Posts Tagged ‘Real Madrid’
Round Two – Pellegrini’s Got His Work Cut Out
Although I hope that Barça win La Liga for the second year on the trot, what I really want to see is a well-fought competition – and that means more than just competition from Real Madrid.
For La Liga to fulfill its potential as The Best League in the World – with the permission of the EPL – we need to see Sevilla, Atlético, Villarreal and Valencia fighting for more than just Champions and Europa League places. However, after only one game, it looks like this season’s Liga will follow a similar pattern to last year.
Sevilla lost in Mestalla and Atlético got thrashed by Málaga, so I won’t be surprised if Barça and Madrid are ten points clear at the top of the table come December. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen because it’d be very bad news for Spanish Football.
This week we’ll get a better idea of whether La Liga is going to be a two horse race or not. Espanyol-Madrid and Getafe-Barça are two interesting tests for the favourites - debuting in their new stadium and with the memory of Jarque still very present, Espanyol have got a lot of reasons to put up a fight and an unpredictable Getafe are a very tough nut to crack on a good day.
I think most of us agree that Barça start La Liga with a slight advantage over Pellegrini’s Real Madrid because they
Pellegrini has a tough job ahead of him
already play as a team, whereas the Bernabéu boys are as yet a group that relies on flashes of brilliance from individual players. The big question is whether the undeniable quality of Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema will be enough to follow the pace that Barça has already set by winning the two Super Cups.
Comparisons between the two squads are inevitable, and I must admit that I glance down the list of names that make up this Real Madrid side and some of my culé bravado fades. However, it remains to be seen whether this group of superstars will actually work well together as a block.
Barça have signed fewer players, but the three signings are players that were definitely on Guardiola’s Wish List. Chygrynskiy will be key in the centre of the defence, while with Maxwell on one flank and Alves on the other, the backs will be coming up to join the attack even more often than they did last season.
Guardiola ready for the season ahead
Having watched quite a few videos now, there’s no doubt in my mind that Ibrahimovic is a potentially great player but his role in the side will be very different from Samuel Eto’o. He’s more classy and stylish but I doubt whether he’ll score as many goals and he’s still got his work cut out to get himself in the right position for when Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, in particular, start to work their magic.
But the fact remains that Barça only have to adapt their game for one player whilst not even Pellegrini could predict Madrid’s starting line-up in a month’s time. And what’s more the ‘cantera’ factor means that Barça’s theoretical substitutes know the 4-3-3 philosophy like the back of their hands and both they themselves and the fans are confident that should anything go awry, they’ll slot into the first team just like veterans.
Anyway here are this week’s games . . .
12 Sep 2009
18:00 CET Atletico Madrid v Racing Santander
18:00 CET Getafe v Barcelona
20:00 CET Espanyol v Real Madrid
22:00 CET Sevilla v Zaragoza
13 Sep 2009
17:00 CET Deportivo v Malaga
17:00 CET Sporting Gijon v Almeria
17:00 CET Tenerife v Osasuna
17:00 CET Villarreal v Mallorca
19:00 CET Valladolid v Valencia
21:00 CET Xerez v Athletic Bilbao
SPANISH FOOTBALL (SOCCER): LA LIGA SEASON 2009-2010
Link http://spanishfootballsports.blogspot…
Twitter http://twitter.com/SFS_Striker
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SPANISH FOOTBALL & SPORTS BLOG, essential daily reading for the global Football (Soccer) fan. Stay always updated with all the news, reviews, opinions transfers gossip, videos, etc from anywhere & anytime
Duration : 0:2:32
SPANISH FOOTBALL (SOCCER): LA LIGA SEASON 2009-2010
Link http://spanishfootballsports.blogspot…
Twitter http://twitter.com/SFS_Striker
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/SPANISH…
SPANISH FOOTBALL & SPORTS BLOG, essential daily reading for the global Football (Soccer) fan. Stay always updated with all the news, reviews, opinions transfers gossip, videos, etc from anywhere & anytime
Duration : 0:2:32
Real Madrid vs Rosenborg Ballklub (4-0) 24.08.2009
REAL MADRID VS ROSENBORG BALLKLUB (4-0) ALL GOALS & HIGHLIGHTS
TROFEU SANTIAGO BERNABEU
First Half
GOL KARIM BENZEMA 12 MIN
GOL LASSANA DIARRA 25 MIN
GOL KARIM BENZEMA 26 MIM
Second Half
GOL RAUL 9 MIN
Benzema’s first real exhibition for Real Madrid. The Meregues thrash Rosenborg 4-0 and lift the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy
REAL MADRID : Iker Casillas , Alvaro Arbeloa (Pepe), Garay , Raul Albiol , Marcelo (Drenthe) , Xabi Alonso (Esteban Granero), Lassana Diarra , Cristiano Ronaldo (Guti) , Kaka (Van Nistelrroy) , Raul (Arjen Robben) , Karim Benzema (Gonzalo Higuain)
Coach : Manuel Pellegrini
ROSENBORG : Alexander Lund Hansuil , Lustig , Anthony Annan , Mickael Kleppe Jamtfall , Per Ciljan Skjelbred , Steffen Iversen , Helland , Olsen , Juska Savolainen , Vadim Demidov , Rade Prica (Olsen)
Coach : Erik Hamren
The Real Madrid fans who bought tickets to watch the last friendly before the merengues official Liga debut in the season went home very happy. Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and company beat Rosenborg very convincingly.
