madristar

Five reasons why Real Madrid will win La Liga this season The argument in favour of a Merengues triumph... The new Spanish Primera Division season starts in a matter of days and once again Real Madrid and Barcelona will be the outright favourites. Having won the championship for the past two years in a row, Barca will start the campaign as slight favourites as they have a more coherent and well-functioning team and have also added star striker David Villa to their ranks. But Real Madrid have signed a Galactico in coach Jose Mourinho and with club president Florentino Perez keeping faith in the Portuguese's transfer transactions, there is renewed hope and optimism ahead of the 2010-11 campaign. Here are five good reasons to believe that Madrid will conquer Spain once again. 1) Jose Mourinho This is easily the most important and what could eventually be the most decisive factor in deciding the championship in Spain this season. Mourinho went to Chelsea in 2004 and won the Premier League in his first season with the Blues and in his first year with Italian side Inter in 2008-09, he won the Scudetto as well. One of the best coaches of all time, Mourinho has been recruited by Madrid much against their own footballing philosophy to make them a winning unit again and impart the winning mentality that Mourinho is so famous for. The Portuguese has already commenced weaving his magic as the Blancos were unbeaten in pre-season and despite falling behind to Los Angeles Galaxy and Hercules clawed their ways back each time, demonstrating that they are already becoming a tougher unit. 2. Young but experienced team with depth Madrid have made six signings, out of which five players - Sergio Canales, Mesut Oezil, Angel di Maria, Sami Khedira and Pedro Leon - are 23 years old or under. Gonzalo Higuain, Ezequiel Garay, Esteban Granero, Roysten Drenthe, Marcelo and Karim Benzema all in that same bracket as well, while Sergio Ramos, Fernando Gago, Lassana Diarra, Raul Albiol and Cristiano Ronaldo are either only 24 or 25. Madrid have one of the youngest teams in Europe but theirs is one with experience and depth. There is competition for places and indeed this will propel the players to strech themselves to the limit, which can only be good for Mourinho and his plans. Veterans like Iker Casillas, Kaka, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho and Xabi Alonso will add experience to the team and make it a balanced side. 3. Cristiano Ronaldo For once, Cristiano Ronaldo is not making the headlines. Last season the Portuguese winger was one of the best players in Spain and in Europe, scoring 26 goals in just 28 starts in La Liga, but his inability to inspire Madrid to any trophy augmented by his failure to do anything at the World Cup except for a few moments of skill against North Korea has put him in the dark. Ronaldo is no longer being talked about as the main candidate for this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or. Inspired | Ronaldo will need similar form to last season And this will inspire Ronaldo to reach greater heights in 2010-11. The 25-year-old was arguably the second best attacking player in Spain last season after Lionel Messi and he will be on his toes to wrestle the tag of the world's best player from the Barca star. Ronaldo is a proven match-winner, a desequilibrar, and he will be inspired especially under Mourinho to turn on the style this season. 4. Better defence Even last season Madrid's defence wasn't exceptionally bad - although it wasn't exactly one of the best in Europe either - but under Mourinho it will certainly be better. The Portuguese is known for his pragmatic approach to the game and one of his forte is to make his team's backline the key to winning matches. One of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and a former Champions League winner, Ricardo Carvalho, has been recruited and his presence will hugely boost Madrid at the back. Sergio Ramos's return to form after going through a rather modest spell will also be crucial and so will Marcelo's improvement over the past two years that has seen him become a more complete player both at left-wing and at left-back. 5. Barcelona's cycle In 2005 and 2006 Barcelona won La Liga and then for the two subsequent seasons Madrid won the league. For the past two years Barcelona have won the league and this cycle is destined to come to an end. The last time a team won three or more successive league championships was Barca when the 'Dream Team' won the Primera Division titles from 1991 to 1994. Time's up? | Is it Real Madrid's turn? Yet this time with the arrival of Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu, several of Barca's World Cup stars were kept busy throughout the summer. With Pep Guardiola's squad remaining as thin as last season's - if not thinner - there is a suspicion that things could get tough even for what remains arguably the most talented bunch of players on the planet.

me too. He's very Charismatic!

i havent seen any pictures from her Miss Universe pageant....if u have so plz share

