Lyon spoil Benzema´s return

February 17, 2010

Lyon´s Cameroonese middfielder Jean II Makoun is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal during the Champion´s League football match Lyon Vs Real Madrid at the Gerland stadium in Lyon. Lyon won 1-0
Lyon ruined former striker Karim Benzema’s return to his boyhood club by beating Real Madrid 1-0 in their last 16 Champions League first leg clash here on Tuesday.

The defeat will add to the woes of Real’s Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, who is under pressure to return European football’s most coveted trophy to the Santiago Bernabeu following the triumph of fierce rivals Barcelona in the competition last year.

Defeat continued Real’s desperate record at Lyon’s ground, having failed ever to win there or even score.

Lyon coach Claude Puel has been under pressure of late as the fans have taken the view that he is too negative in his strategy, but the former Monaco and Lille handler was sporting a beaming smile after this victory.

“It was a very good performance, but I wouldn’t class it as a great achievement,” said Puel.

“It’s a shame we didn’t score a second one as I thought we outplayed them in the second-half.”

Lyon forward Sidney Govou admitted that at times they hadn’t been at their best in the league but that they had shown what they were capable of against Real.

“Collectively we are very happy,” said the France international.

“This evening (Tuesday) the supporters saw that when we are up against the best players in the world we can match them.”

The French side’s breakthrough came immediately after half-time when Cameroonian midfielder, Jean II Makoun, picked up the ball from deep and powered through a retreating Madrid defence to hit a dipping shot over a stranded Iker Casillas.

Real were not without their chances but the multi-million-euro Spanish side could not penetrate a resilient Lyon defence, despite enjoying most of the possession.

Argentinian forward Gonzalo Higuain missed a glorious chance when he was clean through on 62 minutes.

But the French-born star could only fire his shot directly at the oncoming Hugo Lloris.

Real threw everything at the seven-time French champions as they went in search of an equaliser and defender Sergio Ramos headed over the crossbar on 80 minutes from a Kaka corner.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a penalty appeal turned down five minutes earlier when he fell under a challenge from the Lyon keeper.

Lyon old boy Benzema, on as a substitute, had one opportunity to snatch a vital away goal but he could only screw his shot wide.

The victory means Puel’s men are unbeaten in four matches in all competitions in 2010, while Real face an uphill battle to reach the quarter-finals.

Lyon travel to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium – where the final will be held later in the year – for the second leg on March 10, where Real Madrid will be without midfielder Xavi Alonso and left-back Marcelo through suspension.

LYON, France (AFP)

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Milan and Madrid draw to move closer to qualification

November 4, 2009


AC Milan and Real Madrid took a small step towards qualification for the Champions League knock-out rounds following a 1-1 draw at the San Siro on Tuesday.

Ronaldinho’s penalty cancelled out Karim Benzema’s opener for the visitors as the stalemate left both teams a point clear of Marseille, who thrashed FC Zurich 6-1, at the top of Group C.

There was no revenge for Madrid for their 3-2 defeat to the Italians at the Bernabeu two weeks ago but they were the better side, particularly before the break.

It was all Real at the start of the first half as the visitors dominated, much like they did in the early stages of the home match.

On 6 minutes a deflected Benzema shot was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Dida while Sergio Ramos fired just wide in the 13th minute.

Just after that Gonzalo Higuain made space for himself on the edge of the box but curled his effort over before Benzema held off Alessandro Nesta in the area after latching onto Marcelo’s pass in the 20th minute but fired wide of the far post.

Milan finally came to life in the 24th minute with a quick break as Clarence Seedorf fed Alexandre Pato who cut inside Alvaro Arbeloa but Iker Casillas came out and spread himself well to block the Brazilian’s shot.

Real deservedly went in front in the 29th minute as former Milan star Kaka beat Seedorf on the edge of the area and fired in a fierce daisy cutter that was too hot for Dida to handle, allowing Benzema to fire the rebound into the far corner for his first goal in seven matches.

