http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/ en Copyright 2012 Sat, 25 Aug 2012 08:52:06 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss So, where do we start with that one? The post-match analysis was all set to be oh-so easy at half-time. No goals, few chances, no heavy tackles and no eye gouging. Or at least not from what I saw. It was a Clasico that had struggled to get out of third gear. Understandable, perhaps, given it's the last trophy on the wanted list of both Jose Mourinho and Tito Vilanova this season. Something clicked in the second half, though.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/08/classic_clasico_leaves_few_clu.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/08/classic_clasico_leaves_few_clu.php El Clásico Barcelona El Clasico Real Madrid Super Copa Sat, 25 Aug 2012 08:52:06 +0000 There may be a distinct lack of new arrivals at the Bernabeu so far this summer, but Madridistas can at least expect to see one fresh new face among Jose Mourinho's first team squad for the 2012-13 campaign. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/08/time_for_morata_to_come_of_age.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/08/time_for_morata_to_come_of_age.php General Alvaro Morata Real Madrid Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:29:01 +0000 The impending transfer madness that always greets a Real Madrid pre-season, the hectic summer friendly and tour schedule (when it is ever anything else when Los Blancos are concerned?) and the release of the summer fixtures made that 'rest and relaxation' a much-needed one. A calm before the inevitable white storm that will come my, *our*, way.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/07/modric_and_maicon_can_fit_madr.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/07/modric_and_maicon_can_fit_madr.php Transfer Talk Kaka Luka Modric Maicon Real Madrid Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:23:39 +0000 It'd be understandable for Madrid's La Liga-winning players to want to take a break, sit back, relax and perhaps have a few alcoholic beverages along the way this summer. The energy-sapping season they've just had was worth it, but to win La Liga, knocking Barcelona off top-spot, and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League must be draining - both in mind and in body. A refreshing, easy, summer break must have been the order of the day. Enter Euro 2012. And no signs of tiredness. Just success, even more of it for those from the Bernabeu.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/06/madrid_stars_continue_success.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/06/madrid_stars_continue_success.php General Cristiano Ronaldo Euro 2012 France Germany Portugal Real Madrid Spain Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:25:52 +0000 No pre-season at the Bernabeu is complete without rumour, speculation and big-money arrivals and departures - and it'll be no different this summer. One of those players who's set to take up most column inches in Marca and the like is Gonzalo Higuain - will he stay or will he go? Should he stay or should he go? Indeed, talk over the Argentina striker's future is already in overdrive and the Liga season only finished barely a week ago. Juventus, Paris St Germain and Chelsea have all been linked with a swoop for 'El Pipita' this summer. I've been bombarded with Twitter messages asking to discuss the player's future in the Spanish capital, and I've been bombarded with Madridistas desperate for Pipita to stay. I agree.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/el_pipita_will_he_stay_or_will.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/el_pipita_will_he_stay_or_will.php General Gonzalo Higuain Juventus PSG Real Madrid Fri, 18 May 2012 13:18:34 +0000 "This team is already part of this club's legend. Its numbers will be impossible to forget and it has honoured our history." - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. Los Blancos' 4-1 thrashing of Mallorca at the Bernabeu brought Madrid's successful La Liga season to an end in historic fashion. Three points, making Mourinho's men total 100 for the season - a new Spanish top-flight record. A win percentage of 87.72 per cent, if my maths serves me correctly. Not just winning the league, doing it in record-breaking fashion. If Madrid's 2011-12 season had been a school report it'd have read - 'A - excellent. Some room for improvement in other subjects (see Champions League, Copa del Rey) but an impressive yearly improvement to see them go top of the class'.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/madrids_historymaking_liga_sea.