LA LIGA & REAL MADRID

[raul julia]

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Real Madrid 1-0 Espanyol

MATCH REPORT:
REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Cannavaro, Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Emerson, Guti, Reyes (Diarra), Robinho (MejÃ*a, 55'); Raúl and Van Nistelrooy (Raúl Bravo, 85').
ESPANYOL: Mamen; Zabaleta, Jarque, Torrejón, Chica; Rufete (Pandiani, 6'), Moisés, Moha, De la Peña; Luis GarcÃ*a and Tamudo.
REFEREE: Miguel �ngel Pérez Lasa. Booked Moisés (15'), Zabaleta (75'), Robinho (38'), Cannavaro (47'), Roberto Carlos (67') and Salgado (80')
GOALS:
0-1 (55'): Van Nistelrooy turns and shoots after Guti finds him in the box.
NOTES: Matchday 15 of the First Division of the Spanish League with Spanish national coach Luis Aragonés attending the match. Attendence: 40,000.

[fingolfin]

.. it was a hard fought win, but three players got injured and Cannavaro was sent off. Bad implications. Well, at least they got two of the brightest young stars in football today. hehe

[raul julia]

Redondo's heir apparent lands at the Santiago Bernabéu

Fernando Gago, the best number ‘5’ Argentina has to offer and one of the most complete footballers of the world will sign for Real Madrid with the goal of becoming the best player of his age throughout the football world. This signing, along with that of Marcelo and HiguaÃ*n, is part of the promised project to build a team with a promising future.
Fernando Rubén Gago was born on 10 April 1986 in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires. He began his career at Parque, a modest Club where former Madridistas like Fernando Redondo and Esteban Cambiasso, two players with similar styles to Gago, got their start. Villarreal's Juan Román Riquelme was also a product of Parque CF.
His next stop was the youth categories of Boca Juniors, where his entire professional career was developed. Like many Argentinian players, Gago has a nickname. They have called him “Pintita”, or “Drawer”, since he was a young boy, as his coach would scold him by shouting “stop drawing and run!” He made his First Division debut with Boca on 5 December 2004, which was a 1-0 win over Quilmes. But it was during the 2005 season that his career took off and made him the star he is today.
Gago is a very dynamic footballer who bases his play on ball movement. His style resembles that of Guardiola because of his great capacity to distribute the game and because his mental prowess tends to surpass his strength. Gago became a Boca fixture shortly after making his debut, and all balls had to go through him. He also has the ability to reach the opponent's box, perhaps even moreso than Redondo, who he reminds us of by his vision, his way of covering ground, and his ball protection. Gago also knows how to take advantage of his elbows and is a player who never hides. He recovers well and distributes even better.
Fernando Gago was an Under-21 international and is on course to play for Argentina's national team. His greatest triumph so far was winning the World Youth Championship in Holland in 2005 with Argentina. Other members of the team included Oscar Ustari, Lionel MessÃ*, and Sergio Agüero.

They say…
Maradona: “He's one of the best wingers in the world and should never be left off the national team.”
Fernando Redondo: “Gago is the type of player I would always want on my team. He has all the characterstics of my type of midfielder. He goes all out, keeps his head held high, and is great at reading the game.”
Jorge Valdano: “He's a footballer taylormade to the Club. He thinks fast and well, and will always make sure the ball gets to where it's supposed to. Gago is exactly what Real Madrid need at the moment.”
Vicente Del Bosque: “Signing Gago is the right call. He's a good player.”

[fingolfin]

... this might sting a lot of people but the four R combination is not working, Ronaldo and Ruud and Raul and Robinho. They're not having a good chemistry. It hurts me to admit that Ronaldo is out of the picture, Madrid was more productive with the Ruud, Raul, Robinho and CASSANO combo. The signing of these young players is good for the future of the team but then again, why is it always attackers ?? Who will fill in the shoes of Cannavaro and Ivan ??

[K|D]

bye bye becks... & i guess it will be bye bye ronaldo as well... a new era in madrid has taken shape... i'm guessing the transfers aren't done yet... could roberto carlos be leaving as well?

[raul julia]

ROME, Jan 30 (Reuters) - AC Milan have signed Brazil striker Ronaldo from Real Madrid, the Serie A side announced on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old striker, three-times FIFA World Player of the Year, has signed an 18-month contract until June 30, 2008 for an undisclosed fee.
Ronaldo signed the deal in Madrid and was due to fly to Milan in the early evening.
Real coach Fabio Capello, talking to Italian regional TV station Tele Lombardia in Madrid, said: "I know that Ronaldo has signed for Milan. I wish him the best of luck in doing what he used to do which is being a great player."
The move ends more than two weeks of negotiations between the clubs for the Brazilian, whose contract with Real was due to expire at the end of next season.
Ronaldo, who inspired Brazil to World Cup victory in 2002 in Asia and holds the record for goals scored in World Cup tournaments with 15, scored 104 goals for Real since joining them in August 2002.
He was the club's leading scorer in each of his four previous seasons in Spain but had limited opportunities to shine following knee surgery after the World Cup last year with coach Fabio Capello preferring Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy up front.
The Brazilian had been angling to leave Real since Capello criticised him as being overweight and said he was no longer in his plans.
Ronaldo, who played for Milan's city rivals Inter between 1997 and 2002, has been a long-time target for Milan who were reported to have made a bid of between 15 and 18 million euros ($23.32 million) for the striker in the close season.

[raul julia]

Real Madrid have won three consecutive games and are now two points behind Barcelona

Real Madrid have won ten out of a possible twelve points in the last six weeks. Capello's team has won more points than any other and is the top-scoring side of the teams at the top of the table. With nine games to go, Real Madrid are in a privileged spot from which to take on the League.
Real Madrid have made the greatest efforts to get closer to the title. They have drawn only one game -against Barcelona in the last minute- and won three in the last four weeks. This progress has allowed the Whites to surpass Valencia, who are currently in the Champions League and have only won four points in their last four League clashes, losing the fourth position on the table.
The League has become tighter for those teams at the top of the table, especially because none of them seem to have a long-lasting good run, except for Real Madrid. Since Matchday 22, they have won four games and drawn another four, while Barcelona have won four, drawn one and lost three. Sevilla have won three, drawn four and lost one. Real Madrid have earned 16 points in total, three more than Barcelona and Sevilla.
Capello's team have been the most regular side in the last few weeks and haven't lost a single game. On the other hand, Valencia have dropped more points than any other team because their Champions League games have begun to take their toll on them. Quique Sánches Flores' team have even lost the fourth spot on the table, failing to qualify for next year's Champions League at the moment.
There are still nine games left until the season ends and Real Madrid are only two points behind the leaders. Barcelona's equaliser at Camp Nou against the Whites thwarted Real Madrid's aspirations to leadership; if they had won at Barcelona they would now be leaders. Real Madrid have made incredible progress in the last few weeks and they are putting a great amount of pressure on those they wish to overtake. Their next opponent will be Racing Santander, who have won one point less than Real Madrid in the last eight weeks. It will most probably be the Whites' most complicated match out of the nine clashes they have left.

[K|D]

Titi Henry is now a Catalan!!!!! Yipee!!

[gun-ob]

Congrats to Real Madrid for winning the La Liga !!! I did not expect them to win with the shaky results and standing during the middle of the season. Looks like Capello has proven himself good afterall.

I wonder who will replace Beckham and roberto carlos place? Also, is capello staying with the club or what...