But 10 minutes from the break Ronaldinho equalised from the spot after Pepe was harshly penalised for handball when he slid in rashly to block Zambrotta’s cross, the ball hitting his arm from barely a yard away.

Moments later Pato brilliantly took a long ball from Andrea Pirlo on his chest, held off Raul Albiol and shot past Casillas and in off the far post but he was penalised for a foul that was not clear, although the Brazilian didn’t protest.

The first clear chance of the second period went to Milan but captain Massimo Ambrosini somehow headed Pirlo’s free-kick miles wide from five yards out.

Just as they had done in Madrid, Milan were giving a much better account of themselves in the second half and Marco Borriello rose highest in the box but glanced his header from Pirlo’s corner well wide.

In the last 10 minutes Filippo Inzaghi came on for Borriello and he came within inches of scoring a winner when Pato’s right wing cross found him eight yards out but falling over he directed the ball up and onto the roof of the net.

And another sub, Raul of Real, was denied in the last minute as Dida, making up for his gaffe in Spain, made a stunning one-handed save to deny the Spaniard,

MILAN, Italy (AFP)

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Real Cup-hijacked by third division minnows

October 28, 2009


Real Madrid were given a Spanish Cup shock on Tuesday when third division minnows and unheralded city neighbours Alcorcon dished out a 4-0 drubbing to the nine-time European champions.

The tiny provincial side, with a miniscule annual budget of just 1.2 million euros – 300 times less than their esteemed visitors – added a notable footnote to their modest history in front of their home fans at the 3,000-capacity Estadio Municipal de Santo Domingo.

Real were undone by the club which was only founded in 1971 with an own goal by former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa, Borja Perez’s brace, and Ernesto Gomez.

Not pleasant viewing for Real president Florentino Perez and club director Jorge Valdano watching from the stands.

If they fail to overturn the lopsided scoreline in the second leg of this Last 32 tie it will by no means be the first time Real Madrid have bid a hasty farewell to the Copa del Rey.

The Spanish giants, who last collected the title way back in 1993, were kicked out of Spain’s premier cup competition in 2008 by Third Division side Real Union, a loss that triggered the dismissal of coach Bernd Schuster.

Real’s embarrassing defeat on Tuesday came despite the presence of Raul and Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini welcoming back injured strikers Karim Benzema and Ruud van Nistelrooy but Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, who also missed the club’s 0-0 draw with Sporting Gijon last weekend, were still sidelined.

Frenchman Benzema was injured in both feet while Dutchman van Nistelrooy has been out for several weeks with a thigh muscle injury.

Pellegrini elected to rest several top players, including Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso and Kaka, for the match.

Tuesday’s reverse came after a bad seven days which started with Real losing to AC Milan in the Champions League and then the goalless draw at Gijon.

Alcorcon’s achievement meanwhile knocked a sizeable dent in Pellegrini’s pre-match assertion that Real’s ambition was “to win every competition”.

MADRID (AFP)

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Emotional Milan reunion for Real new boy Kaka

October 21, 2009

I
Real Madrid’s Brazilian superstar Kaka faces old club AC Milan for the first time on Wednesday when the two sides do battle at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League Group C match.

Kaka was an icon at Milan after six successful years helping the club win the 2007 Champions League crown but left for Real this summer in a 65 million-euro move which he insisted was to help Milan with their financial problems.

The Spanish capital hosts a match-up between the two most successful clubs in European history with Real boasting a record nine European Cups to Milan’s seven.

Both sides can point to illustrious histories but at present they are looking to restore their reputations as European superpowers with Real failing to get past the quarter-finals of the competition since 2004 which was the year Milan last won their domestic title.

Milan are under pressure in the group after a shock 1-0 home loss to unfancied FC Zurich while Real are perched comfortably at the top with a maximum six points.

“It is time to see Real Madrid?s true colours against an opponent that has won a lot of European Cups and who we really respect,” said Real defender Sergio Ramos.

