Good to Be Back

By El Maestro

First off, my apologies for being out for such a long time. Work and others matters have kept me away from expressing my opinion in the past few months. Since I’ve been out for some time and a lot has happened, I’m going to dedicate this time to covering a few main points: La Undecima, Zidane, Benitez, and 15/16 Season.

La Undecima: YES!!! SI SI SI, LA UNDECIMA YA ESTA AQUI.

Zidane: Well done sir. I have to say I was not in favor of Zidane’s promotion when he was given the first team position, but he managed to steer the team well in the Champions League and brought our beloved trophy back to the Santiago Bernabeu. He concerned me at the beginning when he would start all the star players and play with no holding midfielder, but Casemiro’s inclusion was able to give the team the balance and stability in midfield that allowed the team to finish the season strong. I’ll probably write more about Zidane in the upcoming days to further give my opinion about him as a coach. However, in the meantime, I will repeat what I said earlier: WELL DONE SIR!

Benitez: Best of luck at Newcastle, but I personally feel betrayed. I was one of the few defenders of Rafa Benitez when he arrived (probably the only one). I knew he wasn’t the same won with Valencia and Liverpool, but he was still well known for bringing structure and discipline to his teams, which Madrid greatly lacked under Ancelotti. Madrid wasn’t playing well early on, but I could tell the team had a good tactical balance that would allow them to concede few goals and improve attacking wise as the season progressed. However, I found out that the Benitez we had known before was long gone the first Clasico in November when he gave in to the pressure to start all the start players and leave Casemiro (who arguable was the team’s best player at that point). With that, Benitez not just betrayed all his defenders, he betrayed himself. After that humiliating 0-4 defeat, his sacking was only a matter of time. On top of that, he had the nerve to call out Florentino and the club a month after being sacked when had previously said there was a clear campaign against everyone at the club just a few weeks earlier. Again, I wish him all the best at Newcastle and I hold no grudge against him. In fact, I hope he promotes Newcastle back to the Premier League and regains some of his old coaching credibility he had before, but his time with Real Madrid was far from what we all expected.    

15/16 Season: The Champions League turned out to be a great season, but I can’t say the same about La Liga and Copa del Rey. Yes, Madrid did finish a point behind Barcelona, but let’s not forget we were playing catch up the entire year. We dropped valuable points at crucial moments under Benitez (Malaga at home, Villarreal, and Valencia) and Zidane was not able to get wins at some important grounds, such as Betis and Malaga. Real Madrid have no one to blame but themselves. Barcelona were consistent the entire year and deserved to win it. In fact, the only reason Madrid finished second was because Atletico choked on the penultimate day against already relegated Levante. The Copa del Rey was a completely different story, which ended right when the referee blew start the game in Cadiz. Cheryshev, who was suppose to be suspended, started and Madrid was kicked out as a result. I still feel this matter was not handled correctly by the federation, but regardless the team was not able to be reinstated into the competition. Maybe I’ll write more about this issue in the upcoming days.

Keep an eye out for articles about Zidane, Benitez, the 16/17 season, Del Bosque-Casillas, and even Lopetegui coming up soon. IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK!

HALA MADRID Y NADA MAS! 

 

The Weeks That Have Gone

By El Maestro

Unfortunately, due to work and other matters I had to attend to, I have not been able to write about the recent topics that have transpired in the past few weeks: Madrid losing to Atletico, La Liga started again, Casillas is still in goal, Di Maria and Xabi Alonso both left the club in two distinct ways and El Chicharito.

Di Maria and Xabi:

I first want to start with the recent departures. Di Maria was about time and for a great deal: €75 million plus €15 million in incentives. To a Manchester United side that won’t be playing European football this season. However, what has people talking is his farewell letter that was published in a Spanish newspaper. My honest opinion, I’m glad he’s finally out. He was a great player and instrumental in last seasons double winning run, but he was a huge headache. He and his agent were always asking for raises every year and his attitude for the first part of last season was completely unprofessional. By the way, I think it was observe to ask for another raise just for playing six great months. He already got a pay raise in early 2012 and then took the entire 2012/2013 season off. If he wanted to make world class money at Madrid, he should have kept his mouth shut and played this season the same way he finished the one before. Maybe it would have been a different story if he had done that.

