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9.08.2012

Mourinho was watching Modric in Zagreb

Jose Mourinho came to Zagreb on Friday on the occasion of the match between Croatia and Macedonia. Real Madrid coach asked the Croatian Federation a seat to Maksimir Stadium VIP area, from where he observed the performance of his new disciple, Luka Modric, accompanied by an old acquaintance of the Real Madrid fans, Pedja Mijatovic.

Pedja Mijatovic and Jose Mourinho watching a Cratia match
Pedja Mijatovic and Jose Mourinho

Mourinho's visit to Zagreb, where he was to watch the Croatia-Macedonia, became an event in the city. Several local media waited for him at the airport Zracna, where the Portuguese coach arrived by private jet accompanied by his personal bodyguard. At 1:00 pm he already was in the Croatian team hotel. At that time, the players were eating. But when Mourinho entered the room everything stopped. He waved one by one the players, while Modric was watching the scene with a flushed baby face. Finally, the coach Stimac kindly invited him to sit at his table for lunch (a couple of meters from where the players ate).

Mourinho thanked the words of Stimac in an interview for the Spanish media -"Mourinho is an example that others should follow"- he said, and for making strength to do the Modric's transfer -"Levy just want to be famous"-, Stimac commented. Their relationship is good. The Portuguese coach asked Stimac only one thing: To call Modric to play the maximum possible number of minutes to reach a good pace for Real Madrid.

In the afternoon, Mourinho met Suker. The former Real Madrid forward and current president of the Croatian Football federation thanked the visit of the coach, because it was a great advertising for the Croatian Federation as he reported. Finally Mourinho watched the game with Mijatovic. The hero of the Seventh European Cup was vital in the negotiations of the Modric's transfer and he was who made the first contact between the coach and player (from then Modric calmed down and held tough in his stance).

9.07.2012

Real Madrid: In the way of the Financial Fair Play

For four seasons Real Madrid did not close the balance of the sale of players in summer positively. After 348.5 million euros accumulated deficit in transfers of players from season 2008-09, the white club closes the sales and signings this summer with a surplus of 10 million euros (also had an income by Javi Garcia's move from Benfica to Manchester City, 3 million by the solidarity mechanism).

Esteban Granero playing for QPR

"This summer market period has been an example for society, showing respect for the economic and social state of Europe, spending less than we have earned and doing two fantastic operations, Lass and Granero" said Mourinho.

The manager of Real Madrid is implementing what will be a requirement from the 2014-15 season, the 'Financial Fair Play', because UEFA will ban participation in continental competitions to those teams that spend more than they earn. By the way, the white club fits the picture of the economic situation in Spain by implementing the axiom that today all the politicians have in the mouth: "Do not spend more than what is entered".

Real Madrid do not get this achievement since 2008, although the balance sheet of that season ended in losses. That summer seemed likely to lead to a comfortable surplus thanks to sales of 65 million euros: Robinho (42), Baptista (10), Soldado (6), Balboa (4) and Granero (3). The summer signings 'only' cost 33.7 million euros: Van der Vaart (15), Garay (10), De la Red (4.7) and Javi Garcia (4). The profit of 31.3 million euros was eliminated in the winter market with the signings of Huntelaar (27) and Lass (20).

Thus, taking into account full seasons, Real Madrid has got profit with the transfer of players only in two seasons in the last quarter century. In the 03-04 white team only undertook the signing of Beckham, which was offset by sales of Makelele, Geremi and Valdo. In the 98-99 season, in which the sales of Zé Roberto and Amavisca left a small profit of 2 million euros. Real Madrid have the opportunity this season to get a positive balance of transfers if does not buy in the winter market (or spends less than 10 million).

Historically Real Madrid buys much more expensive than it sells. In few cases the team achieves gains with subsequent sales of players: Robinho (24 million payment and 40 million incoming) or Michael Owen (12-24). Some like Figo came from Barcelona for 60 million euros, but Schuster, for example, landed free from the Camp Nou. Others like Zidane (72) and Cristiano Ronaldo (96) do not seem expensive to the performance provided. However, despite the high prices of the signings, Real Madrid enjoys a good financial health. In 2011 had a net debt of 170 million euros, equivalent to a value of 1.1 Debt / Profits (before taxes), which places the white team in the first rank of solvency.

