

Real Madrid to appeal Albiol's red card (AS)
Ronaldo is certain to miss Milan's clash (Realmadrid.com)
Guti is set to be excluded from Real's Champions League squad (Marca)

Hala Madrid!

It is not about Pellegrini nor the players; It is more than that

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:47:55 -0500

Siempre REAL

Real Madrid is a poor club. I'm not being sarcastic, it really is. The reason being is that it is always under a tremendous pressure. With greatness comes resonsebility, but at some point it has become unbearable. Criticism usually comes as a result of poor performances, but when you are famous for being rich and great, and also poor in terms of football, then it is difficult to cope.

The club has been having problems for about 7 years now. A lot of great players and managers have been signed and sacked, the club did win a title here and there, but the problem still exists.

Alcorcon trashing of Real Madrid was huge. It was painful and humilating. It was unbearable. That small team of a budget of 1m, proved a point. Real Madrid doesn't have a style, pride or spirit. And it is not about the players nor the coach, it is more than that.

Before Perez took over as president this summer, Real was already in crisis. I didn't call it crisis, but the majority did. The defeats to Barcelona and Liverpool were harsh as well. Perez' project seemed and is great. Whether his first period as president at the club was successful or not, that is debatable, but many people wanted him back.

They did because he is capable of signing the world's best; what Calderon failed to do in two years, he did it in one summer. Who didn't want Kaka or Ronaldo? He brought the first, and soon after the second. He wanted Villa, other people at the club (I am referring to Valdano and probably Pellegrini here) wanted Benzema instead, he brought the French. He was not convinced of Xabi Alonso (he had a good chance of signing him once, but didn't), Pellegrini said he was crucial, he brought the Liverpool man.

What I'm trying to say is, he consulted with the "specialists" before he acted. I'm in no way defending him, I have criticized him a lot for the way he offloaded some of our players, but we have to be honest here, he gave the coach and his staff what they wanted.

Pellegrini seemed to many to be the guy for the job. He was praised a lot, and he is now blamed a lot. That's fair, he shares a great share of the blame for failing in some areas such as not solving our organization and communication problems at the back, but I honestly think he is not our problem, nor it is the players.

I think the major problem we have, which was made crystal clear against Sevilla, Milan and Alcorcon is that we don't have an identity. Who is Real Madrid in terms of football? What is our style? What is our philosophy? Due to the disability the club has been having for years, we have failed to recover our style and even If we did at some point, we lost it again, for the very same reason.

In order to recover it, we need to suck up the pressure. We need to be united and have faith. Perez had a project that involved all the people who are currently at the club, from the guy who mows the pitch to Valdano, now let's stick with them. It is early. It really is. Yes, the defeats were harsh, but trust me on this one, sacking Pellegrini or bringing other six players won't solve everything, the cycle will continue.

I would rather win a title with style than three without style (If that's possible). I would rather wait for two years in order to recover our pride than have immediate results (again, if that's possible). We need to solve it permanently.

I was pleased to know what Florentino had to say about the recent defeat. He asked for the fans' patience. Others asked for forgiveness. That's too weak, there are some fans who don't deserve to be called Real Madrid fans, because all they wanted was Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema; a star-studded squad and immediate results, now they are whinning, those make me sick. If I can identify them at the Bernabeu, I would shoot them one by one from the press area.

The bottom line is, Real's problem lies down deep. The players and the coach failed, but even If they recover and win something this year, unless they do it with style, pride and spirit, the problem will still exist.

Hala Madrid!

Sporting Gijon Vs Real Madrid | Live Match Comments

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:33:46 -0500

La Liga action is back and so is Guti. He is a very interesting player; Surprising, talented, and sometimes idiot. He surprises you with killer passes and shocks you with stupid tackles, and don't get me started on his role in fashion.....

Guti's comeback from injury marks Real Madrid's seventh game in the league. Our sixth was against Valladolid and we won it thanks to two goals from the captain and a fantastic goal from Higuain. Unfortunately though, we couldn't duplicate the same performance against Milan and lost 2-3.

