REAL MADRID - KAKA TALK ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

REAL MADRID Brazilian midfielder KAKA was joined by his father - also his rep - for a meeting with Manager-Coach Jose Mourinho at the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium" offices around 1.00 pm  this afternnoon. This has sent off a string of rumours  which are exaggerated, pure speculation or coincidental.

Mourinho-Kaka

What is true is that Kaka & Real Madrid need to co-ordinate their future & make some real strategic decisions. The Brazilian has not settled at the Spanish Football Club & his salary is  9M€ per year, thats a lot for cash for someone who only plays around 20 matches a season. This & the fact that Real Madrid has Luca Modric of Tottenham Hotspurs in mind as the natural substitute. Before one can join someone must exit & Kaka is the firm candidate.

Thus the meeting today by both parties may have been about:
1. Mourinho communicating officially that the role of Kaka in the squad will be minimal.
2. Real Madrid wishes him out to make room for Modric, thus with the Kaka transfer pay Tottemham.
3. Kaka may have asked the Club to lower their transfer price pretensions in order to
open up the offers options: AC Milian, Courithians...
4. That Kaka has an offer already & wishes the Club to know about it.
5. That Kaka aint moving as he has 3 years more of contract.
6. None of the above.


Stay tuned, as what is a certainty is that Kaka is figuring out his future at this moment.

SPANISH FOOTBALL SEASON 2012-2013 NEW UNIFORMS

Spanish Football - La Liga - new season kicks off the 18th of August with newly promoted Clubs, newly signed players & new uniforms. Here are just a few of the new outfits that will be part of the Spanish Soccer League season from 5 of the top Clubs. All the Clubs will have new gear as its part of the "Marketing Strategy" of every year.

FC BARCELONA | PLAYERS SHIRT NUMBERS SEASON 2012 - 2013

FC BARCELONA has made public the shirt numbers of its 25 players which will make up the season 2012 - 2013 squad. This also tells us that if Barcelona signs another player someone will have to give up their assigned number for this season to the newcomer. 


Here is a image with all the players & their assigned numbers.

Players & their shirt numbers

FC BARCELONA EYES LIVERPOOL AGGAR?

Been letting this particular transfer rumour slip these days but the intensity is & has  picked up locally. It is said that FC BARCELONA has on its signing agenda LIVERPOOL FC Danish Central Defender DANIEL AGGER.

Aggar 

The rumour grabs strength because Liverpool did not call up the player for yesterdays Europa League qualification game. This is a sign that an imminent transfer is about to take place or that negotiations are advancing & thus to avoid injury to the player best stay off the competition field.

Barcelona looks for a Central Defender because their now veteran Captain Carles Puyol has been "seriously" injured a few times which has kept him out for long spells & this age does not allow him to be a regular game starter for all the upcoming season competitions. Agger is seen as a good substitute for Puyol & also allows Mascherano - midfielder converted defender - to be freed up for midfield duties when needed.

Stay tuned!

CAZORLA - SAHIN | ARSENAL FISHING IN SPANISH FOOTBALL WATERS

ARSENAL FC is fishing in Spanish Football waters. One catch virtually done is Spanish International & MALAGA FC midfielder SANTIAGO CAZORLA. His current Club is undergoing financial problems & paying the players has not been a regular habit. Thus Malaga FC & Cazorla have been open to offers & Arsenal has happily stepped in with around 16M€. The Spanish Football player is flying off to London to shut the deal & sign for the English Premier League Club.

Sahin

Another big fish for Arsenal is REAL MADRID midfielder NURI SAHIN which is fighting to stay away from the hook. Sahin nearly took the bait last week when Real Madrid agreed to loan out the player to Arsenal, but the Turkish International resisted as he believes that there is room for him this season at Real Madrid.

