THE European dream is over for Cristiano Ronaldo as Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League with a 1-1 draw at home to Lyon.
The Portugal superstar opened the scoring on six minutes to level the tie but Miralem Pjanic struck on 76 minutes to dump out the Galacticos 2-1 on aggregate.
The most expensive team in football history could not find an answer to Lyon’s comeback.
The £62million playmaker Kaka said: “This is a massive disappointment. It’s a very sad day for all of us. We lose as a team and not just as individuals.”
But the furious Brazilian was not finished and used Twitter to launch an astonishing attack on his boss Manuel Pellegrini after being substituted.
He Tweeted: “He’s a coward manager who changed a player to hide his own incompetence.”
Pellegrini insists he will not stand down as the inquest begins. Read more…
Following a scoreless first half that saw Lyon make most of the running and also hit the woodwork, Makoun struck what would prove to be the only goal of the game two minutes after the break with a stunning 25-yard effort.
Jean Makoun’s brilliant second-half strike gave Lyon a deserved lead to take into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Real Madrid.
That goal consigned Madrid to their third successive defeat at the Stade Gerland, and the Spanish giants – whose Bernabeu stadium is the venue for this year’s final – have work to do if they are avoid being dumped out at the last-16 stage for the sixth successive campaign.
An impressive Lyon side enjoyed plenty of possession in the first half and were not slow to try their luck when the opportunity presented itself. Read more…
Real Madrid midfielder former Zinedine Zidane hopes someday to become a coach Real Madrid. Zidane also admire Cristiano Ronaldo in the team.
Zidane is currently working as an advisor for the Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
“It was great working with Florentino Perez, who want to make another history for the team,” Zidane said to the media China, Iznews.
“Right now I am learning and Florentino gives the freedom to study all aspects of Madrid. My dream, one day, became manager of the club,” added the former world’s most expensive player.
Zidane also praise to Ronaldo, who succeeded him as the world’s most expensive player. Beginning this season, Ronaldo also set a record in Madrid with goals that always creates the initial four La Liga matches.
“He impressed me as a player and I was surprised he was to adapt quickly in the Spanish League,” said Zidane, Zidane’s nickname.
“I feel he’s a special player because of his belief, he influenced the team. Almost unbelievable that Ronaldo could have sthis at his age,” he continued.
Like Zidane, Ronaldo was once a world player. The difference, Ronaldo has never world champion, while Zidane has menyabetnya in 1998.
Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger, wrote a letter to Barcelona and Real Madrid, asking them not to flatter Cesc Fabregas or other players through the media. According to him, if they interest to members of his team, they can do a more professional approach.
Since the end of last season, Barcelona and Real Madrid have shown great interest to Fabregas. At that time, Wenger has confirmed, Fabregas is not on the list sell for any price. Fabregas himself has expressed no interest in leaving Arsenal.
Rejection does not make the Spanish giant’s forget it. In this second transfer window, they again stated that they are still interested to Fabregas. In fact, Madrid is also interested to confess Bacary Sagna, who has also declined.
Wenger feels, both approaches focus and damage the team consolidation. According to him, the difference of political culture and Spanish football in England should not be an excuse to damage the club’s other teams.
“We are writing them. If one day we want to sell a player and they are interested, they can call us. They do not have to complain to the newspapers. They did not respond (the letter),” Wenger said. Read more…
Real Madrid striker says unwilling to move to Arsenal or any other club. He claimed to enjoy the atmosphere of the club and the city of Madrid, and hopes to end his career there.
“It would be nice to end my career here. Real Madrid and the city of Madrid is my second home. I’ll be glad when supporters will remember me as a great person, humble, and hardworking,” said Higuain.
The statement was conveyed to do with rumors about the existence of a plan to exchange Madrid Higuain with Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas. According to a number of English and Spanish media, coaches Arsenal, Arsene Wenger is a fan of Higuain and therefore sacrificing Fabregas.
Since Robin van Persie was sentenced to injury and could not be performed until the end of the season, the British media continued to preach, Arsenal chasing some attackers. Besides Higuain, Arsenal striker also mentioned chasing Lazio, Mauro Zarate.
REAL MADRID president Florentino Perez’s bid to prise Cesc Fabregas away from Arsenal has been dubbed ‘Operation Cesc’ in Spain.
Perez and his director general Jorge Valdano have held summit talks over a £43million summer bid for the midfield ace - and how they can knock deadly rivals Barcelona out of the running.
Arsenal are desperate to hang on to their captain but might be willing to talk if Real’s £25m-rated striker Gonzalo Higuain is thrown into the bargain.
Against that, Barca hope to weigh in with a straight £40m bid.
If that fails, an alternative is to offer unsettled Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure, brother of former Gunners defender Kolo, plus £30m.
Barca president Joan Laporta has already promised “to fight for the kid” who played for the club as a teenager.
A Real insider revealed: “The price demanded is £43m and that is what we are basing our calculations on.
“This is ‘Operation Cesc’, which we hope will prove a blow to Barcelona.”
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY looks certain to complete a shock return to the Premier League with Liverpool in the next few days.
SunSport also understands the striker’s Real Madrid and Holland team-mate Rafael van der Vaart may also join the Reds on loan until the end of the season.
It is a dramatic double swoop as under-fire boss Rafa Benitez desperately seeks to turn around a disastrous season.
Former Manchester United idol Van Nistelrooy, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season and is out of favour at Real.
The striker wants to resurrect his international career and go to the World Cup with Holland this summer.
He knows that his first-team chances in Madrid will be limited as he is behind Gonzalo Higuain, Karim Benzema and Raul in boss Manuel Pellegrini’s pecking order.
The only remaining detail to be sorted out is whether Liverpool will pick up the hitman’s whopping £140,000-a-week pay package. Read more…
MANCHSTER United’s worst fears became reality today as Real Madrid start preparing a £60m bid for Wayne Rooney.
The Spanish giants have made the Old Trafford ace their No.1 summer target.
United plan to open new contract talks with Rooney next month about a possible £170,000-a-week deal.
But Madrid hope to turn Rooney’s head and intend to pursue the England striker in the same way they trailed wing wizard Cristiano Ronaldo last season.
Madrid eventually landed Ronaldo for £80m and United fear they will make an offer for Rooney that they will struggle to turn down. Real president Florentino Perez wants to maintain the second coming of the Galacticos and add Rooney to Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso.
A Madrid source revealed this week: “Rooney is the top name on the list for next summer. Madrid will pursue him in the same way they did with David Beckham and Ronaldo. They are always successful and will do what it takes to get Rooney.’’ Read more…
When Manchester United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, many predicted the champions would not only lose their stardust but also the opportunity to win a fourth Premier League title in a row.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson claimed on Tuesday that his team have not missed their mercurial winger as much as people thought they would, with Antonio Valencia proving a capable replacement on the right flank and Wayne Rooney playing at the peak of his powers.
As United head into the second half of what has developed into a fascinating season, Ferguson stressed that they are only one point worse off than at the same stage last year when Ronaldo was still at Old Trafford. They have also scored eight more goals without the prolific Portuguese star.
‘Cristiano Ronaldo is an unbelievable player and it was inevitable that at some point he was going to leave, but I think we’ve adjusted fairly well to it,’ said Ferguson. Read more…