Xabi Alonso on the other hand was a huge surprise that came out of no where. Already, there are people who are saying his departure is worse than Di Maria’s as it came days before the close of the transfer market. While it’s true it was not the best timing, Xabi leaving the club and taking a pay cut to go to Bayern makes me think something is up. Of course he wanted to have more minutes, but it doesn’t make sense that he would choose to leave now when it was obvious his playing time was going to be reduced with the signings of Kroos and James in July. He even started both games against Atletico and didn’t play the European Supercup because he was unfairly suspended. Xabi is a serious professional and all this makes me believe that he possibly sees something in the dressing room we don’t see.

Regardless, thank you both for your services and we wish you two the best at your new clubs.

Atletico, Cordoba, Real Sociedad and Casillas in goal:

Shambolic would be the best word to describe Madrid’s performances in the last three games. They only created one clear opportunity on goal against Atletico in the 2nd leg, beat Cordoba because they had no firepower in attack and lost to Real Sociedad after blowing a 0-2 lead in Anoeta. To make it simple, this squad is going no where if they don’t get their act together. If Sociedad can score four unanswered goals, imagine what a team with top players can do.

All this with Casillas in goal (just to let Marca know). It would be irresponsible to blame Iker for these games, but his performances have been under par. He could do nothing to stop Atletico’s only goal, but he had a bad outing against Cordoba and should have done better in la Real’s first and third goal. If he continues this way, the question will be whether Ancelotti has the personality to bench him or will he crumble under the pressure?

El Chicharito:

Lastly, the transfer market ends today and Madrid have finally signed a striker. Javier ‘Chicharito Hernandez arrives on a one year loan deal from Manchester United. Believe it or not, I actually like the move. Naturally, I preferred Falcao, but Chicharito might be exactly what Real Madrid needs. He didn’t play much last season, but he’s a pure number 9 striker and can come off the bench. The best thing about him is that he’s a natural goal poacher, which is what this team is looking for. He’s not the most talented player, but he always seems to find the open spaces and be at the right place at the right time. Exactly like Raul, but with more to offer on the field.

Bienvenido Chicharito

 

Spanish Supercup 1st Leg

By El Maestro

Since I’m pressed for time and to make it easy on all of us, I’m just going to write a quick basic recap.

Real Madrid

The performance was completely opposite to what we saw last week. Despite having 73% possession, Madrid didn’t have any shots on target in the 1st half. The 2nd half was a little bit better and they were able to open up Atletico’s defense. James played well in place of CR7 and Di Maria gave the team more creativity with his substitution. Toni Kroos was once again outstanding and started the play that lead to James scoring his first goal as a Real Madrid player. Unfortunately, Atletico equalized due to some sloppiness in the back and take a slim advantage into the 2nd leg on Friday. Winning in the Calderon is far from a taunting task, especially since Atletico has not beaten Madrid in their own home stadium since 1998. Regardless, that doesn’t mean it will be an easy match.

Atletico Madrid

I thought they would be a little more offensive this season after the signings of Mandzukic and Griezmann, but they played the exact same way they’ve been known for doing so: aggressive side that plays to the limit and takes advantage of the chances they get. In fact, Griezmann started on the bench and Atletico played hard from the beginning, which lead to two players receiving yellow cards in the first 12 minutes. They were lucky to finish with 11 men after Siquiera, Mandzukic and Mario Suarez were not sent off. Despite everything, they took advantage of their best opportunity late in the game and now head back to Manzanares with a great result.

