Even though yesterday was a day off for our team, there was still a lot going on.
But first, let’s go back to the Villarreal game. I know many of you have become addicted to The Marcelo Show, so here is this week’s episode. As the starting XI lined up to observe the moment of silence, Cristiano noticed that Marcelo had an eyelash on his cheek. He gently removed it, and then told Marcelo to make a wish, and then blow it away, which Marcelo did.
Iker Casillas had the busiest day of all yesterday, starting with an event sponsored by Mahou, where he met up with David Villa, to take part in the final of the first Copa Mahou de Futbolín. The two of them both played against each other (with other people) and then teamed up. Iker, of course, controlled the goalkeeper. At one point while they were playing together, David scored an own goal and Iker cursed a little (madre mía, Guaje, por tu madre) while El Guaje tried to blame someone else.
They also found some time to speak with the press, during which Iker spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo, UEFA’s decision not to sanction Sergio Busquets and La Roja. Regarding Cris, Iker said, “only three players in history have achieved (scoring 38 goals in one season), which shows the talent that he has… we aren’t in the running to win any more team trophies, but we can help Cristiano to achieve an individual title. It’s also important for us that he receives an honor like this one, since he’s one of the best players in the world.” Regarding the UEFA decision, Iker’s take was “there’s nothing more to say. We all saw what happened with Busquets but if UEFA decided not to sanction him, well they must know what they saw and what they heard. There’s no way to change their minds. Everyone has seen it, everyone sees it. But if UEFA made this decision, what can I do?”
And with David Villa next to him, Iker of course had to speak about La Roja: “there were 18-19 intense days with four games in which each one defended their own interests and that of their clubs. Everything that happened is in the past. It would be bad if we allowed it to get to us after achieving something so, so important. When we’re with the national team, we look out for the interests of all Spaniards.” He added that, “I’m not going to be less of a friend to Xavi, whom I’ve known since we were 15, or of Piqué. It’s absurd, one thing has nothing to do with the other, and in the end, the day of the Copa del Rey, I said everything (to Villa) and he said everything to me (David laughs) and here we are. And it’s said that I don’t want to speak with him now? Please, there are things that you all don’t understand. Villa is a great friend of mine. No one had to ask me to have a beer with him.”
Perfection.
David Villa also spoke about UEFA’s decision, saying that “justice was served.” His take on La Roja was that “nothing has changed… when we return to the national team, everything will go back to normal and we will continue playing well for the team. In those games, we were not playing as national team teammates but as rivals. I believe it’s more of an issue with the press than with us. We didn’t even think we had to meet up to talk about it. What happens on the field stays on the field.” This was also his answer when he was asked about Arbeloa’s fouls.
And when asked which team he’d root for in the CL final, Iker said, “may football win.” The Barcelona press is interpreting this as Iker meaning he wants Barcelona to win, because obviously, only Barcelona = football. That newspaper also blames Mourinho for brainwashing Iker into not cheering for Barcelona. As if that could happen. Iker is almost 30 years old, a very intelligent man and the captain of both Real Madrid and Spain. He also managed to survive 28 years of his life without Mou. He deserves a little more credit than that, don’t you think? Pathetic effort from the Barcelona press.
The next stop of the day (that we know of) was the Santiago Bernabéu, where the Real Madrid Foundation and publisher Pigmalión Ediciones presented a book, “El campo de Bucéfalo,” which was written by Juan Manel Otero Lastres, a member of Madrid’s board of directors. Iker said it made him “very happy that a Real Madrid director has literature as a passion. I wish him the best of luck.” Part of the proceeds from the sales of the book will go to the foundation. Judging by the cover, the book is about a horse.
Iker also found time to go to AS, to present one pair of the gloves he had worn during the Champions League semifinals to the winners of a contest. And if the above pictures made you think he was fairly well dressed throughout the day, then check out the back of his shirt. Yes, it says “The Champions League,” but it’s referring to baseball. The shirt would look much better without all that on the back.
The Bernabéu was also the site of another act earlier, the presentation of the second Corazón Classic Match, which will take place on June 5 at the stadium. The proceeds from this year will benefit the Africa Project to develop schools in Africa. A team made up of former Madrid players will take on a team of Bayern Munich veterans. The game was organized by the Real Madrid Foundation, the Spanish Olympic Committee and the Comunidad de Madrid. Marcelo and Aitor Karanka were on hand to support the cause. Among the former players that will play for the Madrid side are Karanka himself, Rubén de la Red, Alfonso Pérez, Fernando Sanz, Amavisca, Butragueño, Buyo, Chendo, Contreras, Dani García Lara, Figo, Iván Helguera, Iván Pérez, Karembeu, Julio Llorente, Mijatovic, El Moro, Ramis, Fernando Redondo, Santillana, Suker, Zidane. What a line-up.
