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Reyes press conference "I only think about winning the League because that's what I joined Real Madrid for" José Antonio Reyes avoided talking about his future, prefering to focus on the present. The player from Seville hopes to play for Spain again in the future and pointed out that Real Madrid's squad is confident and calm. Do you think about your future? No. I only think about the two games I have left and about winning the League, which is what I joined this team for in the first place. I've said many times that I don't want to return to London, but I won't decide anything regarding my future until the League ends. But your agent must have told you about other teams... There are teams interested in me, but I don't really want to know much about the whole issue until the very end because I want to stay focused. My agent's doing his work and I'm doing mine. I only wish I can stay in Spain. Do you feel like you've misused your chances for staying on the team? That's what's happened, but we shouldn't dwell on it much longer. I played when I had to. I couldn't do much more than that. Would you like Capello to count on you in the next two games? I hope he counts on me again. It would be nice to see my name on the last starting lineup of the season. Are Barcelona sick with Madriditis? I don't know, you'll have to ask them. We only know we solely depend on ourselves to win. They were obviously more relaxed when they were leaders. It's normal for them to be nervous; they are second on the table and there are only two games left. We would also be nervous in their situation. Do you think Deportivo were especially motivated at the Bernabéu last weekend? What do you think about the controversy surrounding incentives to win? I think Deportivo did what every team has to do: try to win. The mere fact of playing at the Bernabéu is special in itself and defeating Real Madrid there is a bonus. I don't really care much about the whole matter as long as the incentives are only given to win, nothing else. The game against Zaragoza will eventually be held on a Saturday. How does the squad feel about that, considering players such as Casillas and Ramos will rejoin the team on Thursday? We don't really care about playing on Saturday or Sunday. We only think about playing the game and being in good shape to be able to win. We all know how good Iker and Ramos are... They'll have no problem playing on Saturday. Do you hope to play for Spain again? I am 23 years old and I must fight hard to be called up again. Joaquín has set an example by managing to rejoin the squad. One must never lose hope. Which club will benefit more, the one that keeps Eto'o or the one that keeps Henry? Both. We all know Eto'o and Henry are tremendously good players. Do you see Antonio Cassano every day? Of course I do. I have a chat with him every day. He has an injury on his ankle and only thinks about getting better. Is there a tense atmosphere in the dressing room? We are all calm, but the atmosphere is slightly tense because we know we can't afford to drop any points; we believe Barcelona and Sevilla won't.

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Ancelotti: Gilardino can go Alberto Gilardino’s time at Milan appears to be up after he threatened to walk out and Carlo Ancelotti opened the door – ushering in Thierry Henry. The striker caused controversy with an interview in this weekend’s ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ in which he said he could “not guarantee” he would stay at the club next season, as he demanded more faith in his abilities. “If Gilardino feels he needs to go, then there’s no reason why we can’t help him achieve that aim, as long as we find a valid alternative,” replied the Coach. “Up until a few days ago he seemed relaxed and the situation was under control. He speaks of faith and fair play, but we have always put our trust in him. I always considered him an important player, even if at Milan competition for places is mandatory.” With Ronaldo no longer cup-tied, Pippo Inzaghi in sparkling form and rumours of another major striker brought in this summer, Gilardino fears he will be pushed aside. “Competition must act as further motivation to do better and certainly not feel like a weight. Gilardino is young, can still improve and has already scored a lot of goals. Like everyone, he has had his ups and downs.” Gila is very unpopular with a section of the Rossoneri fans and admits he was bitterly disappointed at losing out to Inzaghi in the Champions League Final starting XI. “The only player at Milan who is sure of always being first choice is Kaka,” continued Ancelotti. “Everyone should take Inzaghi as an example, a player who takes his profession very seriously. He is always ready and works hard no matter what, so he earned his place in the most important match.” Not only did SuperPippo play in Athens, he scored both goals in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool. “It is often said that Inzaghi is in love with the goal, but the truth is that the goal is in love with him.” That Champions League triumph will act as further incentive to bring in top stars, as Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, Andriy Shevchenko and Emerson have been strongly linked. “We are working to make the team more competitive. What you read in the papers is more or less true, specifically our intention to bring in a midfielder and a forward. Negotiations are tricky, as they involve talking to very prestigious clubs.” The Coach let slip that one of those target is Arsenal hitman Henry, who may finally be ready to leave the Gunners. “Henry is a great striker and is among those players who are of interest to us,” said the Milan boss. There are claims this weekend that a deal for Real Madrid man Emerson has already been secured, with a return to Serie A after his spells at Roma and Juventus. “I have not named names and do not wish to, but Emerson is a player with the characteristics that would be useful for us.”

