madristar

Guardiola discharged from hospital Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has been given the all-clear to leave hospital and will be back against Real Zaragoza. Guardiola was admitted to hospital following Barca's away win over Valencia on Wednesday night due to the lower back problem he has been suffering from for the last few weeks. Whilst there, Guardiola was diagnosed as suffering from a herniated disc. After three nights in the hospital, Guardiola was given the green light to leave late and the 40-year-old then made his way to the Nou Camp, where Barca play host to Zaragoza.

Barcelona 1-0 Real Zaragoza Barcelona warmed up for Tuesday night's Champions League tie against Arsenal with an unconvincing win over Real Zaragoza. Seydou Keita, who had earlier seen an effort controversially ruled out for offside, scored the only goal of the game when he slid home Lionel Messi's low cross just before the break. But Barca, despite their superior possession, quality and number of chances, were unable to make the game safe and will have been happy to hear the final whistle in the end. Barca coach Pep Guardiola took his place on the bench despite having been released for hospital only hours before the game. Guardiola, who was admitted with a lower back problem on Thursday, was visibly struggling as he took his seat and was a less animated figure than usual. The Barca coach had probably hoped for an easy ride against relegation-threatened Zaragoza, but his side struggled early on. Guardiola was still missing captain Carles Puyol, but welcomed back goalkeeper Victor Valdes from injury, while Javier Mascherano began in midfield ahead of Sergio Busquets, who was rested along with David Villa and Andres Iniesta. That meant rare starts for Bojan Krkic, Gabi Milito and Keita. And it was the Mali midfielder who got the vital breakthrough two minutes before the interval. Keita, who had earlier seen a header controversially disallowed for offside, slid home from eight yards after Messi had got to the by-line and pulled the ball back for his unmarked team-mate. Barca had been knocking on the door before that and Keita had been unlucky to see his header ruled out after 29 minutes, when he rose to meet Dani Alves' cross, directing the ball into the ground and over a despairing Toni Doblas. The decision was marginal and Barca felt hard done by. The Catalans had previously gone close through Xavi, Pedro and Mascherano, but Doblas saved each time to frustrate the locals. Zaragoza, playing on the break, had also looked dangerous at times, but the visitors were restricted almost entirely to defending in the opening 45 minutes. However, Nicolas Bertolo almost equalised five minutes after the break, when he went past Gerard Pique and fired a shot across goal, just wide of Valdes' far post. Xavi then hit a free-kick into the wall at the other end and Alves saw a long-range effort deflected wide moments later. Doblas also parried a goalbound header from Pique as Barca remained in control. But the Catalans still had just a one-goal lead and they had Valdes to thank for a vital save on the hour, when the keeper came quickly off his line to save with his feet from Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who had run on to a long pass and left Pique in his wake. Substitute Villa twice came close to adding to the locals' lead, but the striker was denied against his former club on both occasions by the excellent Doblas. Villa also blasted over the bar after Maxwell had seen his long-range shot parried by the Zaragoza keeper and Messi was just inches away from a set piece with the last kick of the game. Barca deserved their win in the end and the Catalans once again move provisionally clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid, who travel to Racing Santander on Sunday, by 10 points. Zaragoza, meanwhile, remain two points above the drop zone with 11 games remaining, but that could change following Sunday's matches.

"Barcelona are just relentless" Real Zaragoza coach Javier Aguirre has paid tribute to Barcelona, saying that it is impossible to stop them on current form. Aguirre's side gave a good account of themselves at the Nou Camp on Saturday - conceding only one goal which was scored to Seydou Keita. The visitors might have been helped by the absence of some key Barca players who were rested ahead of the Catalans' Champions League clash on Tuesday. Nonetheless, keeper Victor Valdes had to be alert on numerous occasions to repels Zaragoza attacks - and the underdogs did not let the champions breathe easy right until the very end. Although disappointed by the loss, Aguirre was gracious enough to praise Barca. Speaking to La Vanguardia he said: "Barcelona are currently unstoppable. They are just relentless. ''We were almost flawless. We will go home pissed, there's no doubt about that." He then went on to bemoan the fact that both Barca and Real Madrid are miles ahead of the rest of the teams in La Liga. "The distance between the top two and the other eighteen is massive. The league has become very polarized." The gulf in La Liga can be seen in the standing where Barca stand 10 points clear of Real Madrid, who are another 10 clear of third-placed Valencia. Real play Racing Santander on Sunday.

"Barca were uneasy against Zaragoza" Barcelona assistant coach Francesc Vilanova admitted his side never looked comfortable in their 1-0 win over Real Zaragoza. A Seydou Keita goal just before the interval was enough to give the Spanish champions yet another win - but the match was never really settled until the final whistle. Zaragoza sat back to absorb the pressure and then hit their opponents on the counter, forcing Victor Valdes into some good saves. In the end, they clung on to their lead and opened up a 10 point gap with Real Madrid - who face Racing Santander later on Sunday. With coach Pep Guardiola recuperating from back problem, assistant coach Vilanova gave the post-match interview and in comments reported by AS, said: "All we wanted tonight [saturday] was the second goal. We were not relaxed. We can look back on the game and see set-pieces and rebounds that just wouldn't go in. ''Doblas [the Zaragoza goalkeeper] was excellent tonight and it's not easy to play against team who always have eight men in the area. We played so long at 1-0 and the risk of conceding in the next play is so dangerous.'' Giving his thoughts on Tuesday's Champions League clash with Arsenal, Vilanova said:"We know how to play Arsenal and we know it will be very difficult. We've rested some players tonight (Abidal, Iniesta and Villa) and on Tuesday, our players should have no problems. "They (Arsenal) are not going to close down as much and we will both attack and that type of game suits us better." Barca will be without Gerard Pique and maybe Carles Puyol, but have no other injury worries. The Catalans will also be happy to have heard that Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott will be missing for the Gunners. Captain Cesc Fabregas remains a doubt as well.

