Zinedine Zidane - Los Blancos

Not the best of months but I'm certain you will pick up

2013-10-28 20:42#140055 Liverpool5983 : Not the best of months but I'm certain you will pick up

Cheers mate

2013-10-28 20:08#140028 Pauker : That Getafe loss >.<.. you should be careful about Granada, and hopefully beat Barca to the league, at least you have to do that for the Madridistas. Is Bale performing for you :P?

I hope we can just hold on now for the final few games. As for Bale his performances are great but he has only scored 4 goals and set up 6

It has been another tough month for Real Madrid with Los Blancos playing Athletico Madrid and also Barcelona. The team had to step up a gear and here are the words of Zinedine Zidane.



On the month overall...
Well we had a very tough month with some very tough opponents and we had a European battle on our hands also against Wigan. We looked good overall but I think we need a little more power to the side and I want to bring that in the next transfer window.

On the Madrid derby...
Athletico have a very good team this season and they look very good. We got the 3 points with Cristiano Ronaldo getting a hat trick along the way. We could feel the Bale miss was hurting us already as he has been a rock down the left hand side this season. Carvajal also had another great game and he is on fine form for us and keeping De Sciglio out of the team.

On the Europa League...
Well I have no clue what went on in Wigan. We managed to lose 2-1 to a spirited side who outplayed us for most of the game. We had to get an away goal so I sent on Cristiano Ronaldo and he did just that. I was ashamed at the loss but I knew that we would bounce back at home and that is what we did with a Di Maria goal sending us through on away goals. We will now face Napoli in the quarter finals and whoever wins that will face Spurs or Basel in the semi-finals.

On the Barcelona game...
After falling behind the table to them by 3 points we had to win and thta is what we did. It was a great performance by the lads and what a way to send us top. Cristiano Ronaldo bailed us out again with two great goals to send Madrid into raptures. We must now start to win all of our games to make sure the title will be ours.




On the league position...
After wins over Rayo and Sevilla later on in the month we have gone 5 points clear of Barcelona and we look like we will keep this going until May 18th. We just need to concentrate and the league title will be ours.

On player of the month...
Again it goes to Cristiano Ronaldo. He has been great all season and this month he has shown he is a true great and we will need him for years to come. He is a legend here and it hurts to say but Bale will never replace him here.

I know you're top of the league but losing away to Wigan seriously? Although apart from Wigan that is a quality month keep up the good work

A good win in the El Classico and you are now 5 points clear at the top!
Shame about the Malaga and Wigan results though.

2013-10-29 10:30#140138 Jozef : I know you're top of the league but losing away to Wigan seriously? Although apart from Wigan that is a quality month keep up the good work

HAHA Cheers mate

2013-10-29 11:36#140142 pompeyblue : A good win in the El Classico and you are now 5 points clear at the top!
Shame about the Malaga and Wigan results though.

Thanks mate

We are now entering the last few games and Real Madrid have had to make sure they win every game but can they keep it going.



On the month overall...
Well we had a very tough month with some very tough opponents and we had a European battle on our hands also against Napoli and Spurs. We played well sometimes but also sometimes it was very bad to watch. We just have to hope now.

On the League form...
Well we just had to win it was as simple as that. There had to be no questions just playing. We did not win every game but we again just had to hope.

On the Europa League...
Well this was the best thing about our month and we got to the final after wins against Napoli and Spurs. Both games were tough and hard but we get through in the end with hard work. Both teams were very good and I hope we can play them in the Champions league next year..

On player of the month...
I have no idea who to give this too but I just feel that nobody deserves it. There have been no stand out individuals so the team gets this award..

Authors Notes

Sorry this is a small update as I am working hard on my final two updates. I have not put the league table in due to the fact that I want to leave it a surprise to you to see who wins it on the final day.

I bet its Atletico Madrid

2013-10-29 18:18#140204 NVDTahir : I bet its Atletico Madrid

Could be....

Hello and welcome to our live converge of the 2013 Europa League final. We are here in Turin at the Juventus Stadium to see the clash between giants Real Madrid and Valencia. The all-Spanish final has attracted a lot of attention and many footballing fans are excited to see the clash between the two giants.

Real Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League at the Group stage but Valencia have come all the way from the Group Stage of this Europa League to get this far.

Earlier today we caught up with Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and his got his thoughts ahead of the final.

“Hello Zinedine how are you feeling ahead of this final?”
“Well I am very excited it is my first major final as a manager and it feels good to be leading my team out into a European final”.

“Is the team ready and are they prepared well for this game”.
“Well we played Valencia the other week and we won 2-1. We have a psychological advantage over them and we are prepared well and we know how to counter their play style”.

“Well thanks for speaking and good luck with the final”.
“Thank you”.

Well there was the words of Zinedine Zidane and they look very confident and so does he. Bookies are making Real the favourites but Valencia are a good side and will be tough to beat. We will now go and join our touchline reporter Ned Boulting who has some team news for us.

“Well both teams have sent out a very strong eleven but Real Madrid will be without star left-back Coentrao who is suspended for the final due to picking up too many yellow card and also Gareth Bale is not fit enough to play today so he watched from the stands. Back to you in the studio”.

Well we now have the team news for you now and we will start with Valencia.