Gilardino 'cannot guarantee' AC Milan stay Alberto Gilardino has told Milan he is sick of being treated as a flop and is looking at other alternatives. “I cannot guarantee I will stay.” The striker moved from Parma for around £18m in 2005, but has struggled to live up to that price-tag and in two seasons has managed just two Champions League goals. With Ronaldo no longer cup-tied, Filippo Inzaghi on fire, Kaka moved to a more advanced role and reports that Andriy Shevchenko will return after his spell at Chelsea, there is less and less room for Gila. “The situation is simple. I am happy at Milan, but I cannot guarantee I will stay here,” he told the ‘Gazzetta dello Sport.’ “I have a long contract and an excellent rapport with the Rossoneri environment, but anything can happen in football and I am evaluating other options. I would not be honest if I denied that. “For me the faith of the club and the Coach are indispensable. In the past I had that and would like for it to be there in the future.” The decision to drop him in favour of Inzaghi – who scored a decisive brace – for the Champions League Final against Liverpool seems to have left its mark. “I want to be able to play without all these doubts being raised on my first error or negative performance. At the age of 25 I want to play consistently and repay Milan for the investment they made in me. “I thought I would play in Athens, I admit it. When I found out I was on the bench, I was disappointed,” he confessed. “But I always put the team above all personal considerations and just tried to concentrate so I could do my best in the few minutes that Carlo Ancelotti granted me. Lifting the trophy put all that disappointment behind me.” With constant rumours of new hitmen from Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and Shevchenko coming to San Siro, will Gilardino ask to be sold if another forward arrives? “I am not afraid of competition. I have always sought my space with great champions like Shevchenko, Inzaghi, Christian Vieri and Ronaldo. If the competition is fair and the player who is in the best shape goes on to the field, then I have no problems.” This week there were claims in the newspapers that Gilardino had openly offered himself to Inter, but he and his agent denied these suggestions. “That is absolutely not true,” the former Parma man told the ‘Gazzetta’. “I can pledge to the Milan fans, who I get along very well with, that I have not approached anyone, let alone Inter. A few supporters jeered me this season, but the majority are behind me. I want to repay them with many goals.” Among those linked with a summer bid for Gilardino are the new Juventus and Barcelona, who are probably seeking a replacement for Eto’o. “These are great clubs and I am pleased to hear of their interest, but Milan are the top club. It’s difficult to imagine walking out on them and they are my first choice. However, if I didn’t feel they had faith in me, then I would look elsewhere.” When asked point blank if he felt he was always facing tests of his abilities and that there were doubts around him, the World Cup winner answered truthfully. “Yes, I feel that I am in doubt and in all honesty I don’t know why. I think this is surreal and at times it seems like an incredible situation.” In two seasons Gilardino has scored 29 Serie A goals for Milan and was their top scorer this term on 12 in 30 appearances.

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Galliani explains Nesta snub Milan chief Adriano Galliani believes that Alessandro Nesta’s decision to quit international football is due to the intense fixture list. The defender asked to be omitted from the Italy squad for June’s two Euro 2008 qualifiers and boss Roberto Donadoni yesterday admitted that the stopper may never return. “I think these things happen all over the world,” said Rossoneri Vice-President Galliani. “You need to consider that the footballing calendar is very intense. “However, no one can complain about Milan. We fielded seven Italian players out of 11 in the Champions League Final. You should point the finger at other clubs…” Nesta had hinted last week that he might retire from international football in order to focus on his club duties, in an effort to prolong his career at the highest levels. Meanwhile, Galliani was also questioned on UEFA chief Michel Platini’s proposal to abolish the G14, an organisation founded by some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs in 2000. “We will meet with the other sides and come to a decision,” continued the official. “Platini has taken some important forward steps compared to the past, especially with the introduction of a ‘strategic board’. “But we only represent one of the 18 clubs in the G14 and we cannot decide alone.”

