the pre-season continues…

Before we start, a couple more moments from Sunday’s session.  As you can see, Cris hops off the cart with boots in hand, and without even letting go of them, begins to work out.  Meanwhile, Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil opted to do some fancy hand movements – or else they were just acting like children – with each other as they walked around during the session.

And now onto Monday’s session…

The hair – it’s all fluffy again!  Hopefully it’s not just the wind…

Madrid held just one training session on Monday, in the afternoon.  Sergio Ramos and Pepe were absent from the session, as Sergio is still suffering back pains and Pepe has a bruise to the right knee.  They stayed in the gym along with the other injured player, Nuri Sahin.  That left just 22 players out on the grass of the North Athletic Field, where they went through a series of exercises.  The next session will be on Tuesday morning at 10h, the first of two sessions for that day.  Pepe is expected to be back for that.

MFC Álvaro Borja Morata Martín is seriously missing out!  Look how much of Cris’ legs we got to see during the session, as he opted once again to hike up his shorts!  By the way, ABMM has now been my favorite canterano for a year, since it was for this reason – him ogling Cris’ legs – last pre-season that he won my affection.  Meanwhile, being a longtime Madrid fan, I judge thighs by The Roberto Carlos Standard, and this picture on the right shows that Cris has gotten closer than most to meeting those high standards.

After the session, the two Frenchmen on the tour, Karim Benzema and Rafa Varane, spoke to the press; here are the highlights (and it looks like Madrid is continuing with pairing up the players by language).  Karim was asked about his self esteem, and he responded, “I have a very high level of self-confidence.  I’m a good boy.  I don’t know what to say.  I’m here to work hard and to triumph; at least, that’s what I would like to do.”  And when asked if he hopes to see Zidane participating in a training session like Aitor Karanka has on more than one occasion in Los Angeles (our assistant coach stepped in as left fullback after Sergio Ramos retired from Sunday’s session), he said, “yes, of course.  He’s a great player.  It’s great for us because he always helps us.  Hopefully one day he will train with us.  It’s great news for us and he helped me a lot.”

Meanwhile, Rafa Varane said (in French) that he chose Real Madrid over all the other suitors because “it’s the team where I can develop the most, and for the coach, who can evaluate me as a player and as a man.”  He also said that he’s very proud to be on this team, that Real Madrid is a “great” club and that he already feels integrated because “I speak with everyone on the team.  The fact that a different language is spoken makes it more difficult, but I understand everyone well.  I get along really well with Sahin and Karim.”  It’s good to see that Karim is doing his big brother duties, as he said he would!

Other notes: AS reports that Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa spent their free morning shopping on Rodeo Drive, while the rest of the team stayed in the hotel, either beside the pool or in their rooms.  Emilio Butragueño has arrived in California and has been seen at Madrid’s training sessions.  And the players – in their warm-up suits – also attended an event at the SLS Hotel promoting the visit Madrid, visit Spain tourism campaign – remember some players participated in an ad for this campaign?  The players were made to pose with all the Spaniards together first, then the non-Spaniards.

Of course, we can always trust Pepe and Marcelo to bring their craziness, and Xabi his elegance, to any event they grace their presence with.

Cris and Karim looked thrilled to be there.

Who wanted to pose with whom?  Images from here.

Iker wrote about that on his FB, meeting some of the other Spanish celebs currently in Los Angeles, such as actress Paz Vega, chef José Andrés or actor Jordi Mollà.

On the subject of Iker’s Facebook posts, I have to say, he and I have very similar musical tastes!  The latest song he recommended on his FB, Maná’s “En el muelle de San Blas,” I haven’t heard in so long, but it brings back so many memories.  He also said he got a lot of petitions asking for a picture with Karim Benzema, so he posted one!  It seems that Iker is very receptive to his fans’ desires, because he’s also done the same with Kaká and several other players – so if we all join forces and ask for a shirtless photo, do you think Iker will comply?  He also posted another picture of the United Nations him and his teammates, as well as Óscar Ribot.  This time though, they were having coffee rather than tea with milk.