9.06.2012

Mourinho. "Real Madrid has a unique historical capital"

Jose Mourinho during an interview
Jose Mourinho

How can clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona, whose ownership is shared between thousands of partners, fight against the thrust of the teams sponsored by Russian or Arab millionaires willing to put money without limit? Can they keep their stars?
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern ... are clubs that have a capital that is unique, that is their historic capital. And this can not be bought with money. The titles, European Cups, the trajectory, the history, the fans ... These things can not be solved with money. And the best players will want to be on these teams, these three I mentioned and a few others that have the cabinets full of trophies almost centenarians. It still plays a role in the players. Then you have to be aware that the Financial Fair Play is coming soon. And Platini will impose restrictions and difficulties will be for clubs that are not well structured, even with the box full of money. Logically, the level of Real Madrid, which is my club and I know, the structures are ready for this. Real Madrid has potential and history to keep the best players like Cristiano, Casillas, Benzema, Higuain. Well, all of our staff. But clubs that live exclusively on investment from its owners will not have it so easy, because they will find difficulties to be structured. So the Financial Fair Play will work for the good at football.

9.05.2012

Cristiano Ronaldo and Mourinho: A strong relationship

Cristiano Ronaldo's case has been under control from minute one. At no time alarms have jumped at Real Madrid or anything similar, but have taken a series of measures to try to decipher the enigmatic statements the player made after the match against Granada. His words have not fallen on deaf ears.

Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo during a workout
Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo

Has been under control since Sunday night, when the president and the coach were informed of the outbreak of the player. Mourinho took the reins. He undertook to get to know what is the real problem that affects their star about what Florentino Perez was informed last Saturday.

Mourinho did not miss even one day, few hours, to phone to Cristiano Ronaldo and have a direct and honest conversation. It was Monday when manager and coach of Real Madrid decided to dial the number of Cristiano, the day in which the player was traveling to Lisbon to join the Portuguese national team.

The conversation between them was fruitful and fluid, and developed in these terms. "You're a major player here. Yes or yes. Do not have doubts. You have to understand it. You are much appreciated and you have to feel loved. You have our affection and we will help you in whatever you need. We'll talk more when you come. You have to to understand that we are here to listen and help you. Recover well and going", Mourinho told him.

Cristiano Ronaldo thanked the words of his coach and felt relief. The player has sometimes described Mourinho as a father, and made it clear that this incident will not affect his performance or his relationship with the rest of players. He also understood that he had to correct or do something. Both will have a meeting in Madrid, when the player returns from his national team. It will be time to find the normality and recover the smile and happiness that Cristiano had last season.

This is now one of the goals of Mourinho. On Monday reacted quickly and has already begun to lay the foundations for the recovery of his star. Yesterday paid off with the statement of the player. The coach has experience in this kind of case. He has already been through situations like this in previous teams. But Cristiano Ronaldo is not only a player. He is special because is ambitious and perfectionist. Cristiano sometimes lives with the obsession of being number one. And Mourinho knows that. The coach is the person who can help and understand the player. Their relationship goes beyond professional. They are friends. They speak the same language, linguistic and in the football world.

Iker Casillas and Xavi: Prince of Asturias award

The joint candidature made up of Iker Casillas and Xavi Hernandez was one of two finalists for the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport that has been decided today in Oviedo.

Iker Casillas and Xavi: Prince of Asturias award

This award honours the athlete or institution that has set an example throughout their whole career or history. The joint bid of Casillas and Xavi was presented by FIFA president Joseph Blatter. The two Spain players went up against the International Paralympic Committee for the 2012 award. The jury, chaired by former tennis player Arantxa Sánchez Vicario announced this year’s winner at the Hotel de la Reconquista in Oviedo.

The award will be presented at the Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo on Friday 26 October. Casillas and Xavi will again step on the blue carpet just two years later. A circumstance unprecedented in the history of the award. Already in 2010 the captains of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona were protagonists, with Vicente Del Bosque, when the Spanish National Team was awarded after being champions of the Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland and achieve the World Cup 2010.

Iker Casillas and Xavi Fernandez, friends and rivals since childhood, have an enviable track record having won all the possible titles. In addition, the captains of Real and Barca were key to redirect the strained relations between players of both clubs after the storm of Classics two years ago.

