The Life of Carlo: Mia San Mia

January 2015

La Liga Table

Our Player of the Month

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, or ‘Cristiano Penaldo’ as some of you may call him after this month, was our standout performer by quite a mile. Meanwhile Karim Benzema has taken control of the goalscoring, Ronaldo is just behind, on top of adding a high quantity of assists to his game. It’s a different side of Ronaldo, just days shy of his 30th birthday. Our Ballon d’Or winner has contributed to 40 goals so far this season in 28 games!

Verdict

Before I delve into the entire month, let’s skip straight to the Deportiva La Coruna game at the Riazor. I don’t know if this is Sports Interactive’s trolling at its finest, but after facing top class players, such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Raheem Sterling, Mario Mandzukic, it was Bebe who has caused me the most troubles this season. BEBE?!?!

Anyway, we started the month in grand style versus Valencia, going down to 10 men at 3-1 and still going on to score three more. The rest of the month was fairly straight forward, bar a few draws here and there in the cup. It’s time to go back up a gear next month as we play Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, Napoli twice and five other games in just 28 days.

NACHO LEFT UNSETTLED

Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez is desperate for a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu following “broken promises” made by club boss Carlo Ancelotti, his agent claims.

In an exclusive interview with Nacho’s agent, Mario Carnicer, it was revealed that Ancelotti had promised the versatile defender more playing time throughout the months of December and January.

Nacho, who had played just four times before December, threatened to leave if he wasn’t granted more playing time and he now finds himself in a position to leave, playing just four more times in the new year.

Carnicer says his client has every right to pursue a move away from the club in the summer, claiming Ancelotti’s statement pre-2015 that Nacho was vital to the squad was a lie.

“Nacho is 25-years-old. He is no kid and he needs to be playing regular football. We both understand Real Madrid have top defenders, which is why we shall look for a new club next season.

“Nacho spoke to Ancelotti in November about moving and he was told about how important he is to the squad depth and promised more playing time.

“However, he has played just four more times since, once in La Liga, so we have been left with no option but to look at alternative options.

“I can confirm Sevilla came in with three bids for Nacho before the winter deadline, all of which were rejected by Madrid, so we know interest exists. We’re confident of gaining a move away in the summer.”

Having signed Kurt Zouma on loan in the summer, Nacho has seen himself fall to fourth choice in his favoured position at centre back, with Ancelotti deciding to keep the misfit in case of a Dani Carvajal injury, who has played all but one game this season.

Nacho has played for Real Madrid since 2005, representing the first team straight down to Real Madrid C and playing a total of 24 times in La Liga.

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MADRID ELECTIONS SET

Current president Florentino Perez and Real Madrid legend Emilio Butragueño will go head-to-head for the presidency of the club this April.

Club members Carlos Alberto Benitez, Miguel Morales, Nando Llompart and Juan Carlos Alfaro complete the list of candidates going up against the two Real Madrid figures.

All men will reveal their mandates in March before commencing their campaigning programs prior to Election Day on April 31st 2015.

67-year-old Perez will be running for his second four-year-term as Real Madrid president and is currently considered favourite for post.

Speaking at the club’s training complex, Valdebebas, following the announcement of the elections, Perez admitted that he was close to turning down a second term in charge, but wants to be part of what he feels can be a historic period for the club.

“I’ve been in charge of Real Madrid before, and I am currently, so I could have easily left the club after we won the Champions’ League. For many candidates in my era, winning ‘La Decima’ was the ultimate goal.

“There’s far more to our squad now than just winning the Champions’ League. We have a fantastic setup and I genuinely believe we have all the ingredients of becoming a global force in football for many years to come. We can dominate world football in the next four-to-five years and I want to be part of that.

“I have a new vision for this club which is to set this club up to be head and shoulders above everyone else. I want Real Madrid to be the first team that pops up in your head when you think about football. That is my mission and I shall seek to achieve it.

Perez first became president of Real Madrid in 2000, the period in which he pioneered the infamous ‘Galacticos’, as he followed up his mandate of signing Barcelona’s Luis Figo with the signing of a new world class player each year, the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham.

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Marquee signing David Beckham with Real Madrid icon Alfredo di Stefano in 2003.

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Refusing to renew Vicente Del Bosque’s contract in 2003, which saw the likes of current assistant manager Fernando Hierro, Claude Makelele and Fernando Morientes also leave, Perez’s sweet tooth for attacking transfers, such as Michael Owen, Julio Baptista and Robinho, left him unpopular with Madrid fans before his resignation in 2006.

Perez was back in presidency in the summer of 2009, however, when he brought in a new breed of Galacticos, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema and more recently Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.

Under Ancelotti, Real Madrid won their much coveted tenth Champions’ League title, a trophy they had not touched since 2002, and Perez is now confident of achieving more success in Europe in the near future.

Rivalling Perez is Butragueño, a product of Real Madrid’s youth schools, who went on to play 341 times for Los Merengues in the league, scoring 123 goals.

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Butragueño, along with Pirri, is the 8th greatest goal scorer in the history of Los Blancos.

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The former Spanish striker, who also represented Spain 69 times and scored 26 goals for his country, was a key feature of Madrid’s side in the 1980s, winning five La Liga titles, two consecutive Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup trophies and scooping the Pichichi Award in 1991.

Butragueño found himself out of the Los Blancos setup in 1995, following the emergence of a then 17-year-old Raul, as the Real Madrid legend moved to Club Celaya in Mexico.

The ‘Gentleman of the Pitch’, his nickname for never receiving a red card in his entire career, played another 91 times for Celaya and scored 29 league goals for Los Toros before retiring in 1998.

Butragueño, now 51-years-old, has taken a deep interest in Real Madrid’s running of the club and is considered to be Perez’s biggest adversary in the upcoming election.

