Real Madrid and Adidas: Agreement until 2020

Real Madrid and Adidas, sporting goods multinational company and sponsor of the club, are close to signing a new agreement to extend the relationship for the next eight years. In the absence of signature, the alliance between these two giants will come until 2020. It is a form to continue with the success that comes with them since they started together in 1998.

Real Madrid and Adidas: New agreement

There have been no official figures about the money the entity managed by Florentino Perez will earn, although obviously there will be an improvement over last season. This means that Adidas, that has paid about 35 million per year until this season, raises its offer, at least, to 40 million euros. It represents the largest amount paid by a sporting company to a football club, over the 30 million that Nike pays to Barcelona.

Adidas also has an important revenue source in the heart of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the shop where is breaking sale records despite the economic crisis, because the Bernabeu stadium is one of the benchmarks for tourism in the capital of Spain.

The sport brand trusts this long-term sport project. The continuity of Mourinho, the coach more mediatic who belongs to Adidas, and the fact that in his first two years at Real Madrid has won the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup), is close to achieve the Spanish League and has played two semi-finals of the Champions League, has managed to boost sales of shirts and all kinds of items related to the Real Madrid team.

The PSG met with Kaka and Higuain

The president of the Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser al-Khelaifi, met last week with the Real Madrid players Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain trying to convince them to sign for the French team, reports the daily L'Equipe. The Brazilian and Argentinian are two of the priorities of the PSG for the next transfer market, the newspaper said, noting that Al-Khelaifi has chosen to convince the players before contact with Real Madrid.

Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain

Bought early last season by money from Qatar, the PSG is one of the clubs are investing more money on players. At 30 years old, Kaka is not listed as one of the priorities of Jose Mourinho, who has placed him as starter only 16 times this season. However, his salary of 10 million euros net is one of the highest, so that Real Madrid would not object to the leaving of the Golden Ball 2007, that bought in 2009 by 67.2 million euros.

According to L'Equipe, the white team "does not require compensation too high" for the Brazilian. Al-Khalaifi tried to convince him of his plan to make PSG a big club in Europe and the player asked to meet with the Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, with who coincided at Milan between 2003 and 2009, the newspaper said.

More complex seems the sell of Higuain, who has scored 21 goals this season with the white shirt, which has worn 32 times, making him one of the favorite players at the Bernabeu. However, the Argentinian is suffering more and more competition from French Karim Benzema, who looks to be the favorite of Mourinho at the top of the attack, so the PSG president would have proposed him a way out.

According to L'Equipe, Real Madrid would be willing to let him go if he expresses his desire to leave. Higuain is one of the PSG options to strengthen the attack, but the French capital club manages other, as the Uruguayan Luis Suarez form Liverpool, they said.

Legends: Jose Antonio Camacho

JOSE ANTONIO CAMACHO

Jose Antonio Camacho

Jose Antonio Camacho Alfaro was born in Cieza (Murcia), June 8, 1955. He is the youngest of five children born in the marriage of Mr. Antonio Camacho and Mrs. Gregoria Alfaro. When the young Jose Antonio was 6 years old he moved with his family to Albacete, where it begins to kick for the first time a football ball.

With sixteen years makes his debut with the youth team football Albacete, lining up as a left midfielder. Soon he was known for his football qualities and is called to the youth national team by then national coach Hector Rial. Three matches he played for the Spanish youth team which serve him to jump to the first team of Albacete, which, at that time, played in the First Regional (5th Division).

But little time he was to remain in this category. Real Madrid is interested in the young player. And, of course, comes at the same time FC Barcelona. However, Camacho decides to accept the call of the Real and a few days later travels to the capital of Spain for a test in which he has to defend a man who with the passing of the years would be, like Camacho, legend of Real Madrid: Carlos Alonso "Santillana".

The test could not be more satisfactory. A few months later, March 1973, Camacho signed for the Castilla, Real Madrid's reserve team. Camacho started the season 1973/74 with the reserves and becomes one of the pillars of the team. His great performance serves to make the leap to the first team when had not finished the season. He debuts in Malaga, in a match that Real Madrid lost 1-0. It was five games to complete the league and Camacho would not move from the first team.

