PSG launches offensive to recruit Kaka

Ricardo Kaka playing for Real Madrid

Everyone already knows that Higuain is the basis of the new project of the Paris Saint-Germain for next season. The Qatari leaders of the Parisian club will fight hard for the forward but they know that Real Madrid is not going to help and they will have the competition from Juventus and the "game" of the father with the two sides. But before resolving the 'drama' of the summer, they want to close a transaction very important to them: the signing of Ricardo Kaka.

In Paris some think that nothing will prevent the Brazilian player can wear the French club shirt and they will do everything possible for that to happen very quickly. They know that Real Madrid is not going to retain him and that nobody in Europe is willing, like them, to ensure a payroll close to that currently the player earns in Spain. French media talk about eight million euros a year compared to ten he gets now. Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of PSG, has spoken several times with the player and President Nasser Al-Khelaifi traveled to Madrid to finish convincing him. Negotiations are in the final stage and French club hopes to announce soon the signing.

To get a Golden Ball player, although he is not in his best condition, would be for the PSG the signal that the project is very serious and could result in pulling power to facilitate the arrival in Paris of other world stars. French Club managers know that if Real Madrid decides to transfer him, Kaka would only agree to return to Brazil or go to PSG. We will see.

Cristiano Ronaldo: "I think I am better than Messi"

The Portuguese player gave two interviews on CNN and Sky Sports. He reviewed the season and his rivalry with Messi and Barcelona. This is an extract from both interviews.

Cristiano Ronaldo

What has been your best moment of the season?
Winning the title with Real Madrid. This is the first time I have won the league and I was very happy because it was my best time here in Madrid, the most important trophy. In individual terms, the year was good for me, for the goals I scored, breaking my previous record. And for the team to make 100 points in the league is another record. It was outstanding. I think it will be difficult to make a better season than this. For me, this is the hardest league in the world. Competing with Barcelona, as everyone knows, is very complicated and we have achieved a nine points gap at the end. It was an incredible year.

People always say that Barcelona play the best football in the world. Do you think that Real Madrid played better than them?
The points speak for themselves, nine points have separated Real Madrid and Barcelona. Many here in Spain. We played better than them this year, I am sure. I remember we won there last month 1-2. Nobody can do that, it is very difficult, so we deserve to win the league. We are better than them right now, but we respect them because they are also a great team.

Tell me about Mourinho as a person and as a manager.
As a person, is a humble and simple. He jokes all the time. He is good. As a coach, is completely different. He is serious and very professional. That's why he won the titles he has won. For me is the best, not only because I work with him, but for what he does: the tactics, all about the players, motivation. He has won in all countries where he was. I think he is great. The best coach in the world manages me and I am surrounded by great players.

Do you see yourself finishing your career in Madrid?
I am very happy here, this is a fantastic club with the best fans, but nobody knows the future. I feel happy, but who knows in a year or two. The head of a man is complicated, but for now I am happy.

Are you tired with the comparision with Messi all the time?
Sometimes I feel tired. For him also because people compare us all the time. You can not compare a Ferrari to a Porsche because the engine is different. They can not be compared. He does his best for Barcelona and I do my best for Real Madrid. People talk about the numbers and they all say they are amazing. They talk about him and me because we beat our records. It's amazing. I think we pushed ourselves in competition. It is for this reason that the level of the Spanish League is so high. That's why Madrid and Barcelona are the two best teams in the world, because one requires the other.

Were you better than him this season?
It is not about who did it better. I hate to be compared with anyone. Some people say I am better, others say he is, but at the end of the year people will decide who is the best right now. And I think it's me (laughs).

What team do you think will win the Champions League?
It is difficult. Maybe people think that Bayern will win easy. I think not. Do not forget that Chelsea knocked Barcelona, which is very, very difficult. It will be an interesting match.

Do you feel sorry for the penalty you missed against Bayern?
It is always difficult when you lose something, when you lose on penalties. But I am not worried about that because if I had not scored twice there had been no penalties. I have to appreciate what I did in the Champions League and what I did for the club. But to be honest, it was one of the worst days in my career.

Mourinho's top three players of the 2011-2012 season

Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Sergio Ramos. For Mourinho, they are the top three players have finished the season in best form. And in this line the manager and coach of Real Madrid wants to continue with reinforcements. Footballers who do not lose power to endure eight months to a high pace and playing every game at full intensity.

