Real Madrid Pre-season 2013-2014

Real Madrid has already planned the next summer pre-season, which will be very similar to that of 2012, and the United States will be again the country where the white team will spend more time. Despite not knowing who will be the coach of the white squad from June. In order to plan quickly 2013-14 campaign, the club has already closed all the details of the first team pre-season because does not want to lose time.

Real Madrid Pre-season 2013-2014

Like last summer, the United States will be the core of the pre-season  2013-2014 and Real Madrid will play four friendlies in American soil. However, as happened in 2012, the team will not visit Asia, a destination that had been customary in the white pre-seasons and where the people are unconditional fans. In 2013 they will not enjoy the Real Madrid players.

Zinedine Zidane: Ready for the new Florentino Perez's project

Zinedine Zidane is ready for the new Florentino Perez's project. The Frenchman ends next week the training course called 'General Manager of Sport Organizations', following two years preparing in Limoges and Paris. Zizou will have fulfilled one of the goals he set out to enrich his skills in the management of sports clubs, where he had specialized courses in professional sports economics, marketing and communication. In addition to his experience as an elite footballer, the former Real Madrid player wants to obtain this diploma certifying his expertise not only in football grounds but also in offices. We talked about other areas where contracts come into play with the representatives of the players and intermediaries.

Zinedine Zidane and Florentino Perez

At the conclusion of this season Zidane will think about his future. While his true vocation is to coach and gain experience from the base (he has not hidden his desire to start in a youth team), the new electoral period in the club makes him to stay in Florentino Perez's plans, in some ways. Maybe also for the benches.

Wayne Rooney on the radar of Florentino Perez

Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, may see fulfilled one of his old yearnings: the signing of Wayne Rooney to the front of the white team. The arrival of David Moyes to the bench for Manchester United's can lead to the striker's leaving for 35 million euros, because of the existing unilateral termination clause in his contract. The former Everton coach and the attacker had serious problems when the striker left the squad of the 'toffees'.

Wayne Rooney at the Bernabeu Stadium

David Moyes will be the next manager of Manchester United and Rooney will have to leave, almost certainly, the English team. The English coach and the striker have no good relationship since the player left the team that discovered him almost ten years ago, leaving Everton and his mentor for a contract with the 'Red Devils'. Rooney's departure form Everton was not amicable and ten years later, Moyes could get the revenge.

That's where the Real Madrid is interested; Florentino Perez could bring to the table the 35 million euros and take the striker, whose contract has a clause that states that for that price, Rooney can break his links with the United unilaterally. That is, a termination clause, even in England. The white club is looking for a forward and with 28 years old, Rooney appears to have turned the 'evils' that weighed into a possible move in the past.

According to Dayli Mail, apparently, Rooney is looking for a change of scenery. The newspaper, talks about an operation in which the sale of Rooney would generate sufficient income to try to address the signing of 'a Portuguese striker'. But the Real Madrid president has to be careful. It is rumored that Bayern Muinchen wants to sign the player, so if Florentino Perez decides to go for, it must be quickly.

Real Madrid 6 - 2 Malaga (Spanish League, Day 36)

Real Madrid keep winning in the Santiago Bernabeu. The Whites reached their 1000th home league win with a rout. The first half was intense and saw six goals scored, four for the home team and two for the visitors, one sending-off and a missed penalty. Albiol scored right at the start and Santa Cruz, on the quarter-hour mark, levelled the match. The captain on the night, Ronaldo, missed a penalty five minutes later but made up for it by converting an indirect free kick and making it to 200 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions. Ozil, who came off injured, made it three after a spectacular cut inside against Antunes, who went on to pull one back with a great goal himself. Benzema, in first half stoppage time, and Modric and Di Maria, in the second half, sealed the rout. Fabinho made his debut and joined in his team’s display in front of a devoted Bernabeu crowd.