The misfortune visited Camacho when he lived his best football. During a training with the team, January 5, 1978, suffered a serious injury with torn meniscus and cruciate ligaments in his left knee that kept him away from the pitch for almost two years. After a first surgery, which did not produce the desired results, Camacho went back through surgery in the city of Paris on March 2, 1979.

The bravery and effort of Jose Antonio Camacho, even in training, led him to suffer the worst injury can hit a player. For more than twenty months Camacho suffered the unspeakable to return to put on his football boots, but in the end, based on sacrifice and determination, he returned to the pitch where waited for him many days of glory. It was the revival of "Phoenix Bird".

As a player was noted for his iron defenses, anticipation and speed, but why he marked an era at Real Madrid and the Spanish national team was, without doubt, his spirit of sacrifice and dedication, their desire to win and charisma that helped teamwork especially .

During the 16 years he played for Real Madrid, he won 9 Spanish leagues, 4 Spanish cups (Copa del Rey) and 2 UEFA Europe cups as main titles. Camacho played his last official match for Real Madrid on June 30, 1989. After he stayed at Real Madrid as coach of the youth teams (Castilla). Then with the passing of the years, climbed the ladder rungs of the Spanish coaches to become national coach, in a successful career.

Kaka did not pass the final test against Bayern Munchen

Kaka took the field on 74 minutes by Di Maria. Mourinho saw in him the solution to overwhelm Bayern defense. The resource was a failure. The Brazilian accused physical frailty, he was very slow for this level of football and showed no ability to circumvent the Germanic control, with a huge Kroos. To complete the suspense, shot a penalty kick with unbecoming uncertainty of a 67 million euros player. The crowd punished him with whistles.

Kaka did not play well against Bayern Munchen

In the white club, Kaka is considered again as a transferable player, but Mourinho says he believes in the Brazilian. The problem is that there is no club in the world to pay the 50 million the player is priced and bear the 9 million euros of annual net salary (as Cristiano) who has signed until 2015. Milan, PSG and Inter knocked on the door in 2011, but resigned.

Kaka has managed only a good run since arriving in 2009. It was between November and January 2012, playing a great game against Villarreal. Then some discomfort in a tendon in his left leg took him out of the starting lineup. Injuries have mortified him: groin injury, 263 days lost in 2010 by two left knee surgeries... The Brazilian has not given what was expected of him.

For Kaka, there are only four games remaining to play in league with Real Madrid and wait for the summer. Then will be the time when the Brazilian will decide his future, which is surely far from the Bernabeu. It may be in London ... or Paris.

The numbers of his bad game:

• Kaka ran 2,436 meters in 46 minutes against Bayern. For comparison, Kroos ran 11,409 meters in 120. In other way, the Brazilian ran 52 meters per minute, compared to 95 from German.
• The Brazilian tried 10 dribbling and only 3 of them ended successfully. He participated in 32 activities of play, less than one per minute, and only stepped the Bayern's penalty area 3 times without any notable result; no shot on target.
• Kaka gave 13 passes, 5 of them were wrong and 8 correct. He was better connected with Xabi Alonso. To Cristiano, Benzema and Higuain, zero passes!
• He recovered 3 balls that were in Bayern's feet, but lost 5, because of his fragility and lack of security with the ball.

Jose Mourinho: "I am proud of my players"

Jose Mourinho was proud of his players despite the elimination of the Champions League competition against Bayern Munchen and confirmed he will continue training the white team next year.

Mourinho was proud of his players

"I think it is difficult for any team to reach the semifinals two straight campaigns and it is also difficult for a coach to reach them six times in eight years. We deserved to win because both games were tight. It is more difficult to play this match when you are still in the fight to win the league title than when you are not. I remember the semifinals I lost with Chelsea against Liverpool. They faced Fulham in the previous clash with their reserve players, while we used our main men in our weekend clash and ended up suffering from that".

"It is our fault because we would have used different players in our previous game if we were not fighting to win the league title. My men gave a fantastic performance. It is difficult to overcome a 2-1 result. They knew they could not make any mistakes and felt great pressure. They were also exhausted in the penalty shootout. Together, both sides missed five penalties. Only those who shoot miss. I do not miss because I do not shoot them. Those who miss have balls and are not selfish. They do their best for the team. I am incredibly proud of my men".

