Gago and Real blast Manchester City

February 3, 2010

Fernando Gago is very disappointed that his move to Manchester City was cancelled right at the end.

The Real Madrid midfielder hoped to boost his World Cup chances by leaving Real this winter but his move to City was stalled at the last moment. “They used us,” said Gago’s agent Marcello Lombilla.

Manchester City launched their first bid on Gago last week and the Argentine midfielder felt the deal would be settled. However, City manager Roberto Mancini opted to move for McDonald Mariga, the Kenyan midfielder who signed for Internazionale at the last day of the transfer window.

The Citizens then returned to Real Madrid for Gago but it was already to late. They could not complete the deal until they had an official agreement from club chairman Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who they could not reach in time.

“They had nothing prepared, not even one document signed,” Real’s sporting director Jorge Valdano told El Pais. “They had not reached an agreement with the player and they would have had to have done everything in 40 minutes.”

Lombilla is very angry at City, considering his client might miss the World Cup.

“This has never happened to me before,” the agent told radio station Onda Cero. “”I don’t want to talk about the figures that City were offering because they approached Madrid without even knowing there wasn’t physically enough time to put something together.”

Lombilla insists that Gago will now concentrate on getting his Real career back on track.

“Despite the fact he went from being ‘untransferable’ to suddenly ‘for sale’, he will always continue to work hard,” he stated.

Tags: Al Nahyan, Argentine, citizens, club chairman, fernando gago, internazionale, Jorge Valdano, last moment, MADRID, manchester city, marcello, mcdonald mariga, midfielder, onda cero, radio station, real madrid, roberto mancini, sheikh mansour, world cup chances, zayed al nahyan

Fran: ‘Real depend on Ronaldo’

January 29, 2010

Real Madrid hopes to sink Deportivo la Coruna to stay in touch with league leaders Barcelona. But they could face a daunting task when they are without Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former Deportivo captain Fran.

Ronaldo received a two-match suspension this week for a red card he picked up at the weekend, during the match against Malaga (2-0). The Portuguese winger was sent off after a stray elbow caught Danish defender Patrick Mtiliga.

Madrid’s initial appeal against the ban was rejected by the Spanish football federation’s appeals committee on Thursday, but the club have now taken their case to Spain’s sporting disciplinary committee (CEDD) in a bid to have the former Manchester United man available for the Depor match.

If they won’t succeed then according to Fran, their hopes of picking up a first win at the Riazor since the 1991/92 season will be all but extinguished.

“It (Ronaldo’s absence) would be key because they depend on him while the others are not at their best,” said club legend Fran, who played over 400 games for Depor between 1988 and 2005.

“Hopefully he will not be here, although Madrid will still give it everything. That’s obvious because if they don’t win, the difference to Barcelona will be very big,” he told AS.

“I think it would be difficult with Cristiano (in Madrid’s team), but if he doesn’t play then the curse will continue; they will go away empty-handed once more. I have faith in Depor.”

Real coach Manuel Pellegrini will travel to La Coruna without Rafael van der Vaart, who’s still troubled by a knee injury he sustained three weeks ago during the match against Mallorca.

Ezequiel Garay, Lassana Diarra, Gonzalo HiguaiÂn, Mahamadou Diarra en Fernando Gago are also not available for different reasons.

The several absences have forced Pellegrini to add four players from the academy to his squad.

Deportivo lie fifth in the Primera Division, ten points adrift of Real Madrid.

Tags: appeals committee, Barcelona, captain Fran, daunting task, different reasons, disciplinary committee, ezequiel garay, fernando gago, football federation, initial appeal, knee injury, la coruna, league leaders, MADRID, mahamadou diarra, Malaga, manchester united, manuel pellegrini, Patrick Mtiliga, Rafael van der, rafael van der vaart, real madrid, riazor, ronaldo, spanish football

Man City eye Real’s Gago – report

January 25, 2010

Manchester City have made an offer for Real Madrid’s Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago, who is desperate to leave the club after spending too much time on the bench, a Spanish newspaper said Monday.

Gago “will try until the end to convince Madrid to let him leave, and for that he is meeting on Monday with (sporting director) Jorge Valdando to discuss his future,” the daily Marca said.

“The best offer is from Manchester City, which is ready to pay 15 million euros.”

But it said Real appear reluctant to let him go.

Gago, 23, joined Real Madrid in January 2007 from Boca Juniors to replace another Argentinian, Fernando Redondo.