When the Portuguese coach was asked last Saturday at the press conference before playing against Mallorca, in which appeared with his sporty family (Rui Faria, Karanka, Silvino Louro and Morais), his evaluation of the season, his response after stopping to think a few seconds, was: "9". He then was asked by the players and said: "10 to some". That 'some' was emphasized or underlined in his intonation to make clear that, despite being a positive season, not everything has gone well.

The level of demand required for Mourinho to all players is fundamental to win titles and only thus can be explained that this Real Madrid has managed to win the league with 100 points and breaking records as the 32 victories in the championship or the 121 goals. It's time to give a scientific explanation and for that, Mourinho and his team are evaluating the real and objetive figures of each player. Are the notes of the season. There are some players who have held up better than others the highly competitive effort it takes to be champion.

Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo

The top three players in the squad are Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Sergio Ramos. They are the field players have played more minutes and have suffered less wear. Their capacity to resist has led them to achieve the 10 note for Mourinho. The explanation lies in their physical and in the disciplined daily work that has been done since the start of pre-season in July until the present day. They have not been neglected. They have undergone a comprehensive fitness plan, specific work in the gym, diet and rest, which has made them overcome any downturn and injury.

Cristiano Ronaldo has played 53 games in all competitions, with a total of 4,910 minutes. Is estimated he has surpassed the barrier of 500 kilometers, calculating a minimum average of 10 kilometers per game. His figures are almost similar to last season. He played 55 games, with 5,090 minutes.

Pepe is a player who has improved a lot. This season has overcome the numbers in games played: 45 by 32 of the past season. But what is celebrated is that he has not suffered the injuries of past years. He has taken a qualitative leap in their physical condition.

Just as Sergio Ramos, a physical prodigy with an insatiable mindset to compete and play even though this season has played with back problems. He has played 51 games, with 4,665 minutes, while last season he played 46 games.

And Mourinho thinks that now is the time to take another step. The game against Bayern Munich was a warning. The Germans dominated the match at the Bernabeu and won in individual duels what was key to the team could not take advantage of the 2-0 after the first 15 minutes. The last effort to reach the final of the Champions League could not be performed, forces failed at the most important and crucial moment of the season.

And all this serves to analyze which positions must be strengthened in the forthcoming season, which players need a replacement, what demarcations are most vulnerable and where the team can grow.

Real Madrid: Favourite for next season

The Real Madrid is the favorite team to win the Spanish League next year. Its newfound status as champion is enough to appear on 'pole' ahead of Barcelona for next season, the 2012-2013 season. According to various bookmakers, Mourinho's team will repeat the title. If you think Real Madrid will be next champion and bet 1 euro on it, you will win 1.60 in 12 months. While Barcelona's betting odds go up to 2.25 euros.

Bets again confirm that will be a league to play between two teams. The umpire is the Malaga team, which is paid 51-1. Malaga with its petro-dollars comes from below and has dislodged to Valencia, traditional umpire in recent years. Now, Valencia is paid 81-1. Fourth is the Simeone's Atletico de Madrid (101-1). Behind appear Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao(151-1), Levante (1,001-1), Espanyol and Betis (1,501-1), and Osasuna, Real Sociedad, Mallorca and Getafe (all of them are paid 2,001-1).

For the top scorer, bets are matched. Although Messi is the current top scorer with 50 goals, ahead of the Cristiano, it is not enough to hold the status of favorite. The betting odds are the same for the Argentinian and Portuguese, 2-1. If anyone thinks that the trend of the past three seasons will be broken (the 'Flea' has won this year and in the 09-10 season while CR7 achieved the trophy in last season), can bet on no one of both will be the top scorer. Will win 9 euros per euro bet.

You can even combine league title and top scorer. If Real Madrid is champion and Cristiano Ronaldo is the 'Pichichi', you will win 2.40 euros per euro bet. If Barcelona achieves the League and Messi the top scorer, you can win 3.30 euros per euro bet. Of course, should be recalled that in the past two seasons, the winner of the league and the top scorer have not worn the same shirt. Real Madrid and Messi won this year League title and top scorer, respectively. Barca and Cristiano did it in 2011.

Kaka: Holidays and transferable

Kaka, a transfer of 67 million euros that has not met expectations, left yesterday on vacation with transferable poster. The footballer, 30 years old, earns nine million euros a year, is signed through 2015 and the club has put him on the market, provided the club to come for him pays between 25 and 30 million euros.

Ricardo Kaka

PSG leaders have held several meetings with the Brazilian to address his signing as L'Equipe published. Leonardo, Parisian club's sporting director, keeps a close friendship with Kaka from their time in Milan. The white team player still refuses to leave, even if Real Madrid decides to transfer him, Kaka would only agree to return to Brazil or go to PSG. Mourinho has lost faith in him: "Kaka has had good games, in others he has been crucial and in others neither he nor I have been happy with his performance" said the coach on May 12.