9.04.2012

Cristiano Ronaldo: Press statement

Cristiano Ronaldo has wanted to step out of all the speculation out there about his sadness with a statement through various social networks: "That I am feeling sad and have expressed this sadness has created a huge stir. I am accused of wanting more money, but one day it will be shown that this is not the case. At this point, I just want to guarantee to the Real Madrid fans that my motivation, dedication, commitment and desire to win all competitions will not be affected. I have too much respect for myself and for Real Madrid to ever give less to the club than all I am capable of. Abrazos to all madridistas". With these statements the Portuguese star wanted to reassure all Real Madrid fans assuring them that his involvement will be the same.

Cristiano Ronaldo training with Portugal

Yesterday Cristiano did not leave the Portugal team hotel throughout the day and the player made gym work to recover his left leg injury. The commotion that has been formed after his statements on Sunday have also caused that the hotel became a bunker unavailable to the press with police, plainclothes officers and private security guards watching.

It seems Cristiano Ronaldo will return to train with the group tomorrow and Friday will be available for Paulo Bento. Portugal will face Luxembourg in a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cristiano Ronaldo's case: Florentino Perez

Cristiano Ronaldo is not the first 'patient' sitting on the couch of Florentino Perez. The Madeira footballer went through the office of president to tell him his troubles and to ask for help to overcome the existential crisis being experienced by the world's most expensive footballer. The Cristiano Ronaldo's case is not the first problem for Florentino Perez, who has experience in similar situations. Before, the couch was used by another galactic players as Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham or Ronaldo Nazario da Lima. In his first stage as president, Florentino Perez devised a project absolutely presidential, during which he established close relations with his galactic footballers signed to hit book.

Florentino Perez and Cristiano Ronaldo
Florentino Perez and Cristiano Ronaldo

The first crack in receiving his therapy was Zidane. In those days, the French heard the wind sound (whistles) at the Bernabeu every time he touched the ball and was looking for reasons for his failure to adapt in his first months as White player. One of those reasons took him to Florentino Perez to mediate his relationship with Luis Figo. Problems were at professional level (as CR7 has said): the French argued that the Portuguese did not want to pass him the ball.

Another galactic that regularly called the door of presidential consultation was Beckham. The Englishman resorted to Florentino to let him traveling to spend a time with his family, over coaches commands. One day, the coach Carlos Queiroz did not found Beckham in the locker room. The player had gone skiing to St. Moritz with the permission of the club. You can imagine the coach's face.

Ronaldo Nazario deserves a chapter apart. Since his arrival, the Brazilian became the darling of Florentino Perez (was one of his groomsmen wedding in Paris with Cicarelli) to the point of granting him many of his whims, that led the galactic project to self-destruction: "I have confused them. I have acted like parents that provide the best for the children and make them blend. I'm the one to blame", said the president the day of his resignation.

Last season, Florentino Perez returned to act as a mediator between the squad and the coaching staff. There was a lot of tension in the locker room and the president did his best to remedy the situation. For his office then passed Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo to bridge differences that they could have and get the league title.

Cristiano Ronaldo's case: Story at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo likes to announce publicly his feelings, occasionally. He stood in the press-zone after being eliminated by Germany in the Euro 2008 to insist that he was a footballer ambitious, that he had a dream since childhood and that nobody was going to stop him until fulfill. He was putting the cards on the table and pushing for Manchester United let him go to Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Manchester United 

He did not go that summer, but the next, but not before remembering that he was not happy in Manchester, after the Champions League final with Barcelona, by which time a year ago he had closed the deal with Real Madrid.

Public displays of mood have been part of his strategy on his journey under the commands of Sir Alex Ferguson when the goal was to renew his contract. Something thet he got frequently. The Portuguese renewed five times during the six seasons he was in Manchester. As usual, for each of the negotiations the press was filled with constant rumors about his future. There was talk of Valencia in 2006, Real Madrid on numerous occasions, Barcelona, Inter, AC Milan, Bayern Munich.

Cristiano Ronaldo himself offered to the big European clubs. In 2006 he openly mentioned his interest in joining the Villar Mir project's bid and land at the Bernabeu if he won the election for president of Real Madrid. A few weeks later, after a clever use of the external pressure, the player signed a new contract with Manchester United.

Cristiano Ronaldo's case: The money

Year after year, Cristiano Ronaldo is at the podium in all kinds of indiviual trophies. Best player, top scorer... However, if you take a look at the list of the highest paid players in the world, his name is not on the 'top 3' that would correspond him. You have to look down to find him. And this is one of the reasons for the anger of the Portuguese, who wants that the economic recognition matches the sporty.

