Managing Madrid: FanPosts

Adios, José

2013-05-20T21:19:33Z

3 years ago the worst kept secret in football was made official: Jose Mourinho, the fierce and extremely controversial managing genius was set to take over as manager of the world’s greatest club. This would undoubtedly be the great Mourinho’s greatest challenge. How would he, unlike the 9 managers that preceded him, finally deliver the ultimate prize: La Decima? How would he be able to topple a Barca squad that was certainly one of the greatest in football history? How would do all of this, whilst managing diverse egos and the thwarting Spanish media? Let’s take a look back the ‘Special One’s’ 3 year reign in the Spanish Capital.

When Mourinho arrived, he made sure that Real Madrid fans understood that he would simply not be associated with a team that was fearful. He immediately took control of much of the transfer policy, something no Madrid manager has had comparable control over, and bought two of the current cornerstones of the Real Madrid XI: Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira. The culture of the team that once featured the flair and attitude’s of Guti and Raul were gone. They were replaced with young, industrious, quintessentially German stars. The genius of the Mourinho transfer policy immediately paid dividends, as within months the two were almost guaranteed starters and will be for many years to come. His first season, however, was predictably not without controversy. The embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the Camp Nou was the beginning of a disheartening trend in Mourinho’s attempt to beat Barca. His plan, in which ticking red-card recipient Pepe in central midfield, initially paid dividends when Madrid won its first piece of silverware in over 3 years in amazing Copa Del Rey final victory. Then, it what was one of the most controversial moments in recent Champions League memory, Pepe lived up to his billing and received an awful red card. Without their disruptor, Madrid were lost and quickly were out of the semi-final tie. In typical Mourinho fashion, the blame was pointed to the match official, who while horrible, would not compensate for the "fearful" football that Madrid were playing. His first season was promising, and he vowed that his second year would produce better results.

Mourinho kept his word, and his second season did in fact produce much better results. Again, his transfer window signing were exceptional. While he may have overspent on his compatriot Fabio Coentrao, he made a phenomenal swoop in signing a 17 year old Frenchman, Raphael Varane. The season opened with a Supercopa that saw Real play Barcelona without fear, and nearly come out victorious. The La Liga campaign that followed was nothing short of brilliant. Real fired on all cylinders and produced one of the most spectacular league campaigns ever seen. A changing point in his tenure occurred in the Copa Del Rey quarterfinal tie against Barcelona. After disappointingly losing in the first leg at home, Real responded with an impressive draw that saw them dominate the game in Barcelona. Although they did not retain their Copa crown, Mourinho inspired a total change in the Clasico landscape. Madrid were no longer going to be fearful of their Catalan rivals, but were instead going to use their excellent counterattacking abilities to topple their hated rivals. This was best exemplified when Madrid sealed their Liga crown after Mesut Ozil laid an inch perfect ball to Cristiano Ronaldo who then proceeded to place a "Calma" over the Camp Nou. And although Madrid again fell short of the Decima, they were at least slightly consoled by the fact that they were a couple ill-placed penalties away. The 2011-2012 season saw Mourinho bring two changes that will greatly improve Madrid’s future. The first improvement was the shifting of Sergio Ramos to his much more natural center-back position where he is assuredly one of the best in the world. The next was inspiring Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who was not for the big moment, to fully exploit his abilities on the biggest stage. Even under the great Sir Alex, Ronaldo typically was absent in major matches. However, under the guidance of Mourinho, Ronaldo began to truly develop into a Madrid Legend. He scored in nearly every Clasico, scored a breath-taking free kick in the Calderon, Scored a brace in the return leg against Bayern and so much more. The man who was one not for the brightest of stages now was. He also almost guided a severely less talented Portuguese team the Euro Final. What was the difference in Ronaldo? Mourinho. It took the man who made a living off not being fearful to instill in him that he was more than capable of performing on the biggest stage.

His third season has not been pleasant to say the least. Even so, there are bright spots. He has officially toppled the Barca mountain, highlighted by the dominant 3-1 victory in the Camp Nou that saw Madrid completely put away the Barca demons that haunted them from their 5-0 shellacking just a few years before. Mourinho also unleashed one Raphael Varane onto the scene, and there will be no looking back for the young French stud. His team, much like him, apparently lost interest for much of the season. 4 points from their first 4 Liga games nearly sealed their fate, and an absolutely lackadaisical performance in Dortmund made their Champion’s League fight simply impossible. Worse yet, there is much unrest in the locker room where club legend Iker Casillias has been relegated to cheerleader. The lack of interest and passion on his face during games, which used to be evident with frequent tirades in his technical area, has all but disappeared. Jose, who has always set his sights on a return to Chelsea, simply quit. Getting embarrassingly dismissed from the Copa Del Rey Final only furthered the notion that you have disregarded the glorious name of this club. Madrid are a club that deserve much more than that, and Jose will undoubtedly leave a very bitter taste in the mouth of many Madridistas. However, let us not forget that the Special One has been otherwise spectacular in his managerial career in Madrid and has changed the landscape of the club for decades to come.

