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Sunday, March 11, 2007

Clásico squad list: Beckham, Roberto Carlos and Cannavaro ruled out


The Englishman and the Italian defender were already out for the Munich match and have now been joined by fullback Roberto Carlos, who has not trained normally this week due to injury. Also absent for the Camp Nou Clásico against FC Barcelona will be defenders Raúl Bravo, Miñambres and Cicinho.

Real Madrid will travel to Barcelona with very few changes with respect to the squad list for the Champions League match against Bayern Munich. Only Roberto Carlos exits the call up after having confirmed that the injury he sustained at the Allianz Arena will take a few weeks to heal. Therefore, after only two training session for the face-off against Barça, Fabio Capello has drafted a list that will not feature the likes of the Brazilian fullback in addition to David Beckham, Fabio Cannavaro and Cicinho, injured, and Miñambres and Raúl Bravo, who are not traveling for technical reasons.

Meanwhile, David Beckham continues the physiotherapeutic treatment with a view to recovering from exactly the same injury that Carlos has, but on the other leg. Fabio Cannavaro was injured during the warm-up of the first session in Munich and has also continued with his recovery program.

SQUAD LIST:


Teamsheet report by Arancha Díaz
Photos by David R. Anchuelo

Translation by Luis Orueta

Capello presser:"You win or lose on small margins, but we will fight until the end"



Real Madrid’s Italian manager held the customary pre-match press conference just hours before the Madridistas flew to the Catalan capital, where they will measure up against F.C Barcelona in the second Clásico of the season. He stood his ground stating that he will continue to coach the Whites and he underlined how optimistic he is towards the future.

Will you line up the holding midfield trio again?
No, I don’t think so. It was a specific experiment for the Champions League match. I normally spend all week long talking to the coaching staff before I take this kind of decision at game. But on Wednesday, after we conceded the goal in the first minute, all I had thought or planned came to nothing.

Would you resign if you lost at the Camp Nou?
I am not going to resign. The Club always has the last word. But I feel backed up by the squad.

Some say this will be your last game from the bench?
I haven’t heard anything like that. Tomorrow’s fixture is more important than speaking of me. You ask me the same thing in every press conference and I always answer the same thing: the final decision is the President’s.

Do you assume partial responsibility and could you understand a certain disappointment from the squad?
When the results are bad, it is fair to say that I am the one who decides the starting lineups. Each person has their role. I am the coach and they are the players, and it’s their role to comply with what I say.

What do you think of Roberto Carlos announcing his decision precisely now?
I knew about his decision. He has an injury that will have him out of bounds for some time. Everyone has the right to speak out whenever they want, but maybe this wasn’t the best time.

What explanation can you give for the elimination?
My experience tells me that you win or lose on the smallest of margins. We are the team with best scoring record in the Champions League. We scored four in the Round of 16, but we made gifts of goals and mistakes that should never happen, and I’m not talking only of a ball that bounced funny. What can a player do in such circumstance?

Do you foresee a very tough match in Barcelona?
For sure. We are barely scraping by for the Camp Nou face-off. The teamsheet is more or less foreseeable and as occurred in Munich, we will fight until the very end. There are still many games ahead.

Was their elimination also a big upset for Barcelona?
When a team wins the European Cup, they want to savour that bliss again. As we did, Barcelona had high hopes, but it wasn’t meant to be and now they will focus on the League. But there are also Valencia and Sevilla on the lookout.

Is training for Real Madrid hell for you?
No, not a hell at all. It’s a good job and I go about it with the same excitement I brought ten years ago. Sports are good for the soul.

Have you heard the latest of Ronaldo?
Yes, but I never answer the players back.


Press conference report by Cristina Monge

Photos by David R. Anchuelo

Translation by Luis Orueta

Roberto Carlos : "I’m Leaving Real Madrid "


Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos has announced that he is to end an 11-year association with the Merengues.

The Brazilian star will now embark on a fresh challenge after deciding not to renew his contract this summer

He told Marca: "I'm not going to renew my contract. I think the moment has come for me to put an end to my time at the club and leave them to start a new project.

"I'm sure about it. My time at Real Madrid has ended. After three years without winning anything I had to take a decision.

"I don't know whether I will continue in Europe or maybe I need to be back in Brazil close to my family."

He added: "My departure will help the youngsters like Marcelo and Miguel Torres.

"They are the future and have to be given a chance to develop. I have to look for motivation in another team, another country, another place."

The 33-year-old former Inter star has won three European Cups, three La Liga titles and two World Club Cups during his time at the Bernabeu.

By:Goal.com

Madrid Target Alexis Turns Down Fiorentina


Getafe defender Alexis has refused an offer to move to Fiorentina, despite the Italian club being willing to meet his buy-out clause.

Alexis, who moved to Getafe from Malaga over the summer for 3 million Euros, has a buy-out clause of 8 million.

Eyeing that, Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino had travelled to Madrid to seal the signing.

However, he has had to return to Italy empty handed, with Alexis turning the move down despite Corvino being willing to buy out his contract.

The defender has his eyes set on a move to Real Madrid, and told Fiorentina that he did not want to leave Spain.

Madrid are also said to have almost closed the signing of Borussia Dortmund's Christoph Metzelder.

By:Goal.com

Raúl press conference:"Winning the League is the only thing on my mind"

The Captain stood up and weathered the storm after the Champions League blunder. He did not hide the logical disappointment after the European, but the message of the Real Madrid number “7” was geared at focusing the strength of character and willpowers of the squad on the League title, with the impending Camp Nou match for starters. He trusts the squad and Capello to pull through this together and get back on the winning track.

How could the team concede such an early goal?
We have seen the strangest things in football and this is just one more example; we knew we had to be very concentrated in the first few minutes. Maintaining a clean sheet would have eased the task for us as the minutes ticked by. But they turned the tie around in just fifteen seconds. That's the way things happened. Even so, the team reacted, controlled the match and had a few chances to go through to the quarterfinals.

Many sad faces?
We're all in this together, so it is obvious there's much disappointment. Now, most importantly, we need to focus on Saturday's match, on the fight for the League title and on making our fans proud again. It goes without saying that they really deserve it. Let's hope things work out in Barcelona.