Racing Santander vs Real Madrid Preview Real Madrid will have to do without leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo as they make the trip to Racing Santander. Ronaldo is set to be sidelined for around two weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during Thursday's 7-0 thrashing of Malaga. Ronaldo asked to come off immediately after netting his third and Madrid's seventh of the night, and he is now likely to miss the league matches against Racing and Hercules, and faces a race to be fit for the Champions League last-16 second leg against Lyon. Losing Ronaldo is a big blow for Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, with the Portugal international, who has also played every league match for Madrid this season, having enjoyed a stunning campaign. The £80million man took his tally to 27 league goals with his treble against Malaga, leaving him level with Barcelona's Lionel Messi at the top of the La Liga scoring charts, while in all competitions he has netted 37 times this term. To put that into context, Madrid's second leading scorer in La Liga is the injured Gonzalo Higuain with seven goals, while Angel Di Maria is third on six strikes. With Ronaldo missing and Higuain still some way from a return, Madrid will look to strike duo Karim Benzema and Emmanuel Adebayor to help pick up the slack. Benzema has had his critics this season but he took his tally to four goals in four games with a brace against Malaga, and the Frenchman believes he is a player on the up. "I'm getting better all the time and I think everybody can see that on the pitch," he said in AS. "I'm now reaping the fruits of all the effort I've made." Madrid, who are also without Kaka, Sami Khedira, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Gago for Sunday's match, kept within seven points of Primera Division pacesetters Barcelona with their victory over Malaga - their biggest league win this season. Mourinho's men have dropped points in three of their last four away matches in La Liga, though, and it promises to be another testing road trip for the capital club this weekend. Racing are unbeaten in six games since new owner Ahsan Ali Syed took over, while new coach Marcelino Garcia Toral has picked up eight points in his four games in charge. That form has lifted Racing up to 12th place in the standings, five points above the relegation zone. Speaking about the absence of Ronaldo, Marcelino said: "Real Madrid are above any one player, although the statistics show that he is a key player. "For us, of course, it's an advantage that he isn't playing."

Benzema: Real have made me better Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has admitted playing with the Spanish giants has improved him as a player. After a subdued start to his time at the Bernabeu, Benzema finally seems to be hitting his straps and is in the midst of a good scoring patch. He scored twice in Real's 7-0 thrashing of Malaga on Thursday and then told AS: ''I've put in great effort in training in the last few months and now I'm reaping the rewards. My fitness is very good and every time I take to the pitch, I am getting better and everyone can see that. "I'm back to being myself, the Karim from Lyon, only better. I have learned a lot of things since joining Madrid." In the absence of the injured Gonzalo Higuain, Benzema has been paired with a new partner in Emmanuel Adebayor and he was pleased with the partnership. ''With Emmanuel, we understand each other very well," the Frenchman explained. "It doesn't matter which position I am playing in. The only thing that counts is that I'm on the pitch." Real play Racing Santander on Sunday and after that the attention will shift to the second leg of their Champions League tie against Lyon the following week. Real will head into the home leg with the score at 1-1 but Benzema is not getting distracted by the prospect of facing his former club yet. ''We are not thinking about Lyon yet. We have worked very hard in the league and will not get distracted by our game with them." Los Blancos need to win their game against Santander to bring back the difference between them and Barca to seven points. Anything other than three points will most likely end their hopes to winning back the La Liga crown.

Goalkeepers: Iker, Adán, Dudek. Defenders: Marcelo, Albiol, Pepe, Carvalho, Ramos, Casado. Midfielders: Canales, Granero, Xabi Alonso, Özil, Di María, Pedro León, Álex. Forwards: Benzema, Adebayor, Morata.

ccording to Cadena SER, last Friday a member of Madrid’s security staff was injured at A Coruña’s airport, while he was protecting José Mourinho. The team had arrived at Alvedro around 20h on Feb. 25, and the team, including its coach, was signing autographs for the fans. While Mou was attending to the fans, one of the security guards tasked with protecting him felt a pinch on his chest. He didn’t think anything of it then, but when he got on the bus later, he realized that he had a four centimeter long wound near his armpit, which could have been caused by a steel knife. The club’s doctor treated him and they decided not to tell anyone of this incident, not even José Mourinho, who had apparently been the target. Mou was only told about this on Thursday. However, Cadena COPE’s version of the event is slightly different. According to COPE, the security guard had discovered a scratch on his back upon arriving at the team hotel, which could have been caused “by a notebook, a pen or any other object.” In addition, no one had reported the incident, not the national police, not the Guardia Civil or the local police. Mou said today at his press conference that “two days ago they told me that one of the security guards had something on his back, and I don’t know anything more than that. I didn’t see anything happen.” He added that he doesn’t fear anything.

All of this translated by unamadridista .... thank u !!

Two weeks ago, Mourinho was sitting where you are now, and he said that this team would not disappoint. What has Mourinho brought to this team? He’s brought a lot. I’m not the only one who believes this, you can ask other players, coaches, the physios… he treats everyone well. He’s brought us stability and a balance that we didn’t have. On the personal level, there’s nothing you can do but learn from a coach like Mou; if you look at his curriculum, it tells you everything you need to know. Personally, he’s a very direct and honest person with everyone. I’m happy to have him here and to be able to learn many things from him. If we have clear ideas, it’s from the work he’s done and the ideas he’s transmitted and instilled in us, which is to take the same path together and be honest in our work. Today everyone is talking about the Champions League match, saying we deserved a better result. There’s no room for error in the second leg against Lyon in the Bernabéu. No, we’re obligated to pass this round. It was a shame that we ended up tying after the game we had, but we just weren’t able to win there. With 10 minutes left, we were well-positioned for the second leg, but then they tied. When the game ended, a lot of things went through my mind. But there’s no need to be negative and it’s very important that we scored a goal there. And we have to think about the 12th man, the Bernabéu factor. We have to talk on the field and bring joy to us and to our fans. And what do you expect from the Bernabéu on that day, in the second leg of the round of 16 against Lyon? I believe that they’re accustomed to seeing us in the Champions, and they’re excited not only about the Copa del Rey and the Liga, but also the Champions. When you see the Bernabéu during a Champions game, there’s an entirely different atmosphere. It’s because the fans want La Décima, and they also want us to shine on the world level, not just domestically. I have a lot of faith in our fans. It will be a great night and the fans deserve for their team to go through, and they will be our secret weapon on the field. Mou said that when he passes by Cibeles, he looks at it out of the corner of his eye, wanting to be there, even though he doesn’t like celebrating, though he does like to see his players celebrating. Iker says he dreams of climbing up Cibeles and that he knows it’s important for the team to be there this season. What goes through your mind when you go down Castellana and pass by Cibeles? Many feelings. I won my first titles with Real Madrid and I have great memories of being at Cibeles, looking to the right and seeing the Castellana, towards the Puerta del Sol and then towards Atocha, all full of people. It’s priceless. There’s nothing like what football makes people feel, especially our team and our fans. Each time I pass by, I glance at Cibeles with, as the míster says, a lot of desire to return. But you have to do things very well for this to come true. And I believe that if we continue on this path, with humility, a good attitude, a belief in ourselves and hope, we will be able to climb Cibeles at the end of the season. Hopefully there is no end to Sergio’s boulevard of dreams, because you deserve to have a lot more dreams come true.