Ramos

Ramos at Real Madrid lunchSergio

randoms

Carol's family

Marcha para Jesus 2008

one more

Luca's birthday 2009

"Ozil will be Real Madrid's Messi!" Real Madrid looked on with envy as Lionel Messi helped turn great rivals Barcelona into Europe's leading team. The Argentina forward inspired the Catalans to a league, cup and Champions League treble last year and another Primera Division title last term as Madrid's wait for further silverware continued. Now, though, the capital club can boast their own version. They have agreed a deal with Werder Bremen for the transfer of Mesut Ozil, believed to be worth around 15 million euros, and the Germany international will undergo a medical at the Bernabeu tomorrow. And if the Madrid faithful need any reassurance over the quality of their new signing, they need only listen to how he is spoken of back in his homeland. "We in Germany are prone to rave about foreign players,'' said Horst Hrubesch, a European Championship winner with West Germany in 1980, during this summer's World Cup. "We praise Wayne Rooney to the heavens, likewise (Cristiano) Ronaldo or Messi. "But we have our own Messi. Our Messi is Ozil." While the Argentinian struggled in South Africa, though, Ozil quickly emerged as one of the stars of the tournament. His glorious left-footed strike from outside the area which arced into the corner saw off Ghana and booked Germany's place in the knock-out stages, where his dribbling and passing ability, speed of thought and eye for the unexpected proved too much for England and then Argentina to cope with. Only eventual champions Spain managed to find a way to deal with the tournament's most exciting new talent, nullifying his threat as Germany's exciting campaign came to an end at the semi-finals. Ozil, who was born in Gelsenkirchen to Turkish immigrant parents and turned down the chance to play for Turkey in favour of representing the country of his birth, has given German football something with which his predecessors were rarely associated - flair. That is not to say he is a luxury player, with his impressive goal and assist return proof his game has an end product. Ahead of the tournament he was winning comparisons with legendary Germany playmaker Thomas Hassler, a World Cup winner in 1990 and European Championship winner in 1996. The 21-year-old, who can play in a central role or out wide, was the standout player in the Bundesliga last term, even if his club Werder Bremen did not emerge as challengers for the title. His form ensured the northern Germany club did not miss Brazilian playmaker Diego, who left the Weserstadion for Juventus last summer. But his star now shines so much brighter than that of his former team-mate. And it is Jose Mourinho's Madrid who will reap the rewards.

Ozil: Mourinho is why I joined Real Mesut Ozil revealed that the main factor behind his move to Real Madrid was coach Jose Mourinho. The Spanish giants announced the signing of the highly rated midfielder from Werder Bremen on Tuesday afternoon after finally convincing the Bundesliga club to let their star go for around 15 million euros. Ozil had been hotly chased by top clubs such as Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United after rising to fame in the World Cup. But it was Real Madrid who had the last laugh after finally securing his signature. The 21-year-old is already looking forward his new career at the Bernabeu and thanked his former club for developing him into the player he is today. "There was no other option (for me) other than Real Madrid," he said at a press conference. "I was clear that I wanted to play for the best and for me, Mourinho is the best - and I wanted to play for him." Ozil said a brief chat with the Portuguese coach convinced him Madrid was the right move. He added: "We spoke, but what was said will stay between us. What I will say is that I spoke to him and he convinced me (to sign)." Mourinho believes the 21-year-old can shine at Madrid for the next decade. "He's a player who can play for Real Madrid for 10 years," he told Marca after the club's 1-1 draw with Standard Liege on Tuesday night. Ozil, who joins Germany team-mate Sami Khedira at the Bernabeu, has set his sights on winning the Primera Division and the Champions League. "Both are very important," he said. "We want to win the league and also the Champions League. I think we have the potential and the quality necessary to fight for both competitions. That's why I've come here - to win titles." Madrid were also reportedly keen to bring a striker to the Bernabeu in time for next season, but sporting director Jorge Valdano says Ozil will give Mourinho's side options in midfield and attack. "His arrival allows us to play in different ways and perhaps compensates for the fact that a third striker, which was talked about, has not arrived," he said. In addition to Ozil, Madrid have signed Khedira, Argentina winger Angel di Maria and Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho this summer, as well as bringing in Spanish duo Sergio Canales and Pedro Leon for next season. But Valdano says the club's transfer business is now complete. "Ozil is the team's last incorporation for the new season," he said. "Mourinho feels very comfortable with the squad and is satisfied (with what he has) following the signing of Ozil."