Valencia: Alves, Barragan, Rami, Costa, Matheiu, Fuego, Portu, Pabon, Herrero, Puatti, Jonas.
Subs: Guaita, Alcacer, Nsue, Tendillo, Postiga, Bernat, Marin.

Real Madrid: Lopez, De Sciglio, Ramos, Varane, Shaw, Khedira, Isco, Alonso, Ronaldo, Di Maria, Benzema.
Subs: Casillas, Carvajal, Pepe, Modric, Draxler, Jese, Morata.

Thanks Ned we now go to join our commentators Martin Tyler and Clark Carlisle.



MT: Hello and welcome to our live commentary of this Europa League final at the Juventus Stadium in Italy. We are just about to see the teams come out from the tunnel, Clark how excited are you for this final.

CC: Very much so Martin we have two great teams on show today and we should have a good game on our hands.

MT: Well here we go the teams are walking out with Real Madrid being led out by Ramos after Casillas was left on the bench and Rami leads out Valencia. We have a great game on our hands now.

1’ Valencia kick off in their white shirts kicking from left to right and Real Madrid are in their all blue away kit.

2’ Valencia are keeping the ball well and keeping the game to their own pace. Real Madrid are happy to stay like this and hit them on the counter.

5’ Real Madrid have a corner after a great shot from Isco.

6’ Ball is whipped in from Alonso and hits the head of Ramos and the ball crashes against the bar.

9’ Valencia have a good chance as they have a free kick on the edge of the box. Matheiu strikes it just over the bar and Lopez was beaten if that was on target.

13’ Shaw is flying down the right had side and whips in a great ball for BENZEMA!!!!!!!!! Ohhh is has gone just wide of the far post. A great header there it was just an inch off target.

15’ De Sciglio is feeling his calf out there he is struggling but Zidane does not look like he will make a change out there just yet.

17’ That’s a yellow card for Jonas there after he slides in hard on Shaw there.

24' Benzema hits a shot just over.

Jonas


27’ It has been a boring few minutes here and nothing much has happened but it is starting to get a big more lively out there.

29’ Portu picks up a yellow card for another late tackle on Ronaldo.

Portu


31’ Zidane is up on his feet now and is shouting instructions to his team.

38’ Another boring spell in the game where nothing much has happened but oh it’s a mistake by Ramos and Jonas is in here can he finish………. Oh great save by Lopez who tips it round the post after the one on one battle with Jonas great goalkeeping.

41’ Sami Khedira picks up a yellow card for a foul on Pabon.

Khedira

45’ It is half time in Italy and it is 0-0 in the Europa League final.


Well not the best half we had hoped for but both teams had good chances to take the lead but it was not to be. Join us after this break to view the second half of the Europa League final.


MT: Welcome back to the second half of this Europa League final and it is still 0-0 here at the Juventus stadium Real Madrid kick off the second half.

47’ Real Madrid have made a real difference this half and they are playing much more attacking football and look up for this a lot now.

54’Sub for Real Madrid.
Alonso
Modric

59’ Real are pegging Valencia back but they need to be careful as they could hit them on the counter.

61’ Sub for Valencia.
Jonas
Alcacer

64’ Yellow for Alonso

Alonso

71’ Real are on the back foot now as Valencia push with Alcacer who hits a shot just wide.

79’ Well the game is dying down now there is nothing happening at all now but Zidane will hope to score before 90 minutes.

83’ No more chances still it is just being passed around the middle. Could this be a plan put in place by Zidane, it might well be.

87’ Real have suddenly flicked the switch and are pushing Valencia back now and look very dangerous.

90’ 3 minutes added on.

90+2’ The fall is being pinged around the area not and the ball is crossed in by Ronaldo the ball falls out to MODRIC!!!!!! Ohhhh it is saved bu it falls straight back to MODRIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1-0!!!!!!!! GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL for Real Madrid. Modric wins the Europa League for Real Madrid.

90+3’ Sub for Real Madrid
Benzema
Pepe

90+4’ The referee blows for full time and the game is over Real Madrid have won the Europa League for the 3rd time.


Well what a game we just witnessed there and we now go live to speak to winning captain Sergio Ramos.

"What a feeling. To win a European trophy tops any players career but next year we will win the Champions League and we will win the League too. I told the players to just enjoy themselves out there and not get distracted and they have done just that".

Well another trophy for Los Blancos as they seal their 3rd Europa League and now we speak to winning manager Zinedine Zidane.

"Well this is my first major trophy as Madrid manager and this is just the start and we will win the league too this weekend, I promise you".

After such a good game we now sit down with tactical expert Joshua Hull to discuss how Real Madrid won the Europa League.

"Joshua, how exactly did Real Madrid use their tactics to win this final"?

"Well if you look here at this graphic we see how many crosses were put in by Madrid into the Valencia box".


"Now all season Real Madrid have been using their crossing to their advantage but what they really need is someone to put the ball in the back of the net now here is a graphic about their shooting".


"Now you see a lot of their shots are from inside the box and most of them come from crosses but they cant convert many of them so what they need is a Target Man to really get in there amongst the heads and get the goals".

Well thank you Josh and well that rounds up the Europa League for this season but join us next year for another mouth-watering competition.

Great update! Well Done Matt! Sorry, I mean Zinedine.

2013-10-29 18:44#140209 FM-LD : Great update! Well Done Matt! Sorry, I mean Zinedine.

Thanks mate

Congrats on the win and I am glad the league results are better