reblog!

like!

Wednesday, July 25

Everyone was at the session, including Kaká, Benzema and Sahin, who did not make the trip to Oviedo. Sahin seemingly recovered from his bout with the stomach flu. After their usual warm-ups, Faria split the players into two groups to practice rondos.

[video / photos]

Thursday, July 26

No information, other than that this was the last training before heading to Lisbon.

On Sunday, July 29, the team resume training. This will be the first session at UCLA, which starts at 10 o’lock local time (7 pm CEST). According to the university, Real Madrid will be based there until August 7. There will be some open practices. All interested parties should check the club website for more details.

In other news. Ángel di María is set to receive a plaque from his old side Benfica just before the start of the Eusébio Cup. Fábio Coentrão cut his holiday short so that he could travel to Lisbon to play against his old club. He told A Bola, “To go back to what was and remains my home is always special. I’m thrilled. It’s true that I’m losing a day of holiday, but it’s worth it because it’s going to be a really great encounter for Real Madrid and Benfica alike.” The remaining Euro 2012 players are scheduled to meet up with the rest of the team before flying to the the States. On Friday afternoon, José Mourinho will be awarded the Prestígio Fernando Soromenho from the CNID (Association of Sports Journalists of Portugal).

reblog!

like!

Monday’s solo session marked Karim Benzema’s return to the fold. The French striker had approximately one month off since the end of his Euro 2012 run.

Monday’s session kicked off the second week of training & the last before heading to Oviedo for tomorrow’s friendly match. Twenty-one outfielders worked with Mourinho in a physical session, incorporating circuits where the pace & effort increased gradually. Louro supervised the three keepers. The next training is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 pm CEST.

In other news. Earlier in the day, Kaká & Mourinho met at the Bernabéu, presumably to discuss the Brazilian’s status with the club.

On Friday Mourinho will receive an award from the Association of Sports Journalists of Portugual (CNID). The event will take place in Lisbon.

The €200 million Bernabéu remodeling project is moving forward. The city’s planning commission has given the OK to present the project at the next session. Architects have until September 17 to submit proposals for the complete revamping of the stadium.

Upcoming matches.

• Tuesday, July 24 - Real Oviedo | 7:45 pm CEST / 1:45 pm EDT
• Friday, July 27 - Eusébio Cup - Benfica | 8:45 pm CEST / 2:45 pm EDT

• Photo gallery: training - 1 2
• Videos: training - 1 2 3 4

reblog!

like!

Real Madrid closed out the first week of the pre-season with just one training. The media were on hand for an open session & subsequent presser. Twenty-three players practiced on Pitch 3, where they did their usual warm-ups.

Later on, they played a practice match where Castilla defeated the first team 5-1 (Denis 2, Morata, Lucas, Sahin; Higuaín). The winning side (in blue) was made up of Adán, Álex, Casado, Denis, Iván, Juanfran, Lucas, Mateos, Morata, Mosquero & Sahin.

The remaining first teamers, Fabinho, Nacho, Pacheco & Ríos were on the blue team. Castilla’s Jesus rotated with the other keepers. Mourinho spent much of the training conversing with club director general, José Ángel Sánchez.

The team will have Sunday off & will return Monday to prepare for Tuesday’s friendly against Real Oviedo. Following training, Esteban Granero addressed the media.

Among the usual topics of season objectives, transfer news, & contract talks, he gave his opinion of who deserves the Ballon d’Or. ”It is a little unfair that it will be an individual prize and not a collective one. Last season there was a team far superior to the rest, which beat records and it would be fair if it were given to a player from that team. That team is ours. It would have to go this team, in which there are many players that deserve it.”

Concerning his future, ”I haven’t thought about leaving, nor have I thought about repeating my role of last year. I want to play a bigger part here, as is only natural and as every player wants. In order to do so I don’t necessarily have to change teams. I can do it here, and I’m going to train hard to do so.”

• Photo gallery: training / presser
• Videos: training - 1 2 3 / presser - 1 2 3 4

Photo credit: Agencia LOF / EFE

reblog!

like!

José Mourinho again supervised the squad’s two-a-day sessions. The morning’s training began with a 15-minute window open to the press. Rui Faria was on hand to lead the 22 players in warmups then sprints. Players ended the session pairing up in resistance training.

Following the session was Gonzalo Higuaín’s press conference. According to Cuatro, the last player to give one was José Callejón during last season’s Champions League. In response to Sandro Rosell’s statement about La Liga’s “strange season”, the striker replied, “100 points, 121 goals, victory in the Camp Nou - yeah, it was a strange season, but a spectacular one for us.”

In addition to his favorable comments about rumored signing Luka Modric, Higuaín also gave his thoughts on what to expect from him this campaign. ”I’m stubborn and don’t like to give in. I’ll fight for my place, which is what I’ve done since my first season here.“

The evening training focused more on tactics & ball work. The final exercise was a game in which Aitor Karanka participated. Those vested in blue won 2-1, with goals coming from Kaká & Gonzalo Higuaín.

For the second day, Ricardo Cavalho was absent from practice; Fernando Gago also failed to make an appearance. A closed training resumes Wednesday at 5:30. There will be no press conference.

In other news. The RFEF announced that the second leg of the Supercopa is moving up a day (August 29). Both legs will kick off at 10:30 pm CEST.

via Four Four Two -

“UEFA have asked the Spanish federation (RFEF) to change the date for the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup, from August 30th to the 29th,” the RFEF said in a statement on Tuesday.

“So that it does not coincide with the gala put on by European football’s governing body in Monaco.” 

There are conflicting reports on the return of the Euro 2012 players. In conflict with Marca’s published dates, El Mundo & Europa Press report that Karim Benzema will appear at Valdebebas on July 23 & the remaining players on July 28.

