Real Madrid Thread

Right now, Marcelo is probably the best attacking SB in the world and from the looks of it, Mourinho plans to use Coentrao as a midfielder. Marcelo seems the better dribbler.

Great display btw from Real. They got more possesion than Barcelona. This ever happened? And yeah, Ozil looked surprisingly very fast. :D
 
Very very good football game. At this point, we couldn't ask more from both teams, who presented us a pleasant football night. Madrid was by far the better side last night taking advantage of a better and earlier pre-season preparation. Barça seems that is still trying to re-acquire some mechanisms (read: effective "tiki-taka" footie) but they were still able to give a lot of work to Real Madrid and get an important result for them, which will difficult Madrid's hopes in conquer the Supercopa. Honestly, I think we deserved to win the match, Barcelona was very lucky in scoring twice last night (well, I shouldn't call it lucky at all because that Villa's goal was a truly piece of art). Anyway, I'm confident for the second leg.

Agree with you when you say that Fábio Coentrão loses a bit of effectiveness playing in the middle but, looking at what Marcelo did today, there's no reason to take the Brazilian out. Nevertheless, Coentrão did an important job when came in alongside Callejón (impressed me too, although being a bit aggressive for my taste and little smart too) holding the midfield when Barcelona started to gain some ball possession.

Looking forward to the new season. As I've been telling you over the previous season, the gap is getting closer and closer. Hoping for a white year this time. :)

@bebo Trusting in Mourinho's words, Madrid isn't looking for a striker anymore.
 
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Very impressed by Madrid last night, Benzema has improved so much this calendar year, he was excellent for France vs Chile also.

I agree with you Zeem about Marcelo, looking forward to seeing Sahin next to Alonso.

It's ridiculous though how often Pepe allows the occasion get to him, he needs to calm down.
 
In terms of football, Madrid was way better overall, something we knew it could happen. Barcelona is very short of training and lots of players haven't even played a single match with the club since june. We were lucky to draw, but I get the feeling Real kept us alive in key moments of the match by missing clear chances or simply try to score from long shoots, when our exeprimental deffense was a complete disaster.

I liked Benzema a lot more than Ronaldo, and Ozil a lot more than the last season, specially in pressure movements. I didn't see enough of Coentrao to talk about him. It's nice to see Real doing a brave strategy and going up the pitch. And it's nice to see some of their players so fit at this stage. I foresee a very powerful start of the season for the team.

Let's see how things unfold when we get fit!

But also I'm really astonished to see that even yesterday Mourinho had to do again his childish show and didn't appear at the press conference and sent Karanka instead to moan about the referees. It's getting ridiculously childish. Only an idiot would insist in that.

I don't get how Mourinho can still insist on moaning the referees as the only way to justify things. In my oppinion this man will drag Real image even lower this season, and many of my Real friends (I watched the match with one of them) are really upset and can't stand how the club is committing sepukku in terms of image. A big mass of stupid sheep may believe the conspirational theories, but at least my friends have brains and use them and can sepparate his love for Real from the fanatism.

By the way, I don't understand how Real could end the match with 11 players in the ground, when at least 2 players deserved a red through the 90 minutes. Even the most fanatic press makes mention of it (and that's bloody difficult in Spain):
http://www.as.com/futbol/articulo/teixeira-dejo-pitar-penalti-equipo/20110815dasdaiftb_29/Tes

I really don't like how real is all the time playing on the verge of the rules and applying straight violence now and then. Marcelo does an average of 1 aggression per match that goes unpunished. And whenever they do a blatant foul, they still moan and act as if they didn't touch no one. I mean, there's a lot of acting that should be punished, not only blatant divers. When someone like Pepe does what he usually does (and yesterday he tried an aggression on Pedro, again) the normal thing would be to calm down the guy. Instead, it seems it's now the favorite player for the fans. Why? Because he kicks other players? Wow, I never thought Real would come down to that.

Khedira did enough to be sent off in the first 30 minutes, and Mourinho was moaning and shouting against Abidal, when the german almost destroys Abidal face. That's sad, really sad to see.

The same way I criticize some barcelona players when now and then they do stupid things (mostly Busquets and Alves), it would be refreshing to see some Real fans to accept some of their players play kng-fu instead of football.
 
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You're making way a big a deal out of this. I caught like 4 EPL games this weekend and all had more aggression and physicality than the Super Cup game with a couple of yesterday's Pepe-Alves like ones. Be happy with Cesc now! :D

That was a bad act by Khedira with the high kick. I think he is a decent person. Don't know why he did it. And I think we all know Pepe is an insane freak but you expect the fans to turn against him?! This will never happen.

