THANKS JS[sHRIMP] !!!!

His sons looks like a mini-me of him!!!

Thanks JS[sHRIMP]

Real Madrid vs. Racing Santander

Goalkeepers: Casillas & Dudek.

Defenders: Pepe, Ramos, Cannavaro, Marcelo, Metzelder & Torres.

Midfielders: Diarra, Gago, Baptista, Sneijder & Robben.

Forwards: Higuain, Saviola, Robinho, Van Nistelrooy & Raul.

Raul Gonzalez remains the Real deal despite Aragones apathy

MADRID: Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez may be out-of-favour with Spain’s controversial national coach Luis Aragones but he remains irreplaceable in the eyes of his club coach Bernd Schuster.

“He’s a true fighter, he never gives up and even more so this season. He’s never lost his quality and this season it’s like he’s been infused with new blood,” said Schuster recently.

Raul’s name is likely to be among the first on Schuster’s team sheet for the Spanish league leader’s encounter with Racing Santander today even if Spain’s former captain, with 102 caps to his name, no longer figures in Aragones’ plans.

He was made the scapegoat of Spain’s underwhelming display at the 2006 World Cup but the crowds at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium have been chanting Raul’s name all season long after a series of sparkling displays.

Embarrassing for Aragones, the public acclaim has even come when Spain have been playing at the stadium, such as during their 3-0 win over Sweden earlier this month which sealed their qualification for Euro 2008.

Twelve months ago, few would have predicted that the stock of the Real captain would have bounced back with such vigour.

Since making his debut in Real’s first team in 1994 at the tender age of 17, Raul has brushed shoulders with a host of famous strikers, including Ivan Zamorano, Davor Suker, Pedja Mijatovic and Ronaldo.

“I’ve got the same motivation now as when I made my debut 13 years ago,” said Raul last month.

However, the arrival of Dutch sharpshooter Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the summer of 2006, as Raul was struggling with a knee injury and the subsequent lacklustre performances, seemed to condemn him to the bench or even a transfer.

His return to being a regular Real first choice under then coach Fabio Capello came when Ronaldo went off the rails, and the three-time former World Player of the Year was off-loaded to Serie A side AC Milan in January.

Raul, with the backing of Capello who admittedly had few other options but to turn to his dressing room general, then came back strongly over the second half of last season.

He was a key figure in Real stealing the league title from under the noses of their bitter rivals Barcelona in the closest title race for more than a decade.

The resurrection of the player has continued since August as Real bid for a record 31st Spanish championship.

“He’s an icon for the club. I compare him with the Alessandro Del Piero at my former club Juventus,” said Real’s Fabio Cannavaro recently, the current World Player of the Year. “And just like with Del Piero, when many people were predicting he was past it, he comes back and shows them how wrong they are,” added the Italian World Cup winner Raul has six league goals this season for the Spanish league leaders, as against seven for the whole of last season and just five in 2005-06.

He has now scored 193 league goals for Real - with whom he has spent his entire career - and is closing rapidly on the club record of the legendary Alfredo di Stefano, who found the net 216 times between 1953 and 1964.

With two goals in four Champions League games this season, he has also consolidated his top spot among the scorers in Europe’s top club competition with 58 goals.

Even if he has already won everything with Real, Raul is seeking more titles.

His sixth Spanish league title and a fourth Champions League crown are among his targets for this season.

Nevertheless, Aragones still remains deaf to the clamour to recall him.

“He has been to three World Cups and two European Championships and won nothing,” said Aragones acidly on the eve of a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark last month.

“If Raul returned and we lost, then what,” added the 69-year-old coach.

However, the stubborn Aragones - who is renowned for never admitting that he is wrong - may yet be forced by Raul’s outstanding form to bring him back into the fold ahead of the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland next summer.

THANKS JS!

Those are the most beautiful kids.

Raul made a double!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:hell yea!: :clap: :hell yea!: :hell yea!: :clap: :hell yea!: :hell yea!: :hell yea!:

FANTASTIC STUFF FROM OUR BELOVED CAPTAIN!

...

that's from other game...

THANKS AGA!

Sports newspaper's... !

Recieving a plaque for his 13 years @ Madrid!

...

REAL MADRID: Casillas; Ramos, Cannavaro, Pepe, Marcelon; Diarra (Gago, m.69),, Sneijder (Saviola, m.87), Baptista, Robinho (Robben, m.74); Raúl and Van Nisterooy.

RACING: Toño; Sergio Sánchez (Moraton, min. 62), Oriol, Garay, Luis Fernández; Duscher, Colsa (Jordi López, m.79), Jorge López, Serrano; Munitis, Smolarek (Tchité, m.70).

REFEREE: César Muñiz Fernández. Booked Sergio Ramos (min. 17), Serrano (min.43), Marcelo (min.45), Oriol (min.80), Munitis (85).

GOALS:

1-0 (min.4): Raúl finishes off a brilliant collective effort.

2-0 (min.10): Baptista serves the assist to Sneijder, and Sergio Sánchez scores an own goal.

3-0 (min.69 ): Raúl scores off a direct free kick.

3-1 (min.72): Munitis finds the back of the net.

NOTES: Matchday 14 of the Spanish League played at the Santiago Bernabéu. Attendance: 80,000. A minute of silence was held prior to kick-off in honour of Raúl Centero, assassinated this morning in Southern France by ETA.