Cristiano Ronaldo

In the list of highest paid players there are exceptional cases, as Samuel Eto'o (Anzhi) or Didier Drogba (Shanghai). However, in less exotic places, are also players who receive a salary higher than Cristiano Ronaldo's, as Ibrahimovic, Rooney or Messi. These cases make that the white forward sits undervalued economically at Real Madrid so Cristiano thinks he deserves charging more.

At the top of the list, Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o left Inter and climbed the mountain of gold Suleyman Kerimov offered him to sign for the Russian Anzhi. 20 million euros a year, insuring the highest paid position player in the world, a privileged peak is not threatened at the moment, by any other player.

After Eto'o, Ibrahimovic in the second place. The Swede, who curiously exchanged team with Eto'o in the summer of 2009, has joined this season to the PSG pharaonic project. The money of Sheikh Nasser al-Khelaifi was crucial to convince Ibra to make the jump to French football. Surrounded by stars like Thiago Silva or Pastore, Zlatan is the sun around which revolves Ancelotti's team. His salary reinforces that heliocentric position in the template. The former Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona or Milan player earns 14.5 million euros for each of the seasons to play on the banks of the Seine river.

Closes the 'top 3' an old friend of Cristiano Ronaldo, his former teammate at Manchester United, Wayne Rooney. The bad boy of English football last season was angry with his club, went on to say that he wanted to go and three days later he signed a new contract with the Red Devils at the rate of 13.8 million euros per year.

And you have to move further from the first places to see Cristiano Ronaldo. Ahead of him are the Manchester City players paid by the petro-dollars, with Yaya Toure and Aguero as exponents of economic waste of Sheikh. The Ivorian takes 13 million euros a year, and the Argentinian has 12.5 in his pockets at the end of each season. They sit in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Drogba (12 million euros) and Dario Conca (10.6), sixth and seventh in the list of the highest paid, have found a haven in China. Money attracts players to a league that wants to grow. Torres also outperforms CR7. The 'Kid' got a big contract with a move to Chelsea and earns 10.8 million euros each season. And just ahead of Real Madrid player, his great rival, Leo Messi. The Barcelona player narrowly exceeds, with his 10.5 millions, the 10 millions charged by the Portuguese. Although Messi seems happy with his salary.

9.03.2012

Kaka: "I didn’t leave because no offers were made"

Ricardo Kaka told Brazilian newspaper 'Globoesporte' that he had not received any offers from PSG or AC Milan, but only interest from a Chinese team and therefore decided to remain at Real Madrid: "I don’t want to be a burden on the club. I didn’t leave because no offers were made".

Ricardo Kaka

The Brazilian midfielder also said he is now looking to win over coach Jose Mourinho: “I don’t expect to go straight back into the team. I just want to be among the players pushing for a place. I feel like I’m starting all over again at 30, after having won everything. I ask myself: Wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere else, where I can play more? The answer is "yes" and I’m still open to this".

When asked about his relationship with José Mourinho, the player said: "We have a professional relationship and mutual respect for each other. It comes down to the fact that he has more faith in other players, which is why they are picked ahead of me".

Kaká seems resigned to his new situation: "I arrive and train before the others, in a double session. I’m training more than ever now that I’m not playing. I’m training more than the others to try to force my way back into the picture. I’m not working hard to get back into the team like before, but just to be among those considered to play".

Finally talked about his injuries and how they have changed the way he plays: "Before the knee injury, I had my features. Now I can not do what I could do before I had the surgery, and I turned another player. I'm fighting every day to be back a decisive player, that I ever was. Gradually, the fans were losing hope in me, but I did not lose. physically I'm fine. My last injury was in October last year."

Cristiano Ronaldo: "I'm sad. I'm not happy"

Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of Real Madrid triumph against Granada thanks to two goals, and now has 150 goals in 149 games. The Portuguese spoke about his stats after the match, the league and said something worrying about his future.

Cristiano Ronaldo talking with the press after the Granada match
Cristiano Ronaldo after the match against Granada

The Real Madrid striker was substituted because of a knock that he took in the second half and clarified what the injury was: "The thigh is okay. I got kicked and I have a bruise. Let's see if I recover in the next few days to play with Portugal". Then he commented the match and the difficult situation of the teamn in the league: "I am very happy about my scoring form. But the most important thing is the team, Real Madrid. We wanted to get a win and the league starts for us today". But when was asked about his goal celebrations (he showed himself sad), the Portuguese said: "I am sad. That's the only reason. I'm not happy. People at the club know why. I don’t want to talk more about that".

