Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Forzasusan and I had the pleasure of meeting watishistas Rose & Julia yesterday at Met Life Stadium. Sadly, it was brief as we were between matches but really awesome, nonetheless. Maybe we should plan some sort of HB & HB meet up. Perhaps for the Clasico? The boys are finishing their time at UCLA and will face off against Chelsea (and Mou) in the ICC final on Wednesday night. Bring on the dramz!
AND IT’S ABOUT TIME! Gracias, Xabi. Someone had to do it!
Yeah, maybe not the hair, boys – but I’ll give you the arm muscles. Those look very nice indeed.
This shot of Kaka will give Shigs nightmares while mygypsyspirit is going to coo over it like it’s a puppy.
Meanwhile, Cris & Pepe tested their high jumps. Remember when Cris jumped over Marcelo? I miss these three hanging out together.
The boys signed a few informal autographs for the fans before doing a full on autograph session for 100 fans.
Check out this adorable woobins that came to the meet and greet! I love the look on his face. The poor confused bebe seems just as mystified by Sergio’s hair and Cris’ tan as we are. I appreciate that the RM photogs didn’t take a shot of Iker holding the bebe’s tiny hand and sobbing emotionally, because you just know that shiz is happening. He’s probably rockin’ more hormones than Sara is at this point.
This guy is obvs getting Cris’ autograph for a tattoo. Looks like he has quite a collection there.
And this girl is so smart – if they sign your shirt when you’re wearing it, they have to touch you. Born watishista, this one!
And I have to ask: what kind of world is it when Sergio Ramos has bleach blonde sticky uppy hair and Fabio Coentrao DOESN’T? I have to say, I miss old school Fabio when he was all Fauxnando. We broke him, didn’t we?
Cris did the presser today and the media wanted to know about his renewal and also facing Chelsea in the ICC final. He got a little barb in there about Mou, I see. (One thing – I saw Mou’s “Real Ronaldo” comments also translated as “Original Ronaldo” Lots of people refer to him as “Real Ronaldo” (Me, I call him ‘Original Recipe’ and our Ronaldo ‘Crispy’) but Mou had to know what his choice of words would be interpreted as. But that’s what he does – provoke – I would expect nothing less. Cris, bless him, didn’t take the bait, but you can tell that it annoyed him. I hope everyone behaves on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see who greets who, etc. FROM REALMADRID.COM Cristiano Ronaldo: “I’m very happy here. Now I’m only looking to train and prepare well” by Alberto Navarro (Los Ángeles) “Ancelotti is very friendly with the players and that’s good for us. We’re very happy with him”, the Real Madrid forward stated Cristiano Ronaldo appeared before the media at the UCLA facilities. The Portuguese footballer is playing a great preseason and spoke to the press of his personal situation in the team and his expectations for the season that officially starts in less than 15 days: “I’m very happy here and now I’m only looking to train and prepare well. At the moment I play in Real Madrid. The future is yet to be decided, but at the moment I’m fine here. The renewal isn’t settled yet but I shouldn’t talk about it because it’s not the right moment. The details will be clearer further along. Every season is a challenge for me. I’ll try to do better than the year before. It’s complicated, but I’m a person who sets challenges and I like to compete. I’ll try to give it my all, to help my team mates and to carry on being a fighter”. Asked about Ancelotti and his job as Real Madrid’s coach, he said: “We’re very happy with the manager. We’re training well and working to have the best possible start to the season. He’s very friendly with the players and that’s good for us. He’s uncomplicated and a great manager. We want to learn from him”. The Portuguese player also made reference to his position on the field: “The manager has different strategies and different positions for everyone. It’s good for me to try to play in other positions and I’m very comfortable with him. We’ll see where I play during the season. I’m not worried about the position, just the team”.
Questioned about the club’s signings for this season, he pointed out: “They’ve been very good and I’m very happy, as are my team mates and the boss. They have a lot to offer the squad and it wouldn’t be right for me to only mention one. They’re all very good and I’m sure that they’re going to help us a lot. They’re familiar with the Spanish Liga and in the games so far they’ve demonstrated that they’re good for the team. I’ve seen some very positive things and we hope they can make a contribution during the season”.
Regarding Mourinho, who is currently training Chelsea and who he will be going up against in the International Champions Cup final, he said: “There are things in life that aren’t worth commenting on and this is one of them, for obvious reasons. I always come away with the good things about managers. I don’t bite the hand that feeds me and I don’t talk about people that speak badly of me. I come away with the positive things. We’re going to be facing Chelsea, not their manager. It’s another preparation match and we want to win in order to have the best possible start to the Liga”.
Cristiano Ronaldo praised Zidane: “He has a big influence on young players. It’s fantastic that he’s with us and it gives us security”. He spoke of the possibility of playing in the MLS in the future: “I’m still very young to be thinking about playing here. I don’t rule out any options and only God knows what the future holds. I’m happy playing in Europe, but we’ll see”.
Lastly, he made reference to two specific players: Bale and Neymar. Of the first and his possible arrival in Real Madrid, he said: “It’s not my place to speak of new players. I’m happy with the players that I have by my side and this squad is full of great players. It’s also not my place to speak of the figures being discussed for his transfer. I have my opinion, but I’m not going to offer it in front of the cameras”. Regarding the Brazilian and Barcelona, he stated: “I’m not concerned about Barcelona. I focus on my team and don’t talk about others”.
So a few things… The boys will be heading to Miami today and staying at the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key Drive and arriving at 11:00 PM Eastern. They will be doing a training at Barry University tomorrow at 6 PM Eastern (Milan is training tonight at Sun Life Stadium from 7 – 8 PM). No word on whether they are open or not. This info comes via Kay Murray. There will be a presser before tomorrow’s training at Barry University. Dr. Heidi is going to be psyched!
