Can you believe we’re halfway through the season, with the segunda vuelta starting this weekend?
Despite Madrid’s photographers making everyone pose with their thumbs up, they do know what angles to shoot the players from. Here is the proof.
ONE. The team trained in Valdebebas this morning, with 21 players from the first team, including Mahamadou Diarra, who has returned. The injured players – Khedira, Pepe, Higuaín – and the recently returned from injury Dudek didn’t train outside.
José Mourinho called up 20 players for the game against Mallorca tomorrow. Lass has returned, while Khedira was left out. The only canterano to make the list was once again Fernando Pachecho. Diarra and Mateos were left off due to the coach’s decision. And it looks like Iker worked his magic once more, because the concentración starts at 22h again, despite kick-off being at 19h tomorrow.
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adán, Pacheco.
Defenders: Carvalho, Ramos, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Albiol, Garay.
Midfielders: Gago, Lass, Granero, Alonso, Pedro León, Di María, Canales, Kaká, Özil.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema.
TWO. José Mourinho was asked at his press conference about what Kaká had said on Friday (that everyone expects more from Benzema; see below for more details). His response was that “Kaká said what we all think, including Karim himself. He’s a fantastic guy, and we expect more from him because we know he has potential. Kaká had good intentions when he said that, he doesn’t have bad feelings with anyone, he’s too pure for that.”
THREE. Kaká – looking like a choirboy – presented his new boots yesterday, the adiPure model, which he wore in his first game of this season, on Jan. 3 against Getafe, describing them as “restrained yet elegant.” Just like him?
And of course, he talked about how the season is going. Of Mourinho, Richi said, “he’s a very special leader, because he motivates you. He’s a fantastic coach. I see him as very motivated because being Madrid’s coach is a challenge… he told us that ‘I’m your coach and we’ll fight to win, and see what happens in the end.'”
Kaká’s statement on Benzema caused a bit of controversy. You knew the press would take it out of context, no? Kaká’s words were “he’s a great player, but what happens is that sometimes he’s not focused on the game. I think he can do more and that’s what people expect.” After seeing that this statement was taken the wrong way, Kaká took to twitter to clarify that “I can’t demand anything from anyone except myself. I have a great respect for Benzema, we’re friends and I admire him as a person and as a player… I was not criticizing Benzema at any point (the last part was directed at journalists).”
FOUR. Cris also showed off new boots during Thursday’s game (apparently, he was reluctant to give up his safari boots because he had scored a lot of goals while wearing them). I think they’re pretty, since I love the turquoise and the purple!
Anyway, Cuatro has a video of all the things that were chanted at Cristiano in the Calderón. Among the shouts were: “Cristiano, get out,” “Cristiano, son of a bitch,” the getting old “this Portuguese, what a son of a bitch he is,” the original “Cristiano, die” and my personal favorite because it made me laugh, “Cristiano, come out of the closet!” Now you see why Cristiano put his finger to his lips after scoring the goal that basically eliminated Atleti from the Copa del Rey?
While watching the video, keep an eye out for Cris’ taconazo as well, and Matrix moves.
And this video from TVE clearly shows who on Madrid’s squad is the teacher’s pet. As you can see, for Cris, it was a case of anything Mourinho does, I’m going to do as well. Hmmm, I never pegged Cristiano as a goody two shoes.
FIVE. Sami Khedira remains day to day, after getting an MRI on his right foot that confirmed that he has an edema. Meanwhile, the club released details of Gonzalo Higuaín’s recovery process. The first stage will take place over the next four weeks, and focus on physiotherapy, aerobic work out in the pool and exercises to strengthen the back muscles.
Let’s hope Madrid’s site releases pictures of Pipita working out in the pool.
SIX. Two Castilla players got a taste of what training with the first team was like in their first ever call-up yesterday. The two were rightback Luis Hernández and leftback Jorge Casado from Castilla.
SEVEN. On Monday, Iker will travel to Geneva to be (finally) named a goodwill ambassador of the UNDP.
EIGHT. Mesut Özil told Bild in an interview that (yes, I know it’s nothing new because he and Sami have been asked this a million times in the last five months, but it’s still heartwarming to hear) “Cristiano is a great guy, not arrogant at all, and he loves joking around. Pepe and Marcelo are always imitating people, but so far they haven’t attempted to do me.”
My new mission in life (besides moving to País Vasco, obviously) is to see Pepe and Marcelo imitating their teammates.