For those who are thinking Gijon is a good game to earn some points and confidence, think again. They are seventh in the table with 11 points, and have a two-match winning streak going and haven't lost at home. They are not as strong as Barcelona, but they will not be an easy ride nevertheless.

We have seen eachother on 76 occasions, of which we have won 42 and they have won 12. We have been drawn 22 times. At their stadium, Los Blancos have won 16 matches, drawn 12 and lost 10. The last game I remember was a 0-4 victory for Real Madrid with two goals from Raul, one from Huntelaar and one from Marcelo.

Statistically speaking, beating Gijon shouldn't be difficult and it shouldn't really If we play again as a team and recover our spirit back. I'm talking about our spirit, because I felt we didn't have it against Milan and for that reason we really didn't try hard to come back.

Pellegrini has a few problems upfront. Benzema, Van Nistelrooy, Higuain and Ronaldo are all injured which leaves us with two pure strikers in Raul and youth player Acuna. However, we have some flexible players in Kaka and Van der vaart who can both play as strikers.

My guess is Pellegrini will either start with Raul and Kaka upfront, or with just Raul as the main striker. It depends on how he wants to approach the game. Personally speaking, I would prefer a lineup with a strong midfield because we need to control the tempo of the game.

We have got the guys: Diarra, Alonso, Kaka and Guti. We also have Van der vaart and Granero. I'm saying this because we have proved we can score a lot of goals this season and that's why we are the European top goal scorers. However, we have proved also that we can't dictate how the game goes. We need to do that.

Here is what Alonso thinks about it:

We need to dictate the tempo and control the match at all times. But we must also know how to read matches; know how to tighten up when pressured. Protecting ourselves doesn't mean playing like a small team. But Madrid usually needs to control the pace of the match.

We can get away with scoring more goals than our opponent, which is mainly possible against small teams with weak midfield, but against teams like Sevilla and Milan, you need to prevent them from playing their game and instead you play yours. We are running out of time so Pellegrini has to work on this one and our organization and communication problems at the back.

I think we might see Ramos, Pepe, Metzelder and Drenthe at the back with a midfield consisting of Alonso, Diarra, Granero, Guti and Kaka with Raul as a lone striker in attack.

Diarra and Alonso would partner up in center midfield, and I hope Xabi will regain his form, because as he proved against Valladolid, he can make these clever passes (see Higuain's goal in that game).

Granero and Guti should alternate with eachother with the Pirate attacking along the wing. Kaka sits behind Raul serving as a second striker as he has played in that position at Milan before, and his acceleration and shooting ability will help him score.

This is of course my lineup, but Pellegrini will always do his own thing. There is pressure. He is not affected by it, which is good.

He says:

I know the kind of pressure I'm subjected to and it neither affects nor worries me.

I haven't received special support and I wasn't warned by the Club either. My relationship with the entity has not changed one bit. I know criticism comes with the job. I try to ignore what's negative and keep what's positive. That's my way of thinking.

But, trying to ignore the negative, is kind of, negative, right? I mean, with this way of thinking he will not acknowledge that we have serious problems with our defense, because that's a negative thing. I think he is contradicting himself here, but let's see how he will turn this around tonight.

I know many of you are down in the dumps, but there is no way except getting behind the team. Many of you are calling for Pellegrini's head, some of you even want new players, and you are all contradicting yourselves.

You let the emotions speak, use your mind this time.

Hala Madrid!

Real Madrid 2-3 AC Milan | My debut in the Santiago Bernabeu

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:06:29 -0500

Real Madrid Vs AC Milan marked my debut as a growing journalist and was the first game I had ever seen in the Bernabeu.

The stadium was nearly, if not totally full. It was cold, but I felt some heat coming from somewhere. I was sitting besides someone that I knew I had seen before but couldn't remember the name. The voice was familiar -- as well was the face. It was Martin Ainstein, a journalist working for ESPN and appears regularly on Real Madrid TV -- ah I remember now, he is one of the people I follow in this sport.

Myself and Martin after the game

Back to the heat and where it came from, Martin asked me to look up, and said welcome to the Bernabeu. The stadium has a heating technology, so you my dear Madridista don't feel cold, isn't that awesome?