Mark your calendars! The La Liga season kicks off on Sunday, August 18th against Real Betis (Santiago Bernabeu). The second match day is Monday, August 26 against Granada (Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes)
– Lozil .
Wow, Xabi was sure letting off YEARS of steam judging by Sese’s body language..go Xabi!!
I’m not saying anything about Cris/Mou. I prefer to think of it as sledging. Just professional sandbagging trying to psych the other side out. Nothing personal. Anyway, DID YOU CHECK OUT THOSE CUTE BEBES! AW!!
And the look on the face of that young lady whilst Iker signed her shirt? Like… ‘Yep, check out my superior fangirl skills, look and learn ladies’ she’s got her shit sorted for sure…
😛
The photo of Xabi and Sergio coupled with your caption made my entire summer!! And the ‘original recipe’ and ‘crispy’ comment still has me laughing 10 mins later.
And he’s Extra Crispy right now. These have been my pet names for them since we started the blog. It’s just so…fitting. 😉
I didn’t realize that Kaka was 31. He has spent the last few years on the bench and it pains me to see him waste his talents. Hell he could be a big fish in a little pond here in the MLS!! (I’m dreaming I know). But we got Clint Dempsey to come to Seattle! Who’d have thought someone who played in the EPL for years is playing in the lil ole MLS!
Pictures are awesome.
Well, Thierry Henry has been playing in the MLS since 2010. He played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona and Arsenal where he’s legend (Heck, he’s a legend anywhere).
Also, David Beckham, Robbie Keane, Tim Cahill, etc. Lots of European players making their way to MLS.
Kaka has long been rumored to be eventually heading to MLS. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he ended up here, although I think Shigs’ heart couldn’t take it!
Oh my mom went to UCLA, class of 1946!!
Lozil, your wit is in fine form!
And Dr. Heidi strikes again! Such a lucky one!
I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed Cris and Marcelo are distant 😦
It’s been going on for quite awhile now. It was very apparent last season too. 😦
I know. I feel like we’ve all avoided the elephant in the room…
P.S. I do NOT coo! I “become giddy” or even “regress to a lovestruck teenager.” But cooing is like sick baby talk… Blech…
Ouch! I get that you and Lozil (aka lola) are friends in real life, is there need to be pissy here? It just ruins the tone. I’m living thru a twitter nightmare in the uk right now. Can we be civil here and take our shit outside? I literally cannot take anymore lady hate. You love Kaka, others don’t. I love Mou, others don’t.
Oh la-la You’re totally misunderstanding! She’s JOKING! I was teasing her over email. She’s like “I don’t coo” and I’m like “YOU TOTALLY DO!” She’s just being silly, not pissy.
We’re just being goofy.
PS She totally coos! 😉 If you knew Mygypsyspirit, that would make you laugh. She’s not the cooing type, but I like to torture her. And we absolutely adore each other – no lady hate here at all.
I’m so sorry that you’re having Twitter drama – that’s the worst. 😦
No, no! I’m just messing with her! There’s no pissy. I know she’s kidding, she knows I’m kidding. I don’t throw my personal dramz onto a public forum like this. If I had a problem with Lozil, we’d be having it out over the phone right now (we live too far away to do it in person, but that’s preferred method).
I’m sorry you’re having Twitter drama 😦
I’m not having personal twitter drama, just watching ladies campaign to get jane austen on bank notes here in the uk leading to rape, death & bomb threats. WTF. I’m sorry, got a little sesnsetive. This is my happy place! I got it wrong xx
Seriously? What the hell is wrong with people?!
OH MY GOD! What the hell is wrong with people?!
someone will have to prove to me that the Real/Chelsea final wasn’t planned….. 🙂 *glad I get to see it!*
What do I do….go to Sun Life stadium at 3 for all the hoopla, and the double header, or go to Barry and see Real again…..oh the drama…..
My vote, as a fan of the game itself, is for Sun Life and the double header
it all depends on what tricks my athletic staff can pull out of their hat for me……*professional, yet desperate e-mail sent to new athletic dept friends* 🙂
you’re going to be there, correct? or in all this Real excitement, have I finally lost it?
I’ll be in St. Louis for the match against Inter. Only managed that because it falls on a day off and I can still get back for work on Sunday.
That’s right, DUH. I have you confused with Cinematique Chic…..I think she’ll be there….where is that little minx anyway????
Before they announced the friendly I was preparing myself to not see them at all this summer. It was becoming a heartbreaking revelation. Although I’m going to this match with a bunch of people who aren’t Real Madrid fans. They’re fans of the game but not as big with Madrid as I am. I’m a bit terrified they’re going to discover the “real” me haha
😦 I wish I could be there. I haven’t stopped looking for a cheap last minute flight.
I told you, there’s room at the hotel 😉
🙂 Everything is over $500 at this point. 😦
When I clicked on the blog the first thing I saw was “Preparing to Say Goodbye” and the rest of the title was cut off. After the transfer season we’ve had I was dreading the rest of that title!!! When will this end?!
Also, I’ve not been able to watch much of the pre-season this year because it’s all on in the middle of the night here in the UK and I’ve been away, but it’s so nice to see such a smiley Cris! And I’m missing the Cris-Marcelo-Pepe trio too 😦
Yoinks! I’ve gotta be careful with my titles!
If anyone will be in St. Louis and would like to grab a beer please let me know!
I am so expecting some Sernando something during the Madrid-Chelsea game. Regardless of whether they both play or not.
I sincerely hope there will be some Sernando action!