Real Madrid
Jorge Mendes, agent to Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Jose Mourinho have denied claims that he spied on Barcelona on the behalf of Real Madrid. He had been accused of hiring spies to monitor Barcelona’s transfer activity in a view to increasing the prices of the Catalan club’s transfer targets.
Spying is considered common practice in Spain and is the reason why clubs are linked with the same players on many occasions.
Bad blood exists between the two teams. Barcelona triumphed in La Liga and Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey.
The two also met in the Champions League semi-final’s where Barcelona triumphed. The first leg was particularly hostile with Pepe being dismissed and an altercation during half-time between the two club’s staff and players.
Jose Mourinho has received backing from Madrid right-back Sergio Ramos who believes he is the right man to help the club defeat Barca. The problem Mourinho has is how to topple Barcelona from the top of La Liga, Madrid won 29 games in the league, drawing five and losing just four, a record which would have been good enough to win the league in any other major European country. Barcelona however managed 30 wins, drawing six and losing just twice.
REAL MADRID TICKETS
Cristiano Ronaldo
Superstar Ronaldo Sets Spanish League Record For Most Goals in One Season
Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first La Liga player to score 40 goals in a single league season in the history of the Spanish League. Ronaldo scored twice in Real Madrid's 8-1 rout of Almeria on Saturday.
In his 34th La Liga game of the 2010-11 campaign, Ronaldo scored his 39th and 40th goal - setting the record to the delight of his fans on the final day against Almeria at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Ronaldo broke the outstanding 38 goals record of Hugo Sanchez and Telmo Zarra.
Ronaldo finished his campaign with a spectacular record of 40 goals in La Liga and 53 goals total. He was obsiously delighted as he danced with teamates after netting the record-breaking goal as Madrid coach Jose Mourinho grinned from the bench. The Portugal winger's second goal increased his season tally to 53 in all competitions, including 11 in the last four games.
Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi are the first Spanish league players to score at least 50 goals in all competitions in one season. Last campaign, Lionel Messi scored 34 goals in La Liga play.
LA LIGA - SPANISH LEAGUE PLAYERS WITH MOST GOALS IN A SINGLE SEASON
1 Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid (2010-11) 40 goals
2 Telmo Zarra – Athletic Bilbao (1950-51) 38 goals�
2 Hugo Sanchez – Real Madrid (1989-90) 38 goals
3 Baltazar – Atletico Madrid (1988-89) 35 goals
4 Hugo Sanchez – Real Madrid (1986-87) 34 goals�
4 Ronaldo – FC Barcelona (1996-97) 34 goals
4 Lionel Messi – FC Barcelona (2009-10) 34 goals
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Sergio Busquets
Real Madrid Accuses UEFA and Barcelona - Conspiracy and Racism
A bitter off-field feud has accompanied the Champions League semi-final between Barca and Real Madrid.
José Mourinho's assistant coach, Aitor Karanka accused UEFA of overlooking the racial abuse directed at Real Madrid full-back Marcelo by Sergio Busquets.
Karanka claimed that tomorrow's semi-final second leg was of only "secondary importance" in the face of Uefa's failure to act to defend fair play and the abandonment of ethics in the sport.
"There will be a player on the pitch who racially abused another player, while others who have done nothing wrong won't be there."
Karanka's comments are after a video released by Real Madrid on Monday that they claim shows Busquets calling the Madrid full-back Marcelo a "monkey".
They also came hours after Uefa announced that it had rejected the complaint made by Real Madrid against eight Barcelona players for "persistent and premeditated unsporting behaviour".
Uefa did not to act on the complaints made by Barcelona against Mourinho.
Real Madrid boss, Jose Mourinho reportedly does not want to talk about the accusations he made against UEFA. He suggested that there was a conspiracy to clear Barcelona’s path to the Champions League Final.
He also said Barcelona’s 2009 success was shrouded in “scandal”.
Mourinho stated that he had no regrets.
“I don’t want to talk for a very simple reason,” he said, referring to television pictures and photographs he felt suggested that Pepe did not make contact with Dani Alves in the tackle that led to the Madrid player’s dismissal – and that Barcelona’s players had simulated injuries during the game.
“That is because I do not need to. A picture is worth a thousand words and there are so many pictures that it means there are so many words and I do not have anything to add.”
“There are pictures that are real pictures and have not been put through Photoshop, plus videos that have not been manipulated. So I have absolutely nothing else to add. The images speak, I do not.”
“Moral[e] is the word,” he said. “We have moral[e] in every sense of the word.