They handed us the lineups and it was weird not to see Higuain. It turned out he got injured while warming up and was supposed to be starting with Raul. Other than that, I don't think that Pellegrini could have come up with a better line up -- especially in regards to our midfield and attack areas -- whereas you could debate he could have tweaked the defense a little bit.

Real seemed eager from the start. Benzema was tackled in the penalty box but the referee decided it was a goal kick for Milan. I think it was a wrong call as Zambrotta clearly send him to the turf. That penalty could have changed the game because it was too early.

Real missed Ronaldo on the flank. That's a fact -- he would create tremendous danger on the left area and keep the opposing defenders busy. That's not to say Real without him are incapable of winning, he just adds more weight to the team.

I was happy to see Raul score the way he used to do. Along with Inzaghi, Raul is a ball thief. Stay attent. Dida failed to grab the ball and Raul was there to take it and send it to the back of the net.

Real Madrid 1 - AC Milan 0. 20 minutes after the kick-off.

Los Blancos were clearly the dominant team. Lass and Ramos managed to stop Ronaldinho in the first half but Pato caused us some problems along the left-back area. It is crystal clear that Real lacks a quality left-back. It has been discussed a million times, but there are many, probably including Pellegrini, who think that Marcelo and Drenthe are good enough to be in the starting lineup. Another reason could be the club hasn't found a good candidate during the summer, but my guess is they see those two as the guys for the job.

As we all know, they are pretty similar -- and are better attackers than they are defenders -- but If they can't defend well, then what's the point? The ability of a left-back to attack is just a bonus (think of Alves) so before he is able to attack well, he should be able to defend well, because that's his primary role.

The first half ended, and Martin took me to the press room where journalists and football personalities where having a snack. I spotted Michael Laudrup but couldn't catch him to get a photo, though I shot him talking to an Italian journalist.

Back to the game, everything seemed different in the second half. Diarra, Drenthe and Van der vaart started to warm up. Milan also started to warm up for turning things around.

First, Pirlo received the ball from a throw-in 35 yards out, and without thinking he fires it to the right-hand post of Casillas' goal. The UltraSur are shocked and silent -- the Italians start singing.

Real Madrid 1 AC Milan 1

At that time, I was disappointed because Real hadn't scored a second. Looking at the bench and the starting lineup, I couldn't find somebody who could turn thins around -- in fact there was already Raul, Kaka, Alonso and Benzema -- but the last three in particular were having one of their bad games.

Kaka was expected to be the key player in this game. He was not. I don't think it was because we were facing AC Milan, it was obvious he is not in form, and more clearly, there was no concord between the players. Kaka and Marcelo would run in the same direction on the left wing confusing each other.

Alonso and Benzema sucked in pure terms. Xabi failed to get the ball to the strikers around him and was overwhelmed. Had Gattuso played, Alonso wouldn't have touched the ball with this performance, If you asked me.

Benzema continues to perform poorly. He lacked solutions. All of his plays and tricks were plain obvious and he clearly missed Ronaldo with whom he used to create chances and set up goals.

So what happens next? Milan scores a goal that reminded me of the one Eto'o scored against us in the Camp Nou with Roberto Carlos and Casillas failing to communicate and Eto'o being sneaky enough to steal the ball and send it in.

You remember that?

Pato scored a smiliar one. Casillas and Albiol responsible -- lack of communication -- period.

The Bernabeu is in TOTAL shock. AC Milan fans have been revived.

Real Madrid 1 AC Milan 2

Pellegrini sends in Drenthe who starts to create tremendous dangers on the left. Real win a corner, nobody cares to take it (talk about spirit!) and only -- only Raul shows the spirit. That's nothing strange. The captain takes the corner and sends a clever ball to Drenthe who was on the edge of the area and hammers the ball to the back of the net.

This time, the Bernabeu is revived. Drenthe goes crazy and so do I. I was SCREAMING. I bet Martin freaked out.

Real Madrid 2 AC Milan 2

Real are known of heroic comebacks so I was kindaa confident we would win, but the team failed to capitalize on the second goal.

