Iker Casillas

[Chic_Raul_ista]

Looks like Iker got a good shave and haircut!

[LuNo]

Thanks !!!!!

[LuNo]

"The Club is making good signings, setting good foundations for the future"

Real Madrid's goalkeeper enjoys the last days of his holiday. He spoke to AS from Navalcruz in Ávila, where he has his Summer School. Three hundred kids have the chance of learning how to play football with him there.

How's the summer going?

Rather well. I rested a lot, but I have also done some charity work. I was in Sierra Leone opening some schools and I managed to visit the kids in my Summer Camp. I try to help in any way I can. The school here in Navalcruz is the fourth we open and we have just borught water and electricity to the place. I am very happy because I never thought we could pull it off. All this started a few years ago after a silly conversation. We didn't want to achieve much, but we have come a long way since then.

How was your trip with the Club's Foundation to Sierra Leone?

It was an unforgettable experience, truly incredible. We don't think much about how badly people live there. We are very privileged in this part of the world and being Real Madrid's goalkeeper gave me the chance of travelling there. It was sad to see it, but the experience was very enriching. I think I've helped to make kids there slightly happier. The world of football is truly crazy. I never imagined children from villages in that country would recognise me. This was my first trip there and it won't be my last.

Have you managed to disconnect from football during your holiday?

Yes, I have. I haven't heard much about what's going on because I've been travelling quite a bit. I went to Cuba with my friends, where I watched the presentation of Schuster on the international version of RealmadridTV. I also heard about Fernando Torres' signing for Liverpool.

You return to work in five days. Are you looking forward to going to Irdning?

Not really, but I'm sure that I will be anxious to work again as soon as I rejoin the squad and start playing in official fixtures. I also have the challenge of qualifying for the 2008 Euro with Spain ahead of me.

What do you think of Schuster?

I don't know him personally. I used to watch him play for Real Madrid when I was a kid. Everyone says great things about him as a coach. He seems anxious to want to do great things at the Club, so we are all very glad he's joined us. All of us Madridistas want the Club to be at the top of its game again, as it deserves. We players are going to help him make things work out.

Do you think Real Madrid will regain their good style with Schuster? Will the team go back to playing beautifully, attacking down the wings and being creative?

Schuster has made his mark on all the other teams he's coached and Getafe are the best example of that. They played very good football last year. They never gave up, ending the League on a comfortable position on the table and qualifying for next season's UEFA Cup. They couldn't have done better than that and now we will have to do even better because this Club is much more demanding.

He said during his presentation that Raúl would have to help the team out from the very start...

We will all have to do that. We want to win the League again and to fight hard for the Champions League title. We will all work hard from day one to achieve our goals.

Metzelder and Pepe pointed you out as a clear example of how to triumph at Real Madrid. What do you think of that?

I am very grateful to them. It's always nice to have quality players thinking about you. I am sure they will adapt to the team very quickly.

Both have arrived to strengthen the team's defence. They are very tall, just like Schuster likes his defenders to be.

The Club is doing a good job at strengtheniing the team. It has made very good signings. It is setting good foundations for the future, which is the most important thing. We will do the rest.

Do you think 30 million euros for Pepe is too much money?

Not if they believe he is the ideal player to have. It has spent that money for a reason. He is a very young player, capable of performing brilliantly. We'll have to wait and see how he plays.

Dudek will be signed as the team's new goalkeeper. He doesn't seem to mind being the team's second keeper, knowing he will only play occasionally.

I am very happy with having reinforcements in any position and I believe Dudek and I will be in healthy competition anyway because no one has earned a position indefinitely on this team. I can't be hipocritical and believe that I will play in every game form the very start. On the contrary, I have to earn that spot.

It seems you learned from when you stopped being a starter in 2002.

That helped me mature as a player. I am experienced enough to know that one isn't a starter always. I had to earn my spot, competing with keepers such as Illgner, Bizarri, César and Diego López. It would be excessive for me to think that I have earned the right to be a starter all the time.

The best thing of the Copa America is that Robinho has given signs of being the star player of the League next season.

I am delighted with how he has performed. He is my teammate and I am very happy for him. He has played perfectly in the Copa and that is good for Real Madrid. I'm sure we will notice the difference.

Do you believe Saviola to be a good signing?

Of course. The Club has been very clever once again. He was free from Barcelona, he is young and has exceptional talent. He is very fast and I am sure he will adapt to the team very quickly. There will be a lot of competition on the squad, but we need that. We needed decisive players and Saviola is just that: he is a young and very driven player. The fact that he comes from Barcelona proves he's got it all.

Do you think Cesc and Kaká will ever play for Real Madrid?

I honestly don't know. It is the talk of every summer. Cesc and I are teammates when we play for Spain. I wish both would join Real Madrid at some point.

Will you miss Beckham and Roberto Carlos?

Naturally, they were with us many years, especially Roberto. But, someday, I will have to leave too. That's life. We wished them all the best when they left and we will keep an eye on them.

Is it even more dermanding to play on the team now that you've won the League?

This will be a strange year. We won the title with faith, drive, great efforts and by never giving up. I think that's going to take its toll on us next season, especially because most people believe we didn't deserve to win. I think we deserved it because we made a great effort. We will try to play brilliantly next season in order to prove that the true Real Madrid are back.