The story goes like this. Cristiano Ronaldo met Saturday with Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez, president and general manager respectively. During the meeting, the forward confessed the president he does not feel "beloved" at Real Madrid. During the meeting, the player did not explain the reasons for his discomfort, although the club handles several hypotheses. Yesterday, Cristiano talked after the comfortable win for Real Madrid against Granada, when he scored two goals, his first goals in the league. The Portuguese said he was sad and that people in the club knew why. Indeed, this is from Saturday's meeting with Florentino and Jose Angel Sanchez.

9.02.2012

Real Madrid 3 - 0 Granada (Spanish League, Day 3)

Real Madrid arrive at the international break with what they needed to do done. The Whites secured their second consecutive win against Granada and capped off a week in which they lifted the first title of the season. Cristiano Ronaldo, with a brace that takes him to 150 goals in competitive matches as Real Madrid player, and Higuain, equalling the Portuguese as the Whites’ top scorer this campaign, saw off a team that barely troubled Casillas. The Whites are back in the arena again in 13 days at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Cristiano Ronlado fight with a Granda defender
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first brace of the season

Real Madrid, with their new status as Spanish Super Cup champions, put on a show against Granada. They did so with Modric, who made his debut four days ago, in the starting line-up. Benzema and Callejon were the two other changes to the team following the match against Barcelona. The Whites went out to dominate, take the initiative and make it clear they did not want to wait for victory to come to them. Guided by a masterful Xabi Alonso and the intelligence of the Croatian to get between the lines, Real Madrid had an early chance to open the scoring. It was the first reinforcement of the season who created the opportunity with the outside of his foot, one of his specialties, passed to Callejon. The academy player could not beat Toño in the one-on-one in the 4th minutes.

Ronaldo took over the baton from Callejon and had two consecutive chances in front of goal. It was just a warning of what was to come. In fact, the first goal of the match was the result of a partnership between the two. The Portuguese ran off of the academy player in the area and used his pass to get off a surprise shot from a tight angle that clipped Íñigo López and ended up going through the legs of Toño on the 26th minute. The sixth goal for the Portuguese, and later what would be his seventh, against the visiting keeper in team from Alicante’s last three visits to the Bernabeu. Benzema, with two assists from Marcelo, had the chance to increase the lead, but both chances, in the 32nd and 44th minutes, were off target. The Whites had one more opportunity before the break, but the shot from Ronaldo, who was looking for his second, was saved by Toño.

Di Maria came on for Callejon after the break and started the move that ended in the home team’s second on the 53rd minute. A pass with the outside of the foot from the Argentine set Ronaldo clear score his first brace of the season and score his 150th goal as a Real Madrid player. The Portuguese needed two attempts to do so after a great stop from Toño from his first shot. Three minutes later, and before being replaced by Özil, Modric had the chance to score his first goal as a Whites’ player, but his 56th minute shot missed the target by a few inches.

Real Madrid had the advantage on the scoreboard and, with half an hour until the end of the match, and a numerical advantage following the sending-off of Borja Gomez for two yellow card offences (14th and 60th). The foul that resulted in the second caution left Cristiano Ronaldo lying on the ground. The Portuguese, clearly in pain, left the field to applause five minutes later. For good reason. Two goals and his role in the move that led to the sending-off of Granada’s player signed off a good match for the Portuguese. His replacement was Gonzalo Higuain and the Argentine needed just 11 minutes to show his exceptional form. A perfectly weighted pass from Benzema lead to 'Pipita' putting the ball in the back of the net in an empty goal in the 76th minute. The Real Madrid player's fourth goal, which brings him equal with Cristiano Ronaldo as the team’s top scorer this season, and rounds off a week in which the Whites have two consecutive wins and won the first title of the season.

Summary

Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Attendance: 72,000
Goals: 1-0, m.26: Cristiano Ronaldo. 2-0, m.53: Cristiano Ronaldo. 3-0, m.76: Higuain.

