Interview: Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema only thinks about succeed in Real Madrid. He feels he has played very well in the second leg of the season and nobody will stop him. He is convinced that in his boots is to triumph at Real Madrid and please Mourinho.

Karim Benzema

"I scored 30 goals this season with Real Madrid and France, so I think it was a good year. I started to play a lot more beginning in January, and I knew good things would happen once I grew more confident. I feel good playing for Real Madrid. I love the fans, the people and the stadium. I will be there for many years to come".

"We scored 102 goals this season, which is a lot for a team they say is defense-oriented. Real Madrid has what it takes to win the treble. Ending the 18-year drought without winning the "Copa del Rey" was good for us, but we want more. This club must win everything. It’s what you learn and feel from the moment you sign on. Personally speaking, I think I still have room for improvement. I think you will see an even better me next season because I feel good physically and mentally".

"Mourinho loves to win, and so do I. He has helped me grow as a footballer and a person. He expects a lot from me, but he has helped me improve. I now know what I want from myself and I know I can give it to him. I must prove that I can play for this team. I know it will be hard to earn a spot, but it all depends on me".

"The new signings are all very good. They will help us a lot next season. Sahin was the best player in the Bundesliga, and all the best players want to play for Real. Agüero also have the quality to play in Madrid (smiles)".

"Cristiano’s 41 league goals will be very hard to match. I am very happy for him. He is an excellent player who doesn’t only score a lot, but helps others score, too. We understand each other well".

"I think I have a shot at next season’s Ballon d’Or. I play for the best team in the world, we have the European Championship next summer and we have a super team. Looking back on my matches and goals this season, I think I can do it. Next season will be even better than this won. I want to win it all".

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Zinedine Zidane will be the Real Madrid's sporting director

Zinedine Zidane: New Real Madrid sporting director

After the Jorge Valdano's leaving of Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane will become the new sporting director of Real Madrid Football Club. Florentino Perez is doing a renovation in the flowchart of white team and the French will win more weight in the Real Madrid in this way.

The name of Zinedine Zidane as the successor to Valdano was already playing in a while, but it was May 17 when was finally materialized the new position that he would occupy in the Real Madrid club. Florentino Perez and 'Zizou' agreed to plan the new role of former French international.

So now, Zidane will be in charge of both the first and the second team (Real Madrid Castilla) and will travel with the squad of Jose Mourinho. He will be the president's right hand in sporting issues and will accompany the team in national competition matches and in the European Cup (Champions League).

Zinedine Zidane returned to Real Madrid in October 2009, when he joined the Football Committee of Real Madrid. Zizou refused leadership and fled from the spotlight. The proof is that neither he had an office nor was an employee of Real Madrid, but was made available to Real Madrid to share views on any issue in the football plot.

Interview: Nuri Sahin

NURI SAHIN: "MOURINHO IS THE BIG PRIZE OF THE LOTTERY"

Nuri Sahin

You still stay in Dortmund. You are not on vacation as the other players?

I postponed my vacation. I want to be in top physical shape when I come to Madrid. On Sunday the prosthetic shin will be removed and immediately I will begin to train. July 10, the new season begins in Spain and, once fully healed of my internal ligament injury (right knee), I will attend directly.

Some people think that you signed for Real Madrid to spend much time on the bench...
I only care what is said by people that know me well. They know I have enough quality to play in a big team like Madrid.

Barcelona and Madrid have had a great rivalry throughout the season. Do you think there is much distance between the two teams?
The Real Madrid is not far from Barcelona and could win many titles next season. I'm enough ambitious to get titles with Madrid and I want to leave my mark in Spain.

You said that you had spoken to Mourinho. What role did the Portuguese in your signing?
The fact that he chose me, is an honor. Mourinho is my coach and for me it is like the big prize of the lottery.

For this new stage in Spain, you will have to learn to speak Spanish...
I started to study it. My target is to learn the language as quickly as possible and also speak fluently.

Will you continue being fan of Borussia Dortmund?
Logically. I will be for life. The club has been strengthened smartly and in that team there is still a huge potential. I am not worried for the Borussia Dortmund future.