Referee

Atletico fans will argue that Ramos should have been sent off for his punch on Mandzukic and rightfully so. Just like Siqueira should have been given his second yellow for a similar foul that got him booked in the 1st half, Mandzukic for cutting off a play with his arm and Mario Suarez for his handball in the box that wasn’t called.

Casillas

Of course, I can’t finish this post without once again talking about Casillas. I hate when fans blame and scapegoat one player every time their team does not get the ideal result. Iker is not the reason Madrid did not get the win, BUT he is responsible for Atletico’s late goal. I’ve heard all the excuses to defend him, but he should have come out. It was in the air and he should of at least punched it away. I’m not going to give my opinion on what should or will happen, but that mistake will make Ancelotti rethink his starter in goal.

Overall Impression

We didn’t get the result we want…………

¡A GANAR EN EL CALDERÓN! 

 

Year in Review

By El Maestro

After a season of much uncertainty, Real Madrid finished the season by accomplishing a double for the first time in almost 20 years, which included the long awaited Décima.

¡SI SI SI, LA DÉCIMA YA ESTA AQUÍ!

Final Recap:

I said before the game if Madrid shows up, they would win. Clearly, that’s not what they did in the 1st half. It took Madrid until the hour mark to finally break through Atletico’s solid defense. I was starting to imagine life in Madrid with Atletico’s victory when Ramos at last used his head for something good to equalize the match in the 93rd minute and send it into extra time. Atletico (fatigued and out of gas) held on until the 110th minute when Di Maria (MVP) sliced through three ‘Colchoneros’ and had his shot stopped by Courtois, only for it to be headed in by Bale to send the white part of Madrid and Xabi Alonso into a frenzy. Then Marcelo walked through Atletico’s tired defense to make it 3-1 and CR7 iced it in the last minute with his penalty and epic celebration to finally bring home la Décima.

2013/2014 Season:

Despite all the success, there is a lot Madrid has to improve on for next season. For starters, there are only a handful of games where Madrid played that beautiful attractive football Ancelotti had promised (Galatasaray, Atletico [Copa], Schalke [1st leg] and Bayern Munich). The rest of them were won either at half speed, not playing until the final whistle or just simply not showing up. The team also showed the lack of discipline I feared at the beginning, which was seen in Dortmund and throughout la Liga. On top of this, Madrid missed the a golden opportunity to win the treble by throwing it away when it was presented on a silver platter. Attitudes that are unacceptable and must be improved by Ancelotti if he wants to take this team to new heights next season.

Signings and Departures: 

It’s also that time of year where all teams look to strengthen their squads for next season. The only players who look certain to leave the club this summer are Jesús Fernández, Casemiro and Morata. Denis Cheryshev, who returns from his loan spell from Sevilla, will more than likely be loaned out again or sold with a buy back option. Other possible departures may include Diego López or Casillas, Pepe, Coentrao, Khedira, Di Maria and/or Benzema. Already, the rumor mill has gone off as usually and several players have been linked to the club. The signings will be important, but Madrid only needs to made 3 or 4, and possibly another if one of the mentioned players leaves over the summer.

Keeper: Although the press has made Diego López’s career at Real Madrid very uncomfortable, it looks like the one who will leave out of the two is Casillas. Many find it unlikely, but the numerous reports that came out after the final in Lisbon about his unhappiness (reported by journalist who have a close relationship with him) makes me believe this could actually happen. A lot of us (including myself) would love to see this drama end and it looks like a keeper has been selected if Casillas leaves.

Kiko Casilla (Espanyol): Had another great season, 1.91 (6’3), came out of La Fabrica (Madrid’s youth system), has a year remaining on his current contract and Madrid has 50% of his rights, which means he can be signed for half price.

However, that dream I had of getting €40 million for Casillas went out the window after his horrific performances in the Champions League Final and the World Cup. Madrid can still sell and get money for his departure, but it may not be even close to €20 million due to his huge decline. Surely someone will express interest, but the questions are who, what league they play in and how much will they offer? Otherwise, we will be dealing with the Diego-Casillas propaganda from the press next season.

