In case you missed it – Athletic vs. Real Madrid [2012-05-02, jornada 20, 0-3].
With this win, Madrid won its 32nd Liga, the most out of any teams in the league. This was just the 12th time the alirón was won away from home, as the other 20 times, it had been achieved at in the Bernabéu. What got us there? Teamwork, which allowed us to set a number of records this season, both in the Liga and in Real Madrid.
The record: number of goals. One game ago, Madrid broke the record for most number of goals scored by one team in one season, which was held by the Real Madrid of the 1989-90 season. This current team has scored 115 goals so far, with two games left. The balance is 66 goals at home and 49 away, and the average is a stellar 3.1 goals per game.
Brought to you by… Marcelo’s smile and sunshine. I love the little splashes of color provided by the headphones, watch and water!
The record: number of goals scored away. With the three goals at San Mamés, Madrid equaled the record for most goals scored away, which belongs to last year’s Barcelona, which had scored 49. Madrid can make the record its own in the last away game against Granada.
Brought to you by… pre-game scenes. Marcelo planted a kiss on Karim Benzema’s head while they were hanging out on the bench, and Fernando Llorente, not used to being captain (Andoni Iraola has served as Athletic’s captain for most of the season), ran off before the captains and refereeing team photo was taken, and had to be called back. I also love the little hug he and Iker shared.
The record: number of goals scored away by one player. Cristiano broke the record for most goals scored away by one player, set by Dani Güiza with 19 in the 2007-08 season, by notching 22 goals away from the Bernabéu.
Brought to you by… Cristiano pointing at the escudo. The best one in the world, for the best player in the world.
The record: beating all the former champions on their fields. Madrid has achieved a first in the history of the Liga, winning on the fields of all seven of the former Liga champions: Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Atleti’s Calderón, Athleti’s San Mamés, Valencia’s Mestalla, Real Sociedad’s Anoeta, Betis’ Benito Villamarín and Sevilla’s Sánchez Pizjuán.
Brought to you by… the team spirit from the bench. As each of the players – Gonzalo Higuaín, Mesut Özil and José Callejón – was subbed out, they received long hugs from José Mourinho and the rest of the coaching staff. As José made his way to his seat, he was besieged by his teammates, including Antonio Adán and Gonzalo Higuaín, who then tried to remove his shirt. That’s the spirit, boys! Go, go!
The record: the top goalscoring trio. For the first time in the history of the Liga, three footballers from the same club have scored 20 or more goals each. Cris has 43, Gonzalo Higuaín 22 and Karim Benzema 20. In addition, in all competitions, they’ve surpassed the record for a trio in Spain, the 100 goals set by Messi-Eto’o-Henry in 2008-0. So far, they have scored 115 goals: Cris has 58, Karim 31 and Pipita 26.
Brought to you by… the goals, of course! On Wednesday, Cris and Gonzalo managed to add to that record, with Gonzalo opening the scoring. That brought back nice memories of four years ago, when Madrid won its 31st Liga, also thanks to Pipita’s goalscoring prowess and in a very hostile stadium.
I loved the force and speed with which Xabi ran towards Gonzalo! And who would have thought that Xabi would be the first one to arrive at the celebration? Normally, even Sergio makes it there before him, and he has much more distance to cover!
Remember what I said about teamwork? We got so many more examples of it in this game.
The record: goals in one campaign. Madrid has never scored as many goals as it has this season, with 168 in all competitions. Cristiano has also set the individual record for the club, with his 58 dianas.
Brought to you by… Pipita’s ass. He knows we love to look at it. Therefore, that ass needs to park itself in Madrid and stay there!! It (and its owner) also needs to remember that there’s only one place in the world with a Raúl Albiol, and that’s Real Madrid.
The record: goal differences. Madrid has accumulated 19 wins so far in the Liga in which they scored three or more goals than their opponents. Again, they have two more games to add to the record.