However, according to the English Press, Arsenal is insisting on the Sahin option. The player has already said no to Turkish Club Galatasaray & things are bending the English way. What is certain is that Nuri Sahin does not wish to leave Spain, but he needs playing time & it will be difficult for him this season if Luca Modric arrives. Madrid believes in the 23 year old & desires he pick up rhythm & Football minutes on loan at a good Club. Will Arsenal be that Club?

LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC FOOTBALL | SPAIN GOES HOME | SPAIN 0 MOROCCO 0

The SPANISH FOOTBALL OLYMPIC TEAM goes home & last placed in their Group after drawing 0 - 0 in the last 2012 London Olympics match against MOROCCO. This is a real down to earth situation which put the Spanish youngsters perhaps into their place. The most significant aspect however is that Spain has not scored one single goal in all their Group games & this is for deep analysis.

Juan Mata for Spain

The Nations which have qualified from Group D are Japan & Honduras, two teams which most probably under different circumstances Spain would have won comfortably.

Locally the easy criticism will slowly surface - its the national sport in Spain - & some will begin to "put the boot into the side". Perhaps we all forget that the majority of the players are in their early 20s & have not the experience of the "big time". Also the three European Champions ( Martinez, Alba & Mata ) did not live up to their status & here to food for thought.

My only observation was that the Spanish youngsters before the start of the Olympics looked to "loose" & not tense enough for the competition. The "easy-going" way of things & the favourite tag beforehand played a negative part & the youngsters paid for it in a big manner.

There is no doubt that this is a "Spanish Football Disaster" but far from & light years away from find reason to now start to criticise Spanish Football as a whole, it is just a slip on the way.  Better to congratulate the winning & qualifying teams & wish them luck, & the Spanish side better look onto bigger pastures like the upcoming 2014 Brazil World Cup, which needs to be qualified for beforehand.

NEYMAR WANTS FC BARCELONA WINTER MARKET 2013

As written here some days back, 20 year old Brazilian sensation NEYMAR is well inside the FC BARCELONA bag. That is, barring last moment strange happenings, the SANTOS Brazilian Football sensation will be dressing the Barça uniform. The rumored cost for the Spanish Football Club is a "chunky" 60M€.


Also asked here on that same post was the question:  when will Neymar arrive?

Neymar

Today from the Barcelona based Spanish Sports paper "Mundo Deportivo" , the answer could be in December 2012-January 2013. These dates coincide with the end of the Brazilian Football season & the European Football Winter Transfer Market. This apparently is not media speculation but what the player wishes to do, as close contacts, team-mates & friends have verified that Neymar wants to incorporate himself to FC Barcelona on the mentioned calendar dates. If this is true, the Brazilian will have plenty of action & playing time for the second half of the Spanish League season, & barring surprises, European Football qualifiers with his new Club.

ATLETICO DE MADRID PLAYER SALVIO SIGNS WITH BENFICA

The Argentine International EDUARDO SALVIO has never found a place,  or himself as a player at ATLETICO DE MADRID. Perhaps its because he arrived too young from Argentine Football or simply because he was not given the chance & playing time to show his true qualities.

The 22 year old player was given on loan to BENFICA back in season 2010/2011 & was a star of Portuguese Football, which lead to Atletico recalling him back for duties. However since then Salvio has not been given the opportunities & has spent more time on the bench than on the field

Salvio

Portuguese Club Benfica has not forgotten the Argentine & has made a formal offer of 11M€ to Atletico de Madrid & a 5 year contract offer to Salvio. The Clubs are in agreement & the player is now in Lisbon to pass the medical exam which is the pre-requisite before signing the official contract.

Salvio thus returns "home" to a place where he is appreciated & admired. We wish him all the luck in the World,  & personally as an Atletico fan for all his services. Thank you Salvio!

TRANSFER RUMOURS | REAL MADRID OFFERS 40M€ FOR WITSEL?