Strangely enough, Pellegrini didn't replace any of his under performing players after the success of Drenthe. Van der vaart and Diarra got bored of warming up and Rafael in particular seemed frustrated. I know how it feels -- it happened to me when I played for a local club -- the coach would just tell you to warm up, you get excited -- and then he would tell you you were not needed anymore.

Jackass.

Anyway, Milan were more motivated and more importantly effective. They started gaining ball possession and capitalizing on counter attacks.

Seedorf starts to roam around. He makes a clever pass to Pato who volleyed home his second of the game to make it 3-2 to the Italians.

Real Madrid 2 AC Milan 3

Adam is frustrated, so are the fans behind him. I met an old lady in the metro afterward who was still thinking about the game and was about to burst in tears. It took me an hour or so to get to the hotel because there were literally thousands of fans in the metro. All silent, all refuse to talk about the game and all sad. A few were arguing, a few were smiling (stupid Barca, Atletico and Milan fans) but when I saw the look on the Madridistats, I realized that Perez, Pellegrini and all the players have a heck of a job. They have a hard job and I realize that. They control the emotions of millions of people around the world, including yours truly.

It was painful.

You could blame anybody you want, but it was clear that the team lacked effectiveness and concord. It is not individual, it is collective. Pellegrini shares a great share of the blame due to his failure on working on the organization and communication problems between the defenders. First with set-pieces, and now with silly goals like Pirlo's and Pato's (I call Andrea's goal silly because he shouldn't have been able to shoot let alone score from that range).

We travel to Gijon this evening. I was sad to leave Madrid because I was addicted to the Madridisimo culture and wanted to camp outside of the Santiago Bernabeu. Though, I will be back, maybe very soon and maybe forever.

Hala Madrid!

P.S: Guti, Gago and Metzelder will travel with the squad to Gijon, while Benzema and Higuain will stay in Madrid due to being niggled. Lass is France.

Real Madrid Vs AC Milan | Champions League Live Streams & Comments

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:50:26 -0500

I have just been lurking around the Bernabeu. AC Milan arrived this noon and are staying at the Villa Magna hotel. They will hold a press conference at 18:30 and then start training for the game. There was also a bunch of AC Milan fans around the Santiago Bernabeu metro area. I could recognize them because they were speaking in Italian, carrying tons of bags and were talking about Kaka. Shut up bastards, we have the guy now, suck it.

Anyway, this is obviously the game of the week. Not just because of the players who play for both clubs but for the history behind those two European giants. Both combined, they have won 16 Champions League cups. Now where is Barcelona? This is greatness.

We have Kaka, they have Huntelaar. I'm also going to count Seedorf. So this match sees the return of Klaas and Seedorf to the Bernabeu and is Kaka's first game against his former team.

Milan's vice president had to say this:

"I think seeing Kaka play with a shirt different from ours will be very moving, but that's football for you. It will be tough"

I know how that feels, but this is football. It was the right move for all parties. We are proud to have Kaka on the team, not just because he is a great player, but a great person too. You can find weird stories on Ronaldo and Ramos, but never on Kaka.

The good news this morning is that Lass is fine and has been included in the squad list. Whether he will play or not that is still unknown. Arbeloa is also fit to play, wherease Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, Metzelder and Gago are still out for injury.

There is some talk on Benzema at the moment. It is his turn to be criticized after Higuain and Raul started playing well. It works this way in Spain. You slip up, you get under the spotlight. Nevertheless, Pellegrini sees nothing wrong with Benzema and his performances

"Benzema is a young and quality player. He has adapted to the squad perfectly. Every footballer has better or worse moments."

I agree with him. All players have these down periods, but the fact that Benzema is young and is a consistent-kind-of-player (unlike Guti!) it won't be long until he returns to scoring. He has 3 goals from 7 games which isn't very bad.

As I always say, matches like these are not analyzed by recent statistics of both teams. Sure, they count, but these are usually different games with different atmosphere -- think of it like a battle. I would go on to say this is probably EL Clasico of Europe.

On paper, Real is the better side. 29 goals in 9 games with three goals per game on average. The team is topping its Champions League group and is second with 1 point behind Barcelona in the league.

Meanwhile, AC Milan are still finding it difficult to regain their form, and are 7 points off first place in the Serie A. Since the Juventus scandal that also affected them, they have been struggling domestically as well as in Europe.

