ICYMI – the birthday edition
In case you missed it – Manchester United vs. Real Madrid [2013-03-05, Champions League round of 16 second leg game, 1-2].
What a week for el madridismo!
ONE. Prior to the game, we had Xabi drinking coffee and just generally looking boss, while some of those making their first trip to Old Trafford took photos. Marcelo played the photographer and took one of Jesús and MFC Álvaro Borja Morata Martín, before joining them for another.
Kaká and Nacho got involved too.
Here a couple more, including the shot that Marcelo took. Everyone is so adorable! I know I say that a lot, but they really are!
TWO. This game was a homecoming for Cristiano Ronaldo, as he was making his first trip back to Old Trafford since leaving Manchester United to join Real Madrid four seasons ago. He was greeted by Manchester United personnel upon his arrival at the stadium…
… and by the fans, who started applauding him as soon as he made his appearance for the warm-up.
I suppose this young fan has a divided heart.
Cris acknowledged the cheers from the crowd during the warm-up, right before the game started…
… and after the game as well. He also received a loud cheer when his name was announced during the starting line-ups (he was saved for last), with the announcer saying “welcome back,” and signed autographs before boarding the team bus. He went home with Ryan Giggs’ shirt, which was autographed by the team and a couple more shirts given to him by the equipment manager.
THREE. Oops.
FOUR. Luckily, Luka Modrić appeared and scored the equalizer. Prior to this goal, there was a lot of talk about him being a bust and not worth all the money. Now, the media says he was worth it.
There were even some comparisons to Nicolas Anelka (for the importance of this game and the goal, not the behavioral issues).
¡Toma! (I’m sure he learned that word already.)
FIVE. Cristiano also scored, as expected, since he has been on a hot streak.
Like El Príncipe Fernando Redondo 13 years ago, Mesut Özil provided a beautiful taconazo pass that led to a goal.
Cris didn’t celebrate the goal against his former team, and I love that he didn’t. He had said before he wouldn’t celebrate any goals, and after the game he confirmed that he hadn’t celebrated it “out of respect for the fans who gave me so much.” Cris added, “I did my job. Madrid won and I’m happy with my team. This is my second home, with many good friends, and I was very happy here. I’m sad for them, but I wanted to win and take a step towards getting to the final of the Champions League.” However, he must be the only person in the world who can resist hugging Kaká and Xabi Alonso back when they hug him. Anyone else would be grabbing on and never letting go.
I loved the double celebration. One had Cris in the middle, while the other centered on the assist man, Pipita. Meanwhile, the players sitting this game out (Iker, Michael Essien, Marcelo, ABMM, Nacho, Jesús and Ricardo Carvalho) celebrated in the stands. Marcelo and the younger canteranos were particularly excited.
SIX. The goals wouldn’t have meant anything if Diego López hadn’t stopped everything that Manchester United threw at his goal.
I wonder what went through Iker’s mind at witnessing Diego’s stellar performance?
It will be interesting to see what happens when Iker returns. He has about three weeks of recovery left.
SEVEN. I’m sure everyone has a different opinion on the red card given to Nani, so let’s just focus on the glimpse we got of Álvaro Arbeloa’s abs when he lifted his shirt to check the damage, and Xabi and Mesut’s attempt to carry on.
And this made me laugh: apparently, a Manchester United fan was so upset with the referee’s decision that he called the police to report a “crime.” He later apologized for taking such an action. I did find it amusing, but I agree with the inspector – don’t bother the police with stupid things!
EIGHT. Onto the quarterfinals! The draw will be held on March 15, with the games to be played on April 2/3 and April 9/10. The teams that have so far qualified for the quarterfinals are Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, all of which have players with Madrid pasts.
The two goalscorers hugged it out, while Agustín Herrerín and ABMM were waiting for Diego López to hug him. How cute is Agustín, he didn’t want to let Diego go!
Iker had shared this photo of him and Agustín at the training session the previous day. Love both of them!
NINE. The only bad news was the injury to Ángel di María. But I liked how tender Sergio was with him!
TEN. The Xabi Alonso pose section.™
Xabi Alonso, spreading jefe-ness all around the world. I loved it when he told the referee that time was being wasted! So boss!
ELEVEN. More than half of Madrid’s basketball team – Sergio Llull, Mirza Begić, Felipe Reyes, Nikola Mirotić (wearing a Madrid football jersey), Jaycee Carroll, Marcus Slaughter, Guillermo Hernangómez, Don Draper – got together to watch the game! I love it when the two teams support each other!