News coming out of Portugal ( via the paper "A Bola" ) is that REAL MADRID has returned to put its "signing eyes" on BENFICA 23 year old Belgium midfielder AXEL WITSEL. They go further & announce that negotiations are advanced & that the Spanish Football Club has put on the table a cool 40M€.

Witsel

However, lets all hold our horses. The story coincides right at the moment when the Real Madrid - Tottenham Hotspurs negotiations for Luca Modric have gone into a stalemate. Real Madrid will not move from 35M€ & Tottenham asks for 50M€. But there is another "odd" piece, is Real willing to pay 40M€ for Wistel when they won´t pass 35M€ for Modric? Does´nt it sound odd?

Hey, don´t take any notice of me, Real could want to have both. Stay tuned!

BlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook SEVILLA FC SIGNS BRAZILIAN CICINHO

Brazilian 26 year old ALEXANDRO MENDONCA DOS SANTOS, aka "CICINHO", from PALMEIRAS is a new signing for Spanish Football Club SEVILLA FC. The player comes at a cost of 2M€ & signs for the next four seasons.

Cicinho

Sevilla FC Football Manager "Monchi" has a well known reputation for having a fine eye for Football talent. The ex-Sevilla player, now Club Directive, has a history of signing relatively low costing players who are not on the agenda of the big Clubs & later turning them into star players which are sold later for a huge profits (eg Dani Alves) .

Is this another Monchi find? I personally did not know who he was until now.

Cicinho becomes the sixth new player signed this season for Sevilla FC along with  Bryan Rabello (Colo Colo), the midfielders Javi Hervás (Córdoba), Geoffrey Kondogbia (Lens), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia) & goalkeeper Diego López from Villarreal.

LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES FOOTBALL | SPAIN ELIMINATED LOSE 0 - 1 TO HONDURAS

SPAIN was eliminated from the 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES after losing 0 - 1 to HONDURAS in the second match of Group D. Once again the importance of winning the first game of any Football tournament with the Group system comes true as the pressure & the nerves of a "must win situation" in the following match can be a mountain to climb.

The Spanish team were unlucky, very unlucky, they hit the wood-work 3 times ( Adrian 55th min, Muniain 68th min & Rodrigo 82nd min), plus the Venezuelan referee did not call two clear penalties that will be talked about & gave rise in the end to controversy. 

Mata laments a miss

However, congratulations to Honduras which played their game & with their strengths. Another defensive mistake by Spain lead to the first goal in the 6th min when BENGTSON scored with a header. Here is the true reason for the Spanish elimination from the London Olympic Games, as with Japan in the first game, the defence lapsed & was undisciplined in the crucial moment & allowed the header which later was to eliminate them.


From here the Spanish youngsters played well & bravely pouring their hearts into everything, but as time went on & the final whistle got nearer, everything was rushed & the nerves along with the frustration made things more difficult.

In the end, everything went wrong, posts & no called penalties included. That´s Football!

Spain now will meet Morocco in the final Group game & then return home. At least the boys tried & they will have the Olympic experience & spirit to tell the children.

REAL MADRID US TOUR 2012 PRE-SEASON

Spanish Football Club REAL MADRID flys off today to the United States for its pre-season overseas tour. The whole team, Kaka & Sahin included & the Internationals,  will be in Los Angeles tomorrow except Carvalho who stays in Madrid to clear up this future. 

Real Madrid will train on the UCLA Campus grounds & play four friendly matches:
2nd of August Los Angeles Galaxy
5th of August Santos Laguna ( Las Vegas)
8th of August AC Milan ( New York )
11th of August Celtic Glasgow ( Philadelphia )


The four matches have been titled the "World Football Challenge"


Good news for all the American readers of Spanish Football Sports which will have a chance to see Real Madrid. Hope its close to your town.

LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES FOOTBALL | SPAIN 0 - JAPAN 1

Unexpected start for the SPANISH OLYMPIC FOOTBALL TEAM this afternoon against JAPAN after losing 0 - 1 in their Group London 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES match opener. Yes, the direct red card given in the 41st min to IÑIGO MARTINEZ was maybe harsh in its interpretation & left Spain down with 10 men for the rest of the game. However, this should not serve as an excuse & serve more as a motivational sign that this is more serious than initially thought with the "favourites" tag around their necks.

Japan scores against Spain

The Japanese goal came before the red card to Spain. In the 34th min OTSU scored inside the square basically alone from a defensive mark. A well deserved goal for the "quick" Japanese team as Spain was no where up to this point & not playing its usual dominating Football game. In fact, if they were "out" before the red card Spain was even less favoured thereafter with 10 men. Spain did improve late but the "psychological damage" was already done & the nerves frozen the young Spanish players from being effective.

This has a positive side effect on Spain, as it will get their heads into the work mode & forget about past Championships glories this year. The loss is not a disaster as the two other Group teams Morocco & Honduras drew their match. What is clear is that Spain must win their next Group matches which beforehand are possible but are also dangerous.
Match details:

Spain 0: De Gea; Montoya, Domínguez, Íñigo Martínez, Jordi Alba; Javi Martínez, Koke (Tello, 81’); Mata, Isco (Oriol Romeu, 62’), Rodrigo; & Adrián (Ander, 55’). 


 Japan 1: Gonda; H. Sakai (G. Sakai, 73’), Yoshida, Suzuki, Tokunaga; Kiyotake, Ohgihara (Yamamura, 86’), Yamaguchi, Otsu (Saito, 46’); Higashi & Nagai.

Goals: 0-1 (34’) Otsu

REAL MADRID | KAKA - AC MILAN TESTING THE WATERS AGAIN

REAL MADRID & AC MILAN have always had good relations. The rumours that KAKA could return to the Italian Club that made him a "great" have always persisted,  & as weeks pass the rumours looks more & more like a reality.

Kaka with Galiani & Perez

Today Kaka´s  representative-agent Paolillo was seen in Milan visiting the AC MILAN offices. This comes days after Kaka meet with his Coach Jose Mourinho at the Real Madrid offices to be told that he would have a "secondary role" this season & that he should look elsewhere if he wishes to play more. KAKA has been said to have asked Madrid to lower their economic pretensions if a transfer offer arrived.

Milan has always been the natural place of return. Loved by the "tiffosi" & by the AC Milan staff-directives-owner, Kaka always considered the Italian Club his home. The problem has always been the 11M€ salary per year & Madrid asking for 35-40M€ transfer fee. Things may have changed now & positions could be getting closer. With the sale of Thiago/Ibrahamovic Milan can invest in Kaka & Madrid could use that fresh money for Modric, not to mention the availability of the midfield place for Modric.


So stay tuned. It all looks as if the pieces are falling into place for Real Madrid, AC Milan & Kaká.

ARSENAL OFFERS 20M€ for MALAGA PLAYER CAZORLA

panish International & MALAGA FC midfielder SANTIAGO CAZORLA is not happy at his current Club. The recently crowed European Champion charged Malaga for non-payment of contract to the "Spanish Footballers Players Association" (AFE).

A strange situation for a Club that finished in Champions League table positions last season & apparently has cash flow problems with other players apart from Cazorla under its Arab millionaire owner.

Cazorla

According to the UK newspaper "The Guardian", English Premier League giant ARSENAL has come to an agreement with Cazorla & has put on the table a 20M€ transfer offer. All that is needed is that Malaga accept the cash & allow the player to fly off to London. Cazorla as a 45M€ contract release clause but Malaga could be forced to accept.

If all this is true, Arsenal has on its hands a fine midfielder that will boost its creative play area & give the side a boost in class. Stay tune for developments.