Defense: The only position that is well covered and would require someone to leave the club in order for a signing to occur. Mats Hummels and Iñigo Martínez have been linked, but the only players who may depart this summer are Varane or Pepe and Coentrao. If everyone stays, then the defense will be exactly the same as this season.

Midfield: The position that’s probably sparked the rumor mill the most. Players, such as Toni Kroos, Arturo Vidal, Marco Reus and Paul Pogba, have all been mentioned as possible signings. The only midfielder who looks certain to leave is Casemiro, but offers also exist for Khedira and Di Maria. Some teams have been supposedly winning to pay €45 million for Khedira and Di Maria’s stock has sky rocketed after his season was rejuvenated and the MVP performance in Lisbon. Either way, Madrid is going to need another midfielder (or two) with Xabi Alonso turning 33 in November and Illarramendi’s inconsistency this past season.

Forward: The most important position Madrid’s needs to strengthen. CR7, Bale and Benzema had a fantastic season (individually and collectively) and Jese was great until he got hurt in March, but Morata did not cut it. Ancelotti gave it a shot, but it’s clear Morata is not right now the ideal striker for Real Madrid. Jese’s long term injury has also force Madrid to sign another attacking player, such as Griezmann from Real Sociedad.

While this is a possibility, the only question I have circling around my head is what kind of striker should Madrid sign: world class or good second stringer? Luis Suárez, Sergio Agüero and Falcao have popped up, but they would all cost big amounts of money and I don’t know if Ancelotti can juggle four strikers of that magnitude. The other option is to sign a good quality back up that can come off the bench and start when needed. The name that has appeared the most for that role is Fernando Llorente. The upside is that he’s found his feet again at Juventus, scored 16 league goals (18 in total), 1.95 (6’5), knows la Liga and can come at a very good price since the Italian side got him for free and have expressed interest in Morata. The downside is whether he can fit into a quick fast pace system next to ‘La Maquina’ and Bale.

Carletto:

It would be harsh to question Ancelotti, especially after winning us two titles this season. He’s had a grip on this squad and the players seem to get along with him after seven of them interrupted the press conference in Lisbon to celebrate. Regardless, the lack of play this season and the way Madrid threw the league this season shows me that he has not instilled that discipline that every team needs to be successful in the short- and long-term. Also, he might have a better personality than Del Bosque, but he still has the reputation of being a buddy-buddy head coach as his nickname ‘El Pacificador’ given by Marca shows. That style won us la Copa and the Champions League this season, but history has also shown us that these coaches don’t always have the same success in the long-term.

Why?: Because when a coach like this has instant success, players may sometimes not have the same motivation going into the next season and he may fail to find that spark to get his squad to win again. Along with this, players could also get use to not having a coach constantly breathing down their necks, which means they may not train or play to their full potential. Some people think this is not possible, but it does happen and if you don’t believe me, just ask Del Bosque’s 2014 World Cup team.

Hopefully, he’ll prove me wrong and bring us more success next season and for years to come. First thing he has to do is decide what signings Madrid should make to improve the squad for 2014/2015. I don’t think he’ll have to tear his eyes out since he already has the best side in the world, but it’s important he gets it right. Once he does that, his next responsibility will be to make sure this team is hungry and motivated to win it all next year, including la Undécima.

The Champions League Final

By El Maestro

The dream of winning the ‘la Decima’ may finally become a reality this Saturday in the Stadium of Light (Estádio da Luz) in Lisbon. After a season with numerous ups and downs, Real Madrid find themselves in the final against cross city rivals Atletico Madrid. By strength of squad and depth, Madrid is clearly the favorite, but that doesn’t mean it will be an easy win. In fact, it is because of that exact reason why I am more concerned about this game than the semifinal against Bayern. As the last three games and most of this season has shown, Madrid usually takes the favorite card way too seriously. Leading to shocking results, such as the 2-0 lose in Dortmund after winning the 1st leg 3-0. However, this is the opportunity to win the Champions League and I’m sure the players will be highly motivated, but Atletico is a worthy opponent and should be respected. Not to mention the final is 50 Derbis in one, which means the winner will have ultimate bragging rights. Atletico has no where near the team Madrid has, but they have two things that has allowed them to have this incredible season.