The footballer has been overtaken by the competition: Özil (23 years) and even Di Maria (24), who has also played as playmaker. The penalty missed against Bayern, Mourinho's punishment replacing him at half time in the Calderon stadium and Granada, his lack of commitment taking 33 days to recover from a simple contusion on his right leg in November and the whistles of the Bernabeu fans have sentenced him.

Thus, Kaka has not been able to improve the numbers of his first season at Real Madrid. That year he suffered a groin injury that kept him injured 85 days. This season he has played 388 minutes less and has scored eight goals, two goals difference with the ten goals he scored in the 09-10 season. With two knee surgeries and 39% of minutes played in three seasons, his future in white is not very encouraging.

Nuri Sahin's pre-season begins with five games

Nuri Sahin's pre-season will start... in May. The Real Madrid midfielder, who has had few opportunities this season because of injuries and tough competition, has been summoned by Turkey national team to play five friendlies. The matches will be played between May 24 and June 5, the date on which his holidays will begin.

Nuri Sahin

The Turkish origin can play in 13 days, half of games played during all season. In Madrid closed the season with four Spanish League games, four in the Champions League and two in the Spanish Cup, most without importance. In total 621 minutes. With him will be Hamit Altintop, who in his first season in white team has participated in 12 games (608 minutes).

Mourinho publicly stated that Sahin will not be transferred: "He will stay. He has not made a full pre-season with us and now will do", advanced the Portuguese coach. Well, a couple of Turkish friends is going to get in good form early. The Ottomans, led by Abdullah Avci, will face to Georgia, Finland and Bulgaria in Salzburg. Then they will travel to Lisbon to play against Cristiano's Portugal and will end this marathon matches against Ukraine.

Sahin and Altintop are not the only ones who have a busy end of the course. Marcelo will play four friendlies with Brazil; Denmark (in Hamburg on May 26), United States (in Washington on May 30 ), Mexico (June 3 in Dallas) and Argentina (New Jersey, June 9). Higuain and Di Maria will have less load. Qualifying match against Ecuador in Buenos Aires (June 6) and the mentioned game against Brazil. The other player who will not go to Eurocup and will have summer commitments is Raphael Varane. Two qualifying matches for the European Championship Under-21 against Latvia (June 2) and Kazakhstan (June 8).

Kuwait 1 - 2 Real Madrid (Friendly match)

Football with nothing at stake is quite like a gym exercise and offers the same stimulations that dancing with a coat hanger. No rubbing, no reward, nor consequence for the future. This, or similar, was what Real Madrid felt in Kuwait. The match, the last before the holidays (the number 59 after first official match in the Spanish Super Cup), only was a challenge for the honor. The instructions were; no injuries or cause them by excess. And the target was met. All happy then, guests and hosts.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the second goal of the Real Madrid

Who contributed most to the show was Cristiano Ronaldo, what is far from new. For him up to the rubber ducks are hunting pieces. The competitive gene is integral to his being. And this thing is appreciated, especially in games like yesterday, permanently threatened by drowsiness. Cristiano gave to the enthusiastic fans spectacular dribblings, cow tails and a headed goal. Looked he went to fly over one of the funds of Kaifan Stadium. With this goal he has achieved 68 this season with Real Madrid (60 of them in official matches).

Mourinho said in the pre-match press conference that Real Madrid were not doing tourism in Kuwait and proved it yesterday's evening. He used a lineup with changes in the defensive half, but using heavy guns Ozil, Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the first half. Ozil put the local goalkeeper to the test with a powerful shot on the 7-minute mark. Cristiano Ronaldo was the team's most active player in the opening minutes and hit the crossbar from a free-kick early in the game (9').

Mourinho made Callejon come on for Benzema on the 22-minute mark and Di Maria scored the opener four minutes later with a left footed shot from outside the box. Cristiano Ronaldo later scored the team's second goal by heading in a solid cross into the box by Altintop (31').

Nine different players joined forces with Callejon and Altintop after half-time and Real continued dominating the encounter while Kuwait tried to create danger in counterattacks. The locals also made changes and improved their game, forcing Casillas to clear three shots before the end of the clash.

Summary

Stadium: Kaifan Stadium
Attendance: 18,500
Goals: 0-1, min. 26: Di Maria; 0-2, min. 31: Cristiano