Cristian Ronaldo; 200 goals for Real Madrid

Real Madrid played their penultimate home league match against Malaga and were looking to extend their excellent run of 42 matches unbeaten in the Bernabeu. The Whites did not speculate against the Champions League quarter-finalists and showed their credentials in the very first moments of the match. In fact, inside three minutes they already had their first goal on the scoreboard. Modric’s corner was met by Albiol who put the ball in the back of net with a header. Things were going well with what was the Spanish international’s first goal of the season.

Real Madrid: Disciplinary proceedings against Pepe

Pepe's words against Jose Mourinho after the las Spanish League match against Valladolid, not only upset the coach, but were not well received within the Real Madrid. According to Marca newspaper, the white club will study whether the statements of the Portuguese central defender violate the internal regulations and may be grounds for disciplinary action. In the offices of the Bernabeu Stadium, Pepe's words caused a significant annoyance. "We have the Spanish Cup Final just around the corner and we can not create in these two weeks a war of words between the coach and players," some say in the board of the Real Madrid.

Pepe

In the locker room of Real Madrid, always with exceptions, Pepe statements have not liked too much, especially when the Portuguese player has remained firmly aligned with Mourinho when other players have faced the coach this season.

Yesterday, Mourinho said Pepe's words were the result of frustration felt by the player after losing the starting lineup place with Varane and go from a permanent place on the eleven to be part of the substitutes on the bench. "It is not easy for a 31 year old man being hit by a boy of 19," said yesterday at a press conference the Portuguese coach.

Mourinho also announced in the morning that the Real Madrid defense against Malaga would be formed by Nacho, Varane, Albiol and Coentrao, confirming the yesterday's news about the substitution of Pepe after his explosive statements. But the Portuguese coach was a step further in the afternoon and left the center defender out of the squad, a decision that could be permanent now and till the end of the season. His place on the bench will be taken tonight by Carvalho.

Also, is possible that the name of Pepe is on the transfer list that Real Madrid manages, trying to earn 100 million euros in transfers next summer. So, with his words on Saturday, the Portuguese defender may have put the last nail in his coffin.

Zinedine Zidane: Carlo Ancelotti's assistant?

The coach Carlo Ancelotti is the best placed to replace Jose Mourinho in Real Madrid, if the Portuguese finally makes real his departure to Chelsea. The Italian coach has maintained contact with Florentino Perez thanks to the agent Ernesto Bronzetti, a confidant of the white president.

Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti (Juventus)

Besides, according to reports in Spanish media, the president has an ace up his sleeve that would enrich the criticized bet on the current coach of PSG (do not forget that on surveys made to Real Madrid fans, Ancelotti is the candidate that is worse off). Florentino Perez has chosen Zinedine Zidane to become Ancelotti's assistant. That would brighten this bet because Zidane is beloved by white fans. He is remembered for being, along with Casillas, the hero of the Ninth (last Champions League Real Madrid has won). Also for giving away 12 million euros retiring a year before finishing his contract with Real Madrid (2006) and finally for recommending the signing of Raphael Varane for a bargain-price (10 million euros).

The binomial Carlo Ancelotti - Zinedine Zidane is not new and that would help to a good start on the same team. They both met between 1999 and 2001 in Juventus, right in the two seasons prior to the signing of the French star by Real Madrid for 75 million euros.

Zinedine Zidane is a Florentino's henchman so in 2011 he was appointed Football Director of the First Team. But he never had a strong relationship with Mourinho and marriage only lasted one season. Mourinho spoke at that time about the relationship: "With us, Zizou really had no defined role. Sporting Director, Advisor to the President, the link between the first team and youth squads..." Since then Zidane studies to finish the coaching course and achieve the necessary license to work on the benches. He may be the 'shield' to save the unpopular Ancelotti's candidacy.

Moreover, we can not rule out that also Claude Makelele may join this team. Makelele is now assisting the Italian coach in the technical tasks. The Congolese has not a good relationship with the president after his hasty departure from the club, but now might be willing to come back a decade later. If so, two players who got the 'Ninth' will meet again in the same locker room to try to fight for the 'Tenth'.