You just said you found out Fernando Torres was leaving Atletico Madrid when you were in Cuba. Were you surprised by this?

Yes, I was, but I know Fernando and I know how difficult it's been for him to take this step. He didn't want to leave Atletico, but in the case of having to do so, he would only play for a team outside Spain to avoid hurting Atletico in any way. I'm sure he must be hurt, but I know he will do well.

You'll still see him when you both play for Spain...

Yes. I'll see him in September and we may even face each other in the Champions League.

What do you think of Barcelona's signings?

They are working according to plan. Barcelona will be very strong next year. We needed to win something last season and taking the league title made us immensely happy. We needed this in order to do something great in the future. Barcelona are in need of titles now

I was asking you about their signings...

Yes, yes. It will be wonderful to see Henry playing in Spain; I'm sure he will do very well in the League. We've always had a bittersweet feeling whenever we've faced him. I hope this changes in the Spanish competition.

What will you do in the next few days?

I will go to Thailand and spend the last days of my holiday in Madrid.

[Chic_Raul_ista]

Training today...

[Chic_Raul_ista]

Hugo Boss fittings... !

[Chic_Raul_ista]

Hugo Boss fittings... !

[footiefan]

^ That picture is worth a double post!!! yum. Thanks for the pics!

they said they took a group photo of the boys in the suits. Now, THAT pic would be INCREDIBLE!

[LuNo]

Thanks Chic_Raul_ista

[Chic_Raul_ista]

Eva @ a bridal show in Madrid...THE ETERNAL GIRLFRIEND!!! ...

[LuNo]

Thanks

[LuNo]

[LuNo]

[LuNo]

[LuNo]

[glamgirl]

thx for the pics!!! With whom is she at the beach on these pics???

[LuNo]

thx for the pics!!! With whom is she at the beach on these pics???

You're welcome With friend.

[LuNo]

[LuNo]

Casillas to Marca

"Schuster is modest and very excited with this new challenge"

Iker Casillas wasn't able to make his debut with this season's Real Madrid on Friday. He was injured throughout the team's entire first week of training, but he is fine now and ready to do what Bernd Schuster asks of him. He gave his first impressions of the new Real Madrid in an interview to Marca.

Have you recovered from your injury?

Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

Will you make your debut against Hannover 96?

I will if the coach wants me to... I am anxious to play because my injury had me doing strengthening work on my leg all week.

Now is Dudek's turn to compete with the mighty Casillas (César left to join Zaragoza and Diego López is now playing for Villarreal). Do you consider yourself to be untouchable?

I've never felt that way. I understand why Diego López decided to leave and I wish him all the best. I don't decide who has to play. It's not my fault; I don't thwart anyone's aspirations.

You are a very nice guy. Don't you feel bad when you see a teammate benched in every game?

I can't complain with my situation because I am privileged enough to play, which is what I most enjoy in life. I don't know if I would be able to withstand being benched. There was a time when I stopped playing that much and I didn't like it, but we must always be respectful with our teammates.

Dudek is your roomate. Do you get along?

We more or less manage to communicate thanks to Spanglish. It is actually very funny. He teaches me some English and I teach him some Spanish.

What has he taught you?

I'm afraid I can't really tell you some of the things he's taught me (laughs). No, seriously, he is adapting to the team very well and working very hard to learn the language as soon as possible. He is a great guy.

Do you think Barcelona have made better signings?

They've signed bigger stars, like Henry, Abidal, and Touré, but Saviola is a great striker, Dudek is very experienced and Metzelder is known all over the world. Pepe has pleasantly surprised all of us.

Are you surprised with Barcelona for letting Saviola go? Do you think it is a nice 'gift' on their part that can be very useful for you this season?

I have always considered him a great striker. He's here to prove Barcelona made a mistake with him.

People say Barcelona are the new galacticos...

It seems like it, but four years ago we had some incredibly impressive players and things didn't work out. We didn't respond to what was expected of us and things got complicated. It was a bad time for us.

Are you also involved in Schuster's touch football scheme?

People are talking too much about touch football. People define us as a touch football team and things aren't really like that. Things are expected to change, but we can't start preparing solely for touch football right after the holidays. The priority here is to win and then to play good football. Last season we had to win at all costs, playing well or playing badly, and we manage to take the title thanks to our impressive drive and hard work. The Club believes we have to change our style, but we have to do more than just playing touch football.

I was asking if you will also have to improve on your touch.

The coach wants us all to be a part of the new system and he doesn't want the keepers to simply know how to make saves. In some ways, he wants the keepers to behave like a fifth defender.

What has surprised you the most about Schuster?

How natural he is. He is very modest and very excited with this new challenge. I hope we all do well.

[LuNo]

REAL MADRID 0: Casillas; Cicinho (Pepe, min. 62), Ramos, Cannavaro, Torres; Diarra, De la Red (Granero, min.62), Balboa, Bueno (Guti, min.45); Higuaín, Raúl (Saviola, min.62).

HANNOVER 96 3: Enke; Cherundolo, Kleine, Zuraw, Tarnat; Balitsch, Yankov, Pinto, Bruggink; Huszti y Hanke. También jugaron: Krebs, Thorvaldsson, Lauth, Stajner y Schöter.