Real Madrid are ready to launch a January bid for Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho.
The Spanish giants are desperate to strengthen after being rocked by injury to defender Pepe, who faces six months out with ruptured ligament in his right knee.
Madrid would be willing to offer Ruud van Nistelrooy in part-exchange, allowing the former Manchester United striker to provide cover at Stamford Bridge while Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Bernabeu president Florentino Perez is an admirer of Carvalho and tried to sign him from Porto in 2004 before Chelsea blew them out of the water with a bid close to £20million.
The 31-year-old was prepared to leave Chelsea in the summer after a disappointing injury-interrupted season, but he has since established himself as John Terry’s first-choice central defensive partner under Carlo Ancelotti.
However, Madrid are prepared to test the water after sporting director Jorge Valdano admitted the club were looking at potential signings. Read more…
For FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi 2009 will be an unforgettable year as the team completed a unique treble of trophies and the player was seen as the best in the world. Revista Barça spoke to the Argentinian forward about the last 12 months.
In an extensive interview Messi gave his thoughts on his rise to prominence from a star with incredible potential to a fully fledged match-winner as he helped Barça to win the domestic title and Copa del Rey as well as the Champions League in the same season, before starting the current campaign by lifting the Spanish and European Super Cups.
Flattering praise
In the poll for France Football’s coveted Ballon d’Or Messi received 90 of the 96 votes. “It is flattering to hear that because there are some other great players around, but it is also incredible,” he explained. “Since I was young I have dreamt about winning these awards. When I then reached the Barça first team I did not give them as much importance. But it is like a dream come true now for me and for my father because of everything that we have been through together.” Read more…
Lionel Messi has been ruled out of the local derby against Espanyol this weekend after test results showed the extent of his ankle injury and he could also be doubtful for the FIFA Club World Cup semi final.
The Argentinian picked up the knock in the Champions League win in Kiev against Dynamo on Wednesday evening and has now been told he will be out for the Saturday game with the Blanc i Blau.
Second injury
It is the second time this season that Messi has been sidelined after he suffered a muscle injury in the game at San Mamés with Athletic Club that stopped him playing against Inter at Camp Nou. Already this term Messi has played 19 games, with 13 in the league, five in Europe and one in the Copa del Rey, and scored 12 goals. Read more…
Barca beat Madrid 1-0 at the Nou Camp tonight thanks to the same qualities that brought them the treble last season – quality and hard work. Ibrahimovic broke the deadlock with a classy strike in the second half, but the team had to draw on all their
Barca got no presents for their 110th birthday, but the players gave one to their fans with a hard working performance, gilded with their typical stamp of quality against their eternal rivals Real Madrid.
The first half was pretty even, with chances for both teams. When Barca imposed their passing, they were in charge, but when the game became more disordered, Madrid, led by Kaka, looked the more threatening. This was the clash of styles we’d expected with both teams focussed on the job in hand and showing the other plenty of respect and that meant the goal took its time coming. When it did, it confirmed Barca’s superiority which they looked to build on until Busquets was sent off and Barca had to dig deep to defend their lead. Read more…
Kaka is 24 hours away from his first Clasico in Spain, but the midfielder has plenty of experience playing in matches of such magnitude. The midfielder spoke to GolTV about the game.
“It will be a great match. My teammates have told me how unique it is. It will be fun to play and I hope we do well,” said Kaka to GolTV.
“There is no favorite in this kind of match. Barcelona are a strong and dangerous team with great players. We need to play our football. We are Real Madrid and we must dictate the tempo of the match everywhere we play.”
“We will play better with Cristiano Ronaldo. He will make us better. Such a complete player will definitely help us. We are friends off the pitch as well. We have similar interests. Although the whole world knows just how good a football player he is, he is also a great friend.” Read more…
Sunday’s game against Real Madrid is Pep Guardiola’s number one priority, but at his press conference this afternoon he refused to commit himself to playing either Ibra or Messi. Guardiola also praised Sunday’s opponents’ record this season.
“This game is a priority for me – there is nothing more important for us”, according to Pep, “We’ve prepared it very thoroughly and the line up against Kiev hasn’t come into my reckoning”.
Messi and Ibra still doubtful
Despite that, Guardiola was unable to reveal whether Ibra and Messi would be playing against Madrid: “the doctors and I will decide on whether they play tomorrow, they’ve trained pretty well, but there are always risks with muscle injuries and they’ve not been back many days. We can win with Messi and without him. He’s a very important player and it’s better for us if he plays, but we’ll have a look at him tomorrow and make our decision”. Read more…
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to switch his focus to this weekend’s mouthwatering Clásico with Barcelona having made his return to action against FC Zurich after almost two months out through injury.
Ronaldo appeared as a 70th-minute substitute in the 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over the Swiss side, the Portugal international making his first appearance for Madrid since sustaining an ankle injury at the end of September. The former Manchester United man was unable to mark his comeback with a goal, although he did come close right at the end when he was denied by a good save from Zurich goalkeeper Johnny Leoni diving low to his left.
Ronaldo, who only returned to full training on Friday, told Spanish television channel Telemadrid: “I’m tired because I’m still not at 100 per cent, but I’m sure I will return to be how I was before the injury, scoring goals, having good games and helping the team.”
The £80million man, who scored nine goals in helping Madrid win their opening seven competitive games this season, has been sorely missed by the Spanish giants, who won just half of their 10 matches in his absence and were embarrassingly dumped out of the Copa del Rey by third tier Alcorcon. He received a loud cheer from the Madrid supporters when he started warming up during the second half of the Zurich game, and then another ovation when he replaced club captain Raul. Read more…
Former Manchester United star Ruud van Nistelrooy is likely to leave Real Madrid in January it has been reported.
The Holland striker wants to gain more regular first team football ahead of next year’s World Cup and does not believe the Santiago Bernabeu is a good place for that to happen.
The 33-year old has come under an injury cloud in recent times meaning clubs may be wary to jump at the chance to sign him but he knows that when he is fully fit he has plenty to offer.
“I want to play. I still haven’t spoken to Manuel Pellegrini because I’m still recovering (from injury) but when I am ready I will speak to him,” he said.
“If I do not get minutes, that will give me a reason to leave in January.
“My intention is to play at the World Cup with Holland. If I do not play (club football), that will be impossible because I need to be able to prove that I can still play at the level I did a few months ago.” Read more…
MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is to resume group training on Friday, several weeks after suffering an ankle injury, the club said.
The world’s most expensive player could therefore be ready to join the squad to face FC Zurich in the Champions League on November 25, before playing in the “clasico” match at Barcelona four days later.
Real said he underwent tests on Tuesday by the club’s medical services and by Dutch doctor Nicholas van Dijk, who previously operated on the Portuguese winger in 2008.
“It was decided that Cristiano Ronaldo should continue his recovery protocol until the final pre-established date which is next Friday, at which point he can resume group training,” it said in a statement. Read more…
