Insert perverse caption here...
These boys just make it so easy, don’t they? Sigh. Never change Real Madrid. Your ability to inspire pervy thoughts is just marvelous.
Los Blancos got down to business today ::ahem:: as they had their final training session before tomorrow’s match with Levante.
"Hola Bonita!"
Ah Pipita! Your cheeky grin makes us swoon! Thanks to my darling Maisougio for staying out on Albiol Haircut Watch and doing the training post yesterday while I was out of town. I had to be up at 3:45 AM to head out of town, but luckily I finished my business a day early and was able to get home last night. I had no internet access and only a sporadic phone signal. My Blackberry battery died as well somewhere in the evening. I FELT SO ISOLATED! ARGH. But I’m home now curled up with the cat, the laptop and all the tech that a girl could desire. I’ve got a cuppa at my side and the snow is coming down. Life is good.
In my morning photo search I found two additional training pictures from yesterday that RM released later on in the day.
Holy hell! Look at that coy “come hither” look Ozi has unleashed on Crispy! Cris is all like “Come back here, you tease!” Mesut, hand over heart, is practically batting his lashes “Who? Lil’ ol’ me? A tease? Noooo!” I love Crozil.
The Sergzil love was also on display as RealMadrid.com posted a piece about their incredible partnership together (and included cute pictures).
Most efficient set piece partnership in La Liga
Sergio Ramos’ last five goals came from Ozil corner-kicks
by Margarita Perez / Translation by Michael J. O’Donnell
Sergio Ramos has tallied the most goals from corner-kicks in La Liga, topping the ranking thanks to his header against Getafe last Saturday. He is the most dangerous player for defences in set pieces this season.
Ramos’ last five goals came from Ozil corner-kicks. This season, both connected against Valencia at Mestalla to score the 2-0 strike in favour of the Whites; in Granada they tallied the 2-1 draw breaker; and they connected again to score the only goal against Getafe last weekend. Zaragoza and Sevilla were their victims last season.
The last time Ramos scored from something other than a headed in Ozil ball was on 20 November 2010: the 3-1 penalty against Athletic Bilbao in Week 12.
The players called up for tomorrow’s match are as follows:
Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adan, Tomas Mejias
Defenders: Carvalho, Varane, Albiol, Pepe, Coentrao, Arbeloa, Ramos
Midfielders: Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Ozil, Callejon, Sahin, Granero, Kaka
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Higuain, Benzema
Altintop, Di Maria, Lass and Marcelo are still out. It’s nice to see Sami and Carvalho back! Hopefully, Nuri will see some playing time.
Daddy Mou had his press conference today and he once again spanked the press (see bolded comments) and took on the Canal+ puppet scandal involving Iker and Nadal (If you don’t know what’s been happening, I’ll explain after the presser remarks).
Daddy looks stern!
Mourinho: “Our schedule in February is more complicated than our opponents'”
“I expect a difficult match because Levante pressurise very well and have an excellent counterattack”
by Alberto Navarro / Translation by Michael J. O’Donnell
Jose Mourinho gave a press conference the day before facing Levante in La Liga.
“Our schedule in February is more complicated than our opponents’. We’ll face Levante (who are fourth on the table) and Rayo Vallecano (one of the suprises of the season thanks to the points they’ve taken and the quality football they play). We’ll face Espanyol in March and they’re also having a fantastic run in the championship, fighting to qualify for the Champions League or at least the Europa League next year. This is a series of complicated games.”
“I expect the match to be difficult because Levante pressurise very well and have an excellent counterattack. They deserve credit for defeating us in the first leg and to be where they are on the table. They are currently fourth and deserve to end the season that high up because coach, players and club alike are doing an impressive job. I expect it to be difficult.”
“The team is the only thing that matters and we all have to help out in defence due to the offensive style we have. We have to pressurise and fall back when we lose the ball. Our attackers weren’t used to having to defend, but we’ve been improving on that. Higuain, Benzema and Cristiano are proving this.”
“Nuri Sahin is doing better and will be on the bench again tomorrow. We’ll see if he plays or not; it will depend on the game and my needs.”
“Casillas has passed more than 500 performance enhancing drug tests, just like Rafa Nadal, who is also a friend of mine.”
“You should know the answer to your question about me staying on next season. I’m not feeding those rumours, so you’ll have to ask your sources. You say they are anonymous, but I think they’re imaginary. If your source is indeed anonymous talk to it; if it’s imaginary then simply come up with an answer to your question.”
“I have nothing to do with Eladio Parames’ Twitter account. He works for me, but he’s also independent and entitled to his own opinion. I’m not the one who dictates what he should say. I don’t have social network accounts and I don’t like them; it must be because I’m too old for them. All my Facebook profiles are fake.”
The comments on Iker and Nadal are tied to the uproar that has come after French Canal + show “Les Guiginols” did a puppet parody of some of Spain’s most famous athletes.
