Iker Casillas: "We want to win all four titles"

The goalkeeper of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, Iker Casillas, who is visiting Houston to establish a new program for the Real Madrid sports schools in collaboration with BBVA Compass, said the goals achieved are not going to limit the new goals about which he already thinks for next season with Real Madrid and Spanish national team.

Iker Casillas

"I want to do better than the last season. Next season will also be long and Real Madrid wants to achieve the four titles we have in mind; the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona, to win again the Spanish league, to reach and win the final of the Champions League and the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey). In addition, of course, I think about the Spanish team and I want to enjoy and get the Confederations Cup in Brazil" explained the Spanish international goalkeeper.

In assessing what the new season ahead can bring, Casillas admitted that Real Madrid and Barcelona are the favorites: "We are the champions and have good chances. What happens is that in recent years Real Madrid and Barcelona have always been the two teams that have excelled over others and maybe that was a problem to Spanish football" assessed Casillas. "The crisis has meant that not every team can sign what they want, but ultimately they reinforce increasingly better".

About the leaving of Pep Guardiola from FC Barcelona, ​​and its impact in the Spanish league, Casillas said it was something that does not worry him: "I do not know what to say about this. I respect what Guardiola and Barcelona have done, but what interests me is Real Madrid, and what interests me is that Real Madrid comes to get all the possible titles" Casillas said.

Real Madrid goalkeeper thinks that the beginning of the new season with his team facing Valencia is a good match and ideal to start the season at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium: "Real Madrid vs Valencia is always an interesting match. We are two teams that always play good football and Valencia at the Bernabeu has made us ​​things very difficult" commented Casillas.

The captain of Spain said that despite the promotional trips he had rested and somehow began to miss the competition: "The professional footballer who is out of sport for the holidays, does not take long to feel again the need to return to play" said Casillas.

About the achievements of the last European Championship with Spain, Casillas admitted that they aimed to get the title but also were aware that the mission would be very complicated: "We went with that idea, to return to win the title, but we knew it would not be easy, even though many people demanded that we had to win with that team. Besides, the other teams were stronger. Four years ago Spain, perhaps, was the surprise. Now the other national teams play against us in a very different way" Casillas analyzed.

Ricardo Kaka: Milan has fresh money to sign him

Kaka 'landed' three years ago at the Bernabeu Stadium as a blessing (55,000 spectators attended the official presentation), but after that time has become an obstacle and a problem. For the institution and the white crowd. In fact, the club is very concerned because his leaving would ease a lot the door of the signings, focused especially towards the Croatian Luka Modric.

Ricardo Kaka

Until yesterday Florentino Perez thought that was impossible to get a solution to the Kaka's transfer, but the Milan opened a door in mid-afternoon. Silvio Berlusconi announced a spectacular double transfer: "With the sale of Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva (to PSG) we are going to save 150 million euros in two years". 62 million that the Parisian club will pay for the Swedish striker and the Brazilian central defender, to which must be added the savings of the astronomical salaries of the two players.

Galliani said on June 19: "It is impossible. Ricardo Kaka is not going to play for Milan. We can not afford his high salary". Kaka earns 9 million euros net per season and he has a three years contract remaining. It would be 27 million euros total, to which must be added taxes. But pressure from the Rossoneri fans and the fresh money will arrive from Paris, could make real the dream of the Italian club leaders.

In addition, Mourinho is disappointed with Kaka since his unuseful contribution to the fateful night against Bayern Munich. The Portuguese coach believed in him for the second half of the match and met an apathetic Kaka, cold, without energy. Kaka was sentenced. Last season Mourinho tried to recover his best and gave him minutes. Mourinho asked his commitment and attitude and tried to save him. And he failed.

Portuguese coach is clear about the therapy to be applied to him. Next Monday Kaka is summoned in Valdebebas Sports City with the other 13 first team players available (including Morata). Mourinho will have a talk with Kaka, no cameras or media witnesses, and will tell him something like: "Ricardo, if you stay you will play few minutes. You decide". If AC Milan makes an offensive for Kaka, the transfer could be closed before this.

Modric to harden negotiation with Tottenham

Real Madrid is not in a hurry to sign Modric. Spanish team knows first hand that the player wants to wear the Real white jersey. In fact, the agreement between Real Madrid and the Croatian playmaker can take for granted. For this reason, its strategy is to leave spending time for lowering the price of the signing.

Luka Modric

Real Madrid will not pay more than 35 million euros, when the negotiations began Tottenham asking for 50, a prohibitive figure. That is, the way forward is to wait for the player himself hardens the negotiations with Tottenham. Modric, who remains on holiday on the Croatian coast, must be filed on Wednesday to practice.

From the white club, the staff hopes that Luka insists on his leaving to Real Madrid. In this pulse, the club headed by Florentino Perez hopes that, with the passage of time, Daniel Levy, chief executive of the Spurs, becoming nervous and lower the price. But the head of the London club is an expert and tough negotiator who avoided last year Modric's move to Chelsea, although the Croatian player asked for the transfer request.