Preview: Real Madrid vs Granada (Spanish League, Day 3)

Real Madrid are back in league action after an intense start to the season which has seen them lift the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona. In this third league fixture, and the fifth for the team in barely three weeks, the Whites face Granada today at the Santiago Bernabeu (7:50 pm, -CET-) aiming to record their first league victory against an opponent which has the same points tally as the Whites and whose record against Real Madrid does not give much cause for optimism as Madrid have won 15 of the 18 games played against Granada at home. The last win was recorded last season in the Andalusians’ return to the top flight in a match which saw Mourinho’s team run out 5-1 winners. Michael Essien, the second and final Real Madrid signing of this season, has been included in the squad, alongside the other new face of the team, Luka Modric, who made his debut in the return leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

Real Madrid defeated Granada last year (4-2)

Real Madrid go into this match on the third match day of the league against Granada with the confidence taken from lifting their first trophy of the season. The Whites have hosted today’s opponents in the league on 18 occasions and the head-to-head is very favourable for the Whites: 15 wins, 2 draws and only 1 loss, with 57 goals for and 17 against. The overall head-to-head between both clubs in the league also favours Real Madrid, who have amassed 23 wins, 8 draws and 5 losses.

Real Madrid’s manager has named a 20-man squad for the meeting against Granada. The newest member to the list is the most recent signing of the Whites, Michael Essien. Jose Mourinho will have Real Madrid’s new acquisition available for the match, taking his place in the squad alongside Luka Modric, who made a very good impression as he got some minutes under his belt on debut against Barcelona in the return leg of the Supercopa. Higuain is another squad member on sparkling form; he has scored three goals in the three games that he has started.

Granada come to the Santiago Bernabeu for this third league fixture in 16th place in the table after collecting just a point from the previous two match days. In their opening fixture, they lost by the slightest of margins (0-1) in added time away to another team based in Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, while in the second game, they drew 1-1 at home against Sevilla.

The Andalusian outfit have come into the 2012/2013 season with a lot of new faces, including their new manager Juan Antonio Anquela who arrived from Alcorcon. The nucleus of the squad has been kept together from last campaign and players such as El-Arabi, Floro Flores, Iriney, Juanma Ortiz, Torje and Toño have been added.

Expected Starting Lineups:

Real Madrid: Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Khedira, Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo, Özil, Higuian.
Granada: Toño, Nyom, Iñigo Lopez, Borja, Siqueira, Iriney, Miquel Rico, Jaime, Orellana, El-Arabi, Floro Flores.

Fly Emirates: Sponsorship on the Real Madrid shirt from 2013

Bwin became official sponsor of Real Madrid in 2007 replacing Benq Siemens. The Austrian betting company signed an initial agreement for three years at 15 million euros net per season. The white club and Bwin renewed this partnership through 2013 with an improvement: 20 million euros per season.

This sponsorship so juicy has been under problems last months by the complaint filed by the Spanish company Codere against the current Real Madrid sponsor, because Codere thinks Bwin was exercising unfair competition in promotions in Spain, because its headquarters is in Gibraltar what relieved them of having to submit to legislative controls. With the new Gambling Act in Spain (2012), the online bookmakers are subject to tax and therefore their benefits and the different sponsorships were in danger. A situation that Real Madrid saw to come from July last year, when signed with Fly Emirates a sponsorship as official airline (is the largest airline of the United Arab Emirates: a fleet of over 140 airplanes and has an average of 2,400 flights per week).

The head of the company in Spain, Fernando Suarez de Góngora, said last year: "I would like to see Fly Emirates on the shirt of Real Madrid. I hope it happens soon". The deal is already agreed for 2013-14. The sponsorship will have a duration of five years, 22 million euros tax free per year. With this increase Real Madrid will become the third highest-paid team in Europe (Man. United -AOL- receives 33 millions, and Barcelona -Qatar Foundation- has an income of 30). Real Madrid wll share sponsor with Arsenal, Milan, Paris Saint Germain, Hamburg, Olympiakos and Raja Club. Now, Fly Emirates want to implement their model with the Gunners. It is the main sponsor of the London club and the construction of their new stadium was financed by 75% (115 million euros) by the airline. They have offered Real Madird about 53 million a year to change the name of the stadium to 'Fly Emirates Santiago Bernabeu'. In the club, despite the tempting financial offer, have rejected the idea because for the the fans the Santiago Bernabeu is more than a football field. A Sanctuary and a symbol.

Fly Emirates: Sponsorship on the Real Madrid jersey from 2013