So here’s to you Jose, thank you for putting this club back where it needs to be. There will never be another manager at this club quite like you, and while most won’t say it publically: You will be missed.

Hala Madrid.

Poll

Was Mourinho a failure?

Transfer Analysis: Gareth Bale or Neymar?

2013-05-16T04:09:01Z

The end of 2012/13 Spanish season means the dawn of the ever-exciting summer transfer window.

What can be described as a truly disappointing campaign, Real Madrid are expected to splurge the cash in the pre-season, with Santos starlet Neymar and Wales international Gareth Bale reportedly at the helm of Los Blancos' transfer wish-list.

Hence, we analyze who among the two highly-rated attackers, fits the bill for Madrid's "Galactico" signing of 2013.

The Madrid Style

Before analyzing the players, it is important to understand what Real Madrid expect from their attackers on the pitch.

Under Jose Mourinho, the Whites have seen their attackers play a highly versatile role.

As I highlighted in my post-match analysis of last weekend's tie against Espanyol, the four attacking players in the 4-2-3-1 formation regularly interchange positions.

Hence, an ideal potential attacker for Madrid must possess pace, adequate finishing skills, great positional understanding, ability to get the ball into the box from wide areas and the traits to beat his marker. Lastly, he should also be able to provide defense-splitting through balls (since they average seven through balls per-game, second highest in the league) and link up extremely well and speedily.

The traditional No 7s and No 9s can't easily play in Madrid's system, fortunately though, both Neymar and Bale are habitual to playing in different roles.

Neymar

Although Neymar seems to heading towards Camp Nou this summer, reports suggest that the Brazilian could still be donning a Madrid jersey if things go as planned.

Promising Attributes

As his performances in Brazil have showed, Neymar is a promising lad. With lightning-fast pace and exemplary dribbling skills, Neymar can easily beat defenders in one-one-situations, which often opens up space in the final third for his team. His crossing needs improvement, but the youngster's finishing is of top-notch quality.

Moreover, Neymar can easily draw defenders out of position to open up channels and can team-up equally well. Any Santos fan will tell you that that also Neymar exhibits wonderful vision to pick out his teammates and with Madrid playing a influenced by a direct counter-attacking approach, this trait could serve as an invaluable asset to Mourinho (or whoever replaces the "Special One" at the end of the term).

Not to forget, Neymar can play all along the attacking line, although like many, I believe his best position is as a left-winger.

Struggler Outside of Brazil?

As impressive as Neymar is inside Brazil, the latter hasn't performed at the same level against top-level clubs and in international matches.

As the Club World Cup final against Barcelona and the recent international friendly against Russia showed, Neymar can struggle against physical and more skilled lot of players.

He gets dispossessed way too easily, is slow with his decision making, fails to link-up well, gets very clumsy with his tackles and succumbs to the pressure of playing on the big stage.

This is mainly because against the 'good' sides, Neymar is not provided with the same time on the ball as he is against the 'minnows' in the Brazilian league. He is quickly pressed and crowded, which actually could benefit Madrid during games as it will open up space for his colleagues- however, it looks unlikely whether Neymar will be able to get the ball into these 'gaps' as his passing when pressurized looks mediocre.

Nonetheless, since Madrid's game is very technical and pacey, Neymar could find it hard to gel with the team, mainly because his inability to react quickly when being hunt down by the defenders.

Therefore, the Brazil international needs some years of development at a European club, to learn to cope up with the pace of European football. However, after spending around £50million on the lad, will Madrid want to wait for around two seasons to see the true worth of Neymar? Highly unlikely.

Neymar potential transfer fee makes him a player who needs to make an instant impact at any club he joins, but looking at his performances against the likes of Barcelona and Russia, it's hard to see that happening.

Pros:

1. Possess all the skills to flourish at Madrid if given around two years development time.

2. Great marketing tool.

3. Will add great depth to the team as he can play all along the attacking line-up.

4. With his breakout pace and trickery, he can easily open up space in congested areas.

5. His finishing is world-class, something both the Madrid strikers have lacked this season.

Cons:

1. He requires some development years

2. Largely inexperienced.

3. More options available at the same price in the transfer market.

Gareth Bale

The talisman of the Tottenham Hotspur side, Bale recently accomplished the rare 'double' at the annual PFA awards.