But he has spent much of this season on the bench, and is keen for more first-team play ahead of the World Cup in South Africa in June.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: AFP, Argentina, bench, boca juniors, fernando gago, fernando redondo, Jorge Valdando, MADRID, man city, manchester city, marca, midfielder, South Africa, team play, World Cup

Gago ‘wants out of Real Madrid’

December 4, 2009

Argentine international defender Fernando Gago wants to leave Real Madrid because he has been little used this season but the Spanish giants do not want to let him go, sports daily Marca reported Friday.

The 23-year-old, who joined Real at the end of 2006 from Argentine side Boca Juniors, needs more time on the pitch to be be considered for Argentina’s 2010 World Cup squad and has asked his agent to negotiate his move to another club in the winter transfer window, it said.

But Real is counting on the player to make up for the absence of its midfielder and Mali captain Mahamadou Diarra who is scheduled to play for his national team during the 2010 African Cup of Nations between January 10-31.

Gago started for Real during all but two of the club’s 26 Spanish league matches in the 2008-09 season but his time on the pitch has been sharply reduced since Chile’s Manuel Pellegrini took over as coach in July 2009.

Italy’s AC Milan and Fiorentina have reportedly shown interest in signing the midfielder, who joined Real for 21 million euros (31.7 million dollars).

Argentina’s national coach Diego Maradona has described Gago as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and said that “he should never be left off an Argentina squad list”.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, african cup of nations, Argentina, Argentine, argentine side, boca juniors, Chile, diego maradona, fernando gago, fiorentina, giants, Italy, MADRID, mahamadou diarra, mali, manuel pellegrini, marca, midfielder, midfielders, Milan, million dollars, national coach, pitch, real madrid, spanish league, world cup squad

Real´s Alonso out for one week, Metzelder for two

September 17, 2009

Real Madrid’s Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso will be sidelined for at least one week, while their German defender Christoph Metzelder will be out for at least two weeks, the club said Thursday.

Alonso, who joined Real from Liverpool this summer, suffered an achilles tendon injury during the Spanish club’s 5-2 Champions League win over Zurich on Tuesday and will be out for “seven to 10 days”, they said in a statement.

The Spanish international was replaced by Fernando Gago in the 59th minute of the away match.

Initial reports suggested he may have needed a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Metzelder, who is suffering from muscle injury in his right leg, will be absent for two to three weeks, the club added.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: 59th minute, achilles tendon, achilles tendon injury, fernando gago, initial reports, Liverpool, metzelder, midfielder, muscle injury, real madrid, sidelines, spanish club, xabi alonso, ZURICH

Play Fantasy Football manager with Real’s Pellegrini

August 24, 2009

Real Madrid’s 250 million euros spending spree has left new coach Manuel Pellegrini with the kind of headache most managers could only dream of.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa, Esteban Granero and Ezequiel Garay have all been added to a squad that finished second in the league under Juande Ramos last year.

Pellegrini has made the most of pre-season friendlies to experiment with players and lineups, and they have lost only once in their eight warm up games, against Juventus in the Peace Cup. They have netted 22 goals, and conceded just six.

But with only a week to go until Deportivo Coruna visit the Bernabeu for their opening game of the new Primera Liga campaign, the Chilean has yet to make it clear what his best starting 11 will be, and what formation he will play.

There is no debate over the position of goalkeeper, so Iker Casillas is easy to put first on the team sheet.

In defence he can pick from Garay, Arbeloa, Albiol, Pepe, Christoph Metzelder, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Miguel Torres. Royston Drenthe has performed well at fullback in the last couple of matches.

Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso will be guaranteed a place in midfield which leaves perhaps Lassana Diarra as the fourth component of a traditional 4-4-2. Arjen Robben and Granero have impressed in pre-season games while Fernando Gago, Guti, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart and Mahamadou Diarra wait in the wings.

And who to play in attack? Raul has topscored with four in the pre-season friendlies, so the evergreen captain and Benzema? Last season’s top scorer Gonzalo Higuain and the returning Ruud van Nistelrooy complete the choices up front.

Assuming everyone was available, the following 4-2-3-1 formation would be a tasty lineup in front of Casillas. Ramos, Pepe, Albiol and Drenthe at the back, Alonso and Lass Diarra holding the centre midfield, leaving Ronaldo, Kaka, and Robben to support Benzema up front.

Is Pellegrini tough enough to put Raul on the bench or does the fans’ favourite have to start? If you were in the hot seat, who would you play?