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/madrids_historymaking_liga_sea.php General Jose Mourinho Real Madrid Mon, 14 May 2012 20:50:51 +0000 ¡Campeones! ¡Campeones! Olé! Olé! Olé! Four years in waiting, four long years, but the Liga trophy is back at the Bernabeu for a 32nd time in Real Madrid's history. A 3-0 victory at San Mames, far from an easy place to go to clinch the title, was enough to make official what has been long in coming, with the exception of a few scares along the way this season. Real Madrid are champions of Spain, Jose Mourinho has his fourth title in as many countries, and the Plaza de Cibeles will be the place to party tonight. Thousands upon thousands of Madridistas will descend on the city's famous monument, draped in all-white flags and scarves ready to celebrate with Madrid players and coaching staff, who'll appear to a chorus of celebratory songs on an open-top bus. Let's just hope Sergio Ramos doesn't drop the trophy. ]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/campeones_campeones_ole_ole_ol.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/05/campeones_campeones_ole_ole_ol.php General Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo Gonzalo Higuain Jose Mourinho Karim Benzema Real Madrid Sergio Ramos Xabi Alonso Thu, 03 May 2012 12:33:37 +0000 What a week. A famous victory at the Camp Nou, all-but sealing La Liga for Madrid on the home turf of their bitter rivals on the Saturday. Penalty shoot-out heartache at the Bernabeu in the semi-finals of the Champions League four days later. The ups and downs of football. The emotion. It's why we love the game. After presenting my analysis from the weekend victory at Barca I'd hoped to be coming on here looking forward to a potential double, a potential trip to Bavaria to see what could have been billed as the most exciting Champions League final to date. A European Clasico. Barcelona against Madrid on arguably the biggest stage in world club football. Enter Chelsea. Enter Bayern. Exit Barca. Exit Madrid.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/madrids_fiveday_joy_to_despair.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/madrids_fiveday_joy_to_despair.php Champions League Bayern Munich Champions League Real Madrid Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:15:20 +0000 en masse, not with an all-white open-top bus as its climax and not with the Liga trophy being presented to thousands upon thousands of Madridistas. A dress rehearsal for a full-on party in the Spanish capital at the famed Plaza de Cibeles in a few weeks? Probably. Sami Khedira and Cristiano Ronaldo gave Madridistas reason enough to wave all-white flags from car windows and to gather in song at the Plaza famed for Madrid lifting trophies at the end of fruitful campaigns. A 2-1 victory at the Camp Nou - fully deserved, and stretching the gap at the top of the table to seven points with four games of the league season to go - meant Madridistas partied harder than usual on a Saturday night. There were Cibeles celebrations last season when Madrid won the Copa del Rey, against Barcelona. It's been almost four years since Los Blancos have been able to do the same for a league title. That honour has fallen to Catalonia for the last three seasons but Madrid are, finally, on the cusp of wrestling back the honour of being Spain's top club.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/cibeles_be_ready_madridistas_a.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/cibeles_be_ready_madridistas_a.php El Clásico Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo El Clasico Real Madrid Sami Khedira Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:22:55 +0000 El Clasico this weekend? Of course you did, and it's a pretty big one as it goes. When is a Clasico never a big one? Just the La Liga title pretty much riding on this one, just to add to that usual Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry. Expect fireworks, expect Messi magic, expect hard challenges, expect brilliant football, expect touchline controversy, expect the unexpected. Madrid lead Barca by four points at the top of the table going into Saturday night's massive clash at the Camp Nou. Victory for Pep and his boys is a must if they're to overhaul Los Blancos at the top of La Liga and stop Mourinho's men bagging a first title since 2008. For Madrid to avoid defeat would be a massive step towards the title, and there's where the problem lies. Shut up shop? All out defend? Or go for it? How does Jose approach arguably the most important Clasico match since taking charge at the Bernabeu?]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/stick_or_twist_madrids_barca_d.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/stick_or_twist_madrids_barca_d.php El Clásico Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo El Clasico Jose Mourinho Leo Messi Pep Guardiola Pepe Real Madrid Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:16:42 +0000 Won: 8. Drawn: 1. Lost 0. A record Real Madrid would be proud of. A record any team would be proud of. A record not held by Los Blancos, but held by Bayern Munich in their home head-to-heads between the two European giants going into the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Allianz Arena. People, Mourinho included, say not to look too much into past records. I tend not to. Circumstances change and squads change. The Champions League duel will probably be like no other between the clubs in recent times. Still, that's one hell of a record to have against Real Madrid. Although Barcelona currently have the bragging rights over Madrid in head-to-head meetings of late, and Lyon edged a recent European duel, few have ever held such a dominance over the club that's won Europe's most prestigious trophy more times than any other. • Bayern blog: It's only an insignificant football match It's quite a record, and it shows just what Madrid will be up against in Bavaria. It's a match well worthy of a Champions League semi-final, it's mouthwatering.]]