Benzema (two), and Lass Diarra and Raúl scored the goals in the game.
Besides Kaka, the Brazilian defender Marcelo also had a great game. In fact, it was he that put through the excellent pass that resulted in the first goal.
Lass Diarra put Real Madrid two up with a scorcher from outside the box in Min 25. It was nice to see Benzema put some nice football together with Cristiano Ronaldo for the third.
In the second half, Raul put away the fourth goal with his head and it looked like there was going to be a rout. But both teams began to make substitutions and the pace of the game dropped considerably.
This Real Madrid has moments of brilliance but the players need to get to know each other better.
If you want see the New Galacticos in action, click on the banner to go through to the Spain Football Tickets Sales Site.
Duration : 0:3:19
What is the longest unbeaten run in the Champions League?
Does anyone also know what is the longest undefeated run at home in the Champions League is?
ANSWER:
It has to be Real Madrid, doesn’t it? They won the first five European Cups from 1956-1960, which makes a pretty long unbeaten run both home and away. Typically, that run was broken in the 1961 semi-fimals (I think) when they were knocked out by arch-rivals FC Barcelona.
2009-10 Champions League Group Stage Tickets Now On Sale
Well Tickets for the Champions League Group Stage are now on sale. At the moment you can book tickets for:
- FC Zurich v Real Madrid September 15
- Atletico de Madrid v Apoel Nicosia Sep 15
- Sevilla FC v Unirea Urzizeni Sep 16
- FC Barcelona v Dynamo Kiev Sep 29
- Real Madrid v Olympique Marseille Sep 30
- FC Barcelona v Rubin Kazan Oct 20
- Chelsea v Atletico de Madrid Oct 21
- Real Madrid v AC Milan Oct 21
- AC Milan v Real Madrid Nov 3
- Atletico de Madrid v Chelsea Nov 3
- Sevilla FC v Stuttgart FC Nov 4
- Sevilla FC v Glasgow Rangers Nov 24
- FC Barcelona v Inter Milan Nov 24
- Real Madrid v FC Zurich Nov 25
- Olympique Marseille v Real Madrid Dec 8
- Atletico de Madrid v FC Porto Dec 8
As you can see we’ve got tickets for almost all the games involving Spanish teams – although securing seats for the away games is a lot more tricky.
I’ll be keeping you up to date as more tickets become available. These might include some of the Premier League clubs as well.
Click Here To Go To Our Champions League Order Page And Bookmark It For Future Reference
Has the Champions League final ever been staged at the stadium of one of the finalists?
For instance, how would it have been if Real Madrid were to make it to the 2010 Champions League final?
ANSWER:
Real Madrid beat Fiorentina in the 1956-57 final at the Santiago Bernabeu 2-0
Inter Milan beat Benfica at San Siro in the 1964-65 final 1-0
So I see no particular problem in Real Madrid playing Barça at Santiago Bernabéu on the 22nd May – and losing, of course!
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund 5-0 Highlights 2009
REAL MADRID VS BORUSSIA DORTMUND 5-0 HIGHLIGHTS 2009
Duration : 0:4:13
Real Madrid 3 – 2 Deportivo 08-29-09
26′ Raúl 1-0
30′ Riki 1-1
35” Ronaldo ” Penalti ” 2-1
47′ Valerón 2-2
61′ Lass Diarra 3-2
The highlights of the very first game of the Primera Liga 2009-10 in which, despite all their superstars, Real Madrid struggle to take the points from Deportivo de La Coruña.
Not surprising really – it’s early days yet for the New Galacticos and the players really haven’t had time to automate their game. Cristiano Ronaldo shows a few flashes of talent and little more and Kaká definitely looks like he’s going to be the key player if Real Madrid expect to compete on an equal level with Barcelona.
Duration : 0:6:31
Peace Cup 2009