Did Sergio Ramos touch the ball with his hand?
In the pitch, I thought the ball touched his hand. The referee saw it and he called it.


Is the defeat especially painful?
Defeats are always painful. You can't be happy when you don't win. We all work to be in top form and win. We will fight to win La Liga.

Is it time to pass judgement and take decisions?
Not for the time being. Assessing and judging the situation and analysing the performance and the results has to be done at the end of the season. So far, it's been a highly irregular campaign. We haven't found our pace and playing range. We haven't had a string of victories that would assert our self-confidence and give us peace of mind. If we don't win on Saturday, the gap would already be very wide, but our duty is to keep on fighting until the end. There are still many matchdays left; we are concentrated and we know there is still time to fight for the League. If things finally don't turn out right, the people who manage the Club will take the necessary decisions. At Real Madrid, winning is all that counts. The last few years have seen a number of changes but the objectives are still far away.

Did you expect Guti to be out of the starting eleven?
Capello decides the teamsheet that he thinks will best suit the team's needs. When Guti came in, it was a totally different game. Our game flowed, but that's the way things are. He's the coach and he's the one who decides the lineups.

Is today's Capello very different from the one you met ten years back?
We all change as life goes on, but as a coach he still has the same personality, commitment to hard work, and footballing approach that he did ten years ago. But, in our world, things don't always turn out the way we want them to.

Is the problem within the squad?
Everyone looks for guilty names when things don't work out. Let's not forget that we said goodbye to twelve players this season. I think that changing the amount of players that people are postulating for the upcoming season cannot be good either. There's a top quality squad. There are always players that can come to improve on what there already is and others that wil leave, but this is a good squad.

But, on occasion, the blame is put directly on the players…
The players have their share of responsibility. The current situation is not easy. Some things were not done correctly. But it is true that we are the ones playing out on the field. We have to limit our scope of action to the pitch, where we know what to do. We know our performance is far from acceptable this year. The image has been poor on certain matches, but we shouldn't forget that we have also won some very important ones.

Is this cycle over?
I don't know when the cycles begin or end. I don't know exactly what cycle we're in right now. It's been four years where we have tried to do things right. We had won so much in the seven years prior to this. So the whole situation is very tough for a winning Club like ours. The sporting area has had poor results, but we will keep fighting to revert the trend. We're all here to lend a hand and pull through this together. We all want to play, but the decisions are down to the people in charge. All we can do is comply with their wishes and decisions, train hard and try to win every game.

Would you settle for fourth place right now?
No, absolutely not. I'm thinking of winning the League. That is, perfectly aware that there are tough teams in front of us that we will have to play and who will be extremely hard to beat. We will know where we stand after these games I'm talking about.

What does the Club say to the players?
The Club supports us and backs us up. They encourage us to keep winnng games. That is the message they deliver.

What did you think of the meeting with the President at training last week?
The President wanted to speak to us and he thought it was best done at the training ground. That's all there is to say. We thank him for his confidence in us.

How are Madrid and Barcelona coming into the Clásico?
We're both just out of the Champions League and now we have to focus entirely on the League. They have a slight advantage because they play at home. But we will try to engage on equal footing, curtail their domination and maintain ball control. We managed to do that on many stages of the game yesterday.

You are still not playing on your natural position.
The coach knows well where I perform better. Everyone knows, but the circumstances have forced me to play elsewhere. But the intention is the same: drive up to the box and score as many goals as possible. I think of the team first, in any event.

Press conference by Cristina Monge
Photos by Daniel Sastre

Translation by Luis Orueta

Metzelder Completes Real Madrid Medical


German international defender Christoph Metzelder is already said have completed a medical at the Bernabeu ahead of a free-transfer in the summer.

The 26-year-old has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and particularly since the World Cup, when he formed a promising partnership with Per Mertesacker at the heart of a very young German defence.

Borussia Dortmund failed to extend his contract - which ends in the summer - earlier in the season, leaving him free to negotiate with other clubs from the 1st of January.

He was being watched by a couple a Premiership, Bundesliga and Serie A clubs - most closely by Juventus - but interest from Real Madrid seems to have caught his imagination.

Bild are now claiming that he has already agreed terms over a four year deal, and even comlepted a medical.

The scene is now set for him to pen his contract, though it is understood that Madrid might just wait a while before rubber-stamping the deal as they organize their own plans for the summer.

Metzelder started his professional career with Borussia Dortmund in 2000 as a 20-year-old, and quickly became a first-team regular. His consistency earned him a call-up to the German national team at 21.

At that young age, he was an integral part of the Dortmund side that won the 2001-02 Bundesliga title, and also made it to the finals of the Uefa Cup, before losing to Feyenoord.

He was also a part of Germany's 2002 World Cup team - which also made it to the finals before losing to Brazil - and was named the "best player under the age of 23" at the tournament.

At 1.93 metres, he has an aerial presence few can rival, and has since been a regular both with Dortmund and Germany.

By:Goal.com

Mijatovic after the match: "We now have to focus on Saturday's match and then we will have time to analuyse this entire match."


Pedja Mijatovic spoke to the media present at the Arena following his team's defeat opposite Bayern Munich. The Sporting Director of the Whites thinks that Real Madrid was the better man, but were finally unable to score the second goal that would have put them through to the quarterfinals.

"It is a very tough blow for us. We were not counting on this, but we made a gift of the first goal and that is something that you shouldn't do at this height of the competition. This goal means that we were not sufficiently concentrated from the very start. Now, we need to put this behind us and focus on the game we play this Saturday. I am worried because there are things that are simply unexplainable. It doesn't matter how strong a team are mentally, if they concede such an early goal, it is practically impossible to overcome. This was the case tonight. The season is not over with this or Saturday's game, but it's a real tough break."

"We dominated during many stages of the match, but we were unable to score. We played a muddled game in the first half and we improved vastly during the second act, but we were unable to win in the end."

"I am worried because there are certain things that are hard to understand. We have been eliminated by a team that is not good, but we need to get over the disappointment. We now have to focus on Saturday's match and then we will have time to analuyse this entire match."