Ozil: It's an honour to play for Real Real Madrid new signing Mesut Ozil declared at his unveiling that it is an honour to play for one of the world's biggest clubs. The German World Cup star completed his move from Werder Bremen to Madrid on Wednesday after putting pen to paper to a six-year contract at the Bernabeu. And after months of deliberation, the 21-year-old is delighted to have sealed his move to the Bernabeu. He said during his official unveiling: "Nothing had been decided before yesterday and I can honestly say I am glad this has had a happy ending. "I only aspire to make progress at Real Madrid. This is a great challenge for me. I've always concentrated hard and I like to work hard. I stepped on fifth gear and reached the club for which I wanted to play. "Real Madrid is the best club in the world. I discussed several options with my advisors, but I wanted to come here because I wanted to work with [Jose] Mourinho, the best coach in the world. I spoke with him and he convinced me to come. What we said will remain between us, but he is the greatest reason for which I'm here today." The midfielder is also adamant he will blossom as a player under the guidance of coach Jose Mourinho and the company of some world class players. "I know I will make progress. I've experienced considerable competition on the German national team and on other sides, but Real Madrid have world class players like Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Kaka and it will be a pleasure and an honour to play with them. Ozil is also looking forward to reunite with German team-mate Sami Khedira and revealed how he convinced him to move to the Bernabeu. "I congratulated [sami] Khedira when he signed for Real Madrid. We've been in touch and I've asked him several questions. He said good things about the team and told me it is great here. "The best teams play in Spain and the best in the world are Real Madrid. I hope to do as much as I can to have a satisfactory season. I'm here to win titles and both La Liga and the Champions League are important. We want to win it all and we have enough potential to make it." Ozil added: "I'm anxious to play. I've always had faith in myself and my friends and family have always supported me. I would tell youngsters to have faith in their dreams. "I am a number '10' player, but I've proven I can play in other positions. I am focused on giving 100 per cent."

Ozil: I can be the next Zidane! Mesut Ozil hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Real Madrid hero and personal idol Zinedine Zidane. Ozil, who was unveiled in an official presentation at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, has been nicknamed 'The German Zidane' by some sectors of the Madrid press, and the 21-year-old is happy with the comparison. "He was my hero," Ozil told German newspaper Bild. "As a boy I admired his skills on television and I tried to copy them. "I'm honoured by the comparison." Ozil links up with fellow Germany midfielder Sami Khedira at Madrid and revealed he called his international team-mate before putting pen to paper. "I spoke to him before the transfer and he was thrilled (to be at Madrid). I am happy he is here," he said. Ozil believes he has signed for the best club in the world and expects to win titles with his new team. "Real Madrid is a symbol of success - it's the best club in the world. Whoever comes here does so to win titles," he said. "I only wanted to come here. To play for Real Madrid is a special honour." Ozil said in his presentation that Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was key to his decision to join and the former Werder Bremen star reiterated the importance of the Portuguese in his transfer. "The conversation I had with him was decisive. Mourinho wanted me and that made things very clear - that's why I'm here at Real Madrid," he said.

Ozil: La Liga better than Bundesliga New Real Madrid signing Mesut Ozil has declared that the Spanish league is superior to the German one. Ozil is Madrid's latest capture, having signed for los Blancos from Werder Bremen this week and has been on a public relations spree ever since he arrived in Madrid. In latest comments quoted by the club's official website, he said: "I always watch the derbies, the Clasicos and games between Real Madrid and great teams like Valencia, though I wasn't able to watch many weekend games because I was playing at the same time. La Liga is one of the strongest football competitions in the world, so I'm delighted to be here. "The game is stronger here because the championship has many of the best players in the world, like Ronaldo and Kaka." The World Cup semi-finalist with Germany once again explained just how his move to Europe's most successful club came to fruition, reiterating his respect for Mourinho. "I think Real Madrid are the best team in the world and they have some of the world's best players, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and many more. I am delighted to be here with them. "I am also proud to have a coach like Jose Mourinho want me on this team. That's the real reason I'm here. He is one of the best coaches in the world. It is a privilege to be able to work with him. I am anxious to start. "I spoke with Mourinho about what he wants me to do on this team. He wanted me here and that's why I came. I've been in touch with Sami Khedira through SMS, but he is the only player I know here. I met the rest on my first day at work. "He told me he wanted me to come here. He also said the club is fantastic and that the weather is very nice here in Madrid. He mentioned that all the players are very nice and that he was having a great time. "Now that I'm here I've seen it with my own eyes. I am very happy to be here and I had a great time with my new team-mates during training." Ozil then made some optimistic comments regarding Real's upcoming season. "Yes, I've scored beautiful goals both with Werder Bremen and Germany. This is a new challenge for me and I want to show what I'm capable of. I want to win titles and help the team achieve its objectives for the season. "I believe we can achieve a lot this year. We have all the necessary ingredients and I would like to win La Liga and the Champions League at the end of the campaign. "I'm not afraid of [not not being a regular starter] because the situation was the same at Werder Bremen. I think it's normal for it to be that way. I will do everything I can and I will let the coach decide." Real start their La Liga campaign against Mallorca on August 29.