REAL MADRID - KAKA TALK ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

REAL MADRID Brazilian midfielder KAKA was joined by his father - also his rep - for a meeting with Manager-Coach Jose Mourinho at the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium" offices around 1.00 pm  this afternnoon. This has sent off a string of rumours  which are exaggerated, pure speculation or coincidental.

Mourinho-Kaka

What is true is that Kaka & Real Madrid need to co-ordinate their future & make some real strategic decisions. The Brazilian has not settled at the Spanish Football Club & his salary is  9M€ per year, thats a lot for cash for someone who only plays around 20 matches a season. This & the fact that Real Madrid has Luca Modric of Tottenham Hotspurs in mind as the natural substitute. Before one can join someone must exit & Kaka is the firm candidate.

Thus the meeting today by both parties may have been about:
1. Mourinho communicating officially that the role of Kaka in the squad will be minimal.
2. Real Madrid wishes him out to make room for Modric, thus with the Kaka transfer pay Tottemham.
3. Kaka may have asked the Club to lower their transfer price pretensions in order to
open up the offers options: AC Milian, Courithians...
4. That Kaka has an offer already & wishes the Club to know about it.
5. That Kaka aint moving as he has 3 years more of contract.
6. None of the above.


Stay tuned, as what is a certainty is that Kaka is figuring out his future at this moment.

FC BARCELONA - NEYMAR | DONE BUT WHEN?

Wondering what's up with Brazilian & SANTOS Football player NEYMAR & his connection with Spanish Football? Remember last year the REAL MADRID almost done deal? 

Neymar

The lastest from local Spanish press & Sports media is that FC BARCELONA is the next destination for Neymar. The deal is said to cost Barça 60M€, that is,  the amount that Santos will receive from the Spanish Club. 

The unknown is when will the deal be made official ( public ) & when will the Brazilian join FC BARCELONA. Some speculate after the Olympic Games which is very optimistic & at the sametime unlikely. What looks as a real option is next season 2013 - 2014, however I personally do not discount a possible "Winter Market 2013" incorporation. If Barça are not firing on all pistons this Xmas the Club could accelarate the processes.

What is a sure thing is the Barça has a Marketing "goldmine" & a potential "time-bomb" in the dressing room. We hope the clash of egos ( Messi ) will stay in a theory, we assume beforehand the upmost professionalism of the Footballers.

Stay tuned for more developing news in this front.

ARSENAL THINKS IN FERNANDO LLORENTE

This piece of news out of Great Britain & ARSENAL FC is not new & again hits the local Spanish Football papers & media.

Fernando Llorente

The "Gunners" seek to have an alternative if Van Persie finally leaves the Club this summer. A name sounding loud to replace the Dutch striker is Spanish International & ATHLETIC CLUB BILBAO forward FERNANDO LLORENTE.

According to the the English paper, "DailyMail", Arsenal Coach Wenger wants to finalize with the Clubs transfer dramas & prepare quietly for next season. The 27 year old Athletic Bilbao strike has a contract release clause of 35 million € which Arsenal could pay with the departure & the cash received from Dutchman Van Persie.

Stay tuned!

REAL MADRID TRANSFERS GAGO - CANALES TO VALENCIA CF

REAL MADRID Argentine International midfielder FERNANDO GAGO, on loan to AC Roma last season, was sold & transferred to VALENCIA CF today. Along with Gago who signs for 4 years, young REAL MADRID player SERGIO CANALES, also on loan to Valencia, was "thrown" into the package but in this particular case with a buy-back preference clause. The deal puts into the Real Madrid bank account around 9M€

Gago

It is reported that Gago accepted a salary cut in order to stay in Spanish Football & to be able to enter into the Valencia plans. Sergio Canales continues with his long recovery of a serious knee injury ( his second).

SPANISH FOOTBALL PROMISE | JESE

Continuing with posts that highlight some upcoming & bright young SPANISH FOOTBALL talent, today we give the stage to JESE RODRIGUEZ RUIZ. Born in the Canary Islands back in 16.02.1993 the player was brought over to REAL MADRID CF when he was scoring more than 100 goals a season at the junior levels at Club Hurracan. 