Realmadrid.com

Fabio Capello:"We failed to materialise our chances"




2-1









The Madridista coach shared his post-mat
ch impressions with the media present in the Allianz Arena press room. During his press conference, Fabio Capello recognised that the situation is far from good and that the team had made mistakes. However, he was convinced that he could pull the team through this bad patch to win the League title.

“I changed the system because it was an important game, but the whole scenery changed ten seconds into the match. I thought it was a sensible solution, but all my plans came crumbling down less than one minute into the match. I thought we would press up ahead, not allowing them to step near the danger zone. I had not time to regret it because everything changed after 13 seconds. That is why Guti came in later on.”

“I had to look at the big picture because it is true that a draw saw us through, but first I wanted to see how the team was coping. When I saw that the game did not improve, I decided to put Guti in. He had been warming up since Makaay's goal.”


“Roberto is an experienced player and he was not at his best in that specific play. I think we gave away two gifts of goals during this tie and they have proved decisive: Van Bommel's second at the Bernabéu and Makaay's first today. Conceding a goal in this manner is beyond belief; even more so if we consider that the ball was ours from the start. We had many opportunities, but we failed to score. There was an offside called on Torres which was completely unfair and the referee disallowed one of our goals, but I think that the most relevant thing is that we gave too many things away.”

“I think the team performed well, but we were unlucky. We should have scored more given the many chances we had. We did certain things wrong, but that's the way games are. Anything can happen and today we were, simply put, unlucky.”

“The results are not good, there's no hiding that fact. I feel committed to the task at hand and I think the team could make the end of the season with serious chances of winning the League. Sometimes we lacked a bit of luck, although that is not an excuse. We need to think of winning and of playing a good game on Saturday.”

Realmadrid.com
Photos By:AP/AFP

Bayern 2-1 Real Madrid:Bayern Munich end up against the ropes against a Real Madrid that deserved better





2-1





The young Allianz Arena -München Arena tonight- already has its own great story to tell: the victory of the home team against Real Madrid, who overcame the shellshocking first goal by Makaay, eagerly fought for the draw and never put their arms down, not even after Lucio's second goal. In the dying seconds, Sergio Ramos almost equalised the game to put Madrid ahead in the tie, but his strike was disallowed by the referee. The crowd carried the local team all evening long, even after they lost their place following Van Nistelrooy's goal from the penalty spot and even when they ended up against the ropes in their very home turf. The Whites kept their heads high and went down fighting but luck was not on their side. Now it's time to think of their Saturday La Liga match in and against Barcelona.


The Munich Arena stadium, as it is named on UEFA competition nights, is already very impressive from outside, beholding it from a distance of 10 kilometres, when one makes out its red-coloured, UFO-shaped profile from the freeway. But inside, it is even more impressive, especially when one takes into account the shrill PA announcer and the 158,000 watts to fray tempers. When the Madridistas stepped out onto the field of play, the “pressure cooker” that the local footballers had been claiming from their followers for two weeks was at its boiling point. Everything was perfectly planned out in the books to achieve a deafening clamour, the sort of inferno they had dreamed of. The visitor had to counteract such display with the type of full-on football that silences any local crowd. Fact: no team has beaten the Germans in the Champions League at this stadium since it was first inaugurated in 2005.

Early goal, blow and turn of the tide

The plan produced the desired effect. As an extension to the party on the stands, Bayern Munich took the earliest imaginable lead in the scoreboard: it was second 15 when, in a flash, the “injured” Salihamidzic -he had been a serious doubt until the very last minute- took Roberto Carlos by surprise with a swift run down the flank. His cross was impeccable and it was tapped into the back of the net by the type of unforgiving striker that always makes the best of this kind of nicely wrapped gifts: Roy Makaay. A stunner! A gift of a goal with just one minute played and the tie was now lost.


The German barrage lasted precisely the time it took Real Madrid to take control of the ball, although they were at 6s and 7s for some time there. It wasn't until the 20th minute that Bayern would come biting back, with Casillas deflecting a one-on-one against Podolski. Six minutes later, it would be Makaay who would follow suit... as a prelude of the goalkeeping recital of the Spanish stopper tonigt. Meanwhile, Madrid passed and passed, with Gago orchestrating the game of the Whites and Emerson and Diarra as his faithful deputies. The battle for the midfield that Capello had anticipated was fully in control of Madrid, but they had nothing to offer in attack. They had not found their range yet and they were definitely not testing Oliver Kahn's gloves. The only runs in came by way of the right wing, which was precisely the one that everyone would have thought weakest, with the absences of Beckham, Reyes and Cicinho. Two crosses by Van Nistelrooy and Higuaín from this side did not find anyone on the end of them. Real Madrid were not creating chances and they desperately needed someone to drive the ball forward and feed it to the attacking front. With 30 minutes on the clock, Guti stripped down and came in for Emerson.

It was the beginning of a whole new game

With the Madridista youth player inside the pitch, the Spaniards continued to dominate, but you could sense the danger lurking now. The last five minutes of the first act witnessed up to seven run-ins, each one with added danger: first, with the first shot of Real Madrid with 38 minutes gone performed by Higuain, although it looked more like a rugby conversion; second, similar situation and same result by Van Nistelrooy just three minutes later; next up, the best play of the evening, with Raúl, Roberto Carlos, Higuaín and Guti combining, the Argentine with a final backheel into the Spanish playmaker, who missed the final shot after the beautiful one-two; then, with no time to react for the locals, Van Nistelrooy put disappointing power on the header to a perfect cross by Guti from the corner of the box; and finally, the clearest chance following a stupendous control by Raúl, who shot powerfully but the ball caught right up off the corner of the woodwork. You could smell the goal in the air, but Bayern were saved by the bell.


