ICYMI – the Mou edition

In case you missed it – RM vs. Galatasaray [2011-08-24, XXXIII Trofeo S. Bernabéu, 2-1].

The game can be summed up as not a lot of football, but a lot of Mou.  It was more of an opportunity for madridistas to show their support for José Mourinho than anything else, and in that sense, it was a smashing success.

ONE.  Let’s go backwards, and start with the celebration.  Real Madrid won the Santiago Bernabéu trophy, and Iker celebrated by squeezing Pipita Higuaín’s chin in his hand – I love Gonzalo’s expression!  Nearby, Pepe grabbed a handful of Marcelo’s hair.  It must have hurt, because Marcelo ended up rubbing his head.  Then, as the players were getting up, Tomás Mejías shoved José Callejón into Pipita, José tried to smother Pipita and so Pipita retaliated by trying to slap José on the leg.  I love them so much!

I love how Álex and MFC got right into the middle of the things.  But why did Cris and Mesut look so unhappy?

Here, we can see how Álex and MFC inserted themselves into the middle of the group – they were the first ones to arrive after Iker and Sergio set the trophy down (I love how Iker adjusted it – very captain-like).  And after Pipita finished fooling around with Iker and José, it was ABMM’s turn.  First came a playful shove (not shown), and then the two of them walked off the field arm in arm.

TWO.  Do you think the words running through Sergio’s mind at this moment were, “don’t drop it, don’t drop it!!  It’s really heavy, but hold on tight, Cuqui (or whatever other cute nickname he has for himself)!  You can do it!”?

THREE.  Iker and Sergio went up to collect the trophy on behalf of the team.  As Sergio was the captain for the game, he was the first one up.  I’m thinking Iker was sent up with him for supervision.  Confession time, how many people got nervous seeing Sergio hold the very heavy trophy with just one hand?

It looks more like a very elaborate soup tureen (the kind that can be found at display in the Palacio Real) than a trophy.

FOUR.  Xabi killed the time waiting for the trophy to carried out onto the field by posing.  When he spoke to the Galatasaray coach, his hand was on his hip.  It was still there as he watched Sergio carry the trophy down from the palco de honor onto the field.

FIVE.  And now onto the game.  The two goals both started from the boot of Xabi Alonso.  Sergio’s came off of a corner kick, and Benzema’s off a pass from Señor Jefe.

I love Sergio and Pepe’s besito, and how Xabi kept barking out instructions even in the midst of the goal celebration.

SIX.  Prior to the game, the five signings of this summer were presented to their home crowd.  Nuri Sahin, Hamit Altintop, José Callejón, Rafa Varane and Fábio Coentrão came out in this order to receive the applause of the Madrid fans.  Unfortunately, that was the last glimpse of Sahin we got that night, as he didn’t make his long awaited debut.

Some of the new numbers – it looks like Sahin is wearing the “5,” Altintop the “16,” and we previously already saw Callejón with the “21,” Varane with the “19” and Coentrão with the “15.”

SEVEN.  Our three members of the U-19 Euro winning team were also honored before the game, with MFC Álvaro Borja Morata Martín carrying the trophy out onto the field flanked by Dani Carvajal and Álex Fernández.  I’m a bit disappointed that MFC has “Morata” on the back of his shirt – I would love to see “Álvaro Borja” but I guess that was too much to hope for.  Dani, who’s still recovering from an injury and who wasn’t called up for this game, got to sit on the bench anyway.  Loving Kaká’s big smile and enthusiastic applause.

I think Álex may fill the unoccupied slot of MSFC.  He’s a strong candidate.

EIGHT.  There were lots and lots of signs of support for Mou around the stadium.  The biggest one read, “Mou, tu dedo nos señala el camino…” (Mou, your finger shows us the way…) and it was the work of the Peña La Clásica.  It cost €250 and was 15 meters long.  Representatives from the peña said, “Mourinho is a crack and he’s given us many reasons to feel important and strong.  In terms of defending the team, he’s the best that has ever passed through here, in our opinion.”

The fans also expressed themselves in artwork.

A sampling of the signs at the stadium: “let’s see who’s the next smart guy to put his eye in the way of Mou’s finger,” “Mourinho, how could I not love you?” and “Mourinho, our support is unshakable.”  I love the first one!

A “10” for the fans.  They’re “top.”

NINE.  We also got to see a lot of the canteranos play, as MFC ABMM, Álex, Nacho, Mandi and Pedro Mendes all got some playing time.  By the way, Nacho is the new captain of Castilla, filling in the shoes of Fran Rico.  I love that ABMM’s concern as he was checking in was that his hair was standing up properly.

I wonder if one day Pedro Mendes will be Ricky Carvalho’s successor on the Portuguese national team?  Ricky gave Pedro a high five as he checked in.  The only place I’ve seen the gold waistbands of the kits are on the Castilla players, as they’re usually the only ones that play with their shirts tucked in, as befitting their image of good schoolboys.