Jese

Big talent that is accompanied by a "hot" character the youngster is slowly maturing both as a person & player to the stage that he got some minutes (scored on the last pre-season China tour ) with the senior Real Madrid team under Coach Mourinho. Explosive forward that helped lift the Real Madrid B team - Castilla - into the 2º Division with 10 goals, Jese has "exploded" during the U-19 European Championships.

Maximum Spanish & U-19 European tournament goalscorer (Golden Boot) with five goals, the Spanish International was also voted MVP of the Final which Spain won 1- 0 against Greece with his goal.

This does not guarantee anything at Real Madrid, many young forward stars have had to leave to find a place in Spanish Football. Roberto Soldado ( Valencia CF ), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla FC) & Juan Mata ( Chelesea FC) are just three - now - big names. Up to Jese to find & fight for his place.

SPANISH FOOTBALL PROMISE | OLIVER

Couple of days back I did a post on young Barça & Spanish Football talent Gerard Deulofeu. This time around & continuing with Spanish Football promises, here is another name to list. OLIVER TORRES of just 17 years of age & crowned U-19 European Champions with Spain last Sunday.

Oliver

The "kid" is a midfielder & admires Xavi & Iniesta, so much so, that the player moves & pushes the ball like them. The insiders say the "boy" has talent, lots of talent & is headed towards big things. His current Club ATLETICO DE MADRID has invited Oliver to do the pre-season with the "big guys", that is another sign that Coach Simeone also sees something special in the youngster. Who knows, we may see a 2012-2013 season debut in LA LIGA or in other big time level game for Atletico.

Take note, Oliver is the name.

UEFA BEST PLAYER 2011- 2012 CANDIDATES | NINE SPANISH PLAYERS

UEFA has revealed its list of 32 players elegible to be prized the "Best European - based - Player" for season 2011-2012. Seven players on the candidate list are from REAL MADRID & four are from FC BARCELONA. Apart from Clubs their are nine Spanish born Football Players, including the now veteran Raul Gonzalez.

On the 14th of August UEFA will announce the three finalists after 53 associations of Football Sports journalists have handed in their votes. On the 30th of August the winner will be named. 

casillas - xavi 

Here is the full list of candidates:


Sergio Aguero (ARG) - Manchester City FC
Xabi Alonso (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Mario Balotelli (ITA) - Manchester City FC
Jakub Blaszczykowski (POL) - Borussia Dortmund
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) - Juventus
Iker Casillas (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Petr Cech (CZE) - Chelsea FC
Fábio Coentrão (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Leslie Davies (WAL) - Bangor City FC
Didier Drogba (IVC) - Chelsea FC (now at Shanghai Shenhua FC)
Cesc Fabregas (SP) - FC Barcelona
Falcao (COL) - Club Atlético de Madrid
Joe Hart (ENG) - Manchester City FC
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE) - AC Milan
Andres Iniesta (SP) - FC Barcelona
Shinji Kagawa (JPN) - Borussia Dortmund (now at Manchester United FC)
Vincent Kompany (BEL) - Manchester City FC
Frank Lampard (ENG) - Chelsea FC
Lionel Messi (ARG) - FC Barcelona
Luka Modric (CRO) - Tottenham Hotspur FC
Mesut Özil (GER) - Real Madrid CF
Pepe (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Andrea Pirlo (ITA) - Juventus
Sergio Ramos (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Raúl González (SP) - FC Schalke 04 (now at Al-Sadd Sports Club)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Wayne Rooney (ENG) - Manchester United FC
David Silva (SP) - Manchester City FC
Fernando Torres (SP) - Chelsea FC
Yaya Touré (IVC) - Manchester City FC
Robin van Persie (NED) - Arsenal FC
Xavi Hernandez (SP) - FC Barcelona