Rightly so, the Wales international has been in impressive form this season and according to virtually all the transfer stations, Madrid is the most likely destination for the former Southampton youngster.

Skills

Bale's most fearsome attribute is his pace. He can't play with the back to the goal and frankly, only flourishes when given space to utilize his speed.

Since AVB likes his players to swap positions, Bale can gel in well at Madrid, although he needs to work on his ability to beat his marker not just with pace, but with dribbling skills.

Playing in the No 10 role for the past few months, Premier League teams have realized that if they close down the zones for Bale to roam in, the Welshman can't make a significant impact on the game. Even though, with Madrid's counter-attacking team, Bale will be bound to find the much-needed space and gaps, he will certainly struggle in games like against Espanyol.

It has been in such games that Madrid have lost most of their points this season, therefore, one needs to think about more dynamic players who can provide something different to break up the opposition.

Finally, Bale is also a decent crosser of the ball but shows unwillingness to track back and help out his teammates while defending.

Unsettled Role

If Bale arrives at Madrid, the biggest question is about his role in the team.

He can't plays as the No 10 as the 23-year-old can't control the team's attack in the same way as Oezil. The German's silky through balls, meritorious vision and fantastic link-up play make him a shoe-in for the 'trequartista' duty and it's hard to see Bale taking over the former Werder Bremen's man role.

Bale struggles to play in congested areas and unlike Oezil, tends to focus on goal-scoring rather than his creative threat (moreover, if Madrid want more of a goal-scoring threat then Neymar is clearly the better option).

On the wings, Bale can only provide cover for Angel Di Maria and Ronaldo. His playing time will depend on how the manager rotates his starting XI and Bale's capability to outperform Di Maria on a regular basis.

Hence, Bale will have an unsettled role at Madrid.

On the other hand, apart from the flanks, since Neymar can also play as the striker, this makes the Barcelona-target a more suitable option.

The Olympics star will have a decent shot at playing ahead of Karim Benzema due to the France international's inconsistencies this season (on the other hand, Gonzalo Higuain will probably leave if Neymar happens to join Madrid).

Pros:

1. Given space, he can wreak havoc against any defence.

2. As a winger, Bale can be highly productive and provide width to Madrid's game.

3. Potential long-term replacement for Ronaldo.

4. Experienced and has European pedigree.

Cons:

1. Price-Tag.

2. Questions regarding where to play him.

3. Better and cheaper options available in the market.

Conclusion: Personally, I believe Madrid should invest money in a true striker like Edinson Cavani, who is proven goal-scorer and can execute the chances created by Di Maria, Özil and Ronaldo. Both Neymar and Bale are highly overrated.

The end of 2012/13 Spanish season means the dawn of the ever-exciting summer transfer window.

Hence, we analyze who among the two highly-rated attackers, fits the bill for Madrid's "Galactico" signing of 2013.

The Madrid Style

Before analyzing the players, it is important to understand what Real Madrid expect from their attackers on the pitch.

Under Jose Mourinho, the Whites have seen their attackers play a highly versatile role.

As I highlighted in my post-match analysis of last weekend's tie against Espanyol, the four attacking players in the 4-2-3-1 formation regularly interchange positions.

The traditional No 7s and No 9s can't easily play in Madrid's system, fortunately though, both Neymar and Bale are habitual to playing in different roles.

Neymar

Although Neymar seems to heading towards Camp Nou this summer, reports suggest that the Brazilian could still be donning a Madrid jersey if things go as planned.

Promising Attributes

Not to forget, Neymar can play all along the attacking line, although like many, I believe his best position is as a left-winger.

Struggler Outside of Brazil?

As impressive as Neymar is inside Brazil, the latter hasn't performed at the same level against top-level clubs and in international matches.

As the Club World Cup final against Barcelona and the recent international friendly against Russia showed, Neymar can struggle against physical and more skilled lot of players.

He gets dispossessed way too easily, is slow with his decision making, fails to link-up well, gets very clumsy with his tackles and succumbs to the pressure of playing on the big stage.

Nonetheless, since Madrid's game is very technical and pacey, Neymar could find it hard to gel with the team, mainly because his inability to react quickly when being hunt down by the defenders.

