Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sergio Ramos: "The fans have to score our first goal against Barcelona"
"The team is as united as ever and will give its all on the pitch"
Great victory against Valencia on Saturday. The team played a serious and solid game.
I’m happy with, and proud of, the team we have. I believe all Madridistas who saw the game enjoyed themselves watching footballers who normally don’t get a chance to play. They proved this side doesn’t just have eleven important players. We are all equally important and we live up to expectations on the pitch. Kaka, Canales, Granero and Higuain played at Mestalla. The latter has just recovered from a serious injury and was very excited to be starter. They all responded.
Regular starters are probably even more excited to play in the Champions League. The entire squad is focused on the semifinals…
It is essential for us to reach such a crucial stage in the campaign, and it is important that all men on the squad get playing time. We all have the same excitement and we all want to help out. The squad as a whole is what really matters, not individual players. The team is more united than ever and we all want to accomplish important things. We are on the right path. We proved it at Mestalla and we do so in every training session.
The support of the Bernabeu will be essential once more against Barcelona.
That’s right. We are all very proud of the crowd’s response this season. There was a change during the campaign by which our fans became even more devoted and excited. It happened when we faced Olympique Lyonnais, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona at the Bernabeu. It’s the fans who have to score the first goal for us. Every visiting side at the Bernabeu has to be weary of the atmosphere. They must really be aware of what it means to play at a stadium like ours. Our fans are essential to us and they are the ones we are really grateful to.
How do you expect the Bernabeu to react on Wednesday?
You don’t expect less than what it’s been like in recent games because you get used to that. The response of the crowd is essential to us. We expect the Bernabeu to embrace its team, to give us support to the very last minute and to never doubt we will give our all on the pitch. I believe that is precisely what the fans are grateful for. Those are the values the club instills and we must showcase them on the pitch.
How is the squad feeling before such an important game?
It is more united than ever. We are all extremely excited about the times we are living. The Champions League is a very important competition and it is at stake for us. Now is when we must show everyone how excited we are.
How’s Mourinho doing?
The match on Wednesday will be important, but not decisive. You will then face Barcelona at Camp Nou in the return leg.
That’s something we must always have in mind. This is a 180-minute game. The work we’ve been doing so far and our knowledge of our opponent will make us play similarly to our first two games against them, but we must realise it is a 180-minute game.
What worries you the most about this match?
Given the fact that it’s a Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, what I most want is for the game to be clean, healthy and sportsman like. I’d like people to avoid exaggerating injuries or fouls, and for the referee to be completely impartial to both sides. People even criticized a correct call the ref made at the end of the Copa del Rey final, which I think is too much. Above all, I’d like Madridismo and all football fans to enjoy this celebration of the sport.
This will be the third Clasico this month, but expectations and excitement are as high as ever.Both Barcelona and Real Madrid have great players and no one knows what will happen. We all know of the responsibility we have and what it takes to defend these crests. We will have to give our all to win.
Is there a favorite in these games?
We don’t regard ourselves as favourites because we won’t earn anything by assuming so. I believe it’s been simplicity, humility and hard work that have taken us this far. Those are the values we must uphold.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Higuain:"There is no better way to return home than with a lot of goals"
Gonzalo Higuain scored his first hat-trick since returning from injury and the striker could not have been more pleased with his performace.
"I gained a lot of confidence today. I am very happy; a little tired, but that's normal. There is no better way to return home than with a lot of goals. The hard work and wait were worth it. Now it's time to have fun because helping the team and accomplishing our goals are that count."
"No one was selfish. We played as a team. Now it is time to rest ahead of Wednesday's match, but today we proved that we are in great shape heading into the final stage of the season."
"Mourinho has a variety of possibilities with the players he has to choose from, and everyone is in good form."
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Valencia 3 - 6 Real Madrid Highlights Video Photos
Friday, April 22, 2011
Jose Mourinho : "I feel better working for Real Madrid day by day"
Jose Mourinho was upfront about his future and also discussed Saturday's match during Friday's press conference.