At the Bernabeu offices, people are working on the sale operation; to get cash and to reduce the wage bill. That's when the Luka Modric operation will be undertaken. Even Florentino Perez and the board members are considering not to close the operation until the second half of August, this is the calm with which they are facing this issue, although the competition begins for Real Madrid at that time.

Although right now this is the only signing operation in which Real Madrid is working on, the staff members are not nervous. First, because although Modric is also a PSG target (French team has just signed Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva from Milan), the player wants to move to Madrid, and second, because Tottenham does not want to sale the Croatian player to a Premiership team (Manchester United or Chelsea).

Hamit Altintop: New Galatasaray player

Hamit Altintop is already a player of Galatasaray. After many weeks of negotiations, the last effort of the Turkish side has allowed closing the deal with Real Madrid. The official announcement says: "Real Madrid C. F. and Galatasaray SK have reached an agreement regarding the transfer of Hamit Altintop to the Turkish club"

Just before closing the transfer, Altintop took a plane and traveled to the training stage of his new team in Austria, where they are currently training. Real Madrid will receive three million euros for the transfer. Altintop, who arrived last summer from Bayern Munchen, leaves the white team after a year without opportunities to play. Mourinho never trusted in him and played few minutes. Fenerbahce had also bid to claim his services.>

Nuri Sahin's future under discussion

Nuri Sahin's future is a matter of discussion in the office area of Real Madrid stadium. The white team's technical staff thinks that the Turkish midfielder has to leave to play in other team, that's what he need. Although Mourinho, after the season, declared publicly that Sahin would continue for another season under his command.

Nuri Sahin

Although Sahin is convinced that he will stay in Real Madrid and will not move to other team, some staff members are thinking about a loan. Nuri Sahin still has 5 years of contract and at age of 23 (turns 24 in September) can not afford another year without playing. Hence, with the overpopulation of midfielders in white team, some have put on the table the possibility of a loan.

The Turkish played only 10 games last season, most of them without something in stake. And for this season, with the probable arrival of Luka Modric, who can be playmaker or play as midfielder, there will be much more competition for the former Borussia Dortmund player. Besides, Sahin will have to fight again with the Mourinho's untouchables, Xabi Alonso and Khedira, Granero and Lass Diarra (if the French does not leave Real Madrid).

Despite having spent a year out of the football fields because of injuries and lack of opportunities, there are teams still interested in Sahin. Malaga, Borussia Dortmund and even Tottenham that could request the player on the Modric's transfer operation. However, all interested teams are faced with the problem of high salary, amounting to 2.5 million euros net, so in case of a loan, Real Madrid will have to bear part of his salary.

Villas-Boas opens the door to Modric

The leaving of Luka Modric from Tottenham is getting closer. To the player's desire to leave London now joins the consent of the Tottenham's next season coach. The Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas has said he will not slow down the leaving of the Croatian playmaker whenever the sale of the player can be made "for the right price".

Andre Villas-Boas

The Portuguese coach thinks that the leaving of the player is almost inevitable and commented that he respects Modric's decision: "The club respects the will of Luka for leaving and he also respects the fact that is an important player for the club and that he can help us to keep growing" Villas-Boas said to the BBC.

"The talks with clubs interested in the player will continue to reach an agreement acceptable and fair to both parties" added the coach of Tottenham. It seems, therefore, only have to know which club will bid higher for the player and what is the minimum requested by the London club. Maybe around 35 million euros. We'll see.

Real Madrid vs Oviedo: Pre-season 2012-2013

Real Madrid will play its first pre-season game at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium on July 24 against Oviedo. The date was free to play a friendly, that at first Real Madrid was going to play in Tangier. Having canceled the match in Morocco, the white club decided the best was to play in Spain and in a place where fans usually do not enjoy Real Madrid. Yesterday all negotiations were fast and Oviedo was chosen to play the first game of the preseason. Real has not played there since 2002 and Carlos Tartiere Stadium, with 30,500 seats will be full. It is also a comfortable trip. The team will move the same day of the game and will return to the Spanish capital after the end.

In this friendly match, Mourinho will have to combine eleven players of the first team (Adan Lass, Varane, Carvalho, Granero, Gago, Sahin, Callejon, Kaka, Di Maria and Higuain) with some R.M.Castilla players. All of them will train since Monday at Valdebebas Sports City. The players who have played the Euro 2012 will join later.

Oviedo, team that was demoted administratively to Spanish Third Division by the refusal of several players to withdraw complaints for non-payment in 2003, now plays in the Second Division B (third level). This season was sixth with 60 points. Last time Real Madrid played a friendly in Spain was on May 18, 2011. After the earthquake in Lorca, the white team played a friendly in Murcia to benefit victims (2-2). In summer period, the last friendly was on August 22, 2010. Real Madrid won 1-3 against Hercules.

Real Madrid vs Oviedo (2002)