How can you be – at the age of 24 – the second captain of Madrid? You’re just a kid. [isn't this due more to club policy - both on how captains are determined and FP's policy of player turnover - than anything Sergio has done?] It’s a lot of work, and dreaming that I will one day be captain of Real Madrid will compensate for everything I’ve gone through. Right now, I’m happy to share my captainship with Iker. There are a lot of people to thank for this, and one of them is our president Florentino Pérez, who placed his bets on me. And not only that, one has to earn it and show that they have very clear ideas. You have to feel, to know the history of this club. I’ve been here six years, I’m the second captain and hopefully I will retire here. That would be something unforgettable for me. Iker spoke very highly of you. He said that even though you’re young, you have many of the values that a captain should have. What has Iker transmitted to you? I have a fabulous relationship with Iker. It’s true that we’ve always had a special friendship. From the time that I began playing with the senior national team, both Raúl and Iker treated me very well. They knew that I would sign with the club and the truth is that I’ve learned a lot from them. I’ve learned from Raúl, Zizou, Beckham, Ronaldo, Roberto… but above all, from a canterano, such as Iker, who has worked hard for so many years to get to where he is now. Being able to learn with the best goalkeeper in the world is good for both him and for me, when it comes time to learning how to manage a team, how to be the captain of a team like this one, how to be the only captain in the future… I’m lucky to be able to share this with him and hopefully we’ll be together for many years and this relationship will last. What does a player do when he signs with Real Madrid? What happened on Aug. 31, 2005? What did you do? I was called up with the national team. I had my toilet kit, my computer and my football boots in my suitcase, since usually with the national team you train, play the game and return home. And it happened that that day I didn’t go home. I signed the contract at 23:30h in Las Rozas, knowing that the transfer window finished at 00h. And when I signed, I couldn’t believe it. I started receiving thousands of texts; I think this was the time when I had the most messages on my phone. It was a step forward and a big responsibility, a tremendous change. And if I’m still a kid now, I was even more so back then. And I didn’t have any experience… You wake up as a Sevilla player and you go to bed as a Real Madrid footballer. And knowing that you’re going to share a locker room with the likes of Raúl, Beckham, Zizou, Iker, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, who were my idols, well your world is turned upside down. And then you have two options: knowing that you’ve signed with Madrid and so you’ve already accomplished everything, or accepting the reality, which is to think that you haven’t done anything and that you have to show everyone what you’re worth. Did you sleep that night? No, I slept very little, my brother can attest to that. Obviously, my family stayed up celebrating, but I tried to get some rest because I knew that things should go back to normal. If I did sleep, it was only for one hour, and even that would be exaggerating. Have you changed a lot since your arrival in Madrid in 2005 up to now, 2011? In general, I believe that people change for many reasons as time passes, for things that happen to you, for mistakes you make or titles you win, for experience, family reasons… it’s a accumulation of many factors on both the professional and personal levels. I believe I’m more mature now, with more experience, clearer ideas, which is good for me. It helps me. You appear to be a serene, tranquil man, but inside the locker room you’re the life of the party. What is the best thing that has happened to you there? Well, I don’t like to tell anecdotes, but it’s true that people have a perception of you that is contrary to the reality. In my case, it’s like that. Anyone on the team or the national team can tell you that I’m the first one to play music, to tell jokes and the first to take jokes as well. You have to be able to give them and take them. Even if the joke makes you uncomfortable. Yes, of course, there are a lot of those. Right now, boots are disappearing in the locker room. It happened to Iker and a week later one of my boots went missing. I believe that joking around like that helps everyone to get on the same level and it unites us, and I even believe that this is necessary for us to play better and win titles. There has to be a good atmosphere in the locker room, even if we’re from different places, with different cultures and religions. In the end, we’re all here to defend the colors and crest of this club and to win titles, which is what we all want. So we want to have fun, to laugh and create a good atmosphere. I could tell you a million different stories but I’d rather it be my teammates who tell you. They’ll have a lot about me.

You’re a person that likes to help others. You’ve been a UNICEF ambassador and the patron of the Apascovi Foundation for the past five years. Everyone needs to do things like this, not just me, as people. I consider myself fortunate to be able to help out. It’s easy for us, with the importance of sports and football, to help those in need. Obviously, we’re not going to change the world but we can make lives easier and help people. From the time I was asked to collaborate with UNICEF, with Apascovi, with foundations, NGOs, hospitals… you have to be caring and know that you have time for everything. It’s priceless to be able to get a smile out of a child, to go to a hospital and see children who are sick, who haven’t smiled for one year but as soon as they see you, they smile. There’s nothing that can compare to this. Everyone can do this, especially footballers, who are practically obligated to do this, to help others, for the importance that football has. You were in Senegal. What was unforgettable about that trip? A lot of things. It was a trip that I wanted to take but it was also very tough because you see things that you never imagined. You can see that death there… how should I put it… that they don’t value the life of a child because it’s normal for them to die young from disease or malnutrition or many other things. This trip changed me and I wanted to take my brother and my sister along to open our eyes and begin to really appreciate things, because many times we complain about the stupidest things, and there they don’t even have anything to drink. That’s hard, and that’s why I had so much interest in getting to know and helping people who practically don’t have anything. Do these injustices make you cry? Yes. I’m not going to lie, I’m not a person who cries easily but I am sentimental at times with these things. I’ve cried many times, but alone. I don’t know why, but for example during the trip to Senegal, you couldn’t help but get emotional and cry when a kid hugs you or caresses you when you give them something to eat. With things like that, I’m the most sensitive guy in the world although I may give off the image of being a tough guy or a cold person. But I am very sentimental, and my family can attest to that. If there’s anything I inherited from my mother and which my siblings also have, it’s this. What’s Sergio Ramos like when he’s with his family? Because there is this image of you as a cold person, and a different one when you’re with your friends and family… I enjoy myself a lot when I’m surrounded by people who love me, people who are true. In football, there’s a lot of lies, a lot of insincerity. At home, I’m always happy and even more so when I’m with my people, with my niece. There are things that are priceless and one of them is being at home, playing with my niece on the patio, or eating with my family, having coffee, listening to music, playing, talking… for me, those are unforgettable things. You’ve been preoccupied lately about your grandmother Reyes. Yes. My maternal grandparents are the only ones I have left. My paternal grandfather passed away many years ago and I was the apple of his eye. His dream was to see me debut with the first team, but he never saw that, something which I regret. That’s why I think of him each time I step on the field. My grandmother is not doing well and when I see her like that, it affects me a lot. Do you talk about football with your grandmother? She’s a constant source of joy. Unfortunately, with the sickness that she has, she doesn’t remember anything and she practically doesn’t recognize you, and that makes you sad. But I remember the good things, such as in the last birthday party of my sister, when she pulled me up to dance, even though one of her knees was as fragile as glass. I remember the good things, those images that will stay with me when she’s no longer here and I’m missing her. I will be eternally grateful to her because thanks to her, we exist in this world. What is the best thing Sergio Ramos has done for someone? Well, I don’t like to boast about myself. If I’ve done anything, it was because it came from the heart and because I’m like that. If people want to talk about it, then they can talk about it. I like to help out whenever I can and appreciate people as persons. I’ve done many things for friends and family. If it comes out, it’s going to be them who say it and not me. And the best thing that you’ve done for someone that was unexpected? Any positive surprises? In general, if I’m grateful for anything, it’s the way that people have always treated me. Realistically speaking, it’s easy to treat a footballer from Real Madrid, one that everyone knows, well. But I’m happy with a hug, a smile, an invitation to drink coffee. The small details are what define a person, not money or anything material. That is what is worth the least in life. Any surprise that your family can give you, such as when you arrive home and they’re waiting for you, are things that make me emotional.