"I am happy that our work is paying off and that people want to take the same direction that I want to take. I am always calm and I do not want to lose ambition. We are not just here for one year, but rather a lot more time. I feel better working for Real Madrid each day that goes by. Any news coming out of Italy is false and I want to continue working peacefully. We will be here this coming preseason to continue working. My teams are always better in the second season and I will work hard to ensure it happens here. I am certain that Real Madrid will be better in the second season."
"Having an injured player is always bad news for a team and a coach. We are upset that Khedira is hurt, but to say that he is done for the season is absurd. He cannot play tomorrow and I can all but guarantee he won't play on Wednesday either. He will miss both matches, but we hope he can return as quickly as possible."
"Lass missed Wednesday's match and Granero played 20 good minutes. Granero always responds well. We are upset that we don't have Khedira, but that is how our team is built and we will have an answer for his absence."
"Barcelona is a fantastic team that has won a lot, but they are not the champions of Europe. They are champions of Spain and they have a good chance to repeat. Just because they lost doesn't mean they are bad. I am stable in both good times and bad and I know we need to remain calm. We won an historic Cup against a very worthy adversary. What I will remember most, though, is our fantastic road to the title because we beat complicated teams like one of this season's greats, Levante; the runner-up, Atletico; and the champion, Sevilla. I will also remember the warm embrace from the president."
"Just the one, dear?" AB FAB IS BACK!
"Chanel, Dior, Lagerfeld, Givenchy, Gaultier, darling. Names, names, names!"Click here for full post.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
[Video] Real Madrid player drops trophy from top of bus
The 33-pound cup slipped from the hands of Madrid defender Sergio Ramos while atop the team bus during celebrations Thursday morning in the capital. Only hours before, the club defeated rival Barcelona in the domestic cup final in Valencia.The front right wheel of the bus rolled over the trophy before the driver stopped.Emergency service members gathered up the broken pieces and returned them to the bus. The trophy did not reappear at the club's traditional celebration spot at the Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid."The cup fell, it fell," Ramos said, according to Europa Press agency. "But the cup is OK."Later, the Spain defender made light of the miscue on Twitter."The whole thing about the cup was a misunderstanding, it didn't fall ... it jumped off when it reached Cibeles (the fountain in Madrid where the team celebrates its titles) and saw so many Madrid fans," Ramos tweeted."Hahahaha ... but don't worry ... have a good day."The club said Thursday that the trophy will be repaired."It is not in good shape, evidently, it was run over by a bus," Madrid spokeswoman Marta Santisteban told The Associated Press. "It has to be fixed."Once it is whole again, the cup will take its place alongside Madrid's other hardware in its trophy case at the club museum.Madrid beat Barcelona 1-0 after extra time on Wednesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo's header giving the club its first domestic cup since 1993 and its first trophy of any kind in three years.Spanish reports said 60,000 fans gathered at Cibeles to celebrate the club's first trophy under coach Jose Mourinho."After two complicated years, winning the Copa del Rey is a relief," Madrid captain Iker Casillas said before the tradition of wrapping a Madrid insignia and club scarf around the Roman goddess that marks the square.
European Golden Shoe weekly update: Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo both score
Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi doubled his lead over Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo in the Golden Shoe Standings when he converted from the spot in Saturday's Clasico to gift the Catalans a 1-0 lead over their rivals.Nevertheless, Ronaldo matched his rival by finding the net himself from 12 yards to score his 29th La Liga goal of the season, only one goal less than the Argentine. Elsewhere, Edinson Cavani should have scored his 26th goal of the season in the 2-1 loss against Udinese, but the highly rated attacker failed to add his name to the score sheet from the spot.Bayern Munich hitman Mario Gomez was the undisputed star of the weekend as the Germany international netted a hat-trick to help FCB to a 5-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen. Gomez has now scored 22 league goals.Furthermore, Lille's Moussa Sow scored once to move to joint sixth spot in the standings, while Antonio Di Natale, Dimitar Berbatov, Papiss Cisse, Kenny Miller and Carlos Tevez all failed to score due to various reasons.