1. Diego Simeone

2. Heart of a Warrior

Never have I seen a team as limited as Atletico and accomplish so much. There is no major difference between Atletico and Valencia; yet ‘los Colchoneros’ have won the ‘la Liga’ while Valencia have not even qualified for the Europa League. Atletico is exactly a team of ‘little warriors’: a short squad that leaves their heart out in every game. Questions continue to surround whether Diego Costa and Arda Turan will play, but that won’t matter. Atletico will still be that aggressive, hard-nose side they’ve been all season. Regardless, Madrid just has to do one thing if they want to win: show up. No matter how much heart Atletico has or what ideas ‘Cholo’ has up his sleeves, Madrid is miles better and will beat them as long as they play to their full 100% potential. Real Madrid is more than capable of winning even with CR7 at less than 80% and without Xabi in midfield. Out of the four Derbis played this season, Madrid has only played the full 90 minutes in the Copa del Rey semifinal 1st leg: 3-0 victory. ‘La Decima’ is within reach and it will be touring the Bernabeu if Madrid respects Atletico, play the way they know and leave it all on the field.

¡Hala Madrid!

¡A por ‘la Decima’!

 

La Liga, Champions League and Derbi

By El Maestro

What a week it has been. In 7 days, Madrid became league leaders for the first time this season, returned to Champions League play and took on Atletico Madrid in one of the most important Derbi matches in years.

La Liga: This is why I always say the title is never over until it is mathematically impossible. In early January, Real Madrid found themselves in 3rd place behind Atletico and trailing Barcelona 6 points. Many thought it was out of reach and that it would either go back to Barcelona or go to the red and white part of Madrid. Last week, Madrid were left alone in first and opened a three point gap between the two other contenders after defeats in San Sebastian and Pamplona.

Champions League: Finally, after the usual two month absence, the Champions League returned with Madrid traveling to take on Schalke 04. A lot was on the line since the team was not playing that well and Real Madrid hadn’t won in Germany in almost 14 years.

• Does Madrid have a better team than Schalke? By far.
• Did I expect Madrid to win by a comfortable margin? Yes.
• Did I dream of Madrid blowing out a team in the 1st leg of a Champions League fixture? For many years.

I wish I could say I was shocked with the score Madrid put up in Gelsenkirchen, but then I’d be lying. I fully expected the performance we saw last Wednesday. Real Madrid put Schalke to bed without even playing at 100% (I can only imagine what the score line would have been if they did). The BBC (Bale, Benzema and Cristiano) scored two goals each and the rest played up to form. The only negative side is that Iker lost his clean sheet record (oh well).

Derbi Madrileño: Then came the match against Atletico, but it was no ordinary Derbi. For the first time in almost 15 years, Madrid actually had to ‘respect’ Atletico in the Calderon and the ‘Colchoneros’ had serious title implications. The game started well with Benzema opening the scoring after only three minutes, but then poor defending allowed Atletico to tie the game through Koke. Then just before halftime, a 35 yard range effort from Gabi somehow beat Diego Lopez to give them the lead. In the 2nd half, Madrid took the game to Atletico, but could not capitalize on their opportunities. Finally, with less than 10 minutes remaining, ‘La Maquina’ broke ‘Indian’ hearts with the equalizer after taking advantage of sloppy defending. The final minutes were interesting and either team could have won, but the game ended in a draw.

Quick Note: I did see all the extracurricular activities that went on between both teams, but I simply do not want to talk about it, AGAIN! (it’s a rivalry).  