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Beckham BBC interview "Playing for Real Madrid is the best thing that's ever happened to me" David Beckham rejoined the England squad after a year's absence and was acclaimed on his return by fans and teammates alike. Prior to rejoining England, the English star talked about his four years at Real Madrid in an interview to BBC's Five Live. "Playing for Real Madrid is the best thing that's ever happened to me." This blunt remark begins the interview David Beckham gave to BBC's Five Live, in which he talked about his four years at the Club. "These have been four fantastic years despite having several problems on the sporting side of the Club and not winning as many titles as I thought I would," added the player, "When you play for Real Madrid, you aspire to win. You feel obliged to, but I've only managed to win one trophy in the four years I've been at the greatest Club in the world. I now have a great chance of leaving with a League title in my pocket. That would be wonderful, and the perfect way to say goodbye. I'm currently playing very well at Real Madrid and I want to leave that way. I'm enjoying playing as much as I did years ago and I feel like the happiest man on earth when I take the pitch." Difficult start "It's not easy to start anew in a different country when you don't speak the language or know the local customs... My wife, my children and myself arrived in a new city and we needed some time to get used to living in it. We didn't have friends or family in Spain and everyone had their eyes on us. Every step we took was closely followed and that didn't make things easy." Becks pointed out he an his wife tried to lead a simple life "because we don't want our kids to suffer," but he knows how difficult that is, being that he and his wife are "public figures." Support The midfielder highlited the good atmosphere on the team and talked about the support his teammtes gave him when he joined the squad, particularly Roberto Carlos. "Bumping into Roberto Carlos is one of the best things that can happen to someone. He is an excellent person and he's always been very nice to me, Victoria and the kids. He's always been very affectionate with us. We've had lunch at his house many days, spent several Sundays together, gotten together for barbecues... We've had a great time with him. All the Brazilians on the team have been very good to me and my family and I will always be grateful to them for that." "There is a great atmosphere on the team. We have a great time, always joking around and laughing... Of course, when Capello is around we act seriously and work hard. I enjoy every training session; I've never experienced such good vibes in a dressing room before. Even my kids have fun when they come to training! The other day, my son Brooklyn ran up to me and said, 'Dad, Roberto Carlos' legs are huge, the biggest legs in the world! Have you seen them?' I couldn't stop laughing." Praise for Zidane "I will never forget him, neither as a person -he's one of the best I've ever met- nor as a player. I knew he was the best player in the world before I signed for Real Madrid, but he impressed me even more when I joined the team. I was up close to the best player I had ever seen, and will ever see. I will never forget what he said to me before he left: he sat down next to me in the dressing room and told me it had been an honour for him to play with me. It was incredible." Praise for the fans "I will never forget them. People in Spain have been very nice to me since I arrived. They have always made me feel at home and showcased their affection they have for me. I still remember the last game in which the fans chanted my name. It is a moving, wonderful and unforgettable experience to have the entire Bernabéu screaming your name. I feel the fans love me. I will never forget the people of Madrid. I will never be able to pay them back for all they've given me." Tough times "I suffered for being left out of Real Madrid and England for some time this season. It's tough to watch a game on TV, knowing you can't do anything to help your team. Luckily, my teammates always supported me and helped me pull through those difficult times. The great thing is I've alredy forgotten about it and I enjoy playing football as much as ever before. I'm very happy and I hope we end up winning the League."

Real: We wanted Becks to stay Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon insists he never wanted David Beckham to leave the club. The recalled England midfielder's recent fortunes contrast sharply with the first half of this season when he could not even win a first team place at Real. Calderon was at pains to suggest Beckham, superb for his club side in recent weeks, was ever forced out, and that it was the player's decision to sign a pre-contract agreement with LA Galaxy. "We didn't let him go, we wanted him to stay," Calderon told Sky Sports News. "In fact, I personally tried several times to renew his contract but his future is in the United States and we have to accept it. "We wanted him to remain at Real Madrid but he took his decision and now we have to wish him the best."

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RONALDO SPLITS CUP-TIED from the Champions League Final, Ronaldo appeared in the stands showing off his new bespectacled look. And while the tubby striker has always liked a hamburger or five, it looks like his new favourite food might be Banana Splits.

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