all set for Levante!
I can’t believe Esteban’s cute little face was not enough for him to be called up for tomorrow’s game…
Madrid held their last training session of the week (and the first one open to the press) this morning before taking on Levante tomorrow night at the Bernabéu (20h). All 23 of the available players worked out together, including Iker Casillas, who won’t play this weekend as he is serving a one-game suspension for his red card in the game against Espanyol.
José Mourinho called up 19 players for the game, including Tomás Mejías to take over Iker’s place. Meanwhile, Pepe was “reserved” for the Lyon game, and didn’t make the cut either, along with Esteban Granero and the more habitual Sergio Canales and Pedro León.
Goalkeepers: Adán, Dudek, Tomás Mejías.
Defenders: Carvalho, Marcelo, Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Garay.
Midfielders: Khedira, Xabi, Lass, Gago, Kaká, Özil, Di María.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Adebayor, Benzema.
At his press conference, José Mourinho didn’t want to talk about the Champions League as “the game on Saturday is the most important one of my career, because it’s the next one.” He also confirmed that Cristiano, Sergio, Carvalho, Albiol and Marcelo will start, and said that Pepe is not playing because “I’m simply protecting a player that hasn’t played for a month” and because “Carvalho is more used to playing once every three days.” Mou said he doesn’t believe it necessary to rest Cris because “the other day, he ended the session running 50 meter sprints.” Mou also complimented Levante (and rightly so, because their record against Madrid this season is 1-1-1), saying that they’re a dangerous team.
I thought he was supposed to shave every day?
I love Sergio’s picture 🙂 BTW Una you said exactly what I thought when I saw the call-up list for tomorrow’s game: Pepe is being ‘saved’ for Lyon.
Alvaro on the bench then. I wonder if Karim will play. Or Jurek for that matter but I think that Mou will put Adan in the starting 11.
no pirata? 😦 great pic of him!
good luck this weekend boys!
I agree…adorable pic of Granero. Sadly, I think it’s going to be even harder for him to get playing time, particularly now that Kaka is back. 😦
I am glad that Sergio is starting. After the interview with Mou at “El Partido de las 12″, it almost sounded like he wasn’t all that pleased with Sergio’s defending, at least not as much as Arbeloa, but thought Sergio was probably better at going forward. Or maybe that was just Mou’s way of trying to inspire Sergio? Anyway, I’m sure Sergio knows what’s expected of him if he wants to keep starting. Now he just needs to show Mou that he can do it.
I have this gut feeling Sergio is going to bench the Lyon game (based on what Mou said in the interview). Let’s hope I’m wrong.
me too. sadly. the announcers on espn3 yesterday were making me so angry with all of there snippy comments about sergio. talking about how mou didn’t like him and that he was only captain b/c in spain it’s about how long you’ve been on the team not how much you deserve it. i was shouting at my computer b/c of them. > :^O
carvalhooooo ❤
yea, good luck tomorrow. and on Mou’s shaving: it doesn’t suit him, neither the hair-cut. he needs some advice. I suggest that you Una approach him, in the name of millions of ‘female’ fans, that he should cut his hair differently, or to be precise, not to cut it at all; he looks lovely when his hair is all over.
and another note: good that winter is over because i hate the Adidas thing he puts around his neck, its so cheaply commercial …
I see that Mou’s had a haircut and is looking as fab as ever! 🙂
I feel soooo bad for the guys who get left out… Wishing them the best…I love the pics!!! 🙂
THANX UNA!!!