Posts Tagged ‘Luis Figo’

Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid

The first gran clásico shown at cinemas lived up to its billing and turned out to be a thriller, packed with twists and suspense. When the dust settled on a tense and absorbing contest, there were many heroes but one stood taller than the rest. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the star who had appeared set for little more than a cameo role but came from the bench to crash home the volley that gave Barcelona a dramatic 1-0 victory.

There was enormous satisfaction too for Barcelona, having held Madrid off for half an hour after Sergio Busquets’ red card on 62 minutes – not just held them off: there were gigantic performances from the Barcelona defence, led by the astonishing Carles Puyol, but Barcelona made chances even with 10 men. “We didn’t just wait; we continued trying to get behind them and always faced them head on,” said Pep Guardiola, their coach. Madrid, too, had wonderful opportunities. It could easily have finished 3-3 or 4-3 to either side. “We deserved at least a draw,” the Madrid coach, Manuel Pellegrini, said.

It was billed as the greatest cast ever and Leo Messi was included despite question marks over his fitness, but to start with there was no place for the man who would end up playing the central role. Ibrahimovic, struggling with a hamstring injury, began on the bench. For Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo made his first start in 60 days as a forward in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Ronaldo was greeted with whistles. Somehow it did not convince; he is not Luis Figo and had said before the match that he has no problem playing the pantomine villain – in 2006, he reminded his audience, every stadium in England had it in for him and he was the Premier League’s best player. He was right. The whistles spoke as much of fear as loathing and the fear was well founded.

When Madrid stole possession and hit quick, direct balls Ronaldo’s way he troubled Barcelona. When the first half’s best chance came his way, though, he failed to take it, hitting against Victor Valdés’s legs from Kaká’s pass. Barcelona were unsettled, crowded by an intense Madrid side who brought their defensive line up the pitch to shut down the spaces. Barcelona were also vulnerable to Madrid’s swift dashes forward – especially on the left.

The message for Madrid seemed clear: ambush them, win it and go. They did so impressively. Barcelona were thankful for a superb diving intervention from Puyol on Marcelo. “I don’t remember a time when Barcelona created so little,” Pellegrini remarked.

Beset by Madrid’s pressure, Barcelona’s best outlet appeared to be into the gap behind the back four and Thierry Henry spent much of the first half appealing for that very ball. Mostly he ran and called in vain. When Seydou Keita did play one through, it was overhit; on other occasions his frustration saw him fall foul of the offside trap. When it came to a straight sprint against Pepe, he came off second best. At the start of the second half he came off, replaced by Ibrahimovic.

Puyol made a wonderful block on Gonzalo Higuaín. Almost immediately after Ronaldo seemed to have outrun Gerard Piqué but the centre-back, who handled his former team-mate marvellously for most of the night, recovered, won the ball and went striding out from the back. He laid the ball into the path of Xavi Hernández. It was worked wide to Dani Alves, steaming forward on the right. His pass sailed over Piqué towards Ibrahimovic who sidefooted home on the volley. He had been on the pitch five minutes.

The delight did not last much longer, however, as Barcelona had Busquets sent off for his second yellow card after he handled Lassana Diarra’s pass. There was a warning soon after when Ronaldo headed over – it was to be his last contribution as, tired now, he was replaced by Karim Benzema. A Ronaldo down but a man up, Madrid pushed. Barcelona were grateful to another heroic intervention from Puyol; Kaká was snuffed out as he produced a moment’s inspiration; and Benzema scrambled his shot over.

And yet still Alves was more outside- right than right-back and Barcelona should have scored when Piqué headed over, the other full-back Eric Abidal shot wide and Messi missed from six yards, his shot flying over off Iker Casillas after Alves had produced a barely plausible pass into his path. A minute later Diarra was sent off for a second yellow. There was just about time for Madrid to launch the ball forward but there would be no Hollywood finish.

Real land their €65m man as Kaka swaps Milan for Madrid

• Midfielder leaves Milan for €65m on six-year deal
• Club say the man will be harder to replace than the player

Real Madrid have signed the Brazilian midfielder Kaka from Milan, the La Liga club confirmed today. The 27-year-old international has agreed a six-year contract to become the first player to join Real since Florentino Pérez returned to the presidency this month.

Reports said the transfer fee was around €65m (£56m). Pérez has vowed to recreate the policy of signing the world’s best in his second spell in charge – he brought Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and David Beckham to the Bernabéu in his first term – and snaring the Brazil playmaker is another statement of intent.

The official unveiling in Madrid is likely to take place at the end of the month, after the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

Kaka, who is in Brazil on international duty, called Pérez’s strategy “an interesting sports project.” He said: “He’s trying to buy other players, and I think he can make a very offensive team. That’s behind my decision to go to this team.”

Kaka said he talked with his former Milan team-mate David Beckham about the transfer, and the England midfielder, who played for Real, said it would be the best step for his career. “I hope to be part of this new project and help to win titles, both European and Spanish,” Kaka said.