No one told Marcelo there was a dress code?
I love that Madrid is doing all these charitable acts. In addition to the two mentioned above, they are also of course playing a game to benefit the victims of the Lorca earthquake tomorrow. But what you might not know is that Madrid will also donate the money they collect from tickets sales of the Almería game to Lorca. Actions speak louder than words, no? Especially when compared to the actions of other clubs, including one whose only announcement in this area of charitable acts recently was to say that they had moved the UNICEF logo to right above their asses for next season in exchange for some money (before the one or two Barcelona fans who are always critical with me start yapping away, I’d just like to say that Barcelona’s agreement to PAY UNICEF to wear their logo was something I really admired and wished other clubs would do, so seeing them sell out is really upsetting).
And don’t forget, today is also the charitable golf tournament organized by Sergio and the Apascovi Foundation!
We also found out yesterday, when Sporting coach Manolo Preciado spoke to an Asturian radio show, that he had received a call from José Mourinho the day that his (Preciado’s) father passed away. They spoke for 10-15 minutes. Preciado said that the call showed that the real Mourinho is not at all like the one that appears in the press room.
Iker wasn’t the only one playing futbolín yesterday. Gonzalo Higuaín participated in a meet and greet on the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes building with 10 fans who won a contest. Pipita played futbolín with them and then (sort of) accompanied the musical group 84 on the guitar (we know that his guitar is just for show).
Pipa told the press that the entire team is “very happy for Cristiano Ronaldo” and that “it seems abnormal to not win the Liga despite having a player with almost 40 goals and more than 90 points in the Liga.” He also spoke about Nuri Sahin, saying, “we hope that he brings to us everything he brought to Dortmund.” We also find out that he’s better playing with his feet than his hands, although he does have a futbolín table at home and plays once in a while.
In other Higuaín news, Gonzalo and a few family members left Madrid for Buenos Aires after being “liberated” by José Mourinho. Once in Argentina, he’ll begin preparing for the Copa América, along with Ángel di María and Eze Garay, who also returned to Argentina yesterday. The competition begins on July 1.
The social network area: Álvaro Arbeloa confessed via twitter that he is a geek, saying it’s due to the influence of his brothers Yago and Raúl. Meanwhile, Iker continued to be very active on his FB page: he wrote about the Mahou event, said that he tries to read every message and expressed his support for Murcia, posted a picture of Navalacruz where he spent his summers and “bridges” (the Spanish word for a long weekend, puente, literally means bridge), and revealed that he’s learning English (but he didn’t say whether any help is going on).
And he also told us that he had lunch with the Hierro brothers, Fernando and Manolo. Looks like they’re in the Rincón de Iker!
The last official game of the season, between Madrid and Almería, will take place on Saturday, May 21, at 20h. Neither team is playing for anything. The team will have one more game before that, the Lorca benefit game tomorrow at 19h (the team will arrive in Murcia around 11:30h, take a bus to Lorca, go visit the affected area and then rest till kick-off), and a friendly after that in Angola on May 25. Then… vacation! The team will return to Madrid on July 12 to start preparing for the 2011-12 season. On July 14, they’ll head to the U.S.
Castilla found out who their playoff rival is yesterday… Alcoyano. The two-leg playoff series will take place on May 21/22 in Madrid and May 28/29 in Alcoy. Castilla will be playing in the Bernabéu, but the date and time are still to be decided. The idea was to have them play either before or after the first team on Saturday, May 21, at 18h or 22h, but since neither of those times are attractive, the game was scheduled for Sunday at 12h. (Go to MFC’s twitter to see how confused even he was.) Entrance will be free for socios and abonados, and €3 for the general public.
In addition to finding in favor of Sergio Busquets yesterday, UEFA also rejected Madrid’s appeal against the unsporting behavior of Barcelona during the first leg of the CL semis. UEFA also decreed that Madrid has to pay all the costs related to the case.
There also have been no signs that UEFA is investigating Barcelona for the throwing of objects onto the field and the pitch invasion during the second leg, as they had done with Madrid for the first leg, which resulted in a €20,000 fine for the “improper conduct of their supporters.”
And if all that wasn’t enough, UEFA also stated that it was Real Madrid who had reported the racial abuse against Marcelo from Busquets, and that they were not acting on their own initiative. Ah, so further proof that UEFA turns a blind eye to racism. Madrid subsequently denied that claim (I don’t know to what end), in which they stated that Marcelo was called to testify and that they were not even notified of the decision, as they had not been the ones to bring it to the committee.
Here’s Crackòvia’s take on the case. It wouldn’t surprise me if the decision really was made like that, and that that really is what happens in UEFA headquarters.