Anyway, this Callejon is really impressive. Very explosive and energetic. Mistaked him and his hair for Cristiano a couple of times.
 
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Actually I also watched EPL this weekend, and didn't see any tackle like those I mentioned going unpunished in any match (watched Man Utd and Arsenal). What makes it a bad thing is that still they moan to the referee even if they went unpunished! And scream to the referee and act as if they didn't do anything and Mou even didn't go to the press because he was mad at the ref. I mean, he spared them 2 red cards, what is to blame him for? And Marcelo doing tackles and aggressions when the ball is away has turned into a tradition. I didn't see that in the EPL neither.
By the way, the related link I added is from As, one of the most real-biased newspapers out there. Just to note how blatant some decisions were.

On the pure footballing side, Callejon may be a good rotation player for the squad. Real has one of the best bunch of players ever, in quality and quantity, and lots of replacements and tactical possibilities. Though I think they still lack another creative midfielder who can play as DMF. I know Sahin is supposed to do that, so let's wait till he recovers.

I think Ramos won't play as much this season, though RB may be the only spot in the squad that has not 2 equally good players. And I don't get why Mou/Florentino tried to sign another forward, having Benzema and Higuain who are top top players. Benzema has got a lot of bad critics during the last seasons, but he's aboslutely brilliant. Yesterday he was the one who created more danger to us, and ripped Abidal apart.

Another thing that I liked is how Real did a lot of pressure upfront. They tried last season, but yesterday it seemed they all acted as a team in doing so. Of course, Barcelona midfield was weaker than usual so the pressure was a lot more effective than usual and they recovered the ball in dangerous situations. And that is one thing I thought Real should improve. It seems the team is getting sharper and more solid. I don't have any doubts Barcelona and Real are the favorites to all the titles.
 
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By the same line of argument for saying Marcelo could have been sent off, Victor Valdez could have been sent off in the second half when clipped Ronaldo after he dropped the ball.

I didn't think the ref was that bad, he missed a few things for either side, but he let the game flow and it was a better spectacle than the 4 games towards the end of last season.
 
So, Khedira shouldn't have had AT LEAST a yellow card for kicking Abidal's head (he had another one for a harsh tackle to Iniesta)?
Pepe didn't deserve AT LEAST a yellow for tackling Alves and then trying to kick Pedro?
Marcelo didn't deserve any card for doing an aggression to Messi off the ball, another one to Alexis and a clear penalty to Pedro?
Alonso didn't deserve a yellow before the 80th minute even though he harshly tackled Messi from behind 2 times in the first half?

Opposed to that, the only thing you can blame against Barcelona is Valdes lightly touching Cristiano (who dived as if he was shot) in what should have been indeed penalty and a yellow.

What upsets me is Real players and Mou moaning about the referee still!!!!
I have the feeling Mou has brainwashed a lot of people. Or simply that people expect Barcelona players to be hacked down for whatever reason. I watched the Man Utd match and the Arsenal one and there were yellows and reds for a lot less than that.
 
So, Khedira shouldn't have had AT LEAST a yellow card for kicking Abidal's head (he had another one for a harsh tackle to Iniesta)?
Pepe didn't deserve AT LEAST a yellow for tackling Alves and then trying to kick Pedro?
Marcelo didn't deserve any card for doing an aggression to Messi off the ball, another one to Alexis and a clear penalty to Pedro?
Alonso didn't deserve a yellow before the 80th minute even though he harshly tackled Messi from behind 2 times in the first half?

Opposed to that, the only thing you can blame against Barcelona is Valdes lightly touching Cristiano (who dived as if he was shot) in what should have been indeed penalty and a yellow.

What upsets me is Real players and Mou moaning about the referee still!!!!
I have the feeling Mou has brainwashed a lot of people. Or simply that people expect Barcelona players to be hacked down for whatever reason. I watched the Man Utd match and the Arsenal one and there were yellows and reds for a lot less than that.

We were talking about red cards not yellows?

I probably would have given Khedira a yellow for the high kick, but I don't think it was a red card as he tried to play the ball (I dont think the intention was to hurt the Barcelona player) and it wasnt in a key area of the pitch (i.e. it didnt directly stop a goal), the Iniesta tackle was just a free kick in my opinion, nothing more. Also it's conjecture to state that Khedira should have got the two yellows and so a red card. If he had got a first yellow card he probably would make less risky tackles since he would know he would be on the last chance.

On Pepe, I would maybe have given him a yellow for the tackle on Alves, but it's again it's not 100% clear cut. I dont think the Pepe-Pedro thing last night warranted a card at all.