“Now the soap opera is over,” he added after a practice session in the build-up to Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay qualifier in Recife. “The only leftover details were the medical exams, and I’ve done them. The negotiations are closed and I have sealed my transfer to Real Madrid.

“Everything I’ve always done for Milan has been by mutual agreement, from the moment I arrived until my departure today. I’m leaving by the front door. “I’ve won everything that I wanted as a player and this is a new motivation for me.”

Milan thanked Kaka for his contribution. “AC Milan thanks the man Kaka and the champion Kaka for his decisive contributions to so many victories obtained in the last six years,” the Serie A club said.

“His loss on the field, though serious, can be filled. It will, however, be very difficult to fill the void left by Kaka the man.”

Pérez confirmed that Kaka would be just the first of several summer signings. His targets also include Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso. “Kaka is one of the players that every team would like to have and Madrid had the chance to get him,” Pérez said. “We are working on building a good team, an important team, and this has only just begun.”

Real confirm Pérez as new president

• Franck Ribéry and Cristiano Ronaldo targets for Real Madrid
• Manuel Pellegrini likelt to be new manager at Bernabeu

Real Madrid confirmed last night that Florentino Pérez has returned as club president. Pérez, who held the post for six highly eventful years from 2000 to 2006, will officially be sworn in today.

Pérez’s previous spell in charge of Real was characterised by the famous ‘galácticos’ policy which saw Madrid bring in the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Ronaldo for massive fees.

Although Perez has kept his cards close to his chest regarding new players and who will coach the team next season, there has been speculation in the Spanish media over the past few months regarding who will be brought in if the election favourite returned to power.

“We are working towards and we will work to create a spectacular project, and that is to make Real Madrid the best club in the world once more,” said Perez during a press conference a fortnight ago. “A club like Real Madrid needs to have several of the best players in the world and even though I can’t discuss names today, we have a spectacular project on the sporting side.”

Two of Madrid’s long-term targets Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo are again reportedly near the top of Pérez’s wanted list, along with Frenchman Franck Ribéry.

Spanish players are also believed to be on Pérez’s agenda, even though during his previous spell only one of his 17 signings was a home-grown player – Sergio Ramos, who joined from Sevilla.

If the reports turn out to be true though, then the likes of Valencia quartet Villa, David Silva, Raul Albiol and Juan Mata, as well as Almeria striker Alvaro Negredo and Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso could be among the Spanish signings gracing Real next season.

On the coaching front, Jose Mourinho and Arsène Wenger have been linked to the post, but it seems that Villarreal’s Manuel Pellegrini is now favourite to take over when Juande Ramos’ six-month contract runs out this summer.

Pérez will take over from Vicente Boluda, who has been in the post since Ramon Calderon stepped down in January in the wake of allegations of voting irregularities at the club’s last general assembly in December.

The three other candidates who had originally announced they would be mounting bids, Eugenio Martinez Bravo, Juan Onieva and Eduardo Garcia, all pulled out of the running in the last fortnight, with the 57.4m euro bank guarantee necessary to stand seeming to be the big stumbling block.

Pérez announces candidature for Real presidency

• Favourite for election wants second spell at Bernabéu
• Likely to resume ‘galácticos‘ policy if successful

Florentino Pérez, the father of the galácticos, has confirmed his candidature for the Real Madrid presidency.

Pérez, who made history by bringing together football heroes Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Michael Owen and David Beckham at the Bernabéu, has announced his candidature for the upcoming elections.

The Spanish businessman is the big favourite to replace the caretaker chairman, Vicente Boluda, and he confirmed his intention to experience a second spell in charge of the Merengues at Hotel Ritz, Madrid. The elections will take place in the Spanish capital on 14 June.

Many world-class footballers have been linked to Real, including Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, Milan’s Kaka, Arsenal’s Cesc Fábregas, Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribéry and Valencia’s David Villa, and Pérez could name some transfer targets in the coming days.

“I present myself,” Pérez said. “Jorge Valdano and [Zinedine] Zidane respond to the image that I want to give to the club and bringing them to my team will not be difficult,” he added.

When asked about the possibility of appointing either Arsène Wenger or Jose Mourinho next season, he said: “They are great managers.”

“I have not said anything throughout the season as I have not wanted to disturb things,” he told the assembled media pack. “But after the serious events that have occurred recently I have officially decided to announce my decision to stand at the Real Madrid elections.”

Pérez then reflected that he should not have stood down in 2006 without having first left plans in place to keep the club on what he believes was an even keel.

“I know that the status of the club is precarious and is a challenge and I should not have left without having assured that there was the stability that Real Madrid needed,” he continued.

When Pérez stepped down Real Madrid had not won a trophy in four years; in the subsequent two seasons under the presidency of Ramón Calderón they were Spanish champions.