Mourinho: No more signings for Real! Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has announced that his club will not make any more signings this summer. As it stands, the club already have 26 players in their squad and need to trim it down to 25. Mourinho said that his side was good enough to challenge for silverware this season, and would not be adding to the numbers any further. Speaking to his team's website, Mourinho said: "I agree with the club. It's made important financial efforts and the current squad has great quality. "We'll need luck in order to avoid problems during the season. "I am grateful to the club for making such a great effort to sign quality players." He did not elaborate who was the player who would have to leave though. "We have 26 players right now and we want there to be 25", Mourinho added. "Someone will leave, but no one else will arrive. "The decision of who might leave will depend on the player's perception of the chances he may or may not have of playing this year. "I cannot understand players who wish to stay at a club knowing they will hardly get any chances to play." When asked about his line-up for the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy clash against Penarol, the Portuguese manager refused to respond. "I will not share the line-up with you because the players still don't know what I will do tomorrow. "I don't want them to find out through the press. "I've called up 23 players, but I wish to have 22 for the match; just two goalkeepers as opposed to three. "[sergio] Ramos, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [iker] Casillas and [Xabi] Alonso didn't play against Hercules and they will play 70 or 80 minutes tomorrow. "This will be our first home game. They all did well in the pre-season and therefore deserve to play. Mourinho also gave an insight towards how he would use Real Madrid's youngsters this season. "The academy deserves it all and we will have to wait for the right time", the manager said. "A youth teamer can't face fire without being ready. It would mean his end as opposed to his start. "We must know how to wait. Eight youth teamers have played several minutes with us this month." Mourinho also gave his thoughts on Real's pre-season preparations. "I can't expect more from the pre-season. "I haven't had much time to work with my men because they joined the team gradually throughout the summer, but I'm happy with the attitude showcased by players who wish to work and improve. "Good results will come easier the more we work. I don't expect the team to be in top form tomorrow, nor against Mallorca. I expect positive reactions to the friendlies we've played so far.

Mourinho aware of cultural issues Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho believes he will have to adapt his playing philosophy to bring success to the Bernabeu. Mourinho favoured a 4-3-3 formation at Chelsea and enjoyed success with a similar system at Inter Milan, but believes local conditions will define the team's playing style in Madrid. "The cultural aspect is very important," Mourinho said in an interview with El Pais. "It's impossible for a coach to go to a country and say 'This is my system, my playing philosophy'. "Will I be able to do at Madrid the same thing I did at Inter in terms of playing style? Impossible. The cultural aspect is very important. "Chelsea are champions of England, but if they played in the Primera Division they wouldn't win. Just as Barca wouldn't win the Premier League. "The construction of your team must be carried out in accordance with the culture (of that place). I will respect the cultural aspect at Madrid." Nevertheless, Mourinho wants his Madrid side to play attacking football. "I have an obsession to play attacking and attractive football at Madrid," he added. Mourinho faces the challenge of returning the good times to the Bernabeu following a period of dominance by fierce rivals Barcelona. Mourinho worked under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal at the Catalan club in the late 1990s and knows current coach Pep Guardiola, then Barca captain, very well. The Portuguese believes Guardiola, who last night won his eighth title since taking over at the Nou Camp as his side claimed the Supercopa with a 4-0 win over Sevilla, is perfectly suited to Barca. "Pep is the perfect coach for Barca," Mourinho added. "He is Catalan, he is cule (a Barca fan), he was born there, came through the youth system, is friends with (former Barca player and coach Johan) Cruyff, and there are a lot of fans that love him. "When (Sandro) Rosell was named president they offered him a six-year contract. I would have offered him 10." Mourinho is not a lifelong Madrid fan himself, but says there is currently nobody more passionate about the club than him. "There is no Madrid fan that loves the club more than me," he said.Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho believes he will have to adapt his playing philosophy to his new surroundings to bring success to the Bernabeu. Mourinho favoured a 4-3-3 formation at Chelsea and enjoyed success with a similar system at Inter Milan, but believes local conditions will define the team's playing style in Madrid.