TEN.  We didn’t get to see Iker; Antonio Adán started for him.  Marca and La Sexta insisted that it was because Mou didn’t like how Iker called Xavi and Carles Puyol after the Supercopa clash, calling it a punishment for Iker.  Whatever!  Jordi Codina, who was watching the game, responded by saying that Antonio had to get some minutes, and also tweeted when Antonio made a good save.  I love the goalkeeper fraternity!  David Mateos was also watching his former teammates…

This was the moment that Adán was shouting “¡Kaká!”

ELEVEN.  I definitely wouldn’t have expected Chendo to have an iPhone case like this one.  But at least he’s patriotic!

TWELVE.  Two cute moments: Fábio’s adorable smile, and Mesut showing off his very tan abs.

So Fábio, what do you think about our archrival?

THIRTEEN.  Cristiano’s presence on the bench was another unusual sight.  He didn’t look too happy being there.

FOURTEEN.  I wonder to whom Sergio was paying tribute?  He had a black armband on his right arm.  [Update: Reader Aniekie got it – it’s a tribute to his hair, since it’s his hair band!]

FIFTEEN.  The media named Xabi the MVP of the game, and he got a little trophy.  Of course he looked boss while jogging down the steps with it, and he even paused mid-stride to say hi to a baby!!  ¡Muy jefe!

SIXTEEN.  The only negative note of the night was when Marcelo got injured – I winced when I saw his ankle turn, and he was obviously in a lot of pain.  He had ice wrapped around his right knee during the celebrations.

SEVENTEEN.  So Mou, do you care what others think of you?

EIGHTEEN.  After the game, Sergio Ramos told the media, “it’s clear that the team has confidence in Mourinho and he’s the leader of the group.  We’re ready to do what he wants and he’s always going to have our support, just like we have his.”  The second captain also wanted to make clear that Iker didn’t play so that Adán could have some minutes: “it was surprising that Iker didn’t play, because he plays everything, but the coach knows how to dole out the minutes and he knows that he has to give minutes to Adán to give him confidence.”  Sergio also said that they “didn’t do anything bad” in the Supercopa and “we don’t regret anything, and in addition, in football you can’t live off of the past.”  He also expressed his confidence that the national team would not be affected by the rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid: “the past is not going to influence the national team, nor the good atmosphere that’s always been there.  It would be a mistake on the part of all the players that make up the team, with a Eurocopa ahead of us, after winning what we have won to create a rift when there really isn’t one.”

Meanwhile, Álex said, “this is my house, I feel very loved by the fans.  You only have to see how they received us.”  He also expressed his support for Mou: “I only have words of gratitude for the míster.  He’s the one that allowed me to make this jump towards becoming a professional player.  He debuted me in Santander and now I only have praise for him, and even if he only gives me one minute, I’ll give my life.”  He added, “as a Castilla player, I support him, I want him in this club and whatever he does, we’re with him.”  He also tweeted this photo of his jersey!

NINETEEN.  The Xabi Alonso pose section.™

Xabi is mesmerizing even when he’s doing mundane every day things, such as drinking water or jogging.  And it looks like he got a haircut, no?

TWENTY.  The Mou corner.

After the game, Mou had some things to get off his chest.

on Iker being a substitute: Casillas can talk on the phone with whomever he wants, he doesn’t have to tell me anything.  Adán has to play because he needs minutes to grow.  Today was a perfect game for him and he played well.  The stop he made at the end gave us the win.  Before I came to Madrid, he hadn’t played a minute with the first team.

on the mobile phone soap opera: there’s no need to forgive the boy with the mobile phone.  He did well, he had fun.  I think it’s a great joke.  He wasn’t the one that wasn’t professional, who acted without having any guarantees about whom he was speaking with.  He was smart and I don’t have to forgive him, I can only laugh.

[I saw the actual messages that the fake Eladio sent, and the Canal+ journalist should have been tipped off immediately by the misspellings and the common text message abbreviations that young people use.  I guess he was so excited about having this “scoop” that he forgot all common sense.  Or else he can’t spell either.]

on Sahin: he’s getting better bit by bit and he’s in the last phase of his recovery.  He’ll be a player that el madridismo will love.  It’s a shame that people couldn’t see him tonight.

on Álex: he’ll make it because he’s a boy with all the requisites to do so.

I love how Mou, Álex and ABMM have the same expression here!

TWENTY ONE.  The world’s two greatest substitutes took a picture together before the game, and Iker posted it on his Facebook.  A Real Madrid photographer must have been lurking in the vicinity.

TWENTY TWO.  Meanwhile, Nacho, in an interview with the club’s web site, said that this year’s Castilla has a lot of quality.  With regards to being the new captain, he said, “I wanted to be the captain of Castilla because I had been captain of the other teams of the cantera.  It’s a big responsibility and a beautiful one at the same time.”  It’s been a decade since Nacho first suited up for Madrid: “spending 10 years with the same team, playing every weekend with the same shirt is wonderful, because you’re defending the escudo of Real Madrid.  I’m happier to be here with each year that goes by.  I hope to be here for many more years.”  I hope you are too!

TWENTY THREE.  Madrid trains today at 17h to start preparations for Sunday’s game at Zaragoza (20h) since there will be Liga this weekend!