“I did not make an accusation, I asked a question: ‘Why?’ That was my question and, as I said, I might die without getting an answer. These events mean that I have even more desire to continue at Real Madrid, because of what it means. Our shirt is white – and that has meaning. I am in very good shape. My health is perfect and I am working as always.”
Asked about the sendings-off, Mourinho said, “I do not want to answer that.”
And asked what responsibility Madrid as a team and he as coach had in the defeat on Tuesday night – he replied, “Zero.”
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL TICKETS
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Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid Manager
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has provoked Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola by referring to comments his rival made after Madrid’s victory in the Copa del Rey final last week.
Guardiola had noted that his side had been close to winning: had a Pedro goal not been ruled out for a very close but correct offside, described by the coach as “the linesman’s good eyesight”, Barcelona might have taken the trophy.
“A new era has begun,” Mourinho said. “Until now there were two groups of coaches. One very, very small group of coaches that don’t speak about refs and then a big group of coaches, of which I am part, who criticise the refs when they have mistakes – people like me who don’t control their frustration but also people who are happy to value a great job from a ref.
“Now there is a third group, which is only [Guardiola], that criticises referees when they get decisions right! There is a new meaning now. In his first season lived the scandal of Stamford Bridge last year he played against a 10-man Inter. Now he is not happy with refs getting it right. I am not asking the referee to help my team. If the referee is good everyone will be happy – except Guardiola. He wants them to get it wrong.”
Guardiola worked with Mourinho at Barcelona.
“We worked together for four years. He knows me, I know him and that’s all. If he wants to go by things written after the Copa del Rey by friends from the written press or Florentino Pérez, with his milkmaid’s tales, then fine. If that matters more than our relationship, then that’s up to him. I am not going to justify my words. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth when someone you had a relationship with does [what he has done]. I always thought that when people didn’t understand me, it was because I had explained myself badly, but now I don’t. I said the referee [in the cup final] had been smart and very attentive. I said it was right. I pointed out simply that the result can be down to small things, that’s all. It was not a complaint. After victory I congratulated Real Madrid and that is what Barcelona does. We congratulated RM for the cup that they won on the field against a team that I represent proudly.”
Athletic De Bilbao Deportivo La Coruna Fc Sevilla Murcia Racing Santander Real Mallorca Real Zaragoza UD Almeria Atletico Madrid Espanyol Getafe Numancia Real Betis Real Sociedad Recreativo De Huelva ValenciaCelta De Vigo Fc Barcelona Malaga Osasuna Real Madrid Real Valladolid Sporting de Gijon Villarreal
Real Madrid Goalkeeper Iker Casillas
COPA DEL REY - SPANISH CUP TROPHY
Real Madrid goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas celebrates with the Spanish Cup trophy after winning the final match, 1-0, over FC Barcelona on Wednesday at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia.
Iker Casillas made several stunning saves in the last 15 minutes of regulation to stop a Barcelona attack, and Real Madrid went on to win the Copa del Rey, 1-0, after extra time, in front of 52,000 fans at Valencia, Spain.
The decisive goal was made by Ronaldo. It was the Portuguese winger's 42nd goal this season in all competitions.
Casillas received the Copa del Rey Trophy from Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia. He was overjoyed.
"We proved to everyone we can beat any team we want," he said.
The victory earned Real Madrid its first trophy under Coach Jose Mourinho.
"It's a very important title and we're going to enjoy it," said Ronaldo.
It was the 18th time Real Madrid has won the Copa del Rey. Barcelona has won the trophy 25 times.
Barcelona is expected to win the Spanish league title for the third year in a row.
Real Madrid plays host to Barcelona on April 27, with the decisive second game in the Champions League semifinal series in Barcelona on May 3.
REAL MADRID TICKETS
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo in El Clasico
On Saturday, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will fight another exciting battle in El Clasico. Real Madrid’s Ronaldo will enter the contest with a goal behind Barcelona’s Messi in La Liga’s top scorers’ chart.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo is fit, scoring three goals in his last 3 matches in all competitions. Ronaldo is now just 4 goals shy of hitting 200 career goals. He hopes at least one of those come at the Santiago Bernabeu against Barcelona on Saturday. Ronaldo has never ever scored against Barca - having faced the Catalans 6 times in total.
