There’s not a lot of news coming out of the Madrid camp, so this post is a bit brief (perfect for a cookie break!).
Madrid continued training with Castilla yesterday, due to the thinning in their ranks from international week. Alberto Toril once again took charge, with José Mourinho also on hand. As you can see, there was a bit of time for joking around, and at the center of it was none other than Kaká. The third training session of the week will be this afternoon at 17h.
The real reason why he wanted to leave, so he wouldn’t have to do this again…
Madrid’s web site subsequently published an interview with Kaká, perhaps to make up for the slow news day (after all, they, unlike other media sources, can’t make up stories about the team). Highlights:
on how he’s feeling after his goal against Zaragoza: very good. I’m happy to start the Liga in this way. It’s good for me because last year I started out badly due to the surgery I had to undergo. Starting this year with a win, scoring a goal and participating during some minutes is great… it’s a goal that gave me a lot of hope because this summer a lot was said about me leaving Real Madrid, and after this goal the speculation stopped… my goal was the fifth one of the game and one more, but my teammates celebrated it together and that makes the group stronger. And a game like that gives one a lot of confidence.
on his teammates: my teammates are helping me a lot. They did it during the difficult times and now that things are improving, they’re very happy that things are going well for me… knowing that I have teammates that love me is an extra motivation.
on Mourinho: Mourinho has always given me a lot of confidence and credibility. He could have said that he didn’t want this player and for him to find a team. He believed that I could help and contribute to this team. And not only him, but also the rest of the staff. Rui Faria, Karanka, Morais, Louro and everyone with him have helped me and given me the strength to continue improving.
on what he would say to the fans: in the first place, I would like to say thank you because when I’m out on the street, everyone encourages me and tells me that they’re waiting to see the best Kaká. This summer, they told me to stay and that they didn’t want me to leave Real Madrid. I’d also tell them that I’m doing everything I can to triumph with this team and I know that this team will triumph.
Portuguese national team head coach Paulo Bento yesterday made a statement about the Ricardo Carvalho mystery. The coach was quite angry, telling reporters at a press conference that “he abandoned his teammates and the country. My doors are closed to him. As long as I’m here, he won’t return to the national team. It’s impossible. This is not a situation that can be worked out by talking. It’s a fact that he wasn’t going to start, that he was going to be on the bench, and he sensed the situation. But he didn’t speak with me. My door is always open to everyone, but he didn’t come to me. We were in the breakfast room and we found out that a player had left.” Bento continued, “he’s turned his back on the national team. I don’t believe he acted in the heat of the moment, because a bit later he sent out a communique, and that doesn’t seem to be a normal reaction. He knew what he did and the way in which he did it. It was a surprise for me and for everyone… he should be punished because his attitude is individualistic, and no one else is responsible for the decision he made.”
Even if Carvalho doesn’t return to the team, I hope eventually everyone can make up, and this drama won’t affect his performance with Madrid or his relationship with the other Portuguese on the team.