TWELVE. Well, Karim won’t be alone in jail for speeding, Marcelo might be joining him. On Feb. 12, Marcelo was stopped for not stopping for a right of way near Madrid’s training grounds. The police subsequently found that he had no more points left on his driver’s license, and the Directorate General of Traffic had already declared his license invalid. Driving without any points is considered a crime against traffic safety, and punishments range from a jail sentence of three to six months to fines to community service. If Marcelo wants to regain his driver’s license, he has to wait six months, take a course and pass a test.
UPDATE: Marcelo was ordered to pay 6,000 euros – 25 euros a day for eight months – for driving with no points left on his license.
Perhaps it’s time that Madrid consider arranging a carpool service to and from training sessions?
BONUS: MFC Álvaro Borja Morata Martín has shaved his head! He did it for charity, so I approve of it (not that he needs my approval or anything. Besides, that little face is adorable enough to support any hairstyle). ABMM tweeted, “the haircut was for a promise I made to the children at Niño Jesús Hospital. A hug for all of them.”
I want to touch it too!
following Real Madrid... 
thankyou una for such a brilliant post.again.and as always 🙂 more than those real madrid players, i really do believe that you are the most adorable of them all..and the xabi alonso pose section always rocks #LikeABoss 🙂
I don’t know how Ronaldo or any player who does it, for that matter, can control their reaction after scoring such a HUGE goal at such a HUGE match. If that were me, I would lose it and then remember after a few seconds that I was supposed to be subdued about it. I would then be labeled an ingrate and ungracious in the press and by my former club’s fans. But really, props to Ronaldo. That was very classy of him.
I must say, though, I agree with Mou’s post-match presser. ManU were the better team up until the sending off. I hope we take full advantage of this momentum to improve.
so thrilled they went through! so far, this and the copa kind of make up for la liga, no? 🙂
OFC is such a sweet boy. he reminds me a little bit of sam witwer (from the american TV series being human) with his head shaved (http://multipleverses.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/alo-021349.jpg), but i don’t generally find him attractive and i find OFC absolutely adorable. 🙂
i don’t even know what to say about marcelo. not as serious as benz, but still not acceptable. still, maybe it’s a good thing he’s off the roads if he can’t adhere to basic traffic safety rules.
i love the support from the basketball players! this totally dispels my notion that the two teams didn’t have much to do with each other, other than christmas videos and luncheons. nice to see! 😀
little by little, CR7 has won me over, over the years. a lot of that comes to do with his own maturity and growing into the player he’s become. i thought his behaviour at old trafford was very dignified and respectful and i’m glad the fans could appreciate that (even if my idiot friends couldn’t).
as for iker, i imagine he was proud of diego and grateful we had such a great player in net during such an important match. (really, i was more wondering what has been going through adan’s head over the past month or so … something tells me he may be looking for a new club come the summer.) but i think you are right — what will happen when iker is back to fighting form again? he may be slowly be mixed in to begin with, but goalies aren’t like field players, in so much that they generally don’t get subbed out during matches (unless there’s an injury). so i can’t see mou wasting a substitution on letting him play just some minutes, unless we’re up 5-0 against a bottom-placed team and it’s the 80th minute and we haven’t used any subs yet. 😉 i wonder when and if he will regularly start matches again this season.
Can you tell me which video the gif where Marcelo’s is taking pictures is from? Thanks!
And I love Morata’s new look!
What a week we just had! I just spent wayy to many hours going through this blog, ha. Great work!
Oh No He Dit-int!!!! He shaved that beautiful fluff! I experienced a similar level of dismay when Kun Aguero cut his. Only good thing is that it will grow back…
Diego had an amazing game, really he is doing a marvelous job…. I’m also looking forward to see what happens when iker returns. But, I also think Mourinho is right: United played better than us, on the first leg we were great; in old trafford, not so much. Anyway congrats to the entire team, they’ve had one hell of week!
And ¡Hala Madrid!
I’m still on a high. I’ve been having the best mornings-days from all these wins.
Thanks Una for giving us so much more.
iHala Madrid!
I absolutely love your blog! So glad I chanced upon it. Just full of Madridistas love ❤ Cheers!
Great game, so happy they won. World class football!
thank you for the lovely post Una! I can’t believe out players are so reckless when they drive. Can you imagine if they did carpool though XD
Love our boys…Xabi is indeed such a boss pointing at his “watch”. And all the respect to Alvaro Morata for making a few kids happy by doing what he had promised to do. And I don´t understand why all these football players are driving so fast?
Great coverage……….in terms of overall feel of the match. Its refreshing to see the pics players take while warming up……i never saw anything like that anywhere.