With Barcelona’s victory, the gap is reduced to one point, while Atletico remain at three. Despite the draw, Madrid are still in first place and have it all to play for when the cules visit the Bernabeu in two weeks time. Before then, Real Madrid must assure that lead by beating Levante at home and Malaga away, as well as playing the return leg against Schalke the week of El Clasico. Luckily, the big result means Ancelotti can rest some starters and have everyone well rested for that weekend. Up to this point, Real Madrid is still alive in all three competitions, which means anything can happen.

Back to the Final

By El Maestro

For the third time in the last four seasons, Real Madrid will be playing the final of the Copa del Rey  after hammering Atletico Madrid by an aggregate score of 5-0 in what was (in my opinion) the best Madrid Derby in over a decade, and I not saying this because of the outcome. I’m talking about what happened on the field.

Three simple words: I LOVED IT!

These were two true rivalry games. Both teams disliking each other, wanting to win and playing to the limit. Were there things that went over the line? Yes, quite a few actually, but it’s a rivalry. It’s normal for players to have these individual battles with one another. Already, many are criticizing the things that went on and saying it is detrimental to ‘La Coja’. So my response to those who continue to mix the Spanish national team with the Barcelona/Atletico vs. Real Madrid rivalry, I say this.

1. That’s Del Boque’s responsibility. It’s his job to make sure these players put there differences aside when they represent Spain. If he can’t do it, then he shouldn’t be in charge.

2. Leave it all on the field. This is something every player is taught from the time they start playing.  It doesn’t matter if you have friends on the opposing team, you play your heart out and represent your team professionally. Then, once the game is over, things can go back to normal. It is that simple and is the way it should be.

Now, in terms of play on the field, Madrid’s 1st leg performance shocked me. Real Madrid not just dominated ‘los Colchoneros’ for the full 90 minutes, they did not let them breath. Despite coming in as league leaders for the first time since 1996, Madrid sucked them dry and gave them absolutely no space to work with. If fact, Atletico only had two shots on goal and four the entire series: two stopped by Iker (one where he actually had to stretch out), one hitting the post and another being cleared off the line by Modric. Along with Atletico’s bad play, the bad luck that always surrounded them when playing these games came back as two of Madrid’s three goals were deflected own goals.

If the first game was bad, the second was a continuation as Atletico’s hopes of actually overturning the deficit in the Calderon was diminished after only seven minutes when an unnecessary foul from Manquillo inside the box was called and transformed by ‘La Maquina’. Things would get even worse when yet another penalty was whistled and made again by CR7. After the goal and with Atletico still treating the game as a 0-0 game, Madrid took a conservative approach and simply played the rest of the match. With the Copa final not for another two months, La Liga tighter than ever and the Champions League coming up, it was not worth going all out and putting players at risk of suspension and/or injury. In fact, Ramos (who was a yellow allow from missing the final) was taken off at halftime, then Modric made way for Casemiro and even CR7 (booed and chase the entire time) was substituted for Jese.

Good decision taking into consideration that it got ugly everywhere. Players were getting into it, fans of both teams were causing problems and the icing was put on the cake when Ronaldo was hit on the head by lighter. Thrown by an individual who somehow escaped without being noticed or caught on camera. An incident that was only laughed at by the Spanish federation who did not suspend the game or empty the stadium, and then rubbed it into Madrid’s face by only fining Atletico €600.

This is not a joke or a typo, Atletico really got fined €600 (not €600,000). While CR7 is still forced to complete his three game suspension and pay €1,200 just for touching Gurpegui’s face.

The game did have a scary moment when Atletico right back, Javier Manquillo, landed awkwardly on his head after fighting for a lose ball with Cristiano. Thankfully, he was able to walk off on his own power and was released from the hospital the very next. He will be out for the next few weeks, but at least the injury didn’t turn out to be as serious as previously thought (Recuperate Manquillo).