Brought to you by… The Xabi Alonso pose section.™ Look at how everyone else is lined up in a row, but Xabi is out there posing! I love it!
And before the game, he chatted with several of Athleti’s players and staff.
The man is tremendously photogenic.
The record: best win streak. José Mourinho managed to win 15 straight games in all competitions this season, equaling Miguel Muñoz (1960-61) in the club’s record books.
Brought to you by… Mou’s gestures and CRAZY eyes!
The record: hat tricks. No other forward in the history of the Liga has achieved what Cristiano and Messi have done this season, seven hat tricks each.
Brought to you by… Javi Martínez (!!!)!!!
Look at that pout!
I suppose you’re all wondering what I thought about that incident between Javi (!!!) and Cristiano. La Sexta had reported after the game what Javi (!!!) had allegedly said to Cristiano, but on Thursday, Javi (!!!) spoke with both “El Partido de las 12” and “Al Primer Toque,” during which he said it was just a pique, and that it wasn’t true that he had said he was a world champion, although he admitted he may have called Cristiano an “hijo de puta.” What he had actually said to Cristiano was that he didn’t need to make gestures towards the stands. He added that he has nothing against Cristiano, and he even thought about sending him a text via Iker or Sergio, but in the end he believes they just need to move on. As for the next time they play each other, “I’ll give him my hand.”
So Javi (!!!) made a mistake, he admitted to it (which is more than what most people do), so I like that. And I also believe that no matter what anyone says, Cristiano should not react in that way. It reflects badly on him and on the club. I understand he may have been frustrated, having received insults and jeers the entire game, but he needs to rise above that. After all, if that escudo is as important to him as he has shown, he must know that all of his actions on the pitch relate back to Real Madrid.
The record: Cris’ 100 goals. With his doblete against la Real on March 31, Cristiano reached 100 goals in the Liga, and became the fastest player to reach that number, as it only took him 92 games. Up to now, he has scored 110 goals in 99 games in this competition.
Brought to you by… Iker and Aitor in the press room! Iker Casillas made a surprise appearance alongside Aitor Karanka at the press conference. He said, “it wasn’t easy at all. There were good moments and bad, especially one month ago, after the ties against Málaga, Villarreal and Valencia. We have to enjoy it, because this is a deserved Liga, which we have dominated from the beginning to the end.” When asked about his best memories of the year, Iker replied, “I’ll remember the bad moments, because that’s when you see the group and the persons.”
Aitor Karanka also spoke about how difficult it was to win this Liga, and said there was a lot of effort behind it. He described the group as “spectacular as players and persons who deserve the Liga for how hard they have worked.” He added that he would be cheering on Athletic in the final of the Europa League: “I have no doubts. After seeing Athletic, their fans, for my past, for how they play… I want Athletic to win the final of the Europa League.” And presumably the Copa del Rey too, no? Iker had said he just wants to see sportsmanship in the final, and for the best team to win, because “I have friends on both teams and so I can’t take sides.”
The record: away wins. Madrid has been fantastic outside of the Bernabéu, compiling a record of 15 wins, two ties (Racing and Villarreal) and just one loss (Levante). The team now holds the record for most away games won (15) and most points achieved in away games (47).
Brought to you by… post-game statements. After the game, José Callejón said the Liga was “for all the fans of Madrid, because they suffered a lot.” Sergio called Madrid a “just winner,” said he was proud to be the captain of this team, and dedicated the win to “my family, friends, girlfriend and all the madridistas.” He added, “if it were up to me, I’d go today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow to Cibeles” and said he was anxious to celebrate the title there to “lift up the Cup and not throw it.” Jajaja!!
The (possible) record: 100 points. If Madrid beats both Granada and Mallorca, they will total 100 points for the season, a new record, beating the Barcelona of 2009-10, which racked up 99 points.
Brought to you by… other notes. Fábio Coentrão and Mesut Özil will be missing the game at Los Cármenes, as both need to serve a one-game suspension for card accumulation.