The second half started to the tune of the first act, with the clearest opportunity for Van Bommel, but once again Casillas was a class act. But the game had changed completely. Madrid picked up where they had left off and continued to create chance upon chance. Cassano, who had come in for Higuaín, shot wide from the border of the boxline with everything in his favour. Following that, it was Guti who forced Oliver Kahn to save an excellent attempt on target with the head. It was Real Madrid's best passage of play, with Bayern defending in an orderly fashion and looking to break on the counter as fast as possible and to take full advantage of the set pieces. As time was consumed, one could understand better and better why the local players had asked their crowd so much passion in the days prior to the return leg. They needed their twelfth man to crush the spirit of Real Madrid, which was far superior in the technical department. And so, the Arena came to understand this because the home fans rose to the occasion as they started chanting and waving flags -there was one on each seat- in unison to give their players the necessary courage. Their price would be collected in the form of a goal after a master set up from the corner kick. Lucio scored the second of the night for the Bavarians and left Madrid to free fall.

Heads held up high

Capello's men didn't give up but they now needed two goals for the comeback. The first would come after the linesman awarded a penalty on Robinho. Van Nistelrooy took it and put it in. Still, before his shot, both Diarra and Van Bommel were sent off following what could hardly be branded as sensible refereeing. Yet another adversity... but the Madridistas would not stop fighting until the very end. It was not meant to be, though, but at least they got to silence a stadium that felt the dregs of disaster looming upon them as the crowd waved goodbye to the most awarded team in Europe. It was especially the case after Sergio Ramos whipped the ball into the back of the net in the last minute… but the referee rightfully disallowed the goal as the defender had handballed it before taking his shot. Bayern Munich signed off and went on through to the quarterfinals. Madrid will have to put their hearts and minds in the League from this point forward, especially in view of the game awaiting this next Saturday in and against Barcelona. The best thing, once again, were the 3,500 undying fans, who never stopped supporting their team against the colossal force of the Arena power.

MATCH REPORT:
2 - BAYERN MUNICH: Kahn; Sagnol (Görlitz, 84’), Lucio, Van Buyten, Lahm; Salihamidzic, Van Bommel, Hargreaves, Schweinsteiger; Makaay (Pizarro, 68’) and Podolski (Demichelis, 87’).
1 – REAL MADRID:Casillas; Torres, Sergio Ramos, Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Emerson (Guti, 31’), Diarra, Gago (Robinho, 74’), Raúl; Higuain (Cassano, 46’) and Van Nistelrooy.
REFEREE:
Lubos Michel, Slovakia.

Booked Sergio Ramos, Van Bommel, Podolski and Guti.
Sent off Van Bommel and Diarra after showing them two yellow cards in the 81st minute.
GOALS
1-0: Min. 1: Swift run in by Salihamidzic down the right and his cross is pushed in by Makaay.
2-0:: Min. 66: Lucio heads a corner to the back of the netcorner.
2-1: Min. 82: Van Nistelrooy, following a penalty shot.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Return leg of the Champions League Round of 16. 3-2, first leg result. 4-4 aggregate score, with Madrid out on away goals.
Munich Arena stadium hosted the event with an attendance of 66,000 spectators, 3,500 of which were Madridistas. The pitch was in perfect playing condition. It rained during the game and the temperature at the time of the game was 8ºC.

VIDEO-HIGHLIGHTS:




Match report by Javier Palomino
Photos by Ángel Martínez
Special correspondents to Munich, Germany
Translation by Luis Orueta

Fabio Cannavaro to Marca: "We have to play to win"


Fabio Cannavaro's words clearly demonstrate how focused Real Madrid will be when they take the pitch at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich on Wednesday at 8:45 pm CET. "I'm not throwing out the possibility that we can win," said the Italian centre back in an interview with Spanish sports daily Marca. "We're going to win, and it will serve as a launch pad for us. There's no time to let loose in Munich." And rightly so, as the team is extra motivated and ready to bring the quarterfinals of the Champions League back to the Spanish capital.


Why can't Madrid take the extra step to become a premier team?
I don't know. Every single team has given us trouble. We have a very challenging week ahead of us and we want to return to our winning ways. First Bayern and then Barcelona. We're off to Munich, where we'll be up against a very strong team that knows how to control the ball and that has great technique. And on Saturday we have a special match against Barcelona.

Nothing is guaranteed with the 3-2 result against Bayern at the Bernabéu. What does Real Madrid have to do to win the tie?
We have to score at least one goal, and we will. The Champions is a lot different than the League. In the Champions League we face different types of teams; teams that want to showcase their game, which means more spaces for us to strike. That's important for us because we have players that can do a lot of damage when given the room. I am very optimistic.

Will Madrid sit back in defence and wait for the chance to counterattack?
No! No! We know we have to score. We're dead meat if we sit back. We have to find that goal and I'm not throwing out the possibility that we can win. We can win in Munich. Why can't we win there if we're a team that has won a lot of road matches? Hopefully we'll eat them alive. It will be a very even match and we have a good chance of moving through to the next round. This is the type of match that really judges a team's character. We'll be knocked out if we wait for the minutes to tick off the clock while trying to keep the game at a deadlock. We can't be intimidated. We have to have a winning attitude, be brave, and play to win.

Are intense matches which are chalk full of pressure like this one the ones you like best?
Yes. This is a unique match and a footballer's dream. It's a huge adrenaline rush on its own, I don't need any other stimulus. We know it's a Champions League game, that we have a Bayern Munich powerhouse in our way, and that winning means one more step towards being European champions. There are a lot of motivational factors. Once we take the pitch, we'll forget whether or not we played poorly in the last match. We'll be so motivated knowing that this is a huge responsibility, and that's why we'll play our hearts out. That's why I said that this type of match is a true judge of character for a team like Real Madrid. It's a great chance for us to prove we have a good squad and that we can do something special this season, so we have to take advantage. I think it's easier for a footballer to play in a match like this because there isn't so much motivation for other matches. There's no time to let loose in Munich.

Would a victory or a well-played match confirm that this team really isn't that bad after all?
Definitely. We need to prove just how good we are, because we have suffered this year. Fans need to understand that the first to suffer are the players and that we want to do well. We really want to play a great match and we're hoping this one against Bayern serves as a launch pad for us. It's the perfect time. We're going to win.

