The Pre-Season Has Officially Begun, Headband Ahoy!, Pre-Season Schedule And Someone Let The Cat Out Of The Bag

They’re back! Well, some of them are. Illarra, Morata, Isco, DLo,Carvajal, Jesús, Nacho, Bale, Casemiro and Arbeloa, to be exact. The arrived for their pre-season medicals and first training.

And bless, G-Money is still sporting his Alice band from vacation. I’m going to be polite and refer to it as a headband (primarily because I’m desperate for someone, anyone to wear a headband of any sort) but, eh, not so much. I think he fancies himself looking like this in it. Nope, honey, not really.
The boys got reacquainted, posed for pictures and then stripped down for the medical tests. They also rocked their new Good N’ Plenty inspired training gear. Video 1 Video 2 (Note DLo’s new cropped hair cut – he got that earlier this summer)

They were greeted by Fernando Hierro (should we just nickname him Iron Man and be done with it?) as he begin his assistant coach duties. There were also three newly married gentlemen on the pitch: Nacho, Casemiro and the Mister. Mazel tov!  Joining our returnees were youth players Pacheco, Diego Llorente, Mascarell, Lucas, Medrán, Sobrino, José Rodríguez, Burgui, Raúl de Tomás, Marcos Llorente, Noblejas and Derik. Video

Tomorrow they’ll have a double training session. Goodbye Ibiza, hello work! Put down the caipirinha and step away from the yacht full of dancing scantily clad ladies, my fine young gentlemen, fun time is over. Well, not you, Jese, not just yet. You just keep on with that and please make another Big Flow video while you’re there.

So who is coming back when? AS says the following:

July 14: non-WC players
July 21: WC players eliminated in group stage (7)
August 1: French players
August 5: WC finalists

AS says that the 7 players who got knocked out in the group stage (Xabi, Iker, Sergio, Man Edith, Cristiano, the still injured Fabio & Pepe) will not participate in the July 26 game vs. Inter (pissing many people off undoubtedly) but will be around the August 2nd match vs. MUFC  (whew!). However, the rest of the players  who were in the World Cup are not expected to make the trip to the US. So basically, that means no Karim, The Baby, Marcelo, Sami or Di Maria. Bah!  MGEF has a more detailed tentative pre-season schedule.

I’m assuming many of the teams are having this issue. I’m seeing Bayern Munich in a couple of weeks. Who exactly is going to be in their starting XI? Their nans? (Announcer: “IF YOU LOVE BASTI, JUST WAIT’LL YOU SEE THE THROUGH BALLS OF NANA SCHWEINSTEIGER!” “AND WOW! WHAT A GOAL FROM OMA GOTZE! YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE KID GOT IT FROM!”  etc.)

I’ll be missing Poldi, Per & Mesut with Arsenal too. Oh well. They all deserve a rest. They worked their finely toned arses off this summer.

And though its been speculated to the high heavens, Toni Kroos really let the cat out of the bag while speaking to  Brazilian internet service UOL:

“We’ve finished the World Cup in the best way possible. Now I’m going to Madrid, so that’s two dreams achieved.”

His agent immediately backpedaled and said that nothing has been signed yet. He claimed that they would make a decision and announce it on Tuesday or Wednesday, so we don’t have long to wait. I knew it was coming  but I try to avoid silly season and just wait until the ink is dry before saying anything.

Sigh. I’m so not good with change.

– Lozil