Did you make it as a footballer because of your family? Of course. If there’s anyone I owe anything to, it’s them and I am what I am thanks to them. Why? I will never get tired of saying so. Because they’re the people who educated me, both professionally and personally. They’ve instilled in me the principles that I believe have helped me to choose the correct path and not get diverted as many former teammates have. I believe your family and those people around you are key. Were there moments in which you could have chosen a different path, chosen to do something else? Or did you always know you wanted to be a footballer? Diverted no, mistaken yes. But I believe that everyone makes mistakes. And if there’s anyone that can advise you when you’re that age, it’s your father and your family. They’re the most qualified to tell you certain things. If I committed an error or didn’t have my head on straight, they would tell me that the right path to take is this, that you need to do this… They’re the priority in everything for me. I’m very grateful to all of them. I will worship them until I die. Iker’s weakness is his brother Unai. Is your weakness your father? Your grandmother? Your mother? Your sister? Your brother? I’m getting emotional because fortunately I have a very united family and everyone is important for me. Although my brother and my father will be jealous, my weakness is my sister Miriam. She’s the only girl in the family and I love her a lot. I get emotional just talking about her. I’ve also been told that there’s another girl that you’re crazy about, and that her name is Daniela. How old is she? Daniela is my niece, she’s three and a half. She’s the first offspring of the three of us, and she’s like my own daughter. Her father is René. She’s adorable and I identify very much with her. Each time that she comes to Madrid, I spend as much time as I can with her. Once I finish with football, I dedicate myself to my family and my Daniela. You speak of your family as an important factor in shaping how you are today, but we also have to talk about Joaquín Caparrós, an important person that you will never forget. Of course. I’ve learned something from all the coaches I’ve had, both in good and bad moments. But if there was one person that supported me when I was no one, when it was difficult to have confidence in a kid with almost no experience or playing time in the first division, it was Joaquín Caparrós. He did this with many canteranos in Sevilla and now in Bilbao… I maintain a deep friendship with him since I played for him. I have a special affection for him and I will be eternally grateful to him because he’s one of the ones I learned the most from. Tell me that anecdote about the rondo during one training session with Sevilla. Joaquín Caparrós called me up when I was 16 to train with the first team. During my first session with them, there were legendary players who were my idols, such as Javi Navarro, Martí, Pablo Alfaro, Darío Silva… and I was at a loss for words. There was also a canterano who had made it to the first team. During the rondo, I was in the middle and when I went for one ball, I slipped and I kicked him. He got in my face, which is typical of football, since you get mad, but not more than that. And then Caparrós came up, since he always keeps an eye on what the canteranos do and what happens during the sessions. He came to set things straight, and then he whispered to me, “kick him harder next time.” If there’s anything he demands, it’s character. You can have a bad day, but your attitude should always be good, and you should always return home with the feeling that you gave it all you got even though things might not have turned out well, so you can have a tranquil conscience and sleep well. Caparrós really stressed this during training sessions, and since you train as you play… He is a great coach and a great person. Florentino Pérez and José Mercé spoke to a radio program a few days ago and Mercé told about how in 2005, he advised the president to sign a player from Sevilla named Sergio Ramos who was very good and ambitious. Is he a padrino for you? Of course. There’s an anecdote, that one time when José Mercé went down to Sevilla… he loves football, and he’s a madridista to the core; I don’t believe there’s any other artist who’s as madridista as he is. He is, along with Niña Pastori, an idol in the world of flamenco and someone I’ve followed since I was a kid. My parents put on flamenco music for me from the time I was small. Back to the anecdote. One day, after playing a game with Sevilla, Jesuli, my brother and I went to eat in a shopping center in the Nervión. When I entered the restaurant, I saw Mercé there. My mind went blank. I was very excited, since I didn’t know him personally. I decided to ask him for an autograph, and when he saw me, he gave me a hug and he told me not to worry, that I was going to sign with Madrid, that he was going to tell Florentino that he had to sign me, that the club needed people with ambition and a hunger for titles. And he was like a fairy godmother, because that all happened the next year. He signed an autograph for me and I signed one for him. I have his framed and hanging in my room. He told me yesterday that he would go to the Champions League game with us. He’s a special person. And he has a great family. Mercé says you’re quite gifted when it comes to singing and dancing. I’m a mere enthusiast, for where I’m from and where I was born. You have your roots and this is mine. I’ve always liked flamenco, the art, which comes from where you’re from. I love music. And what’s Sergio Ramos the person like, for those who don’t know him? It’s difficult to change the image people have of you, because the first impression that people generally have of a footballer is from a game. It’s a shame, because really 90 percent of footballers aren’t known for who they are but rather for some memory that people associate with them, such as a tackle they’ve given. But they don’t know if you’re a family man, humble, simple, happy, nice… I’m a very straightforward person, sincere, friend of my friends, family-oriented, and very happy although sometimes I don’t appear to be. I consider myself “un tío superalegre.” I wake up singing, I go to bed singing, beating out a rhythm on my guitar. I try to be happy. I believe the face is a reflection of the soul and those who really know me or have the chance to spend a day with me will realize this.