What will be the first thing you buy for your new home in Madrid?
I have it very clear. A subscription for pay-TV. So I will follow the matches of Borussia Dortmund and the Turkish League.

Real Madrid: China Tour 2011

"We will bring our best players to China. The coach, Jose Mourinho, will make the final adjustments against these teams because the season starts at the end of the summer tour" said Butragueno, according to Xinhua news agency. The Institutional Relations Director explained that the Real Madrid expedition will arrive to China on August 1, to play against Evergrande Guangzhou in the Guangzhou Tianhe Stadium (August 3) and against Tianjin Teda in the Olympic Water Drop (August 6).

Real Madrid's Chinese fans

"Both cities have a great atmosphere and rivals have international experience, so it will be a honor to face them", said Butragueño regarding Evergrande Guangzhou and Tianjin Teda, first and seventh ranked in the current Chinese League.

This will be the second visit of Real Madrid to play friendly matches in Chinese soil, something that it did in the 2005 Asian Tour when white team defeated 3-2 to Beijing Guoan, twinned team with the Spanish set.

Besides the sporting, the trip will expand the market in the Asian giant, where as Butragueño noted: "Real Madrid has more than 100 million fans", and at the same time he said: "The trip is also an opportunity to meet and improve how to promote football in China", he concluded.

The other match (4). Mourinho vs Valdano

Jorge Valdano was fired yesterday as general manager of Real Madrid, a position he agreed in 2009, in the second stage of Florentino Perez as president of the club. The news was made official after the meeting of the board and was Florentino himself who informed at 9:24 pm that the club had "terminated its contract with Valdano" due to "dysfunctions" in the sport organization. The club removes the general direction that led Valdano, which is absorbed by the general direction that leads José Ángel Sánchez, with Mourinho as sports chief and spokesman in this area.

Florentino Perez at the press conference

Valdano's firing ends a story that was doomed from the start. On May 31, 2010, in the presentation of the Portuguese as Real Madrid coach, Jorge Valdano began his speech in this way: "Before the presentation I wanted to resolve the prevailing morbidity. During my time as communicator I wrote about the divine and the human, and occasionally talked about Jose Mourinho in an aggressive tone. That was solved three years ago at a meeting, he also responded aggressively and we fix it very quickly. There is no problem".

But there was. Mourinho has never forgotten. In February 2006, Valdano wrote this after a match Barcelona-Chelsea, then coached by Mourinho: "I think the poor state of Stamford Bridge was his plan A. The B was also muddy the press conference accusing Messi doing theater in the Del Horno's send-off. Does it talk bad about Mourinho? Yes. Does it talk bad about football? No. On the contrary, this game is a metaphor for life, the trap is not successful. I like the pose of Mourinho, but that does not mean I believe in his innocence". In 2008, Valdano pointed similar arguments: "Mourinho is a errant soul who does not know what is. Guardiola is different. He symbolizes an idea that some of us advocate (as holy) and others attack (as damn)".

It was not necessary wait long to see that Mourinho had not forgiven. In September, the coach blamed Valdano of not to let him train to Portugal in two qualifying matches for EuroCup. In October, the clash occurred for attending the "Prince of Asturias Awards". In December, Mourinho showed a list of refereeing mistakes and called for more institutional support. At that point, Florentino still supported Valdano: "It is customary at the club not to mention referees; What we had to say, Valdano has said. He is our spokesman and who represents best the club's image".

The disagreements continued, but in March, Florentino was closer to the postulates of Mourinho: "To defend Real Madrid of what is unfair, irregular and arbitrary is also be madridista, and that makes our coach". Mourinho had already raised an ultimatum: "Either Valdano or me".

On May 15, after the match against Villarreal, Valdano denied his out: "I do not abandon. The news that I'm going to leave the team, is false. I will continue next season". Yesterday, he said these words: "I did not miss the truth, I said what I felt. I have not resigned. The club has dispensed with me".