Why haven't Real Madrid come out strong with high intensity from minute one this season?
We came out strong from the opening minute of the Bayen match at the Bernabéu, and it worked. We scored three goals in 30 minutes. Of course you can come out strong from the very start, but the Champions League gives off different vibes. The fans cheer in a totally different way if you have a look at the stands. The crowd is a lot more excited. But you can't always come out to play at the Bernabéu with that same intensity. We need to play calmly. Doing things too fast may result in mistakes. We have to have an attacking mindset as long as we take the right precautionary measures.


Realmadrid.com

Capello and Helguera: "We're not scared; we are here to win"


Iván Helguera was the Madridista selected to speak to the national and international members of the press before he and his teammates get their first look at the turf of the Allianz Arena, stage for tomorrow's pivotal clash. Joining the centre back was coach Fabio Capello. Their shared message: "Madrid have come to Munich to win."

The team landed in Germany at approximately 1 pm CET. Their first stop at the Bavarian capital was their hotel, followed by lunch and some free time to relax and kick back before the evening training session, which took place in the unique and spectacular scenery of the Allianz Arena, all decked in red, denoting it's the homd turf of Bayern Munich.

Still, before the 23 players that made up the squad list of Capello stepped out onto the stadium pitch where they will play the return leg of the Champions League round of 16 tomorrow, centre back Iván Helguera and head coach Fabio Capello addressed the media during the mandatory pre-match press conference. They faced over 50 journalists from Spain, Germany and other countries worldwide, avid to hear what the Madridistas had to say. One message stood out: “The team has not come to Germany to hold onto the initial 0-0.”

Fabio Capello

Are you at all afraid?
We are not scared of anyone or anything.

Might you surprise us all tomorrow with some sort of systematic change?
I have a lot of ideas for tomorrow. Anything is possible and a lot can happen, but I want to see how my players are this evening. Some have knocks, other are niggled, so tonight I will decide. I don't think we can be thinking too much about the defence. We need to play just like we know how to, and just like we have on prior occasions.

So you aren't thinking about a 0-0 draw?
A 0-0 draw cannot be our objective. We're here to score at least one goal.

Hitzfeld is very confident that his team will win the tie.
Every coach believes his team will make it to the next round. It's totally normal. I believe mine will.

The English press is saying that Madrid are vulnerable with Beckham out injured.
People are free to say whatever they like. I am used to many people thinking they know more than we do. I am very certain that tomorrow my team will be 100% ready to play.

It's the perfect stage for Cannavaro to play a great match.
Absolutely. He had a great World Cup here and tomorrow he may play a great game.

Who do you trust more, Spanish referees or European ones?
I don't comment on the referees. It's been three years since I last said something in reference to them.


Will Beckham be sorely missed?
David Beckham is playing well, just as he knows how to. But he is injured, so we just have to move on.

Are all your players 100% fit?
Some are slightly niggled, but we have 24 hours to get them in top form. But it's nothing serious.

Iván Helguera

Can you cope with all the pressure?
This team has a lot of experience playing this type of match. No one is intimidated. We're Real Madrid. We know we'll have the crowd completely against us. That's how it always is here in Munich, but we just have to deal with the pressure.

Do you trust European referees?
I trust Spanish and European referees equally.

What did the team learn from the first leg of the tie?
We learn a lot from every match we play, but the first leg would show that we stayed too far back and defended too much, especially in the second half. They weren't satisfied with a 3-1 result, so they attacked and we all moved into the first third of the pitch; a huge mistake both at home and here.
Report by Cristina Monge & Javier Palomino

Photos: Diario AS

Special correspondents to Munich, Germany

Translation by Matthew Goltz & Luis Orueta

Injuries diagnosed: Beckham and Reyes out for several weeks each















































The extent of the injuries suffered by David Beckham and José Antonio Reyes have been determined. The Englishman is suffering from a Grade II sprain of the internal lateral ligament of the right knee and will be out for approximately four weeks. The Sevillian is suffering from a Grade I-II sprain of the internal lateral ligament of the left knee and will miss between two and three weeks. Both midfielders will therefore miss Real Madrid’s upcoming matches.


Realmadrid.com

Capello press conference: "With tonight's spirit and quality we will be able to play a good game in Munich"


Fabio Capello was happy with his team's performance against Getafe. He highilghted the support they received from the crowd. The worst thing about the match for the coach were the injuries of Reyes, Beckham and Higuaín.

When Reyes left the pitch the team was more active.
I think we played well tonight and that the result wasn't fair. I liked my player's performance throughout the match.

The crowd didn't whistle today...
The crowd saw a good game tonight, with a good second period in which we had several chances. I think their support helped us. They also stood by our side complaining about some refereeing decisions they didn't like. I never comment on the referee's performance.

Are you worried about Beckham's and Reyes' injuries?
Neither of them will be fit to travel to Germany. We have three serious injuries on the team. Higuaín could also be seriously injured, but we will have to wait until tomorrow to determine this.

Can you win in Germany playing like you did tonight?
With this spirit and quality we can play a good game in Munich. We only think about going through to the quarterfinals.


Realmadrid.com

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Real Madrid 1-1 Getafe:The Whites bounce back from adversity and deserve to win





1 - 1





If Real Madrid play in Munich like they did during the second half tonight, it may prove an easy task to go through to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Driven by the support of their fans, the Whites reacted well to Güiza's opening goal and drew a game that could have ended in a victory for them. Real Madrid desperately looked to score the winning goal in a phenomenal second half. More adversity came with the injuries of Reyes, Beckham and Higuaín and a penalty on Cassano that the referee didn't award.

After the victories of Sevilla and Valencia earlier this weekend, Real Madrid looked to cut distances short with Barcelona in the table by winning three points tonight against Getafe. Bernd Schuster's team were the first side in Real Madrid's way in a complicated week in which they still have to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena and Barcelona at Camp Nou. Getafe looked to surprise everybody by earning their first victory in the Madridista feud.

Both teams' initial lienups were conditioned by their absentee players. On Real Madrid, Beckham played in midfield with Gago, Sergio Ramos was paired as centre back with Helguera because of Cannavaro's suspension, Reyes and Robinho were in charge of bringing the ball down the wings, and Ruud van Nistelrooy -recovered from his injury- was paired with Higuaín in the attacking front. Getafe couldn't count with their two main centre backs, Alexis and Belenguer, who had to be replaced by former Madridistas Pulido and Tena, who played their first game at the Bernabéu tonight. The Blues have been playing a very serious and organised game the entire season and they started tonight's match putting a lot of pressure on Madrid's defense, as they normally do.