Sergio Ramos – the Real… interview March 3, 2011 tags: sergio by unamadridista A great song. It’s Niña Pastori’s “Vagabundo” and it’s Sergio Ramos’ favorite song. It is a great song. I have a great relationship with both María (Niña Pastori’s real name) and her husband Chaboli, and I’ve always identified very much with music and with flamenco. Her flamenco says a lot to me. It’s one of my favorites. The song talks about the boulevard of dreams. What was Sergio Ramos’ boulevard of dreams like when he was a kid? It wasn’t a boulevard, it was a neighborhood with a small square and a garden in Camas. That’s where I first kicked the ball and played my first games. One goal was made up of two trees and we built the other one from stones. It’s times like those when you really enjoy your childhood, your first friendships. That’s when one begins to start dreaming, to aspire to do things. So, the first football field where Sergio Ramos played was a square with goals made out of rocks. Yes. That’s how many footballers started. In my case, that’s where it all started. Later on, as time passed, some friends and I created a field behind the buildings where we lived. It was still rocky, but at least the field was made of dirt, not asphalt like the square was. Until what time did your parents let you play football? Was there a time when you had to be back by to eat dinner? Yes, my parents were very strict in this aspect. I went to school in the mornings and from the time I was small, I trained practically every day with the youth teams of Sevilla and I had very little free time because I spent nearly all my time training. Around nine at night, my parents would whistle at me from the balcony for me to come up. Who were your teammates on that field of rocks before Sevilla? Can you give any names? Those are the friends that I still have in Camas. Some continue to live there, while others have made their lives in other cities. I can give you many names: Samuel, Jesús, Angelito, my cousins, Pedro, Álex, José Luis, who lived there as well. The truth is that we had a lot of fun, and we spent many hours together. When you’re a kid, you choose a sport, and some like baloncesto more, others prefer básquet - well, baloncesto and básquet are the same thing – swimming or tennis, and what we liked was playing football in our neighborhood. Whenever you speak with a footballer, they always tell you, “as a kid, I wasn’t the best one in my group of friends, so and so was always better than me.” Were you the best in your group? No, no way. I can give you a lot of names – Nico, Polaco… – who were the stars, not only in the neighborhood, but also on the local team where I started, in Camas. In Sevilla, I’ve also had very talented teammates but due to the misfortunes and other factors that football has, they weren’t able to make it in the end. Perhaps what made me different compared to my friends was that I had consistency and the dream of becoming a footballer. You were eight years old when you went to Sevilla. I started at the age of six, almost seven, with the local team, el Camas, and as it was affiliated with Sevilla, there were always scouts coming to watch us. I signed with them, and it was a marvelous time in my life. It’s true that I had to renounce many things, because when you choose to focus on one thing and you have to be disciplined and ordered, you have to give up many of the things that you would do with your friends, such as going out, going to the movies and all that. I missed out on all that and I had to leave it behind, but mostly it was worth it and I’ve been compensated, looking at where I am today. Did your brother or another family member go with you to Sevilla to train, because the field was far from your house? Yes. We lived in Camas and it was complicated. When you’re a kid, your family goes through certain things that aren’t easy for a child to understand. I wasn’t aware of the great effort that my family made for me. My mother would take me one day, the next day my brother, then my grandfather… it was a sacrifice that was worth it. But it’s true that the field was far away and in that time they didn’t offer any economic help. I’ve been told that one time they forgot to pick you up from the field… what happened? It was a winter afternoon, when it gets dark early, and around six it was already nighttime. We trained at four and at five we were done. I had teammates who didn’t live in Camas but would pass by the town, and they asked me, “Sergio, should I bring you?” I told them thanks but no, don’t worry because my father or my brother would come. At that time, no one lived in the training grounds of Sevilla; later on a couple lived there, and that would have made things easier. In that time, at night there was only a security guard. The hours passed and I began to get frightened. It was all dark and at night, couples would come in their cars. It turned out that my father thought my brother would come pick me up and vice versa. And there were some dogs there too, no? I was tired of waiting, so I sat on a fence and leaned against a tree. And when I looked around, I saw two Rottweilers and a boxer, and I got so scared. I ran away and climbed up a tree. When the dogs got my scent, they came after me. Luckily, the security guard was making his rounds and he whistled at them. I didn’t know where to look. He locked the dogs up and called my parents. I’ll never forget this story. What out of your childhood will you never forget, what’s always on your mind? Perhaps the different stages of my life, the changes. In the first place, the effort that your family makes to share in your joy and hopes to become someone important in football, because many people don’t achieve this objective. I value this and I will be eternally grateful to my parents, my siblings and my family, who have given me the most in this aspect. They’ve marked my life. After that, all the things I’ve experienced, such as when you have to leave friends behind because you don’t share the same lifestyles. And you never forget this. After that, when I moved from Camas to go to another nearby town. You leave friends behind, but you meet new ones. You grow as an athlete and debut with the first team of Sevilla. Those are small steps in life that you’ll always remember with a lot of affection. And what is the most mischievous thing you did as a kid? I did many things. Something that you can tell us about. Well… we lived in a neighborhood that was five blocks from the mountains, on the fringes of the town and there was a lot of empty terrain. There were many couples that would come at night to fool around and we always liked to spy on them to see what they were doing, what they weren’t doing. But these are typical antics that kids do to pass the time. I’ve very grateful to all the friends I’ve had and still have today. Each time I return to Camas, I always get together with them to eat, to chat or whatever, just being together is the best thing. Does it frighten you to get older? Yes and no. On the one hand, I want to get older to be able to see what I achieved on the professional level. On the personal level, I’m the first one to be “súper ilusionado” and have confidence in winning many titles. And at the same time, it makes me sad because everything goes by so quickly and you don’t have time to enjoy everything, not only with your team. For example, on the national team, you’re the champion of the world and yet you don’t have time to appreciate it, enjoy it. But in the future, when you’re doing something else and you have more time for your family or your partner, you will be able to appreciate all that you’ve done in life, what you are and what you have been. I would like to tell all this to my grandchildren. Casillas said one week ago that “right now I don’t have time to enjoy what’s happening in my life, so it will have to wait until I retire.” It’s shocking that you don’t realize what you’re doing until you hang up your boots, no? The only reality is that in football you can’t live from the past, that you have to prove yourself every day. This sport doesn’t have a memory, people don’t remember anything, and that’s why the day to day, the hard work and consistency are important. It’s a shame that you don’t have time to enjoy things. But you’ll always have a DVD, a photo, an image, a feeling that can’t be erased