Go to Source

Tags: alvaro arbeloa, arjen robben, christoph metzelder, Drenthe, Esteban Granero, fernando gago, Karim Benzema, lass, MADRID, manuel pellegrini, miguel torres, new primera, pre season friendlies, pre season games, Rafael van der, rafael van der vaart, raul, raul albiol, ronaldo, royston drenthe, ruud van nistelrooy, sergio ramos, spending spree, top scorer, Wesley Sneijder, xabi alonso

Ronaldo´s Real held to 1-1 Peace Cup draw by Al-Ittihad

July 27, 2009

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi side Al-Ittihad in the Peace Cup on Sunday as Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make an impact in his first match at the Santiago Bernabeu with the Spanish giants.

Real captain Raul put the Spanish giants in the lead in the 55th minute after getting the ball from new team-mate Karim Benzema and fending off Obaid Alshamrani to send the ball past the keeper from 12 yards out.

Six minutes later Real’s Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder had a go from 25 yards out but the ball flew over and behind the net.

Hicham Aboucherouane equalized for Al-Ittihad in the 64th minute with a header into the top corner of the net after beating Fernando Gago to the ball following a free kick by Al Saqri from the left flank.

Benzema and Ronaldo, who was presented before nearly 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium earlier this month after he completed his transfer from Manchester United, were both substituted with 25 minutes remaining.

Real beat Irish champions Shamrock Rovers 1-0 in their first pre-season outting on July 20 in which Ronaldo also failed to make an impact, missing two free kicks before being substituted at halftime.

Real’s other big name new signing Kaka and Raul Albiol are still on holiday due to their commitments at the Confederations Cup earlier this summer, as are Spanish internationals Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.

Pepe, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mahamadou Diarra are deemed not fit to play at the moment.

Twelve teams from around the globe, including Sevilla and Aston Villa, are taking part in the fourth edition of the pre-season tournament.

There are four groups with three teams in each. The top team in each group goes through to the semifinals which will be played on July 31. The final takes place two days later in Seville.

Lyon won the last edition of the Peace Cup in 2007.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Al-Ittihad, Aston, aston villa, captain Raul, fernando gago, free kicks, irish champions, Karim Benzema, MADRID, mahamadou diarra, Manchester, outting, raul albiol, real madrid, ronaldo, Santiago, santiago bernabeu stadium, sergio ramos, SEVILLA, seville, shamrock rovers, team mate, Wesley Sneijder

Football fans at Real welcome Kaka

July 1, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid’s new ‘Galactico’ signing Kaka received a triumphant welcome from tens of thousands of fans as he was presented at the club’s stadium on Tuesday.

“I want to write my name into the history of this club,” the Brazilian midfielder told the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the Spanish capital.

Kaka showed off his new “number eight” shirt, which he took over from Argentinian Fernando Gago, who now takes the “number five.”

The Brazilian, whose full name is Ricardo Izecson Dos Santos Leite, was signed for 65 million euros from AC Milan in early June.

Real president Florentino Perez praised Kaka as “one of the best players in the world”, for his “impeccable behaviour” and as “one of the icons of our time.”

The 80,000-capacity stadium appeared mostly full for the presentation, with many of the fans waving Brazilians flags.

The 27-year-old Kaka signed a six-year contract worth nine million euros a year.

He arrived in Madrid earlier on Tuesday with his father from South Africa, where he won the Confederations Cup with Brazil. He later passed a medical exam at the club.

Another of the so-called “new Galacticos” at the club, Cristiano Ronaldo, was signed from Manchester United for a world record 93 million euros, and will be presented to the supporters on July 6.

“It will be a privilege to play with Ronaldo, there will be no rivalry,” Kaka told a news conference.

Perez, who returned as president of Real last month, said he wants Real “to one day be elected the best in history.”

He first led Real from 2000 to 2006, when it earned the nickname “Los Galacticos”, winning the Primera Liga twice and European Champions League with such stars as Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Michael Owen.

Tags: ac milan, brazil, club cristiano, contract worth, cristiano ronaldo, David Beckham, european champions, fernando gago, galactico, LA Liga, los galacticos, luis figo, MADRID, Manchester, manchester united, michael owen, Milan, number eight, owen football, primera liga, real madrid, Ricardo Izecson, ricardo izecson dos santos leite, ronaldo, Santiago, santiago bernabeu stadium, Santos, South Africa, spanish capital, triumphant welcome

Barcelona can win Spanish League after Real crash

May 10, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Barcelona can win the Spanish league for the 19th time on Sunday after double champions Real Madrid waved the white flag in the title race with a 3-0 loss at Valencia on Saturday.