The first Getafe attack came soon after kick-off, one minute and a half into the game. Juan Albín took a dangerous free-kick close to the box, but the ball swayed past Casillas' goal. Real Madrid responded with a counterattack by Sergio Ramos, who joined the attack and gave the ball to Reyes, who in turn back-heeled it to Robinho. The Brazilian took the shot, but Abbondanzieri was well positioned and sent it out. The first few minutes didn't see neither side clearly dominating the match. Getafe were maybe slightly fiercer in the attack thanks to Nacho's great runs down the left and to Güiza's constant runs trying to get unmarked. The Blues were close to getting ahead on the scoreboard with a shot Nacho sent to the near post. Pulido took a header from the rebound, but the ball hit the crossbar.

Far from falling back, Real Madrid also looked for a goal, but all their chances were thwarted by Abbondanzieri and his crew. Their first chance came in the 31st minute. Van Nistelrooy guessed the run of Reyes into the box and passed him the ball. The Sevillian did well to overcome the keeper, but as the ball was about to cross the goal-line, Paredes managed to to save the day for Getafe and cleared it. The excitement of Reyes' play soon vanished when it was clear the player couldn't get up and had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher. The referee failed to see that the keeper's tackle on the winger deserved a penalty shot. Refereeing decisions were detrimental to Real Madrid once again; this would happen soon after tonight in an uncalled penalty on Cassano. Capello was forced to replace Reyes with De la Red and Beckham returned to the right wing. The English player's change of position gave way to an improvement in his team's performance.

Just when Real Madrid were beginning to play their best football, Getafe scored the opening goal. Güiza did well to leave the defenders behind and Cotelo read his run well enough to give him a magnificent pass. The striker took the ball and scored with a crossed shot that went straight past Iker Casillas on the 37-minute mark. Real Madrid were now forced to make a comeback and reacted very quickly. David Beckham brilliantly nutmegged Paredes and gave a long pass to Robinho from which the Brazilian forward managed to win a penalty that Van Nistelrooy converted by sending the ball past the inside of the post. This was Real Madrid's first penalty goal in the season.

The Whites started the second half fighting hard to score the winning goal. After a quiet first half, Gago decided to take the reins of the team and their game improved. Getafe were now much quieter, tired from the great efforts they made in the opening 45 minutes. Real Madrid soon had two chances with shots by Beckham and Higuaín. Robinho also imporved in the second half and created some of the best attacking chances of his team. Beckham hurt his leg badly and had to be replaced by Cassano. The Italian was anxious to pull off a great performance in front of the fans after his good game last week in the derby, in which he gave Higuaín the pass from which he scored the equaliser. But luck wasn't on his side and neither was the referee; the Italian failed to beat Abbondanzieri after a play by Robinho and the official failed to award a penalty after he was tackled in the box.

After earning a draw and performing brilliantly during the second half, Real Madrid will travel to Munich to face Bayern with chances of winning the match. The Whites have had a good start to this crucial week, set to end with the Clasico against Barcelona next weekend.




MATCH REPORT
1- REAL MADRID: Casillas; Roberto Carlos, Torres, Helguera, Sergio Ramos; Gago, Beckham (Cassano, 68’), Robinho, Reyes (De la Red, 35’); Higuaín (Marcelo, 87’), Van Nistelrooy
1- GETAFE: Abbondanzieri; Contra, Paredes, Pulido, Tena; Celestini, Casquero, Cotelo (Alberto, 73’), Nacho; Albín (Redondo, 73’), Güiza (Pachón, 82’)

REFEREE:
Teixeira Vitienes.
Booked Roberto Carlos (11’), Beckham (33’), Cotelo (47’) and Paredes (83').

GOALS:

0-1, Güiza beats Casillas after receiving a great pass from Cotelo.
1-1 Van Nistelrooy scores from a penalty.

VIDEO-HIGHLIGHTS:



Match report by Laura Osorio
Photography by Ángel Martínez, Daniel Sastre & Fernando Comeche
Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Fabio Capello press conference: "The match against Getafe won't be easy"


Fabio Capello gave a press conference after the last training session of the week before the clash with Getafe. The coach explained that Emerson was left out of the sqaud list due to a strained muscle and said that it won't be clear if Roberto Carlos will be able to play against Schuster's team until tomorrow. Capello said that this week is extremely important because the team will play three crucial games against three "excellent" teams.


Is there a pact with Emerson?
Emerson has been left out because he was in pain after the session. He is currently with one of our physiotherapists and the be able to play tomorrow.

Diarra and Guti are also out. Haven't you though about taking Emerson with you anyway?
I spoke to him about it and he said that he doesn't want to risk it because we have two very important games this week. He's had problems and he is in pain. If he played tomorrow he would be niggled for the rest of the week.

Do you think he's scared of playing at the Bernabéu?
Absolutely not.

This week is crucial for the team. Will it also be crucial for your future?
We have three difficult and important games against three excellent teams ahead of us. They will be important for all our futures.

How do you feel about the poles in the media asking who should be the next coach?
It doesn't surprise me. I'm used to that.

Have you lost your strength?
No, I'm still the same. I've worked for many years and I hope they get tired before I do.

Are you going to line up niggled players like Raúl and Roberto Carlos?
No. Raúl hasn't made the squad list and we will have to wait until tomorrow to see if Roberto is fit to play. He's been training well and it seems he is recovered, but we'll have to see what he and the doctors have to say tomorrow.


How's your relationship with Cassano?
The same as five years ago. I have always had faith in him because he is an important player.

How about your relationship with Beckham?
It's different because they think differently.

A victory will be important, especially from the psichological point of view.
That's true. Getafe have a very good team with very experienced players. They have conceded the least number of goals in the League this season. It won't be an easy game.

It will be an important victory because you play at home.
Let's hope we do better this time around.