Kaka, who has said he will not celebrate if he scores, will undoubtedly take centre stage against his old club particuarly as Real’s other world superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, is still out with an ankle injury.

It will also be a special occasion for 33-year-old Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf who won the Champions League in Real colours back in 1998.

“Real Madrid? No-one scares me, there?s no time to be scared,” said Dutchman Seedorf.

A return to the Bernabeu will also be memorable for Brazilian Ronaldinho who tormented Real in his Barcelona days and famously received a standing ovation from the Bernabeu crowd in the 2005/06 season after scoring a great solo goal for Barca in a 3-0 win in ‘El Clasico’.

Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar didn’t get many standing ovations in his brief seven months at Real before being let go to Milan and will have a point to prove if given the chance.

Milan may be a shadow of the great side from the 1990s but have outperformed Real in Europe over the last five seasons reaching the final twice, losing the first against Liverpool in 2005 and then defeating the same opposition in 2007.

Real have not reached the final since 2002 but hope that changes this season especially with the showpiece final at their stadium.

Real won 4-2 against Valladolid on Saturday to move a point behind Barcelona in the domestic league where they average three goals a game but questions have been asked about their defence and a vulnerability at set-pieces.

“I don?t see defensive shortcomings,” said coach Manuel Pellegrini. “One of Valladolid?s goals was a free-kick and the other a mis-placed back pass. They had 12 corners and didn?t score from any of them so we don?t have problems in that area.”

Milan beat AS Roma 2-1 in their league match but still lie eighth in the table seven points behind champions and city rivals Inter Milan.

“If we are able to express ourselves to our potential, then Milan can do a lot better,” said coach Leonardo. “Consistency will be the key, as we do have flashes of good form.”

If Milan lose to Real they will be six points behind the Spaniards to virtually end their hopes of finishing top of the group.

MADRID (AFP)

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Real and Ronaldo under threat from Spanish wizard?

September 29, 2009


An unusual headline in Spain’s El Mundo newspaper caught my eye this morning: “Real Madrid threatened by wizard.”

According to the respected conservative daily, the La Liga club has received a letter from the magician, whom it did not identify by name, warning that he has been contracted to cast a spell that would inflict injury on their Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I can’t promise that it will be a serious injury but he’ll certainly be out of action more than playing,” El Mundo quoted the wizard as saying.

He told the paper he was unable to reveal the identity of his client “because I am a mixture of priest and doctor and I have to respect the confidentiality of my followers.”

El Mundo said it was the third time the wizard had threatened Real after targeting players including David Beckham and Ronaldo (the portly Brazilian version) in 2003 and Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Cannavaro and Raul in 2006.

The wizard has apparently already begun the process of casting his spell over Cristiano Ronaldo using photos of the world record signing spread out around his “laboratory”.

“It’s a step-by-step process and depends on various factors so the result you are looking for is achieved sooner or later,” El Mundo quoted the wizard as saying.

He pointed out that Ronaldo’s run of a goal-a-game had ended against Tenerife at the weekend and he had been angry at being substituted by coach Manuel Pellegrini in the second half.

Real are not taking the threat seriously and have dismissed it as “the kind of craziness we deal with on a daily basis”, according to El Mundo.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on Ronaldo in the next few weeks but in the meantime can anyone think of anything similar happening in other leagues?

There are plenty of superstitious soccer players out there but someone being targeted by a wizard really is bizarre.

PHOTO: Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during their La Liga match against Tenerife at the Bernabeu, Sept. 26 REUTERS/Rafael Marchante

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High fives as Spain crush Belgium to near World Cup

September 6, 2009


European champions Spain moved to within touching distance of the World Cup finals after coasting to a 5-0 win over Belgium in La Coruna on Saturday.

Valencia duo David Silva and David Villa both scored twice with Barcelona defender Gerard Pique also on target in the five-goal romp and the scoreline should have been more emphatic.