Mourinho's security guard stabbed One of the members of Jose Mourinho's security team was stabbed at an airport in Spain. Mourinho was signing autographs at La Coruna in northern Spain on Friday when the incident occurred, revealed the victim to Spanish news channel Cadena Ser. The guard received a 4cm wound which he realised only after boarding the team bus . In light of this incident, the news channel is reporting that Real Madrid are considering tightening up security measures and reviewing the club's travel policy, starting with the game against Racing Santander on Sunday. One of the measures being considered to prevent such incidents from happening in the future is to allow the players and coach to board planes directly from the runway rather than going through the airport. While Mourinho himself was not injured, there have been previous incidents involving armed individuals wounding high-profile sports personalities. The most notorious stabbing occurred in 1993 being when tennis player Monica Seles was knifed in the back by Gunter Parche, a crazed Steffi Graf fan, during a tournament in Hamburg.

Mourinho's security guard stabbed One of the members of Jose Mourinho's security team was stabbed at an airport in Spain. Mourinho was signing autographs at La Coruna in northern Spain on Friday when the incident occurred, revealed the victim to Spanish news channel Cadena Ser. The guard received a 4cm wound which he realised only after boarding the team bus . In light of this incident, the news channel is reporting that Real Madrid are considering tightening up security measures and reviewing the club's travel policy, starting with the game against Racing Santander on Sunday. One of the measures being considered to prevent such incidents from happening in the future is to allow the players and coach to board planes directly from the runway rather than going through the airport. While Mourinho himself was not injured, there have been previous incidents involving armed individuals wounding high-profile sports personalities. The most notorious stabbing occurred in 1993 being when tennis player Monica Seles was knifed in the back by Gunter Parche, a crazed Steffi Graf fan, during a tournament in Hamburg.

Mourinho unruffled by knife attack Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has played down reports of an attempted knife attack against him in La Coruna last week. According to reports by Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Friday, a Madrid bodyguard protecting Mourinho was injured at the airport in La Coruna prior to last week's game against Deportivo. When asked about the incident at a press conference on Saturdayy, Mourinho said: "I don't know anything. I've not seen anything, I didn't feel anything. "I arrived, went to the hotel, played the game, returned to Madrid." Madrid have not made any official announcement about the incident. According to the reports, the bodyguard suffered a four-centimetre cut as the team made their way through the airport. Mourinho added: "They told me a few days ago that a bodyguard had something on his back done with something sharp. I don't know anything more. "The matter is closed, for me there is no story. "I arrived in La Coruna where there were a lot of people in the airport as always. We had the same protection as always with the team. Absolutely nothing has happened to me."

Mourinho: I am not a hypocrite Jose Mourinho was in defiant mood after his Real Madrid side's 7-0 win over Malaga closed the gap on Barcelona to seven points. A hatr-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo and goals from Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria secured the rout with Malaga finishing the game with nine men. Manolo Gaspar was red carded in the 67th minute and they lost Sergio Cala to injury 10 minutes later, with the visitors having used their full quota of replacements. The defeat means Malaga remain stuck in the bottom two of La Liga, three points adrift of safety, and marked a miserable return to the Bernabeu for coach Manuel Pellegrini. Pellegrini was replaced by Mourinho last summer after one year in charge of the Spanish giants, during which time he failed to win any silverware but did lead Madrid to a second-placed finish in La Liga with a record-breaking 96-point haul. In the build-up to Thursday's match, Mourinho caused a new stir by saying that if he was sacked by Madrid he would go to a big club in England or Italy and not to Malaga - comments that angered the Andalusians. Mourinho was quizzed on the subject following his side's win, and the Portuguese said: "I have nothing against the city of Malaga, nor against the club, nor their professionals, I was simply responding without hypocrisy as I always do. "If I have to apologise, it's not a problem for me, but the truth is that I answered once again without hypocrisy. In a hypocritical world, not being hypocritical is a big defect, it's a defect that I have and that I'm always going to have." Mourinho, who is in the first year of a four-year contract with the club, also said he will not outstay his welcome in Madrid if the supporters are not happy with him. He said: "From the start I said the day the people aren't happy with me, I will go. Not now, because we are in the middle of the season, but with me everything is easy, simple. If at the end of the season they are not happy with me, I will go and we will remain friends." Meanwhile, Ronaldo came out of Real Madrid's 7-0 win over Malaga as a significant injury worry. His perfect league appearance record for Real Madrid this season is now at risk after he suffered a leg injury late on in Thursday's game. Ronaldo asked to leave the pitch immediately after completing his hat-trick with Madrid's final goal in the 77th minute, leaving Mourinho's side to play out the remainder of the match with 10 man as all three substitutes had been used up. A medical statement on the Madrid website after the game said Ronaldo had been affected by a problem with his left hamstring, and that his progress would be monitored. It remains to be seen if Ronaldo will be available to face Racing Santander on Sunday, but the Portugal international had his doubts immediately after tonight's match. The 26-year-old, who has started every league game this season, was quoted as saying in the Spanish media: "I did it in scoring the goal. I'm sure it's nothing special, but it's better not to take any risks. In principle I don't think I will play on Sunday." Losing the £80million man would be a big blow to Madrid as he took his tally to 27 league goals for the season with his treble against Malaga and is now level with Barcelona's Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts. Madrid's second-top scorer in La Liga is the injured Gonzalo Higuain with seven goals, while Di Maria is in third place with six.