Did the President ask anything of you?
No. I knew he was coming yesterday to talk to the squad. I also spoke with him, but that's a private matter. We have an important week ahead of us and he has faith in the team and myself.

Do you think you have done something that deserves so much criticism?
I only believe in the truth.

What would your ideal score be for the Sevilla-Barcelona fixture?
A draw would be perfect. Barcelona have recovered important players like Eto'o and Messi. They are a different team now.

Do you feel less like yourself without Cannavaro and Emerson on the pitch?
Being the coach of Real Madrid makes me who I am.

Report by Laura Osorio
Photography by Daniel Sastre

Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Squad list: Roberto Carlos, Van Nistelrooy and Ramos in; Emerson out





VS






Fabio Capello has included 19 men on his squad list for Sunday's match against Getafe at the Santiago Bernabéu at 7 pm CET. R
oberto Carlos, Van Nistelrooy, Ramos and youth system player Rubén De la Red have made the list. The latter will replace Emerson in the midfield, as the Brazilian suffers from a strained muscle. Guti, Diarra and Cannavaro are suspended. Raúl is injured.


The squad list is rather different from last week's. Roberto Carlos is on it, but it won't be known if he is fit enough to play until tomorrow. Neither he nor the medical staff want to force his injury. The other good news is that Van Nistelrooy and Sergio Ramos have recovered from their injuries.

Diarra and Guti are suspended because they have both been booked five times. Emerson strained his tibial muscle and won't be able to take part in tomorrow's game. Fabio Capello has had to call on the services of Castilla's Rubén De la Red to fill the Brazilian's shoes.

Fabio Cannavaro will miss the game as he was sent off in the derby against Atletico last week. Raúl will also miss the match because he still hasn't recovered from the pulled hamstring he's had since Saturday.


SQUAD LIST:





MEDICAL REPORT:

# Cicinho: Torn anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee. Surgery (26/09/06). Gym and field work.
# Raúl: Pulled left hamstring. Medical treatment and physiotherapy. Gym work.
# Emerson: Strained anterior tibial muscle of the left leg. Medical treatment and physiotherapy. Gym work.


Report by Laura Osorio
Photography by Daniel Sastre
Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Getafe central defender Alexis Ruano is all set to become Real Madrid's first signing this summer.




According to sports daily AS on Wednesday, Real and Getafe have already struck a deal for Alexis, 21, to switch to the Estadio Bernabeu in June for 8 millions Euro.

AS quotes Real sporting director Pedja Mijatovic as saying that "Alexis is a very interesting player, we like him and are following his progress."

Alexis shot to fame by heading in the goal which sunk Real in Getafe in October. On Sunday he will again play for Getafe against Real, this time in the Bernabeu.

Getafe are the revelation team of this season in Spain, eighth in "La Liga" and with one foot in the semi-finals of the King's Cup.

The Getafe defence is the tightest in Spain right now, having conceded just 16 goals in 24 games.

According to AS, Real are also interested in Pepe, FC Porto's Brazilian defender.

By:As.com

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Higuaín to AS:"I hope this is the first of many goals for me with this shirt"


Higuaín tallied his first goal as a Madridista thanks to a great pass from Cassano when his team was losing the derby. A special srtike, no doubt, also because it was scored at the Vicente Calderón and because it earned Real Madrid one point after much suffering. Pipita -as Higuaín is popularly nicknamed- gave an interview to newspaper Diario AS in which he talked about how he felt after scoring his first goal with the Whites at the Calderón.

Things always look clearer after a few hours. How would you describe scoring your first goal as a Madridista in the classic Madrid derby?
I'm very happy with having scored my first goal as a Real Madrid player in such an important match.
Two weeks ago, you said that you had to remain calm despite the fact that you still hadn't scored any goals and that fans were getting a bit restless...
I didn't despair despite people's impatience. That was the best thing to do. My goal eventually came in an important game. Every goal is special to me, but I know this one is even more important because it was scored in a derby.

Your celebration was an outburst of joy. You screamed so passionately!
Yes, it was an outburst of joy. The goal made me very happy because of when and where it was scored.
You can't complain about Cassano's pass after he dribbled past the entire Atletico defensive wall...
His cross was excellent. I took advantage of being unmarked and faced Leo Franco one-on-one and managed to score the equaliser.

You and Cassano formed a good partnership on the pitch.
Antonio saw I was unmarked and crossed the ball to me past Atletico's lines. We understand each other very well.


Didn't you consider dribbling past Leo Franco before shooting on goal?
No, I didn't because I tried to do that in other games and failed to score, so I decided to take the shot and it worked.

People say that once you score the first goal, you score one goal after another...
I'm very happy and I hope this is the first of many goals for me with this shirt. It was my reward for not despairing.

What did you think about the Calderón?
It's a beautiful stadium. We played a good game and earned an important draw.

Many expect you to make fans forget about Ronaldo, but that is a very difficult task...
I honestly try not to think about that. I'm young and still have a lot to learn. Scoring many goals at Real Madrid is all I want to do.

What did your teammates say to you?
They were very nice. Everyone congratulated me, but I know I wouldn't have been able to score if it hadn't been for them. My friends and family were also happy for me..

How do you think referee Daudén Ibáñez performed? He didn't allow a fair goal by Perea and failed to award Atletico a penalty when Emerson tackled Agüero in the box.
I never talk about referees, not even when they do things well.

Realmadrid.com

Pedja Mijatovic is satisfied by the one point taken from the Calderón


Pedja Mijatovic was "satisfied" with the final result of Saturday's derby. "We had several key injuries," said Real Madrid's Sporting Director. "But looking back on it, I think it's a fair result."

“It was a touch match because we were missing so many key players, the last to fall being Van Nistelrooy. We didn't have a good first half, but we did have two chances to pull even. We improved in the second period and can be pleased with our performance. It was Atletico's best match of the season. Looking back on it, I think it's a fair result”.

“The first half belonged to Atletico. They controlled the game, created opportunities, and scored. But we had our chances as well. Higuaín's goal was crucial, not just for him, but for the team. We didn't play a good match, but I do think it was a fair end result, and we can be pleased with it.”