Real Madrid jerseys 2011-2012

Adidas denies the design of the Real Madrid shirt which had been published just over a month in the Spanish media. According to the German brand: "The design does not resemble in any way with the shirt to be presented shortly". Apparently the design was made ​​from the away kit of the Swedish team IFK Goteborg, because the jersey was conceptually the same but with different color. In particular, the Swedish team shirt is pink.

Now new designs have reappeared in the media, but as the filtered new design of Barcelona shirt was confirmed just one week ago, it seems that the rumors about the new jersey of Real Madrid are also true and this is in fact the Real Madrid home shirt 2011-2012.

Real Madrid Home Shirt 2011-2012

The Spanish media has revealed what they claim to be the correct Real Madrid jersey that Cristiano Ronaldo and company will wear during the next season. This design greatly differs from the original leak which featured a similar color scheme to the 2010-2011 Real Madrid jersey and a v-neck collar. The Real Madrid home shirt will be a polo-necked, white of course, with gold accents and the BWIN advertising in black.

These data are consistent with the pre-sale advertisements that currently can be found in Spanish web pages. In these advertisements you can read: "The gold rush goes back". The advance sale prices ranging from 56€ for child size, up to 69.50€ for adult size (men).

Real Madrid jersey pre-sale ad: "Gold rush goes back"

On the other hand, the second and third kit jerseys of the team have been also leaked. The away jersey will be dark blue colored with v-neck collar. Details will be in gold as well, including advertising. And finally, the big surprise, the red shirt of Real Madrid for the Champions League. The away kit jersey for European matches. The collar of this shirt will be round with a blank piece. All supplements will be white in this jersey, including advertising.

Real Madrid Away Shirts 2011-2012

Do you think this is the real thing or is there more Real Madrid jersey leaks to come?

Update: Promotional Video / Update: Launch / Update: Away Kit 2011-2012

Kun Aguero's future points to Real Madrid

"I had said that when I wanted to leave the Atletico Madrid, I would do it publicly. That time has now come and I fulfill my word". Agüero spoke. So clear. Yesterday, Kun took the first step to leave the Atletico set this summer. He acknowledged that he wants to go. The Argentine came in the evening at Vicente Calderón Stadium to communicate the club his intention to leave the team on the this summer transfer market. And the desire of the player, who is willing to put everything it takes on his part, is play for Real Madrid next season.

Sergio "Kun" Aguero

So triggered the end of the Aguero's stage at Atletico. 5:30 pm, door six of the "Manzanares" Stadium. Kun arrived driving his black BMW M3. In the passenger seat was Gonzalo Rebasa, his agent. In the back were the father of footballer, Leonel Agüero, and Hernan Reguera, another agent of the company IMG which carries the Argentine's business. 6:50 pm, an hour and twenty minutes later, Aguero out of the stadium. The same occupants in the car. But the gesture of the striker has changed. He is much more serious than when he arrived. Out in a hurry. And shuns reporters. He refuses to make statements.

Then he explained "I expressed my decision to leave Atletico. I asked them to receive the offers that come from other clubs, unconditionally", said the player on his official website at 11:30 pm. That was the reason for his presence in the stadium. Despite the willingness of Agüero, Atletico leaders' conditions will remain unchanged. Kun will go out of Atletico if the team that wants him, pays his buyout clause (45 million euros). By the way, this amount was reduced in January when he negotiated his contract extension through 2014. By then, the clause went from 60 to 45 million.

What is clear is that bids will not go missing. The great season of the player has not gone unnoticed by Europe's most important teams. Mourinho wants him as a companion to Cristiano Ronaldo, for next season Real Madrid's attack. This week, agents of Agüero had planned a meeting with Real Madrid to discuss the future of Argentine forward.

Agüero already hinted on Sunday that he would try to leave the team this summer: "I am proud for have achieved 101 goals with Atletico, because I always gave everything for this shirt. I want to devote it to the fans, who from the first day showed me affection", he said. Agüero is traveling today to Argentina, where he will train to play the "Copa America". We have to wait.