bowls, best friends and a pirate

Today is a rare mid-week game day, so there’s not much news coming out of the Real Madrid camp.  But at least it’s an away game, which means we get to see the players traveling in their suits.

And bowl haircuts.  I’m looking at you, Ricky.  Don’t tell me you’re regressing to your childhood.  We know you can look so much better, so please just borrow a bit of mousse or gel from Cristiano.  I’m sure he has some in his LV toilet kit.

And in Mallorca, the Real Madrid photographer snapped this picture of Arbeloa and Albiol looking extremely happy to be together.  Two thumbs up for the picture!

Meanwhile, Marca published an interview with Esteban Granero in today’s [2010-05-05] edition.  The interesting bits of the interview after the jump!

El Pirata was asked about that video of him and Diarrá talking before the Zaragoza game, and this is what he had to say.  I love his answers!

Q:  Against Osasuna, you returned to the starting XI after being a sub or not even called up.  Did it surprise you to be left out?

A:  Well, I wasn’t included in the final list of players for two games.  No one likes it when that happens.  It’s not that it surprised me, because I know that we all compete for spots and it’s difficult to win one… There have been a lot of untruths said about my mental state and my situation in Madrid.  I know that whatever happens to me, good or bad, is a result of my actions.  I will never blame anyone else for my situation.

Q:  Would you like to clear up the controversy generated by the conversation you had with Mahamadou Diarrá – he told you to stay strong since the end of the season is coming up – in La Romareda after being excluded from the list of final players called up for the game?

A:  There’s really nothing to clear up, and I have already done so.  But it angers me that people put words in my mouth, and that this could harm me.  I would never say what I allegedly said in that conversation (people guessed that he was talking about the coach).  I have never had anything bad to say about Pellegrini, and I never will.  I’m very thankful to him for the relationship that we have.  The only one responsible for me being in the stands instead of on the bench is me.  If I ever stop understanding that, then that’s the day I have a problem.

Q:  But it seemed like you wanted to get out of Real Madrid.

A:  It bothers me that people are thinking that, when the reality is that I’m happy because playing in Madrid has always been my dream.  I would like to be here for 15 years, if that’s possible.  Saying I would like to leave is a lie.

Q:  Did you clear things up with Pellegrini?

A:  For him, it wasn’t necessary, but I did speak with him.

Q:  And with Diarrá?

A:  Well we joked about it, because we were surprised by how an innocent conversation could have generated such controversy.  What was just an attempt by one teammate to cheer another one up became a criticism of the coach.  Mahamadou only had good intentions.  He’s a heavyweight in the locker room and was just trying to help out a teammate.