"Everyone makes mistakes. Superhumans only exist in the movies. These men are the best at their level, but people criticise them when they miss a shot. These critics are like people who get exhausted by climbing two flights of stairs and badly need a lift. My men ran like animals despite the pressure and missed in the final stretch, but what do you expect them to do? Would you rather see them die or see Bayern drawing the match? They played to the limit. Iam not here to make excuses, especially for our opponent. Teams that win two or three titles in one season achieve something incredible, but it is very difficult to reach the semifinals in two consecutive campaigns".

"The final will be disputed between the fifth team in the Premier League and the runners-up in the Bundesliga, and both used their reserve players this weekend, while Real Madrid and Barcelona faced each other in the most important match of the season in the Spanish league. People listened to me when I said the calendar had to be adjusted in these circumstances in Italy, and it made me happy. I don't have that power or enjoy such respect for my opinions here in Spain. We've started the most important month of the season with mid-week games and it is resulted in yesterday's and tonight's results. Bayern won and were luckier than us".

"The squad feels proud. The players know they have nothing to be sorry for. I have told them to go home to their wives and girlfriends and not hide because they have nothing to be ashamed about. I will absolutely try to win this title again with this team. I want to win with these players. It was important for the club and for us to win the Copa del Rey last season. We need six points to win the league and it would be fantastic to do so. This team has great room for improvement and so does the club. Clubs have to adapt to the times. If they believe I can continue to add to the team by staying on, and my players believe so too, then I feel I will stay".

"I feel the pressure of knowing my players are subjected to great pressure. I currently enjoy the joy of others more than my own, and the same goes during bad times. That's why this hurts. These players have worked very hard. There are four games left in the season and we have to take the six points we need like we ahve done till now: on our own. We worked hard and fought mightily. We will have had a good season if we win the league title and it will allow my men to feel they've done a good job. We will be here fighting for the Champions League again next season".

"The final will be a good match and I would like Chelsea to win, but I have great respect for Bayern Munchen. Chelsea were heroic yesterday and I know some people believe they are the lords of the game and therefore entitled to criticise Chelsea or Inter Milan's victory two years ago. I know the Blues behaved like heroes. Chelsea deserve it and Bayern are there too".

Real Madrid 2 - 1 Bayern Munchen (UCL Semifinals 2nd Leg)

Heynckes had a thousand reasons for not playing the match with Schweinsteiger in the starting lineup and 120 minutes to sit him. Former Bayern's lung spent the game looking for himself without find him, heavy and slow. Heynckes did not take the hint. The coach's paralysis was unexplained for two hours, until the fifth penalty of the most dramatic series remembered, the number 31 of the red shirt walked toward the ball decisively. Schweinsteiger. As so often happens in football, unreason made ​​sense. The best players of the match had failed (Cristiano and Kroos) and he had his chance, the last bullet in the gun, the most German of Germans. It still echoes the 'bang', the last sound before silence.

Cristiano Ronaldo dejected after losing against Bayern Munchen

If 90 minutes at the Bernabeu are too long, 120 are eternity, not to mention penalties. How was the exhaustion, how emotion, how nervousness and anxiety that before the referee called the end of the extra time, the rivals signed the tie with the boxing gloves on their hands. Boateng fell victim to cramps and peace was made. To what else killed. Among the twenty-two field players and 85,000 fans of the stands there was the absolute conviction that the die was cast and only one team would win, even if both had deserved it.

Talking about football, only football, the lineup used by Mournho was the same as in the Clasico with the exception of Marcelo, who took Coentrao's place tonight. The Whites scored the opener through a penalty taken by Cristiano Ronaldo on the 5-minute mark after Alaba cleared a Di Maria shot with a hand. Bayern did not fall back and Robben nearly scored an equaliser two minutes later, but Real tallied a second when Ronaldo dribbled past Neuer after controlling the ball outside the box (13'). The Bernabeu went wild and started to sing the Portuguese player's name.

Bayern Munchen also pulled rank and started to test Casillas, who was fantastic against Mario Gomez. Robben scored from a penalty on the 26-minute mark, therefore drawing the tie and forcing Real Madrid to score another strike, but the visiting goal was a harsh blow to the locals and the Germans tried to capitalise on this. Casillas cleared another Gomez shot soon after the goal and Benzema missed the target by inches in the 30th minute. Just before half-time, Iker again pulled off a stellar save against Robben, keeping the 2-1 score for the start of the second half.