February 2015

La Liga Table

Our Player of the Month

Munir El Haddadi

Ah, the great Barcelona prospect we managed to snag on the sly. I bet Barcelona fans are cursing at the sight of Munir doing the business. As are the Atletico fans, I’m sure, because Munir managed to rediscover his great form against them with a hat-trick, making it five goals in two Madrid derbies. 22 goals in 37 appearances so far this season isn’t a bad return for a 19-year-old, and in a month where he’s managed to keep Karim Benzema seated, he was the obvious choice. A special shout out to Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, who also did absolute bits this month!

Verdict

We’re getting to the business end of the season now and each game that goes by begins to weigh that little bit more on the players’ backs. Cruising in the league, I’m confident we can secure the title sooner or later. We’ve set a date with Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey, which I’m very pleased with, and despite the wobble against Napoli in the Champions’ League, I’m confident the three away goals will sort us out back in the Bernabeu.

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CARLOS QUEIROZ IN?

West Ham United manager Carlos Queiroz is rumoured to be in line to take over the Real Madrid job from Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season, as the club’s new president commences his command of the Los Merengues at the end of April.

Ancelotti has just months left on his current deal with the Champions’ League holders and the attendance of Queiroz at Madrid’s games throughout January and February has fueled talk of his return to the club once a new president is elected.

Candidate Carlos Alberto Benitez, currently third in online polls, invited the new Hammers’ boss to various games, and with Ancelotti yet to be offered a new deal, rumours around the club have begun to sink in.

Portuguese national Queiroz, born in Mozambique, managed the likes of Portugal, Sporting Lisbon and the South Africa before joining Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant.

Believed to be pivotal in the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting to Man United in 2003, Queiroz moved the same year to manage the Brazilian Ronaldo and co. at Real Madrid, replacing Vicente Del Bosque.

However, Queiroz could only manage to win the Supercopa Espana in the season of 2003/2004, as their slump from 1st to 4th place in the La Liga table gifted Rafa Benitez’s Valencia the league title, to which Queiroz was sacked for in May.

Queiroz returned to Man United the following season, again as Ferguson’s number two, before going on to manage Portugal for a second time, often clashing with the Portuguese captain and Real Madrid talisman Ronaldo.

The 61-year-old’s final managerial success was guiding Iran to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, where he resigned following their elimination in the group stages.

PEREZ PROMISES NEW STADIUM

Current Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has promised a complete overhaul of the historic Santiago Bernabeu stadium if he’s re-elected as president of the club.

Perez, who’s up against Real Madrid legend Emilio Butragueño, Carlos Alberto Benitez and three others for the upcoming April election, has called upon the work of GMP owner and founder Volkwin Marg for the refurbishment of the ground.

67-year-old Perez was quoted as saying that the new Santiago Bernabeu “will be a privileged territory for the emotions and pride of our fans. We want it to be the best stadium in the world, with maximum comfort, an icon of architecture and cutting edge. The best stadium is a unique position, and it will be a world symbol. A special stadium, both unique and spectacular.”

Marg, who will be undertaking the task of remodeling the Bernabeu with L35 Ribas, stated that this would be his biggest project in his company’s existence, having most recently constructed the Olympic Stadium in Kiev and the host of the England versus Italy game in the 2014 Brazil World Cup, the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus.

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Real Madrid’s new look stadium will be covered in LED lights.

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“We have had the honour of participating in the construction of more than 20 stadiums, but this is the most important project of our career. We present the most important stadium of a new generation. The design reflects the values of the legendary club that is Real Madrid,” said Marg.

“Also, the removable roof allows the enjoyment of different events with different purposes. Sporting, cultural and leisure events that will bring all sorts of different people to the building who previously had never even thought of going”.

The state-of-the-art arena with a retractable roof will hold up to 90,000 people, a 5,000 capacity upgrade, and will include approximately 70 retailers within the stadium for fans and non-fans to enjoy.

Los Merengues’ iconic ground will be covered in LED lights and polished mirrors, providing those who view it from the outside tele visuals of Real Madrid’s greatest moments in the history of the club, the first stadium to have such technology implemented.

The exterior is expected to be completed by 2020, although the stadium’s capacity boost should be in place in time for the 2015/2016 season.

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PREM STARS ON REAL RADAR

Real Madrid legend and presidency candidate Emilio Butragueño has promised the signatures of Barclays Premier League stars Aaron Ramsey & Raheem Sterling and Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, if he’s elected this April.

As has become a custom with elections in both Spain and Portugal, Butragueño’s mandate provides a strong response to that of current incumbent Florentino Perez, who prepares the luxurious refurbishment of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Butragueño is keen to continue Real Madrid’s tradition of signing marquee players each year and, as an advocate to the signing of Gareth Bale in 2013, the former Madrid striker has set his sights back on the Premier League.

With a transfer budget of £140 million in place should he win the election, Butragueño stated, “Raheem Sterling and Aaron Ramsey are two of the finest players in the world right now and are just the type of players Real Madrid need to become dominant in the future.

“Both are young, with space to develop even further, so it’s a great opportunity for both parties to get together. We’ve seen the success Gareth Bale has brought to the club so far and I have no doubts that Sterling and Ramsey are cut from the same cloth.

“Cavani is another player I admire a lot; a pure killer and a striker who can become a focal point from the front. Should I win the election in April, I will make it my number one priority to bring Cavani, Ramsey and Sterling to the Santiago Bernabeu.”

Large cash injections are a reoccurring theme throughout other mandates, with Carlos Alberto Benitez, Nando Llompart and Juan Carlos Alfaro all thought to be keen on bringing in West Ham United manager Carlos Queiroz.