Cristiano scores goal to secure Real Madrid's Copa del Rey win +Interview and Match Highlight
Cristiano Ronaldo was thrilled after scoring the winning goal in overtime to secure Real Madrid's 1-0 victory against rival FC Barcelona on April 20, 2011. The goal gave Madrid its first Copa del Rey trophy in 18 years.Ronaldo, 25, made a crucial header at the 103rd minute, clinching his first major trophy since transferring to Madrid in 2009.“It was a very tough game. Barcelona played very well, but, as you know, whoever scores wins,” Cristiano told reporters after the match. “We are very happy. Madrid had not won this cup for many years.”'I've Always Been a Competitive Person'Ronaldo, who is known for his intense discipline, work ethic and competitive spirit, says his drive is inborn."I've always been a competitive person, it's a part of me," says Cristiano, who moved away from home to play soccer professionally at age 12."I grew up very quick because I lived away from my family," recalls the Portuguese international winger. "That's why I'm mature now and ready for anything."If You Work Hard, You Can Reach Your GoalsRonaldo has previously spoken about how lonely and difficult it was financially support his entire family at such a young age."I started at the age of 12 with Sporting de Lisboa and everything went well for me after that, although I had to leave my family in Madeira and I cried every day," Cristiano recounted. "There were some very complicated moments, but I overcame them because I always believed I could become someone in this life, with the help of my family and the directors in the club."You always have to believe and feel that you can become a footballer, that if you work hard and have ambition, you can get to where you want to be."Ronaldo made international headlines in 2009 when Real Madrid acquired him from Manchester United for a record $131 million transfer fee, making him the most expensive player in European football history.Despite the sacrifices he made along the way, Cristiano doesn't regret all the difficult times he endured."It was a very painful moment [when I moved away from home]," he recounted. "I left the persons that loved me the most for a different place where no one knew me. "But if I hadn’t gone through this, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. That’s why I’m also very grateful to my family for not holding me back."
Friday, April 8, 2011
Mourinho: "I’ll leave if Ronaldo goes to Milan"
REAL Madrid coach, Jose Mourinho has responded to claims Milan president, Silvio Berlusconi is keen to add Cristiano Ronaldo to the Rossoneri.
The Italian Prime minister reportedly told close friends he was interested in bringing the 26-year-old to Italy, giving the green light for vice-president Adriano Galliani to negotiate with the Spanish giants over the possible move.
Should the former Manchester United forward leave the Blancos, Mourinho revealed he would also depart - but was cautious about joining him at the Diavoli.
"In football, everything is possible," the tactician was quoted as saying by Sportal. "Should Ronaldo go, I will also go, but not to Milan.”
Real Madrid defeated Tottenham 4-0 in Tuesday night's Champions League encounter at the Bernabeu
Irina Shayk, who snared footballer boyfriend Cristiano Ronaldo with herSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue-worthy body, has proved in her latest photo shoot that she can look absolutely gorgeous in a wedding dress too.
The 25-year-old model showed off her enviable curves in a range of different wedding dresses, which are part of Israeli designer Dany Mizrachi's Haute Couture 2011 collection, reports the Daily Mail.
He describes his dresses as "three dimensional creations" and rebuilt his fashion empire after an altercation with his brother drove him to the brink of bankruptcy.
All designs are suited to the bride who wants to make a big statement with her dress. Features include nipped in waists, detailed corsets, big corsages and even bigger.
Some of the lacy designs have slightly transparent skirts that show off Shayk's enviable legs.
Others are inspired by the Eighties, or even ancient Greece.
Dany Mizrachi's shoot look place in a desert where white of the dresses contrasting beautifully with the red of the rocks and stones forming the backdrop.
The Haute Couture collection also includes a couple of coloured dresses.
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