Real trail Barcelona by seven points and Pep Guardiola’s side will be crowned champions with three games to spare if they can beat Villarreal at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Real were still reeling from their 6-2 drubbing by Barcelona last Saturday in ‘El Clasico’ and they were outclassed again as two goals in three minutes laid the foundations for a comfortable Valencia win.

Juan Mata, a youth product let go by Real in 2007, scored his 11th goal of the season on 29 minutes before David Silva, a Real transfer target, netted a second in the 32nd minute.

Ruben Baraja scored a great second-half volley and it could have been more but for some poor finishing.

It was Real’s first away defeat since mid-December when they lost 2-0 at Barcelona who are poised to dethrone them as champions.

Valencia move four points behind Sevilla, 3-1 winners over Real Mallorca on Saturday, and more importantly, open a four-point gap over Champions League rivals Atletico Madrid and Villarreal who both play Sunday.

“This was a massive win for us and we just have to keep pushing for the Champions League spot,” said Silva.

“Atletico and Villarreal are still in the hunt and we will see what they do (on Sunday). We have done our bit.”

Real lost French international Lass Diarra to a bout of flu so Javi Garcia, a youth team product back at the club after a season at Osasuna, partnered Fernando Gago in a very defensive-minded midfield.

Valencia were on top early on as Real struggled to shrug off their ‘El Clasico’ hangover and Iker Casillas pulled off a fine save in the opening minutes to stop Baraja’s header.

On 29 minutes, Valencia got the breakthrough they deserved with Mata, capped by Spain for the first time this season, finishing with aplomb after a great lay-off from David Villa.

Real tried to sign Villa for a reputed 40 million euros in the summer and are tipped to bid again at the end of this season.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 as Silva was given too much time to shoot and Casillas couldn’t keep out the effort despite getting a hand on the shot.

Real coach Juande Ramos, whose future is looking bleak after recent results, didn’t make any changes at half-time and Valencia continued to carve open the best chances.

Baraja hammered in a great left-footed volley to clinch the game and Real couldn’t wait to get off the pitch.

Sevilla still hold a four-point gap over Valencia after a 3-1 comeback win over Mallorca.

Aritz Aduriz put Mallorca ahead but Sevilla responded with a Freddy Kanoute penalty before second-half goals from Luis Fabiano and Jesus Navas sealed a first home win since late March.

“We are close to our objective (third place) and this win guarantees that we will be third until the penultimate weekend of the season,” said Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez. “It would be tough on our fans if we didn’t finish third.”

Athletic Bilbao warmed up for Wednesday’s King’s Cup final against Barcelona with a 1-0 win over troubled Real Betis.

Ion Velez scored the only goal of the game in the 29th minute to boost Bilbao’s hopes for the Barcelona challenge.

Bilbao will start as strong underdogs but have a great record in the domestic cup, winning it on 24 occasions, although this will be their first final since 1985.

“We have to have faith in ourselves and if we are fortunate enough to win we will also have the satisfaction of beating the best team in the world,” said Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros.

For Betis, staying in the league is the only priority with the Seville-based club just three points above the relegation zone.

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Juan Sebastian Veron picked by Maradona

February 3, 2009

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) – Argentina coach Diego Maradona has picked midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron amongst five other players called up to complete their squad for a friendly against France on February 11 in Marseille.

The Argentina football federation also named Veron’s Estudiantes La Plata teammate Marcos Angeleri, San Lorenzo’s Cristian Ledesma, Emiliano Papa of Velez Sarsfield and Independiente’s Daniel Montenegro, who knows the Velodrome stadium well having played for Marseille in the 1999/2000 season.

Maradona however overlooked experienced Boca Juniors playmaker Roman Riquelme.

Argentina squad

Keepers: Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio/ITA), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar/NED)

Defenders: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan/ITA), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich/GER), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid/ESP), Daniel Diaz (Getafe/ESP), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan/ITA), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan/ITA), Marcos Angeleri (Estudiantes de la Plata), Emiliano Papa (Velez Sarsfield)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool/ENG), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid/ESP), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle/ENG), Luis Gonzalez (Porto/POR), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes de La Plata), Daniel Montenegro (Independiente), Cristian Ledesma (San Lorenzo)

Strikers: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ESP), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United/ENG), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli/ITA), Lisandro Lopez (Porto/POR), German Denis (Napoli/ITA), Angel Di Maria (Benfica/POR)

Written by: AFP