Spain: Canal+ puppet doping parody becomes diplomatic crisis
(ANSAmed) – MADRID, FEBRUARY 9 – The biting irony of France’s “Les Guignols”, the satirical puppet show on Canal+, has turned its attention to doping by Spanish sports stars, which has led to days of controversy in Spain, and even a diplomatic crisis. The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Garcia-Margallo, said today that he had asked Spain’s ambassador in France, Carlos Basterreche, to send a letter of protest to the controller of Canal+ in France, over the “lack of ethics” in the parody of the Spanish sports stars, which was broadcast a few days ago. Speaking to the media, Garcia-Margallo said that the caricatures of Alberto Contador, Rafael Nadal, Pau Gasol and Iker Casillas were in “extremely bad taste” and showed “a profound lack of ethics” that damages the image of Spanish champions, who are symbols of Spanishness around the world.
The ambassador will send a statement to the whole of the French media, underlining the commitment of Mariano Rajoy’s government and of Spanish society to overcome doping. Rafael Nadal, meanwhile, played down the Canal+ caricatures. “I haven’t seen them,” the tennis star told La Sexta television. “But when they keep coming back, I’m not worried. It’s always the same old story, there is no proof, they want an explanation. The only explanation is the pain of breaking through, many hours of work every day”. (ANSAmed)
All the puppets (including Iker) were shown signing autographs with syringes and other situations insinuating that they won because of doping. Lawsuits are being considered by several folks/entities including in some reports, Real Madrid. If you want to see some excerpts from the piece, they are in this article. Several Real Madrid players (Sergio, Arbeloa, Granero) have spoken out condemning the skit. Xabi just posted the video for The Verve’s The Drugs Don’t Work but whether this is witty commentary or he just likes the song (as do I), I couldn’t tell you. 😉
Arbeloa shared some pictures of Calleti’s birthday including one of them with television personality The Man in Black.
I know they’re trying to look all badass, but they just come off as looking a bit dorky. But adorable!
– Lozil
Of Headbands and Heartbreak
watishistacorrespondents
Of Headbands and Heartbreak... 
I don’t like Mou’s new haircut.. but I guess I’ll have to get used to it 😉
on the other hand, El Chori looks like his fabulous old self again yay!
yum Calleti’s pie looks delicious (Calleti too xD)
I know right! It’s kind of scary for me personally because he looks EXACTLY like my dad with it lol
Okay – That second Mesut and Sergio photograph…I feel faint every time I look at it.
As for Mesut’s come-hither look at Cris – and feeling up Sami – no one bromances like this boy. You’d think they’d all be resentful, but he balances all his bromantic interests with such *tact*
arbeloa and aviators – match made in heaven
The aviators with his white tee and leather jacket — it’s classic James Dean — and he does it so well!
Pique made some remark about the puppets to the effect of don’t we have more important things to worry about etc. now I understand.
And has Arboloa thrown over Albiol for Callejon?! Hmmm, Arboletti? Callejoa?
Mesut is such a whore…. In such a good way though. Lures them in with the innocence and then uses them! I love it haha
Could Callejon be any more adorkable? Only if he keeps hanging out with Arbeloa. I love their nerdiness. Maybe it’s because I’m a closet nerd.
And I love Mou’s haircut. Such a silver fox again! He’s residing just below Anderson Cooper on my silver fox list once more.
I really had no idea what was behind the “Les Guignols” besides getting some obscure references to it on my twitter feed. Thanks for the update and oh yeah Mou – I love it when he’s in full flo mode!
I really dislike Mou and Pipa’s new haircuts. Pipa still manages to look sexy though… his amazing ass may have something to do with that though! 😉
Breaking news: Puyol is wearing a headband today!
Didn’t last long though, had to unleash the power of the hair! 🙂
He’s a Samson!
Didn’t help, we still lost. Congratulations, Real Madrid, on winning La Liga.
This was just all delightful. The aviators, Calleti, Alvaro, and well done my Sergzil!! I’m so proud of them. However I am very frustrated, frantically looking everywhere for photos of Sergio’s hands to catch a glimpse of the new tattoo, but no! He’s wearing HAND guards, or whatever that thing is. Naughty boy.
Just posted a picture of the new tats – Sergio tweeted it.
still on the fence about mou’s new do.
and that birthday cake sure looks… interesting. is it a regional specialty i’m unfamiliar with?
It’s a “rosco” or “roscón”. These are traditionally eaten for Kings Day, 6th January (Roscón de Reyes) but you can get them at other times. They’re ring shaped, made of sweet bread dough decorated with crystallised fruit – that’s what the green stuff is – often split and filled with whipped cream. The Spanish have a national sweet tooth 🙂
aha! thanks for the info, suse!
You’re welcome!
I think Mou’s hair is too short – but it will grow out. At the moment it looks like two different shades of grey, in patches. He’s still my hero though 😉
Thanks so much Suse!
Thank you too! I didn’t watch football until I moved to Spain, but these boys (and Mou) have captured my heart. HB&HB and Una’s blog keep me up to date with all the news and gossip 😉 You’re doing a fine job, ladies – keep up the good work!
Thank you kindly! They are easy to love, aren’t they? 🙂