Real Madrid 7-0 Malaga Cristiano Ronaldo struck a second-half hat-trick as rampant Real Madrid swept aside 10-man Malaga. The win trims Barcelona's lead at the top of the Primera Division table back to seven points. Madrid, looking to bounce back from their disappointing goalless draw at Deportivo La Coruna, had the match all but sewn up by half-time after building a 3-0 lead through goals from Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria and Marcelo. Ronaldo then took centre-stage with three goals after the break - his first strikes in five games - while Benzema added a second as Madrid recorded their biggest league win under Jose Mourinho. Ronaldo asked to leave the pitch immediately after scoring his third goal and Madrid's seventh in the 77 minute, leaving the hosts with 10 men for the remainder of the match having used all three substitutes. Malaga were already two men down by that stage, though, with defender Manolo Gaspar having been sent off in the 67th minute after conceding a penalty and Sergio Cala going off injured with no replacements available for the visitors. The defeat for Malaga means the Andalusian side remain stuck in the bottom two and made it a miserable return to the Bernabeu for coach Manuel Pellegrini, who was replaced by Mourinho last summer after just one season in charge of the Spanish giants. Mourinho, who caused a stir yesterday with comments about Pellegrini's subsequent decision to take over at Malaga, opted to start with Benzema up front instead of Emmanuel Adebayor and he was rewarded when the Frenchman opened the scoring in the 27th minute. Xabi Alonso curled a free-kick in towards the far post where Benzema neatly steered a volley past Willy Caballero with the outside of his right foot. That opened the floodgates as Madrid created chance after chance en route to making it 23 successive wins at the Bernabeu. Mesut Ozil was unlucky not to score when his 29th-minute free-kick came back off the post but Madrid were celebrating a second goal soon enough though, thanks in large to some dismal defending by Malaga. Eliseu Pereira and Gaspar both should have done better, but their errors allowed Marcelo to put the ball through for Di Maria to race onto, and the Argentinian coolly slotting past Caballero. The same two Madrid players then combined again to add a third goal on the stroke of half-time, with Di Maria's chip over the Malaga defence being slammed in on the half-volley by Marcelo. With the points all but secured, the only question was how many goals Madrid would add in the second period. Ronaldo was denied by a fine save by Caballero soon after the re-start, but the Portugal international got his name on the scoresheet six minutes into the second half. Madrid went close again through Ronaldo before Benzema made it 5-0 with his fifth of the season in the 62nd minute, nodding in at the far-post from a fine Marcelo cross. Malaga briefly had a chance to pull a goal back in the 65th but Sebastian Fernandez fired wide with just Iker Casillas to beat, and two minutes after that the visitors found themselves 6-0 down and reduced to 10 men. Marcelo's cross struck Gaspar's arm in the area, earning the Malaga right-back his second yellow card and Madrid a penalty, which Ronaldo slammed into the roof of the net. Rampant Madrid almost added a seventh two minutes after that but Benzema and Ronaldo were both denied hat-trick goals by a brilliant double-save from Caballero. Ronaldo was celebrating his treble soon enough though, diverting Sergio Canales' cross past Caballero to complete the scoring three minutes from time. That was Ronaldo's 27th league goal of the season but it was also his last action of the match as he left the pitch immediately, and Madrid will be hoping it is nothing serious.

Atleti need goals from Aguero, Forlan Atletico Madrid coach Quique Sanchez Flores believes his team will not qualify for Europe unless they start scoring more goals. Atletico have drawn their last two games, and prior to their last win against Real Zaragoza, were on the back of five-game losing streak. Their poor form this season now sees them 8th in the La Liga standings, in a season which they were expected to be challenging for European qualification. One major issue that has been plaguing Sanchez Flores all season has been his side's inability to find the net, having only scored 36 goals in 26 games, compared to the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid who have already notched up tallies of 77 and 55 goals respectively. With sixth-placed Athletic Bilbao in the final qualification spot for the Europa League on 38 points, three ahead on Atletico, Sanchez Flores' men are not totally out of the reckoning for an European spot. However, should they be aiming to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League, fourth-placed Villarreal are currently a massive 15 points ahead of them. Regardless of the magnitude of their aspirations for the remainder of the season, Sanchez Flores knows that if his first choice strike-force do not start to fire, Atletico will have little hope of challenging for qualification to either competition. Argentinean forward Sergio Aguero has only scored eight goals in 19 appearances this season, while strike partner Diego Forlan, who was won the Pichichi Trophy for being the top scorer in La Liga twice, has been even more disappointing, with seven goals in 23 games. According to Elmundo.com, Sanchez Flores revealed: "If we want to achieve our objective, we must have goals from both Kun [Aguero] and Forlan. It is not feasible otherwise." "Between now and the end of the season, the team needs to make sure that we find the goals" Sanchez Flores did however refuse to give up on qualifying for Europe next season, believing that should his team answer his challenge to start scoring, they can achieve their goals. "I always see the positive side and the fifth and sixth places are within five and three points." "Every point comes at the brutal cost of effort and sacrifice." Sanchez Flores has been at the helm of Valencia since October 2009 and led the club to Europa League glory last season, triumphing over English side Fulham 2-1.

Villa delighted at Valencia homecoming Barcelona's David Villa has expressed his gratitude to Valencia fans following his return to the Mestalla on Wednesday. The Spain international joined Barcelona from Valencia last summer in a big money move, after spending five memorable years at the club, where he scored 108 goals in 166 league appearances. While many players often have distasteful returns to their old clubs where the supporters consider them traitors, Villa was one of the lucky few who enjoyed a positive welcome back to his old stomping ground. According to Elmundo.es, Villa said after the match: "I'm very happy because the people here gave me great affection. I have only words of gratitude for them." While Villa enjoyed the reception the Valencia fans afforded him, he was not distracted by the occassion, and focused on the game to help Barcelona grind out a win. "It's an important victory because the Mestalla is a difficult and complicated place [to play at]." Villa's comments come as a compliment to the home form of Mestalla, who prior to Wednesday night's game, were the only away stadium in the La Liga that manager Pep Guardiola had yet to manage a win at in his three years at the helm thus far. Also touching on the title race with Real Madrid, Villa recognized the advantage his team had by being in first place, but revealed that with 12 rounds of matches still to be played, his team were not about to let up anytime soon. "A lot remains to be played in the league and we have to win no matter how others fare." "The further [in front] we are, the better. We have the privilege of relying on ourselves." Barcelona lead Real Madrid at the top of the table by ten points, although Real play Malaga on Thursday and will be looking to cut their rival's lead back to seven points.