The double from Villa, who also missed a penalty, raises his international goals tally to 33 in just 51 games as he closes in on the national record of 44 held by Real Madrid striker Raul.

Spain have a flawless seven wins at the top of Group 5, six points ahead of second-placed Bosnia Herzegovina who won 2-0 at Armenia.

If Spain beat Estonia in Merida on Wednesday and Bosnia fail to beat Turkey they will qualify for the World Cup finals with two games to spare.

“It was nice to win and get back scoring again (after three games without a goal),” said Villa.

“We started so well and should have been more than 1-0 up at the break. I missed my penalty although it was a bit unfortunate although I will be ready to take the next one that comes up.”

Silva added: “It was an important game to win and we did it well. I am coming back following injury and just hope I can continue injury-free for the rest of the season.”

Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna failed to recover from a knock sustained at the weekend so emerging Barcelona star Sergi Busquets, 21, won his seventh cap starting alongside Xabi Alonso in central midfield.

Alonso’s Real Madrid team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa was also handed a chance to impress at right-back with Sergio Ramos still injured.

Injuries meant Belgium had to hand a tough debut to goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet.

Gillet had a busy game throughout and Villa went close twice in the opening ten minutes.

Villa zipped a low shot just wide of post in the eighth minute and then spurned a golden chance two minutes later with the debutant goalkeeper blocking his effort with his legs.

Belgium were struggling and Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen collected the first yellow card of the match for hacking down Fernando Torres.

In the 21st minute Villa won a soft penalty by wrongfooting Anthony Vanden Borre and picked himself up for the spot-kick.

The Valencia striker opted to strike his penalty down the middle and Gillet saved with his trailing foot.

Villa then hit the post before setting up Silva for the goal on 41 minutes with a delightful pass and Silva made no mistake with a clinical finish for only his fourth international goal.

After a frustrating first half Villa got his goal four minutes after the break with a trademark right-footed finish.

Sixty seconds later centre-half Pique showed a striker’s composure in the penalty area to make it 3-0 before Silva smashed in a terrific second goal.

Villa grabbed the final goal of the game on 85 minutes as Spain tore the visitors apart on the counter attack.

Belgium have just seven points so can forget the World Cup in South Africa while Spain are on the brink of qualifying and would go to the tournament as one of the favourites.

MADRID (AFP)

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Real remains a work in progress after sneaky 3-2 win

August 31, 2009


Real Madrid’s expensive new team boasts an awesome array of attacking talent and huge goal-scoring potential but their defence looked worryingly porous in their opening match of the La Liga season on Saturday.

President Florentino Perez spent 250 million euros ($359 million) to bring excitement and spectacle back to the Bernabeu after two barren years and judging by Saturday’s 3-2 win over Deportivo Coruna, when Real twice surrendered the lead and created a host of chances, the fans will not be disappointed.

The return of the suspended Pepe and injured pair Christoph Metzelder and Sergio Ramos may help to eradicate the errors that blighted their performance.

However, Real’s hopes of mounting an effective challenge to treble-winners Barcelona seemingly rest on the ability of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and their team mates to score more goals than are inevitably conceded.

Sports daily Marca said in an editorial on Sunday that Real were following a script against Depor that the fans had become well used to over the years.

“An opponent with a solid back line who refuses to be intimidated by so many star players and knows how to exploit the whites’ defensive weakness but who ultimately yields to massive firepower,” the paper wrote. “This (Real) promises excitement.”

Perez’s latest creation resembles the band of “galacticos” he assembled during his first stint in charge in 2000-2006, who included Zinedine Zidane, Figo, David Beckham and Brazilian striker Ronaldo.

DYNAMIC SIDES
El Pais soccer correspondent Jose Samano said that coach Manuel Pellegrini was under orders from Perez to focus on attack because the president had grown up watching dynamic Real sides including players such as Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas in the 1950s and 60s.

“Over time soccer has become more conservative but not in the mind of (Perez),” Samano wrote.