Both Marcelo and Vicktor Valdez could / should have been sent off. Marcelo fouled Pedro in the box and it denied a goal scoring chance so that should be a red card; Valdez comitted a professional foul (clipped Ronaldo, tugging him back in the penalty area when the ball had long gone). I think the ref was right to book Alonso for persistent fouling, but I dont think any of the fouls individually warranted a yellow card.

Overall I thought the ref had a good game, he missed a few things but given the troubled history of the fixture it was always going to be hard game to police. At least he was balanced and didn't stop the game every 30 seconds, allowing it to flow.
 
Well, I agree mostly with your view, I only differ on some of the tackles that I think were violent or should have been a straight red (like the 2 aggressions of Marcelo without the ball). And regarding Alonso, I definitely think that a tackle form behind is a yellow, or at least those are the rules. Alexis Sñánchez got a yellow for much less than that.

You're right that Khedira wouldn't have committed more fouls if he already had a yellow. That's precisely the point, he wouldn't have been able to cut the play all the time, which actually is one of the best ways to interrupt Barcelona build up and passing game.

But maybe I have explained myself badly in the fact that what strikes me most and what makes me angry is that I don't get how Mourinho can still be attakcing the referee when overall (and we all agree on that) it was quite good and didn't have a major impact on the result.
 
Did anyone see Messi vomiting just before scoring his goal?

About the match, Real played way better and only got away with a draw. That does not bode well for them, when Barça clicks they will be way superior again.

Oh and Pepe will seriously injure someone sooner or later, he's a prick.
 
Mourinho is starting to lose it. What a sore loser he's become! Anyone see him hit Tito Vilanova in the back of the head!!?

I'm just waiting for him to now say the referee screwed Real Madrid and that Marcelo's tackle was never a red card and that referees favour Barcelona :LOL:
 
Mourinho needs to sort himself out. Dont get me wrong, I think he's entertaining and makes great TV. :LOL:
But at this rate, he's starting to become less of the great manager/coach we knew from his previous work, and more of a football character or personality. If he carries on like this then that's all he's gonna be remembered for, and I dont think he deserves that.
 
Mourinho´s statements could add pressure to referees indeed.. he is criticising them a lot, especialy after Madrid loose.
 
Yeah his head has got too big for his own good and now instead of doing what he does best which is winning matches and building amazing teams, he's let himself get distracted with all the media, tension, etc.

On the other hand, I think Real Madrid will be EVEN better this year and I think this will be Benzema's year. After 2 years of on and off with his play and some glimpses of super talent and then some disappointing moments, inconsistencies, I think Mourinho has finally managed to get him mentally and physically ready to be one of the world's deadliest forwards again so I expect Real to reap the rewards of the investment they made in Karim 2 years ago, finally this year.

Kaka on the other hand I don't think will come good... :( and so that was a huge waste for them and amazing deal for Milan who had the world's best player contribute to them for years and then still got the same massive $$$ for him they would've a few years before when he didn't have injury problems and had a lot more left in the tank.
 
Poor Kaka. I used to love watch him play. My fav player 4-5 years ago!

Nowadays he doesn't look HALF the player he used to be :( and he's also HALF as fast! :(

Remember him at top speed! he was ridiculously fast! Like C. Ronaldo! I remember he outpaced Messi WITH ball in Brazil vs. Argentina. Now Messi can run faster than him with one leg! :LOL:
 
he was a tank, i remember that goal at Old Trafford still now..

Agree, Real look better than previous season... but so does Barca ;)
 
Kaka will come to Milan late this month. :) Galliani dying to have him back. He is a shadow though. His speed was the thing that distinguished him from the rest.

And Mourinho has always been like that. He makes referees and coaches his enemies since his Chelsea times. That's how he sells himself. Clubs know that when they sign him although it may hurt their image. I'd really love to know what Florentino would tell him after this incident tonight.
 
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Yeah everybody loves Kaka!

Oh well at least Karim will come good this season lol. I think. lol
 
More like he's too fat to play at the top level...

Kaka looks overweight, he looked past it at the World Cup and looks very average now. In Italy he seemed to have a lot more time on the ball whereas in Spain he's getting more and more pressure, he can't seem to beat a physical or agile defender.

One thing I'll say about tonights game is Real Madrid were very strong in the air (or maybe it was Barcelona being very weak in the air). Real Madrid got sucked into a physical battle, I think if they had more positional discipline at the back they could have beaten Barca. I thought Real's attackers showed good tactical discipline, they shut down the space for Vicktor Valdes and the Barca defenders so Barca frequently kicked it long and Real would then win it in the air.
 
More like he's too fat to play at the top level...