Valencia 0-1 Barcelona Lionel Messi's 28th Primera Division goal of the season gave Barcelona a valuable victory over third-placed Valencia at Mestalla. The win now sees the Catalans stretch their lead at the top to 10 points. Messi had seen three shots kept out in one incredible move early on and missed two other good opportunities after that, but the Argentina forward was not to be denied and popped up to settle matters with 14 minutes remaining. Barca had arguably the better chances but Valencia matched the leaders for long periods and could perhaps feel aggrieved that Jordi Alba's first-half effort was ruled out for offside. Barca forward David Villa was returning to Mestalla for the first time since his big-money summer move from Valencia, although the Spain striker arrived later than his team-mates after giving evidence in a trial against his former agent in Asturias earlier in the day. Guardiola's presence in Valencia had also been in doubt, but the Barca coach was given the all-clear to travel by club doctors, despite a lower-back problem. Guardiola, in his third year in charge at Barca, had won at all of the other current Primera Division grounds - but never at Mestalla. Xavi returned from injury for the match, but with Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes sidelined, the coach was forced to field an unusual line-up. Sergio Busquets was moved into central defence to replace Puyol, while Jose Manuel Pinto took over in goal and there were also starts for Javier Mascherano and Adriano. Messi was, as expected, heavily involved early on and missed a triple opportunity to give Barca the lead after nine minutes. Valencia keeper Vicente Guaita somehow repelled his first two efforts with fine reaction saves, while a third was hacked clear by a team-mate. Messi also clipped a lob onto the roof of the net when he had looked certain to score after half an hour, but Barca could have been behind by then following a controversial call from the officials. That saw Valencia's Alba ruled offside as he went clean through, took the ball past Pinto and slid into the empty net from an angle. Replays proved inconclusive, but Valencia felt hard done by. The home side, who had won eight of their last 10 Primera Division games, were matching Barca and substitute Roberto Soldado missed a good chance to give them the lead early in the second half, when he dragged an angled shot wide of the target. Pablo Hernandez then fired just past the post following a quick Valencia counter-attack. The midfielder opted to shoot, but appeared to be caught in two minds and perhaps would have been better off squaring for the unmarked Soldado at the far post. Messi then missed another great chance for Barca as he slid just wide, but the forward netted what proved to be the winner with 14 minutes remaining. Iniesta fed Adriano on the left flank and the Brazilian sidestepped his marker before sending in an inviting low cross for Messi, who beat Guaita - who got a touch - with a low finish just inside the keeper's right-hand post. Barca stay top and are now 10 points ahead of Real Madrid, who host Malaga on Thursday.

Valencia lost to"best team in the world" Valencia coach Unai Emery conceded his team had been defeated by a team which are currently the best in the world. Speaking after his side went down 1-0 to Barcelona in Wednesday's La Liga encounter, Emery felt his team came close to causing an upset, but admitted his opponents had too much quality. Valencia matched their opponents for much of the game, and even had a first-half goal by Jordi Alba chalked off for offside, although replays have since proved inconclusive. According to Elmundo.es, Emery said: "When you lose you are not happy, but we competed against the best team in the world." "In the second half the team improved, had two or three chances to score but then Messi appeared and scored the goal." While Emery was pleased that his side was always in the game and were not completely outplayed, he conceded that the result was the only thing that mattered at the end of the match. "We were always close to a goal but in the end they won." "The final assessment remains the result and we are hurting." Valencia, who started the night comfortably ahead of Villarreal in third place, now only have a one-point buffer over their rivals, who closed the gap with a 1-0 win over Hercules.

Higuain begins comeback from injury Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain recovery from back surgery progressed as he took to the pitch for some training. Higuain has been sidelined since November due to a herniated disc, for which he went under the knife in the United States in January. A statement on the club`s website said: "The striker worked out on the pitch today [Wednesday] for the first time since his surgery and did ball work. "Higuain will be subjected to diagnostic tests in the coming weeks prior to starting the stage in which he will gradually rejoin the squad." The doctor who performed the surgery, Dr Richard Fessler, said at the time the 23-year-old Argentina international was likely to be sidelined for up to four months and would not be 100% recovered for a year. It remains to be seen if Higuain will be able to play any part in the current campaign for Madrid, with the Primera Division season scheduled to finish on the weekend of May 22 and the Champions League final, if Jose Mourinho's men get that far, to be played on May 28. Higuain was Madrid's leading scorer in La Liga in the last two seasons and had netted seven times in this campaign before being sidelined.

Real Madrid vs Malaga Preview Real Madrid goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek believes his side can negate any inside knowledge Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has. Pellegrini should know all about Madrid, having led them to a second-placed finish in La Liga last season with a club-record 96-point haul before being replaced in the summer by Jose Mourinho. Dudek concedes Pellegrini's experience at Madrid is likely to aid Malaga, but the veteran custodian is banking on his side's home record over the last year to overcome that. Madrid have won their last 22 competitive matches in front of their own fans, while coach Mourinho has a stunning personal record of not having lost a home league game at any of his clubs in over nine years. Dudek said on bwin.com: "Every opponent who comes to the Bernabeu wants to cause a surprise and give it everything to win. I think Malaga, with Pellegrini, will know exactly how we work, but at home we are very strong and we are favourites to win." Madrid know they cannot afford any slip-up against the lowly Andalusian side if they want to keep any sort of pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga standings. Madrid were held to a goalless draw at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday and, if Barca beat Valencia this evening, then Mourinho's men will be 10 points adrift going into Thursday's clash. Malaga are also in desperate need of the points, however, as they battle to avoid the drop. They climbed off the bottom of the table with their 3-1 win over regional rivals Almeria on Monday night, but despite that triumph they are still in 19th spot and two points away from safety. Pellegrini said: "It was important to overcome Almeria, I hope that this continues with a series of consecutive wins. We have now gone four games without losing and the results calm the nerves." Looking ahead to the trip to the Bernabeu and Madrid's remarkable home record, Malaga defender Martin Demichelis added: "There is always a chance of winning in football, they (Madrid) have won all their home games and are a great opponent, but we're going there with faith and confidence of getting something positive. "In the world of football there are no unbeatable teams." Demichelis also warned his team-mates not to focus all their efforts on just trying to stop Madrid's top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. He said: "They have great footballers, anyone is able to tip the balance. Obviously Cristiano is right now their biggest weapon but you can't only think about Cristiano and forget the rest."