“Manuel Pellegrini has no other option than to field as many defenders as attackers, a gamble that almost got them into trouble against Depor,” he added.

“Madrid were struggling to dictate the game and obviously won’t be a balanced and well calibrated side anytime soon but their box of tricks is limitless.”

Writing in El Mundo, Orfeo Suarez said that the new-look Real side were “terrific going forward and vulnerable at the back“.

“That’s the conclusion to be drawn from the start of the second Florentino Perez era; understandable because it’s a project under construction,” he said.

“Madrid kept Depor’s hopes alive because they are not yet a team and perhaps never will be, and some of the stars are still not firing on all cylinders.”

PHOTO: Real Madrid’s Raul celebrates his goal against Deportivo Coruna with Karim Benzema (L) and Kaka (C) during their Spanish first division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid August 29, 2009. REUTERS/Susana Vera

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Senna set for Spain return

August 27, 2009


Marcos Senna has been recalled to the Spain squad for the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa qualifying home double-header against Belgium and Estonia.

Senna, a key member of Spain’s UEFA EURO 2008-winning side, has recovered from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss this summer’s FIFA Confederations Cup tournament and the recent friendly with FYR Macedonia and takes his place in a 22-man party.

The 33-year-old midfielder is the only addition to the squad selected for the Macedonia match, with Osasuna defender Ignacio Monreal, who was called up for the first time to cover for the injured Sergio Ramos, retaining his place. Spain play hosts to Belgium on 5 September in La Coruna before meeting Estonia in Merida four days later.

Vicente del Bosque’s side have a 100 per cent record after six qualifying games, leaving them top of Group 5, six points ahead of second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina and within touching distance of a place in next year’s finals in South Africa.

Squad: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Reina (Liverpool), Diego Lopez (Villarreal); Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Ignacio Monreal (Osasuna), Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol (both Barcelona); Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Xavi (Barcelona), David Silva, Juan Mata (both Valencia), Albert Riera (Liverpool), Marcos Senna (Villarreal); Daniel Guiza (Fenerbahce), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia)

Abhimanyu Rajput

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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?

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Juventus beat Real to reach Peace Cup final

August 1, 2009


Juventus beat Real Madrid 2-1 Friday to reach the final of the Peace Cup as the big-spending Spanish club failed to shine in its first major pre-season test.

The Italians will meet Aston Villa on Sunday after the English Premier League side beat Porto of Portugal by the same score in Malaga.

Juventus got off to a flying start in the match in Seville when Fabio Cannavaro connected with a free kick from Alessandro del Piero to head the ball past Jerzy Dudek in the third minute.

Real leveled the score when the world’s most expensive footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second goal — and second penalty — in a Real shirt.

The 23-year-old Portuguese star – who cost Real around 94 million euros when he joined from Manchester United — slotted the ball past Gianluigi Buffon in the 41st minute after Giorgio Chiellini brought down Raul.

Bosnian midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic restored the advantage for the Italians in the 49th minute with a glancing header from a corner by Alessandro Del Piero.

The match was Real’s first real pre-season test after matches against Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers, Saudi side Al Ittihad and Ecuador’s La Liga de Quito.

But three of the club’s big new signings — Kaka, Raul Albiol and Alvaro Arbeloa — and Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos were not selected,

All had been allowed to extend their holidays after taking part in the Confederations Cup in South Africa in June.

But Real coach Manuel Pellegrini was able to count on French signing Karim Benzema, who had recovered from a knock picked up in the match against La Liga de Quito.

The former Lyon striker, who joined Real for 35 million euros (50 million dollars) earlier this month, was substituted in the 72nd minute by Argentine Gonzalo Higuain.

Twelve clubs took part in the prestigious pre-season Peace Cup tournament.

The tournament began life in 2003 and FIFA recognised it as an international event in 2007.

This year is the first time it has been held outside of South Korea.

SEVILLE, Spain (AFP)

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