After this, no further incidents occurred, and Madrid was able to finish the job without any serious repercussions. Now we must wait until mid April for the final where it will be an exact repeat of the 2011 encounter against the same team and in the same venue (Mestalla).

No final until then, but at least the Champions League is coming back this week (YA!). 

Real Madrid vs. Atletico de Madrid Final de Copa Recap

By El Maestro

If Mourinho leaves, get use to this. No, not losing in finals like the Copa del Rey, but FAILURE. In fact, forget about finals, Real Madrid will most likely go back to the team they were before Mou arrived. When they went six years without making it past the round of 16 of the Champions League (seven without reaching the semifinals), were a joke in La Liga that got their ass handed to by Barcelona, and made a fool of themselves in the first round of the Copa del Rey. All because Florentino is more worried about the public image of the team by keeping ‘El Topo’ instead of being concerned with the future of the team on the field and staying with Mou on the bench.

Game Analysis:

Now talking about the Copa del Rey final. For Atletico, the stars aligned. Usually, the saying was that anything that could go wrong would go wrong for the ‘Rojiblancos’. Today, that’s exactly what happened, but on the contrary. We felt those problem. With the 1-1 score line, Real Madrid hit the post three times, Higuain missed alone in front of keeper (no surprise), and Ozil blew two open goal opportunities stopped by Juanfran on the line and an unbelievable stop by Courtois. Along with that, Madrid lost their cool, which saw Mourinho (unfairly) and Ronaldo get kicked out. Ultimately, the night was completely with Atletico scoring the game winner off a mistake from the Diego Lopez (what I’m surprised is that many have not noticed this).

Lets also not forget Madrid took the lead after fourteen minutes through Ronaldo’s brilliant header. A goal which probably did more harm than good. Before that moment, Real Madrid were playing well, had clear ideas, and looked posed to win. Once they took the early lead, they not just completely took their feet off the gas peddle and let Atletico play, they had no ideas or creativity when trying to get an attack going. This eventually led to the side from Manzanares tying the game ten minutes before halftime. Then everything unfolded the way it did. When Ozil had his opportunity blocked by Juanfran, I started to feel that it wasn’t going to be Madrid’s night. Then when Courtois made that incredible block, I knew it would not end well.

Against any other team, you’d just continue playing, but since it was against Atletico, you knew something was not right. ‘El Centenariazo’ part 2 has occurred, and it was against our city rival who had not beaten us in 14 years. There’s nothing we can do now. Begin by congratulating Atletico de Madrid on the Copa del Rey crown and start planning next season. We will end this campaign without a trophy (unless you count the Spanish Supercup) and with many problems to figure out.

Won or Lost, the off season would have been the same:

In reality, winning the Copa del Rey wouldn’t have changed anything. Yes, we would have had a title, but the season wasn’t a good one in general. Real Madrid still would have had to answer the same questions in the off season.

Will Mou or Casillas stay (no-brainer, we’ll see what happens)? Who will leave? Who will come? What changes must be made?

The biggest question that must be answered (hopefully Floren picks the right one) is Mourinho and Casillas. This decision will determine the future of Real Madrid for years to come. If Casillas stays, forget about success no matter who’s the coach in charge. The players wouldl run the show and tell the coach (who ever) what to do, which will lead to more FAILURE. I say “who ever” because everyone knows the coach is going to be someone of Casillas’ liking that will make sure he plays in goal every game.

Meanwhile, Mourinho’s Chelsea side (if he leaves) would win the Premier League, compete for the Carling and FA Cup, and go far in the Champions League (semifinals, final, champions). While Madrid fall back into mediocrity and sits home on their couch after being eliminated in the Round of 16, LIKE BEFORE.