> http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/daunting_yet_mouthwatering_pro.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/daunting_yet_mouthwatering_pro.php Arjen Robben Bayern Munich Champions League Real Madrid Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:46:59 +0000 Remember Sir Alex Ferguson's 'squeeky bum time' I referred to in my last article before El Derbi? The sense of tension that comes with an end-of-season run in? You felt it when Falcao levelled for Atleti at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday night didn't you? Go on, admit it. For 13 minutes at least, squeeky bum time made its presence felt amongst Madridistas. Cristiano Ronaldo knew we all felt it, and he did something about it. Boy did he do something about it. A cracker of a goal to put Los Blancos back in control, after his first cracker had opened the scoring. A hat-trick, his seventh of the season, his 40th Liga goal of the season, helped Madrid to victory and restored their four-point gap at the top of the Primera Division. Jose Callejon added a fourth for good measure. http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/the_13minute_squeeky_bum_time.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/the_13minute_squeeky_bum_time.php Atletico Real Madrid Ronaldo Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:58:58 +0000 There's a famous saying in the English Premier League when it gets to this, the 'business end' of the season. It comes courtesy of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and it's 'squeeky bum time'. Used to describe the pressure that comes with a title run-in, it's a phrase that's now rolled out whenever the season edges closer to its conclusion. It's a phrase that became new to Manchester City when chasing bitter rivals United for the Premier League crown this season, and it's a phrase that could well be adapted to the title chase in La Liga this season, for both Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. No matter how big the club, how close the contest at the top of the league - 'squeeky bum time' is for everyone. It was coined by one of the greatest football managers of all time in Ferguson, and at one of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United, after all. Nobody can get away from it. http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/squeeky_bum_time_at_the_bernab.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/squeeky_bum_time_at_the_bernab.php Atletico Barcelona Real Madrid Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:08:57 +0000 Problems? What problems? The last time I updated the blog Madrid had been held to consecutive draws, had seen their lead at the top of La Liga cut from ten points to six, and had blanked out media coverage. Oh, and they'd announced plans to build their very own island, too. Just your average drama-packed week at the Bernabeu, then. Eight days later? Six points from six, one foot firmly in the semi-finals of the Champions League, 13 goals for, two against, Madrid back in front of the media and Jose Mourinho saying he isn't going anywhere, despite press reports linking him with what now seems a monthly return to the Premier League - this time with Manchester City. Things are all rosy again at the Santiago Bernabeu. http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/problems_what_problems.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/04/problems_what_problems.php Jose Mourinho Osasuna Real Madrid Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:09:19 +0000 Wow, where to start? With Real Madrid you're never short on things to talk about, but this week is certainly up there with the busiest of them since I've been writing this blog. A last-minute leveller from Malaga to deny Los Blancos a win at the Bernabeu last weekend, another dropping of points in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal in midweek, which included four sendings-off for Madrid - two on the pitch and two off it - all of which has allowed Barcelona an unlikely route back into the Liga title race. Add to that the media black-out that followed the game at El Madrigal and the decision not to hold a press conference before this weekend's game against Sociedad. It's just another week at the Bernabeu. Oh, did I forget to mention Madrid have announced plans to build their own island, too? http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/03/bad_week_lets_build_an_island.php http://blogs.soccernet.com/realmadrid/archives/2012/03/bad_week_lets_build_an_island.php Jose Mourinho Malaga Mesut Ozil Real Madrid Real Sociedad Sergio Ramos Villarreal Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:47:43 +0000