Chelsea to launch €40m Ramos bid Chelsea are set to launch a sensational €40 million bid to sign Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to Marca. Blues owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly sick of watching fellow cash-rich club Manchester City outdo them in the transfer market. Further compounding his frustration was his failed attempt to sign Brazilian star Neymar after the deal collapsed during the final stage. The billionaire Russian is now ready to launch an assault for Ramos, who was among the shining stars in Spain's World Cup victory. On top of the mammoth offer would be a five year contract for the Spaniard worth a staggering €10m per season and Chelsea are desperate to conclude the deal before the end of the transfer window. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has managed just two major signings during the summer - Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool and Ramires from Benfica. Despite the English champions' interest in Ramos, Real coach Jose Mourinho would not be keen in selling his prized defender to his former club, especially when he is struggling keep his backline fit in time for the start of the season. However, the Special One could still be tempted should a humungous offer for Ramos come in, as he is currently on the hunt for a striker with Fernando Llorente, Emmanuel Adebayor or Edin Dzeko being among the possible targets.

WOW ,he looks amazing...

Thanks for the pics,Chic!

Eva

Kakà talked about the knee injury Speaking in Saturday’s edition of sports paper Diario AS, Kaka admitted that the knee had been troubling him for a while, but insisted that the club knew all about him problem ; he said the situation was a “nightmare”. “The knee had been causing me problems for a while, but I didn’ t know it was so important,”. “It began to hurt before the World Cup and I always made it clear that it gave me a few problems in Madrid, but I was always having treatment on my pelvic problem and it seemed as if it was just a muscle imbalance that would not be as serious as it is now.” “I told the doctors about it various times, they knew all about it, but we all thought it was a problem that was related to the pelvic injury. That is why it was not wrong for me to play in the World Cup,” he insisted. “This is a nightmare, but I am going to do all I can to get fit so that I can win titles in this Real Madrid. I am the first person who wants to see me fully fit,” he said. Ricky is also supported by his team-mates and the club. Iker Casillas, defends him: “Kakà is the first injured person. We are all disappointed because he is a fantastic team-mate. Everybody can speak, express his opinion, say what he wants, but people who are close to him know how he is really”. Pepe added, “Nobody can doubt the professionalism of Kaká “. Jorge Valdano added ” Kaka has the total support of the club “. Jorge Valdano keeps all his confidence to Kaka in spite of the events which he is going trough with an injury depriving him of playing during 4 months: ” His behavior was always correct and we have never doubted him. He has my support and the support of the club. ” ” We are very grateful for the efforts that he realized during the summer to visit several specialists of Sao Paulo for his knee problem. He is an exemplary player and we have never had complaints of him. Now, he has to think to a single thing: recover and get back. “

EA Games chose Kakà for FIFA 11 EA announced that Kaka has been chosen for the cover of EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 11. The 28-year-old Brazilian soccer hero will be the center-piece of global advertising, marketing and promotional campaigns for the most popular sports videogame in the world. He joins Wayne Rooney on the cover of the upcoming FIFA 11 game from EA SPORTS. Despite winning both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, this is the Real Madrid midfielder’s first time as a FIFA cover star. Kakà said: “I’ve always been a fan of EA SPORTS and especially the FIFA series. Being on the FIFA Soccer 11 cover is a great honor for me since very few players have this opportunity, and there have been some great players featured on the cover of this truly amazing videogame.” “Kaka brings passion, imagination and individual flair to the game every time on the pitch” said Matt Bilbey, Vice President of Soccer, EA SPORTS.

oh what a relief!! Thanks Fashion Icon!

Marca Interview Screeenshots