Mourinho's future (4): Mourinho is getting closer to Chelsea

Although some British newspapers insist that Mourinho has everything agreed with Chelsea, the issue is not closed at all. Advanced, yes, but not closed. This explains, for example, the Mourinho's press conference after the elimination in the semifinals of Champions League when the Portuguese coach said there was a possibility of leaving Real Madrid: "I know that some England clubs want me, especially one," he said. Some people from Chelsea insist that there is nothing signed yet and that his words should be understood in the context of his dream (coaching in English football) and as a way of pressuring Roman Abramovich. If he would had all already agreed, why talk that way? Why re-emphasize the requited love that comes from London?

Jose Mourinho

The Russian tycoon surely knows what Petr Cech said recently at Radio Montecarlo:"It will be a great pleasure to work with him (Mourinho)" and the interested statements of Peter Kenyon, a partner of agent Jorge Mendes and former executive director of Chelsea: "Guardiola was a candidate, that's for sure, but you can not have him. Manuel Pellegrini may be listed, but if I had to choose between Pellegrini and Jose, I will always choose Jose."

The Real Madrid players and some board members believe, for at least two months ago, Mourinho has an agreement with Chelsea. But there are still things to fix. Roman Abramovich will not give him the reins of the signings: there are still at the club players with huge salaries (Mourinho's time) and others had to be undersold because they showed their shortcomings when, and without the Portuguese on the bench, were asked to play a more offensive football. Roman Abramovich wants to keep the structure of the club with a sporting director and for now, Mourinho would accept that condition. Moreover, as explained by the Sunday Times, Lampard would want to stay at the club, but the owner does not want to renew him and Mourinho will not object. Although Mourinho still consider PSG as a viable alternative, his desire is to go to London where his daughter is studying at an art school and where his son wants to continue his education. In fact, he will not even ask the condition that the team qualifies for the Champions League.

On the other hand, Jose Mourinho is giving clues about his future in the short term. If after the elimination of the Champions League began to talk of Real Madrid in the past, yesterday he staged a new chapter that shows he has virtually made ​​the bags. A Spanish television program revealed that the Portuguese coach was at an IKEA center and spent 200 euros in packing boxes and duct tape. An anecdote that may indicate that Mourinho is starting to prepare his move although the white team has to play the Spanish Cup Final and while the club tries to close the signing of a substitute.

Real Madrid 4 - 3 Valladolid (Spanish League, Day 34)

Real Madrid once again had to come from behind at home. Oscar put the visiting side ahead in the eighth minute and in the twenty-sixth minute the match changed completely. All of a sudden the match began to flow and in just six minutes the Whites were ahead on the scoreboard. Di Maria equalised the match with a shot that deflected off Marc Valiente and Cristiano Ronaldo, with a header, put his team ahead in the thirty-second minute. Three minutes later Javi Guerra equalised for the visitors. Despite a Benzema goal being disallowed for offside and Cristiano Ronaldo hitting the crossbar from a free kick in the last ten minutes of the first half, Real Madrid’s seventh consecutive victory at the Bernabeu was sealed in the second half. Kaka, five minutes alter the restart, and Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring his second goal with a header from a free kick with twenty minutes of the match left, completed the victory, despite Sastre scoring the visiting team’s third goal in the eighty-seventh minute.

Kaka returned to the goal

Real Madrid entered the match against Valladolid with a desire to achieve their seventh consecutive victory at home. The start of the match made their objective look difficult. In fact, with eight minutes of the match having passed, and with their first shot on goal, the visitors were already ahead on the scoreboard. Oscar stole the ball and beat Diego Lopez in a one-on-one. The crowd were not made to wait long for the home team’s reaction. They pressed further up the pitch and in five minutes had two clear opportunities to equalise. Di Maria, with a volley in the ninth minute, and Modric, with a crossed shot in the twelfth minute both attempted to bring the Whites level.