“It's a very important one point. We have key matches coming up and we need get our injured players back. We'll start recovering important men and we're looking forward to playing well from here on out, both in the League and the Champions League.”

Report by Luis Navarro
Photo: Realmadrid.com

Translation by Matthew Goltz

Fabio Capello "I think the draw was fair"


Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello considered the final result of tonight's match against Atletico Madrid's stadium as "fair." The Italian boss was content with the draw at the Vicente Calderón stadium and he admitted that the team paid the price for playing such a tough match against Bayern Munich just days earlier.

"Atletico were in good form, and the Champions League always takes its toll on us. I am pleased with how my players performed on the pitch. I think the draw was fair."

The Madridista coach said the team "suffered during the first 20 minutes," but believed "the draw is acceptable because I liked the team's spirit."

"A draw at a stadium like Atletico's is a good result. It's a tough place to play in. Derbies are always so unique. They really pressured us during the first twenty minutes when we kept on losing the ball. Although they controlled the first half, we had the three best scoring chances."

"Cassano played well and gave the goal assist. He needs more playing time and he's at the right weight."

Regarding the performance of the referees, Capello made his point very clear. "I haven't gotten involved with the referees in more than two years. They can be dead on or slip up," he concluded.

Report by Luis Navarro
Photo by David R. Anchuelo

Translation by Matthew Goltz

Atletico 1-1 Real Madrid: "The derby ends in a draw and Real Madrid finish with ten men; Higuaín tallies his first goal"






1 - 1









Atletico Madrid will have to wait another year to try to win the Spanish capital derby. The Rojiblancos started off well with a Torres goal in the opening minutes of the match and a good first half in general. But Real Madrid waited for their chance to strike, which came in the 61st minute when Higauaín hit the back of the net for the first time since landing in Madrid. The Madridistas held on to the draw, even down one man after Cannavaro was sent off for seeing two yellow cards. Up next for the Whites, Getafe, another cross-town rival.


Atletico Madrid came out of the gates full throttle. Eight years had passed since their last win over their eternal rival, and they made it very clear that they wanted to end the drought. The Rojiblancos dominated the wings and the possession, and they had little trouble reaching Casillas' box. Their first warning shots came with a free kick by Luccin which sailed over the crossbar just two minutes in, followed by Jurado run from the left flank.

The Madridistas couldn't find their game on the hosts' pitch, and the Gago-Emerson duo were outdone by Maniche and Luccin. Guti and Higuaín had no way of getting the ball as their teammates were tied up in the midfield, and Reyes and Raúl were unable to weave their way to Leo Franco's box from the wings. Meanwhile, Atletico stuck to their gameplan. They pressured the Whites on every corner of the field, and it finally bore its fruit. Just over ten minutes had gone by when Galletti's play down the right wing ended with the ball at Fernando Torres' feet. The Spanish international's crossed shot from just inside the box beat Casillas and gave the hosts the lead. It was the Madrid natives first ever goal in a derby.

A disallowed Perea goal because of an offside call on the next play was the fuel the Madridistas needed. Down one, the team was forced to stretch all lines forward. The first opportunity to pull even came by way of an Emerson header. Capello's men continued to put Atletico to the test, and although the Colchoneros were well-positioned on the pitch, there was no way they could maintain such a high level of pressure throughout the entire match.

Gago and Cannavaro nearly draw

Surprising as it may sound, the two first-year Madridistas had the team's best scoring opportunities of the first half. Higuaín's run resulted in Leo Franco's first save of the night. On the ensuing corner kick, neither Gago nor Cannavaro took the initiative to put the ball into the net with the Argentine keeper the last man standing. The two Merengues thought the referee had blown the whistle to call offside, so they just stood there. But it wouldn't be their last chance of the night. Cannavaro received another corner kick on his boot just on the brink of halftime, but he disappointingly lacked accuracy when finishing. Moments prior, Casillas made an incredible save to keep Galetti from scoring.

Higuaín's scoring debut

At the start of the second half, Reyes and Gago were substituted for Cassano and Diarra, respectively. The centre midfielder and forward were brought on to try to give the team more options up front with Guti and Raúl playing along the flanks. The pace of the match slowed considerably as the minutes ticked off the clock, although Atletico was still the better side, but not by much. Diarra brought consistency and possession to the midfield, and Cassano was all over the last third of the field. You could tell the Italian really wanted to contribute, so much so that it was his pass which resulted in the equaliser.

With about 30 minutes remaining, his perfect center through an open gap found Higuaín, who struck the ball passed Leo Franco's right side an into the net. It was the Argentine's first goal since landing in Spain during the winter transfer window, and a complete bombshell for the hosts. The difficult part was done, but the team wanted even more. The equaliser was a real setback for Atleti, who gradually lost control of the game.

Capello made his third change and brought Marcelo in. Guti was slightly injured, so the young Brazilian took full control of the left wing. The match was broken wide open, and any play could have resulted in the game winner. Mista and Seitaridis each had a go, but a combination of Casillas and bad aim prevented the go-ahead goal. Madrid held their ground, even after Cannavaro was sent off for his second yellow. The last few minutes were an all-out grudge match, but each team walked away with one point in hand.


MATCH SUMMARY:

1 – ATLETICO MADRID: Leo Franco; Seitaridis, Perea, Ze Castro, Antonio López; Jurado, Luccin, Maniche, Galletti (Mista 71´); Agüero and Torres.
1 – REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Cannavaro, Helguera, Torres; Reyes (Cassano 45´), Gago (Diarra 53´), Emerson, Raúl; Guti (Marcelo 76´) Higuaín

GOALS:
1-0, min. 11: Torres beats Casillas with a shot that crosses the box.
1-1, min. 61: Higuaín hits the net after a brilliant pass by Cassano.

REFEREE:
Daudén Ibáñez (Aragon Referee Association). Booked Cassano (47´), Torres (48´), Guti (53’), Galletti (61´), Diarra (85´), and sent off Cannavaro (13’ and 82’)

Video-Highlights:


Match report by Luis Navarro
Photos by David Rodríguez and Fernando Comeche
Translation by Matthew Goltz