Looking at their squad list though, they have pretty popular names. From Ronaldinho to Pato, to Huntelaar and Inzaghi. Here is what Pellegrini said about them:

"Milan have very experienced players and the team played well in the second half of their match against Roma. Milan can be dangerous if they find room in which to attack. They are a difficult opponent."

Personally speaking, I think what sets Milan apart is their experience in the Champions League. The second thing is they have two players who can change the path of the game anytime they want -- Inazghi and Ronaldinho. Don't laugh, because you would be stupid.

Ronaldinho isn't the one whom the fans gave him a standing ovation at the Bernabeu a few years ago, but he surely is a quality player. He, in my opinion, will decide the game for Milan If we help them do so.

As for Inzaghi, we all know him. Great positioning skills and he knows how to stay motivated and motivate his teammates as well. He will surely cause us problems.

The rest of their players are quality ones too. Here is their squad list:

Dida, Donnarumma, Roma, Antonini, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Pasini, Oddo, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Abate, Ambrosini, Flamini, Pirlo, Seedorf, Borriello, Huntelaar, Inzaghi, Pato, Ronaldinho and Verdi.

If Zambarotta, Nesta, Oddo, Pirlo and Seedorf are having a good day, I can assure you it will be VERY difficult to control the game and break up their defense.

Regarding our team, there is nothing much to say. Alonso, Granero and Raul had a good game against Valladolid. Xabi is starting to show his worth. I watched the game again this morning on Real Madrid TV and kept an eye on him. In addition to the fantastic pass he made to Higuain, he also provided many others, so there is no doubt that he will start.

Lass is unlikely to start though I sure hope he does. If he doesn't it will be either Diarra or Granero depending on how Pellegrini wants to play. If he wants total domination I would stick with Alonso and Diarra, because both are different but can complement each other. You can start with just Alonso alone or with Van der vaart, but I think we will need someone to tackle and recover possession and that's either Lass or Diarra.

Kaka will definitely play and will be a special game for him. I feel he will make the difference.

Upfront, captain Raul, who is loved by most fans here, is surely going to feature. But with whom? With Benzema, who hasn't been that good, or Higuain who is starting to play well? I think Benzema can handle their defense. He is physically strong and can think outside of the box. Higuain will do fine too, but I would like to see Benzema against Milan. Pellegrini could surprise us with a 4-3-3 lineup but it is unlikely.

Defense-wise, Ramos, Pepe, Albiol and Marcelo are most likely to start. There is still some talk on set-pieces and the left-back area but I think we should see some improvment in that regard. Pellegrini knows about it and has been working on it.

To conclude, this is gonna be a hell of a game. Real need to win to keep dominating the group, and here is no other way since it is at the Bernabeu. We have never won at the San Siro but we had better luck in Madrid, so let's beat them!

Just a reminder, I should be watching the game life from the press room tomorrow night. I have been told to pick up the press pass tomorrow evening and so I might be posting updates on Twitter. I will try to get some interviews as well.

Wish me luck!

Hala Madrid!

My Pilgrimage To The Santiago Bernabeu

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:50:42 -0500

As you may know, I'm currently in Madrid, Spain. I call this trip my pilgrimage to the Santiago Bernabeu. I have always dreamed of the day where I will hang around in the Bernabeu and my dream came true. One of my readers called me "a lucky bastard" and I admit I am. Whether I made my own luck or not, it is fortunate to be at the Bernabeu. What is more fortunate is to get the luxury of accessing places particular people can only see, and being treated like a VIP. On that soon.

The Night Before

Before I landed in Madrid, I was in Paris for a few days. Real were playing Valladolid at the time I was in Paris' Charles De Gaule airport. One hour of internet costs 5 euros in Europe's airports, but what the heck. I wanted to see the game. I paid the funky machine five euros and she gave me a username and a password. I sat with my Starbucks tumbler (which had tea) and some nuts and then fired Veetle TV.

While I was watching the game, I noticed a bunch of people around me. I thought I was either naked or too sexy that those people were watching me. It turned out they were Madridistas who wanted to follow the game. Awesome, that's what I wanted.