Munchen started to have more possession, but Real Madrid proved to be more dangerous in counterattacks. Neither side had clear chances in the opening minutes of the second half until Neuer was strained to clear a Benzema shot that finished off an extraordinary personal effort (56'). The crowd started to roar in support of its team while both sides played a careful game. Kaka came on for Di Maria on the 75-minute mark and Mario Gomez nearly netted an equaliser from the penalty spot, but the local centre backs did well to avoid his chances.

The game went into extra time, which proved tough on both sides. Real Madrid had recently played a very tough game against Barcelona and were clearly strained, while Bayern Munchen had reserved eight of the men who played tonight in last weekend's Bundesliga clash. Neither side scored and a penalty shootout had to take place.

Alaba scored the first penalty (19 years), the youngest player to be 50 games in the Bundesliga, beating Schwarzenbeck. Then Messi's shot. Yes, Messi. Because Cristiano approached the Adidas Finale 12 ball with the ghost of the Argentinian player grabbed on his mind and pursuing his steps the Portuguese followed him also the leap into the void. Neuer stopped the shot.

Bayer Munchen won on the penalty shootout

Then Mario Gomez scored (2-0) to complete the Spanish paradox. A German with Spanish family had to participate in the murder of the Spanish teams, the favorites, remember. Back in the second penalty of Real Madrid, Neuer returned to the same side to stop the shot from Kaka, the final seemed certain. However, Casillas stopped the next two ( Kroos and Lahm) and Xabi Alonso turned on a light that was turned off when Sergio Ramos, a hero of an entire season, lost the ball in the crowd. It was now clear, team had to prepare for the tragedy. Said Albert Einstein (German, by the way) that God does not play dice, but nothing said about His relationship with football.

Summary

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Attendance: 85,454
Goals: 1-0, m.6: Cristiano Ronaldo (pen.); 2-0, m.14: Cristiano Ronaldo; 2-1, m.27: Robben (pen.)
Shootout: 0-1: Alaba (Goal). 0-1: Cristiano (Missed). 0-2: Mario Gómez (Goal). 0-2: Kaká (Missed). 0-2: Toni Kroos (Missed). 1-2: Xabi Alonso (Goal). 1-2: Lahm (Missed). 1-2: Ramos (Missed). 1-3: Scheweinsteiger (Goal).

Real Madrid: Enthusiasm for playing the Champions final

Mourinho said yesterday at the press conference before the game: "I look at the faces of the players and the illusion that they have to play the Champions League final is amazing. They are a young team, but with a huge illusion". Real Madrid coach summed up in these words the feeling of a dressing room in which most have never reached the final of the Champions League.

Real Madrid squad

Seven players in the starting lineup that Jose Mourinho will show tonight have never reached the final. This is the case of Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo (or Coentrao), Khedira, Ozil, Di Maria and Benzema. These seven players are facing the biggest game of their careers. At least at club level, because Ramos knows what is to play and win a World Cup final and an European Cup final.

Among the players who are on the bench, there are many newcomers in a scenario like tonight. This is the case of Adam, Varane, Sahin, Callejon, Higuain and Granero. Six players who will cheer from the bench as a fan more, who suffer and push as any of the starters.

Among the experts, in addition to Jose Mourinho who has won two European Cups, seven players have played a final, but only one with Real Madrid, Iker Casillas. Arbeloa and Alonso have played finals with Liverpool. Kaka, wearing a Milan shirt, has also played two finals, both against Liverpool and getting the title in one of them. The same thing happens to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has played two and emerged victorious in one; he won against Chelsea at 07-08 season. Carvalho, in Oporto, under orders from Mourinho, also knows what it is to win. The last player in the squad of Real Madrid who knows what is to play the final of Europe's top competition is Altintop, who played for Bayern against Mourinho's Internazinale.

The excitement among the players of Real Madrid is so great that many started a string in the social network Twitter calling for support for the match at the Bernabeu tonight. Kaka was the first with this message: "Tomorrow we play the biggest game of the year at the Bernabeu. We will give everything, but need something more". Following this call, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa and Cristiano Ronaldo exchanged messages asking for fans' support and fill the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.