Training resumes on Wednesday without the international players! In the meantime, here are some things to tide you over until then.
ONE. A couple more moments from the Atleti-Madrid game. Cris once again enters the stadium singing (or perhaps rapping), and then warms up his hair. Meanwhile, Xabi is already posing and giving instructions to his teammates during the warm-up (trivia: he calls Pepe “Pepito”). And look at Sergio flipping his hair!
As Cris himself said, he suffered on the bench. And that we could see, from protesting to throwing his jacket on the ground to covering his face with his hands.
Meanwhile, Mou was either giving instructions to Pepe or starting a new dance trend. And when he sat down on the concrete step, Rui Faria immediately stood up and offered his seat to his boss, taking the step for himself. He probably earned himself a check mark – or a gold star – in The Notebook (no, not the one that made various footballers cry).
And since some of you mentioned it, here’s the Filipe Luis moment that you all wish on Madrid’s players. Maybe we should get Ozi to try and do something similar during the training sessions to see if it will have the same effect?
TWO. Cristiano (he’s at Sanitas on Sunday to get a check-up in the image below) and Ricky Carvalho will travel this morning to Lisbon to be examined by Portugal’s team doctors for their respective injuries (left thigh for Cris, right hamstring for Carvalho). Ricky’s case is not serious and he will stay with Portugal, while Cris is expected to return after the exam and begin rehab in Valdebebas.
With Cristiano ruled out, that leaves 14 players on international duty during this break: the Spanish five of Iker, Albiol, Arbeloa, Sergio and Xabi; Özil and Khedira with Germany; Di María and Garay with Argentina; Marcelo with Brazil; Benzema with France; Carvalho and Pepe with Portugal; and Sergio Canales with Spain’s U-21 team.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Cris went to the Cuatro Vientos aerodrome in Madrid to film a hair gel commercial!!! Maybe it’s for that super strong one that he talked about before! He’s supposed to finish filming on C/Serrano this morning before heading to Portugal. I’m sure he’ll also find time to drop by the Gucci store, which is also on Serrano.
THREE. The other Ronaldo, the original one, spoke with radio program “El Larguero” last night from Milan. He had been in Madrid last weekend, where he had dinner with Kaká. Here are the highlights from the conversation with SER. The big news (which hasn’t been formally announced) is that Ronaldo will be at the Bernabéu for the game against Sporting, because Florentino has arranged a (deserved) tribute for him before the game!
on the significance of Feb. 14: I announced my retirement on Feb. 14, and my second serious knee injury also occurred on that day. The “non” wedding was on Feb. 12…
on why he retired: I prepared myself well for this season, but I got injured again and I played with pain. I was a bit tired of suffering, of not being able to be a determining factor on the field. There were no problems with my head, I thought I had the speed I had before, and then I tried to dribble the ball and I wouldn’t get there before the defender.
on his new life: the first week after I retired, I tried three times to go to the gym, but at the last moment I decided not to get up off the couch. I thought, “I’ve already trained a lot in my life.” Two months have passed and I still haven’t done any sort of training. I’m sure I’ll get back to it because I’m an athlete.
on Roberto Carlos’ Russian “adventure”: I retired from football and he decided to have a two- to three-year adventure in Russia.
on Mourinho: we coincided in Barça, when he was Robson’s assistant. I know him well, he’s a great person, happy and fun. I never imagined he would continue as a coach. But it’s been a great surprise.
on his new job: my company manages players’ image and marketing issues. It’s an important sector for the future. It’s going to generate a lot of money, and with the World Cup in Brazil, there will be many opportunities. [Ronaldo’s also in the wine business, and starting a foundation with his wife.]
on his family: I’m married, I’ve been with Bia for five years and I have four children. Ronald is 11 years old and already 1.74 m tall. The others are Lex, María Sophia and María Alice.
on the next time he’ll be in Spain: it will be for Madrid’s next game, because Florentino called me about a tribute for me.
His Spanish is still very good!
FOUR. And Marca has an interview with our upcoming rival, Rafa van der Vaart, in today’s edition. Here are the highlights from that.
on playing against Madrid: it was the match-up I dreamed of, really. I’m looking forward to seeing my friends on the team and from the club. I left Real Madrid on good terms and I feel proud of having played there, in a “top” city and in the biggest and most beautiful club in the world. I feel grateful every single day for having been able to play in Madrid. It will be two great games for me in terms of football and on the personal level.
on his feelings toward Madrid: I don’t have the least bit of desire for revenge or anything. This is about feelings and my relationship with the players, not with the bosses. In two seasons, I had great and not so great moments. But there’s no desire for revenge, not in the least. I enjoyed my time in Madrid and I still think about that time a lot.