Barcelona's Lioned Messi - La Pulga - has not scored a single goal against Jose Mourinho in the 8 matches that Messi has played against the Portuguese coach. This record could either come to an end or continue during El Clasico on Saturday at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
REAL MADRID
League: La Liga
Founded: 1902
Nicknames: Los Merengues, Los Madridistas, Los Blancos, Los Vikingos
Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu, Chamartín, Madrid
Chairman: Florentino Perez
Manager: Manuel Pellegrini(Head Coach)
REAL MADRID RESULTS
Champions League 2009
13 Apr 11 - 11:45 PDT, White Hart Lane (34,311)
Tottenham 0-1 Real Madrid
La Liga
9 Apr 11 - 09:00 PDT, Estadio San Mamés (38,000)
Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Real Madrid
Champions League 2009
5 Apr 11 - 11:45 PDT, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (71,657)
Real Madrid 4-0 Tottenham
La Liga
2 Apr 11 - 09:00 PDT, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (72,000)
Real Madrid 0-1 Gijon
REAL MADRID UPCOMING FIXTURES
La Liga, 16 Apr 11 - 15:00 CDT
Real Madrid v FC Barcelona
Copa del Rey, 20 Apr 11 - 14:30 CDT
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid
La Liga, 23 Apr 11 - 11:00 CDT
Valencia v Real Madrid
Champions League 2009, 27 Apr 11 - 13:45 CDT
Real Madrid v FC Barcelona
La Liga, 1 May 11 - 13:00 CDT
Real Madrid v Zaragoza
Champions League 2009, 3 May 11 - 13:45 CDT
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid
La Liga, 8 May 11 - 13:00 CDT
Sevilla v Real Madrid
La Liga, 11 May 11 - 13:00 CDT
Real Madrid v Getafe
La Liga, 15 May 11 - 13:00 CDT
Villarreal v Real Madrid
La Liga, 22 May 11 - 13:00 CDT
Real Madrid v Almeria
Cristiano Ronaldo v Lionel Messi
Spanish Copa del Rey FINAL 2011: FC Barcelona v Real Madrid
Barca and Real fans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming King's Cup - Spainish Copa de Rey. The clash of the giants will be played at E Stadium in Valencia, Spain on April 20, 2011.
The popular contest is also a clash between Spain's two top goal scorers, Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madird).
LIONEL MESSI
Squad No: 10 Position: Forward Age: 23 Birth Date: Jun 24, 1987 Birth Place: Rosario, Argentina Height: 5' 7'' (1.70m) Weight: 67 kg Messi's last match was a 2-1 victory against Getafe. Super-Messi almost gave Barca the lead with an impressive overhead kick after seven minutes, but the Argentinian - improvising with his back to goal - saw his effort saved by Getafe goalkeeper Jordi Codina. A powerful Dani Alves strike and a deflected Bojan Krkic effort gave Barcelona victory at home to Getafe in the Primera Division. Lionel won the 2009 and 2010 World Player of the Year awards.
| Lionel Messi: Games: 26, Goals: 27, |
| Assists: 16, | Shots: 129 |
"Messi is my Maradona," said Maradona himself, as the head coach of the Argentine national team.
CRISTIANO RONALDO
Squad No: 7 Position: Forward Age: 26 Birth Date: Feb 5, 1985 Birth Place: Madeira, Portugal Height: 6' 1" (1.85m) Weight: 75 kg Ronaldo's last match was a 2-1 win against Athletico Madrid. Real Madrid continued their long-standing domination of city rivals Atletico Madrid with the win - and keep the pressure on Primera Division leaders Barcelona. Benzema struck his 10th goal from his last eight appearances to put Madrid ahead early on, and Mesut Ozil added a second before the break. Ronaldo won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008, and subsequently was named FIFA's World Player of the Year. Cristiano's name Ronaldo came from his father's favorite actor, Ronald Reagan.
| Cristiano Ronaldo: Games: 27, Goals: 27, |
| Assists: 8, | Shots: 208 |
"I have nothing but praise for the boy. He is easily the best player in the world. He is better than Kaka and better than Messi. He is streets ahead of them all. His contribution as a goal threat is unbelievable. His stats are incredible. Strikes at goal, attempts on goal, raids into the penalty box, headers. It is all there. Absolutely astounding." Sir Alex Ferguson, July 2009.
Watch Lionel Messi play for Barcelona and watch Cristiano Ronaldo play live for Real Madrid. Great La Liga football tickets are still available this season. Buy Spanish football tickets – including Real Madrid tickets and Barcelona tickets online now. Do not miss the Copa del Rey Final between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid - Spanish Copa del Rey FINAL 2011: FC Barcelona v Real Madrid Tickets.