One of those cool people was named Alberto. He was born in Zaragoza but now lives in Madrid. He was flying back to Madrid and was very humble and interesting. We started chatting about Real Madrid. He told me he grew up with Arbeloa and they are friends. He gave me a few insights into the Spanish culture and how the fans view the club in general.

From our discussion, I understood the following:

Raul is still considered an icon, whether he plays well or not. "Most" Spanish fans still appreciate what he did for he club and love him blindly.
Perez' reputation hasn't been totally damaged. A fan from Peruguay went to say Florentino is the best club president around because he is smart business-wise and soccer-wise. I don´t necessarily agree.
The sluggish performances of Ramos and other players are mainly due to partying every night. I understood why they go out. Madrid is crazy at night. Lots of people drinking in bars, parks, cafes...etc you name it.

So the conversation went on to compare La Liga to the Serie A and EPL.

I landed in Madrid and Alberto offered to help me to get to the city center where I am staying. He is one of the most down to earth people I have ever met and helped me get around in Madrid. We took the metro, but he had to stop somewhere, he gave me his phone number and we parted ways.

Day 1

Next morning I was ready to head out to the Bernabeu. It is so easy to get there because one of the metro stations is just next to the Bernabeu and it is named after it. Once I got out from the metro station, I found myself standing in front of the most famous stadium in the world. I can compare the feeling of amazement and excitement to the one I had when I saw the Eiffel tower in Paris. It is truly one of if not the most beautifully-built stadium in the world.

I went to the ticket office, and bought the Bernabeu tour ticket for 15 euros. Stood in line, passed the security folks and took the elevator to the third floor of the Stadium.

The view was incredible.

I then took the elevator again to the second floor where there is most of the facilities. I started with the trophy room and was amazed at what I saw-

A couple of old shirts.

Some of the titles Real have won over the years.

Balon D'Ors and Golden foots!

Always a Madridista!

My father, Santiago Bernabeu, working from his office.

The famous Champions League Cups Real have won during the years.

I took more photos because there was a lo to see. You can see them all on my Facebook fan page here.

Next, I went down to see the pitch.

I was amazed at how beautiful the stadium and perfect the pitch is. I now get it. I get why they want to play for this particular club. Everything is perfect.

Now it was time for Real Madrid's latest and most expensive signing to be photographed and presented to the fans.

I let those two fans to be in the photo but they didn't care. Whatever!

I hate the sun. And Farcelona FC. More than a night club!

Next, I went on to see the dressing room of the visiting team. I know what you are thinking, no, you can't see Real's. There is a rule to protect the players' privacy.

For example, Ronaldo wouldn't want you to see Paris Hilton's photo in his bathroom!

I then went on to give a press conference. No, I didn't try to pitch RealmadridTalk to the people in the room.

Then it was time to take the last photo of Real's newly signed Galagtico!

Day 2

Which is today and is one of the best days in my life as the Realmadrid blogger. I am not going to tell you what happened because it is huge for me personally and it deserves a separate post.

As you can see, I had a lot of fun. But the real fun is to come. I have received a press pass to cover the Real Madrid Vs AC Milan game live from the Santiago Bernabeu. I'm seriously considering moving to Madrid, because I love the place here. I will also be able to serve you better. Living here gives you a clear idea on the club. You immerse in the culture and experience being a real Madridista.

So in a nutshell, this has been incredible. Nothing can describe it. I'm very proud to be here. I'm also proud and honored to be treated very well by the club. As I said, I will share with you in a separate post what happened next, but for the time being, get yourself ready for the AC Milan game!

P.S: Follow me on Twitter or Facebook to see more photos and keep up with me! Gracias!

Hala Madrid!

RealmadridTalk Podcast Episode 6

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:46:09 -0500

Kevin, Mark and Corey talk all things Real Madrid in the sixth episode of the RealmadridTalk Podcast. I didn't make it because I'm in Paris for a few days. My next stop is Madrid where I'll be going to the Bernabeu and doing other RealmadridTalk-related stuff.

If you want to listen to the podcast, do so below. If you want to download it click here.

Hala Madrid!