Pictures, words, videos, gifs, a game, information, and Mou, I mean more, although there is Mou as well!
One. Training looked fun yesterday, no? Well, maybe for everyone except Iker, who was denied the chance to touch Xabi Alonso’s face. That would make anyone upset. I especially love how some of the players never stopped bouncing, as well as the players running in from the side to join in the fun, led by one Iker Casillas.
Two. MFC Álvaro Borja Morata Martín looked a bit confused and lost there among all the big boys – if you can count 19-year-old Sergio Canales, 22-year-old Juanfran and fellow 18-year-old but older by five months Fernando Pacheco the big boys. However, that somehow manages to make him look even more adorable.
Luckily, Sergio and Pepe were there to help out and be his guide.
Three. And it’s time for another round of guess who?! I don’t mean Mou, obviously. Answers at the very end of the post.
Four. Meanwhile, it’s been confirmed that Gonzalo Higuaín will have his surgery in Chicago on Jan. 11. For those of you in the area, he’ll be at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, with the procedure carried out by Dr. Richard G. Fessler, the head of the department of neurosurgery there (by the way, the Spanish press is asking why Spanish doctors aren’t good enough for this). Pipita will leave for the U.S. this weekend, and be accompanied by someone from the medical staff of Madrid, who will also observe the half-hour procedure.
He tweeted yesterday, “hi everyone, how are you? As you’ve seen in the press, on Tuesday I’ll be operated on in Chicago. Thank you again for all your messages of support.”
Five. In his press conference yesterday, José Mourinho talked about Pipita, saying that he knew from the start that Gonzalo would have to get surgery (that’s why he’s TSO) and that he wouldn’t place any hope on Higuaín being back in two months time, but that they could motivate him by telling him that he would be useful in May, with Madrid hopefully still in all competitions.
He also revealed that there probably would not be a substitute for Higuaín, commenting that he didn’t have a lot of hope that the club would sign anyone in the winter transfer market. Mou said, “I spoke with the president two days ago about this topic. The club won’t sign another forward. And being the club that it is, not just anyone can come” [and that is a problem with our club]. He went on to say, “it looks to me that we’ll get to the end of the season with this group of players, which means that no one will enter, and also that no one will leave.”
Mou also talked about MFC, saying that “Morata has to continue with Castilla, he trains with us but he’s not prepared to play on the first team. If one day we don’t have Benzema, due to fatigue or injury or anything else, we’ll use another system, without a fixed attacking point of reference.”
As for the Levante game, which appeared to be the topic the journalists were least interested in during the press conference, Mou said that Benzema would start, as well as Gago, who would be the captain in the absence of the first four captains. He said of Fer, “I liked him from the moment that I arrived.” Adán will also make his first official start in a regular season game, Kaká will only play 25 minutes, and of Diarra, Mou was complimentary: “he has a lot of experience, he knows what to do on the field, he’s strong…”
Six. And for more Mou, check out this video from the Getafe game. Oops!
I love the commentators: “at least he didn’t swallow his gum, at least no one laughed…” Although I think Mou will have noticed, even as he was falling, that Silvino was the only one NOT to reach out for him. Being a former goalkeeper, you would think he would instinctively reach out to try to catch things. Meanwhile, all the other assistants tried to help. Someone probably didn’t get a gift from King Mou yesterday…
Seven. Oh, and Rubén de la Red is now the assistant coach of the Juvenil A team, after the reshuffling of coaches that took place earlier this week, with the most important appointment being Alberto Toril replacing Alejandro Menéndez as head coach of Castilla. Go Rubén!
Eight. And finally, this very cute video. It’s a letter to the Three Kings, like the one Cristiano was writing in Crackòvia.
Translation:
Dear Kings,
Since I’ve been a top goalie this year, my letter is a bit long, but I want you to know that all of these presents that I’m asking you for will make Madridistas very happy.
1. A pair of gloves to stop shots like Iker, although they don’t have to be like his golden ones.
2. A building blocks game, so that I can form a wall like Pepe and Carvalho do.
3. An electric train as powerful as Sergio Ramos.
4. A pair of ice skates, so that I can zoom around as fast as Marcelo does.
5. A compass that will guide me like Xabi Alonso does on the field.
6. A suit of armor to protect me, just like Khedira protecting the team.
7. A remote controlled car so that I can control it just like Özil controls the ball.
8. Some paintbrushes to draw like Di María draws up the plays.
9. A bicycle so I can race and be as fast as Cristiano.
10. A projector so that I can watch Higuaín and Benzema’s goals clearly on a big screen.
11. A chess set so I can learn to how to strategize like Mourinho.
With all these things and many others that my team has, we’ll be going to Cibeles to celebrate the Copa del Rey, the Liga and La Décima, so don’t forget my plane ticket to London on May 28.
Nine. The answer to the guess who: from left to right, Álvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Canales and Fernando Gago. How’d you do?