On the other hand, Real Madrid would have years of success if Florentino stays with Mou and tells Iker to pack his bags. Despite this bad season, Mou has proved to everyone that he’s leading Madrid on the right track to glory (although some don’t want to admit it): 3 Champions League semifinals, 2 Copa del Rey finals, 1 Copa and La Liga title, and a Spanish Supercup. That sounds great knowing where we were before and the fact that we’re going up against a great Barcelona team. Florentino would also be sending a strong message to the ‘piperos’ in the Spanish and worldwide press that the coach is in charge at Real Madrid and not the players. Once Casillas is out of the picture, the next process would be to get rid of any of his followers, such as Kepler (TRAITOR). Real Madrid would cleanse the dressing room and eliminate any ‘big voices’ among the players. They all would follow the line set by Mourinho. After doing this, Real Madrid can then start strengthening the squad for next season. Selling under performing and unimportant players, and making fundamental signings that will improve the team and also obey Mou. Having Jose Mourinho as manager, Florentino and his staff giving him all their support (defending him from criticism), and an improved and unified squad with no problematic egos will lead to titles.

Like I said, this will all come down to Florentino. Will he make the right decision or crumble under the pressure. He has proven in the past that he can make the big decisions, like getting rid of Valdano, but this is a new scenario. Before making this decision, Florentino must really think about what he wants for Real Madrid: to have a good image or WIN! In the next few weeks, we’ll find out in what the decision is. 

Choose wisely Floren!

Atletico de Madrid vs. Real Madrid Recap

By El Maestro

Unfortunately, like Wednesday, I will not be able to make a full recap for the Derby against Atletico. However, It’s not like I have to go into detail to explain the game.

Brief Recap

Mou comes out with his B side to prepare for the Dortmund match on Tuesday.

Diego Lopez

Essien        Albiol        Carvalho        Nacho

Khedira        Pepe

Di Maria        Kaka        Morata

Benzema

Falcao put Atletico ahead in the 4th minute and the fans in stripes started to believe that this was truly going to be the year (like every time they take the lead against Madrid). Real Madrid equalized ten minutes later through a Juanfran (former Madrid youth product) own goal. Then in the 2nd half, despite not playing well, Di Maria scores the eventual game winner to extend Atletico’s losing streak to 13 seasons without winning a Derby.

!Ahora Toca Remontada en Champions!

!HALA MADRID!

Real Madrid vs. Atletico de Madrid Recap

By El Maestro

Another year, another Derbi win.

After much talk that this would finally be the year for Atletico, Real Madrid once again put the Colchoneros in their place by defeating the side coached by Simeone 2-0. In the first 15 minutes, it seemed as Atletico had a different mentality and played like they had nothing to lose. Atletico would create the first opportunity of the game in the 13th minute when Coentrao’s slip allowed Diego Costa to break loose and cross for Falcao, but his attempt was blocked by Casillas. Everything would change in Real Madrid’s favor in the 16th minute when they were rewarded a free kick after a hand ball by Arda Turan, and “La Maquina” would step up to take it.

Ronaldo hadn’t scored in the last three games, and was looking to break that streak.

He would redeem himself by lifting his shot over the wall and wonderfully placing it to Courtois’ far bottom corner for the 1-0.

From then on, Real Madrid took control of match, while the goal seemed to psychologically destroy Atletico. Although Madrid was playing slightly better, the 1st half didn’t offer much spectacular. Except for Diego Costa, who was constantly causing problems with Pepe, Ramos, and Xabi.

The 2nd half was a completely different story. Real Madrid dominated the side from Manzanares, who did not have any answers to get back in the game. Ronaldo alone could have easily sent Atletico back to their side of the Spanish capital with five goals, but failed to score.

He had a free kick stopped by the Belgium keeper, and hit the bar twice.

Real Madrid would finish the game off in the 66th minute after a great counter attack concluded with Ronaldo providing a good through ball for Ozil, who put it through the legs of Courtois to make it 2-0.

This now extends Atletico Madrid’s streak to 13 years without winning a Derbi, something el Fondo Sur made sure to remind them of.

 

Like last year.

And the year before that.

!Hala Madrid!