Kaka looks overweight, he looked past it at the World Cup and looks very average now. In Italy he seemed to have a lot more time on the ball whereas in Spain he's getting more and more pressure, he can't seem to beat a physical or agile defender.

One thing I'll say about tonights game is Real Madrid were very strong in the air (or maybe it was Barcelona being very weak in the air). Real Madrid got sucked into a physical battle, I think if they had more positional discipline at the back they could have beaten Barca. I thought Real's attackers showed good tactical discipline, they shut down the space for Vicktor Valdes and the Barca defenders so Barca frequently kicked it long and Real would then win it in the air.

Agree, I'd love to see Chelsea or Man City play Barca at some stage. Would be fascinating - such a contrast of power and raw athleticism vs. skill and touch.
 
Im enough of Mou ego, i liked Real since times of Zamorano, Prosinecki, Zidane, Raul, Suker, etc all players were the stars and coaches not. What a shame to the history of Madrid. And moreover Barca winning all important cups, i think Mou cost too much to just get Copa del Rey.
Bring back Del Bosque or Pellegrini !!!
 
This is what the idiot of Mourinho did. Put it in big size. How can this smurf act like that?

YouTube - mourinho mete el dedo en el ojo a tito vilanova supercopa 17-8-2011

An aggression to the eye of Tito Vilanova. Then on the press conference he said he didn't do anything and he didn't know who Tito Vilanova was (it's the Guardiola assistant coach).

Pathetic. Just pathetic. If they allow this clown to drag football even lower... Someone should shut him for the good of real madrid.

Marcelo tackle was a straight red, even though Casillas said Cesc dived. It's all the time the same with Mourinho, Marcelo and Pepe. This can't go on and someone should do something about it, because Madrid has played 2 great matches of football but now they will be remembered for this.

I was at the stadium and the ambience was amazing. Messi is like 2x better than anyone I've ever seen. And Benzema is playing VERY well. He was the main threat. He's improved a lot on tactical movements and pression. Coentrao was quite bad as a LB, though, and Cristiano could have been more effective.

Barcelona is far from being fit and we suffered a lot, specially in the physical play. But this will change when the players get in shape and they can add more pace to the ball. The 3 barcelona goals were marvellous seen live.

I really really think Madrid as an institution needs to do a halt and analyze where are they going in terms of image. Most of Spain is totally hating Madrid right now, and that's something that had never happened. Mourinho destroyed the image of the club last year. Now is pissing on it.
 
I think Man City would win, I would imagine De Jong, Kompany and Kolo Touré (if he's off the wife's slimming pills) would be a bit better than Real at the back. They have more pace and tactical discipline than Carvalho (slow) and Ramos (caught in the wrong position a bit too often). De Jong is less volatile than Pepe and while I think Barca would get him a yellow card, De Jong would probably not get a second yellow - Mancini might also sub him off. I'm less convinced about how Lescott would cope, but if the defence was built around Kompany, with him making the positional decisions then they might be ok.

Man City really have the players to hurt Barca at set pieces too, the height of Komany, Dzeko (if he plays) Lescott / Touré I think would cause them all sorts of problems especially at corners.

Chelsea are similar physically, but I think their age might be a factor, and Ramieres wouldnt really boss the midfield like De Jong in my opinion. I also think Terry isn't really a top defender anymore and he would struggle to deal with Barca's movement. Chelsea struggled with Man Utd's attacking movement in the CL games last year and Barca are more mobile than them, so again Chelsea would struggle.
 
Casillas said he dived? omg..

that was straight red, the same straight red Khedira (as much as i like him) should have got for almost kicking Abidal face off...

this kind of things are simply rules and are not allowed in football.. i feel angry looking at madrid players shaking hands or throwing hands in air after they make clear foul, like nothing happend..

edit: i think Abidal was awsome in this matches..he is such underrated player, fantastic player and person imo.
 
Mourinho lol ......no one saw Dani slap marcelo ? Ref did f'all about it. Rm needs another defender to partner pepe . I hope Rm gets a grip and finish better. Good match , great fight,both clubs lack class .in the words og saf typical Spanish :Lol:
 
This is what the idiot of Mourinho did. Put it in big size. How can this smurf act like that?

What's most disturbing is Mourinho's facial expression after the contact. He is resigned to losing the match at this point, and now he's just behaving like a child. Just look at his face, it has wind-up merchant written all over it. Cheeky bastard.

It just makes him look even more pathetic than he already is and an even bigger loser.

These matches are way too dramatic and pussified for me. Why don't these pansies have an actual fight?

Here's how actual men get hit:

YouTube - Extreme Rugby Hits
 
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