José Mourinho has added another member to his technical staff. Luis Campos is a former coach & TV commentator who has joined Real Madrid as club scout.

Photo credits: Getty Images / Agencia LOF / Jesús Aguilera 

Club legend Raúl González stopped by Valdebebas Wednedsay. Álvaro Morata was sure to capture the moment with his “idol”.

Photo gallery: training - morning / evening

Videos: morning training - English | Spanish / presser English | Spanish

reblog!

like!

A note handed out at the RFEF’s general assembly announced that suspensions of up to four games will be overturned. This general ruling will allow José Mourinho & Tito Vilanova to coach their teams for next month’s Supercopa. RFEF legal affairs representative, Emilio García, explained that bans longer than four games would still be carried out. Other offenses not bound to the pardon include doping violations & aggressive behavior against referees. For example, Granada’s Dani Benítez ban still stands for the bottle-throwing incident involving referee Clos Gómez, which occurred at the end of a league game against Real Madrid.

reblog!

like!

According to Marca, Mou has been sending congratulatory messages to each of his five Spanish players after their games. After the semi against Portugal, he wished them luck in the final.

reblog!

like!

Zdenek Zaman, new Roma manager, offered his opinion of José Mourinho in La Gazzetta dello Sport. “[He] is a great communicator who hides well his mediocrity as a coach.”

Mourinho responded through Eladio Paramés’ Twitter with, “I’m a mediocre coach? OK, I respect opinions. Zeman? I don’t know him. Now that I’m on holiday I’ll have a look on Google to find out what he won.”

reblog!

like!

Ángel Villar, RFEF president, confirmed on Al Primer Toque that all suspensions for this year’s Supercopa will be forgiven. He explained, “This is an amnesty for all Spanish football, not just for particular people. In reality it’s a pardon, something I’ve been doing for 24 years.”

José Mourinho was originally banned for two games & Tito Vilanova for one. The three pardoned players are David Villa, Mesut Özil & Marcelo. The 2012 Supercopa is scheduled for August 22 at the Camp Nou & August 29 at the Bernabéu.

In related news. An agreement between the Spanish federation & China’s United Vansen Sports had recently been made to allow China to host five of the next seven Supercopas. According to Marca, Barcelona & Real Madrid have essentially blocked the deal. The clubs cited the length of travel & difficulty for their clubs’ fans to attend as their reasons. In response to the “many things that have been said & written”, Villar was decidedly mum about the deal, stating that when the time comes, he’ll explain.

In unrelated news. Ten of Madrid’s eleven internationals have already moved on to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012. Karim Benzema & France will face Sweden Tuesday at 20:45 CEST. France can go through with a draw. They would only be knocked out if England lose but are level with France on goals scored or goal difference (England have a higher coefficient).  

reblog!

like!

Partido padres contra hijos en el campo del San Roque de Barajas (Madrid)

reblog!

like!

José Mourinho penned an open letter as a tribute to Manuel “Manolo” Preciado, who passed away at the age of 54.

“I’m no one to pretend to extol the virtues of Manuel Preciado, who has sadly had his life torn away from him today. But as a colleague & footballing man, at this very difficult time, I want to pass on my humble condolences to those people close to him, his family, those who know him from Sporting Gijón, Racing Santander, Levante & Villarreal, a club I’m sure he would have rescued from the Segunda Division; to all those teams he’s left his mark on. Manolo was always a dignified rival, who I got to know this March when he came to visit us at the Real Madrid Complex in Valdebebas. He had everything I like in people & in sportsmen: character, honesty & the courage to stand up & fight back against the blows, which had been especially cruel in his case. We’ve lost a great football figure but, first & foremost, a very special person. My thoughts & support go out to those who held him dear in their hearts. My memory of him will be heart-felt & everlasting.”

reblog!

like!

“I remember that well because everyone in Spain was calling me a cat. I’ve improved a lot since then. Mourinho called me a cat to motivate me to improve, & to make me more aggressive, to let out the anger I had inside of me. I was in a bad way, & his comments made me determined to step up my game, to play to win.”

reblog!

like!

“Mourinho talks to me like a father talks to his son. In one of our first training sessions he came over to me & asked me in French ‘How are you?’ And he added: ‘I hope you leave the Benzema of last year behind’. I realised he cared about me, when he arrived at Madrid I had back trouble, I’d put on weight, & I was disappointed I hadn’t been at the World Cup. He said I should make more of an effort in training. He’s never left me alone, even when I didn’t do what I should do to play, he made me train hard in order to improve, & in the press conferences he stung me so I would work harder, so I could show myself. And at the end of the day the work has paid off”.

reblog!

like!

Dates have yet to be determined. 

Individuals suspended for incidents in the previous encounter:

• José Mourinho - 2 games
• Tito Vilanova - 1
• Mesut Özil - 1
• David Villa - 1
• Marcelo - 1 

ETA: Reportedly the first leg will be at the Camp Nou, & the return at the Bernabéu.

reblog!

like!

Sami Khedira on his first conversation with José Mourinho -

“He asked me, bluntly: ‘What are your ambitions?’
I responded: ‘Win everything possible’.
He got up & said to me: ‘You are the player I want’.
It’s one of my most memorable experiences. Our interview lasted four sentences.”

reblog!

like!

mourinha77:

#Mou “Soy muy feliz; es el reto perfecto para mis próximos cuatro años”

on what convinced him to extend his contract - “The overall project; the wish of the President to have a long term project, which is something unusual in today’s football; the confidence he has always had in me and my work; and the special feeling I always said was important when there were rumours about me leaving. I’ve always said that’s very important to me & that I would stay while the fans, the team & the club were happy and confident in with my work.”

[transcript]