Pros:

1. Possess all the skills to flourish at Madrid if given around two years development time.

2. Great marketing tool.

3. Will add great depth to the team as he can play all along the attacking line-up.

4. With his breakout pace and trickery, he can easily open up space in congested areas.

5. His finishing is world-class, something both the Madrid strikers have lacked this season.

Cons:

1. He requires some development years

2. Largely inexperienced.

3. More options available at the same price in the transfer market.

Gareth Bale

The talisman of the Tottenham Hotspur side, Bale recently accomplished the rare 'double' at the annual PFA awards.

Skills

Bale's most fearsome attribute is his pace. He can't play with the back to the goal and frankly, only flourishes when given space to utilize his speed.

Since AVB likes his players to swap positions, Bale can gel in well at Madrid, although he needs to work on his ability to beat his marker not just with pace, but with dribbling skills.

Finally, Bale is also a decent crosser of the ball but shows unwillingness to track back and help out his teammates while defending.

Unsettled Role

If Bale arrives at Madrid, the biggest question is about his role in the team.

Hence, Bale will have an unsettled role at Madrid.

On the other hand, apart from the flanks, since Neymar can also play as the striker, this makes the Barcelona-target a more suitable option.

Pros:

1. Given space, he can wreak havoc against any defence.

2. As a winger, Bale can be highly productive and provide width to Madrid's game.

3. Potential long-term replacement for Ronaldo.

4. Experienced and has European pedigree.

Cons:

1. Price-Tag.

2. Questions regarding where to play him.

3. Better and cheaper options available in the market.

Poll

Would you prefer to sign Bale or Neymar?

Espanyol vs. Real Madrid- A Case Study

2013-05-12T16:15:27Z

The authorities can officially tie the Catalans ribbons on the La Liga trophy as Real Madrid handed over the Spanish crown to their arch-rivals Barcelona after a disappointing 1-1 stalemate against Espanyol.

Christian Stuani's opened the scoring for the hosts, before Gonzalo Higuain equalized for Los Blancos 13 minutes after the interval.

What follows is a tactical analysis of the game- how Espanyol successfully executed their tactics to frustrate Jose Mourinho's troops.

Madrid Overload Wings, Espanyol Hold Back

-First Half

Real Madrid's strategy from the start of the game was to overload the flanks. In the first-half, they put emphasis on outnumbering the hosts' left wing duo of Wakaso and Joan Capdevilla.

Espanyol however, with extra men, quickly congested their left-flank, prompting Madrid to switch play via Luka Modric. With Stuani plucking in from the right, Nacho was presented with acres of space and the youngster was Modric's go-to man for switching sides in the first-half.

Nacho, however, failed to make the required impact going forward. Frankly, Madrid lacked the incisiveness and pace in switching the play, so the Spaniard was quickly closed down. As a result, he usually played the balls back to Modric or Xabi Alonso.

However, even when Nacho did get the time and space on the ball, Alvaro Morata was a let-down during link-ups and none of the left-back's crosses reached the target.

-Second Half

After the interval, Madrid reversed their tactics with Mourinho ordering his players to overload Espanyol's right wing instea.

Madrid's link-up was relatively better as Kaka (now playing on the left-wing) and Karim Benzema (occasionally on the left) held on to the ball well and chose passing targets more carefully than Morata.

But when Espanyol started to congest the right wing too, Madrid reverted to switching plays, this time to Di Maria or Michael Essien.

On the other hand, Madrid's new-found strategy helped them suppress Javi Lopez and Stuani, who were the prime attacking danger-men for Espanyol in the first-half, but were forced to resiliently defend in the second 45-minutes.

Madrid Down the Middle And Espanyol's Defense

The issue was, after switching play, Madrid's full-backs (Nacho and Essien) lacked imagination.

Hence, Madrid tried to attack down the middle of the park.

Espanyol, were perfectly set up to mitigate this threat. With nine men behind the ball, the 'Periquitos' squeezed any space in between the lines.

Nonetheless, Madrid's attackers' positional bias often scrambled up Espanyol's midfield. This opened up space for Los Blancos, but whoever got into the 'gap' and got hold of the ball, was heavily pressed by the disorganized Espanyol's midfielders. This in turn, resulted in more holes opening up but due the pressing, Madrid couldn't get the balls into promising areas and were hurried off.

Modric also made late runs into the final third to provide another passing outlet, but couldn't carry on his momentum with the ball.

-----

During all this, the back-four of Espanyol was static, organized and never got drawn out of position, even if it meant leaving the above-mentioned spaces.

It was clearly up to the midfielders to do all the dirty work and get Madrid off the ball.

Thus, there was always a rigid back-four for Madrid to breach after getting behind the midfield strata.

The mistake most teams make when "parking the bus" is that the defenders get easily drawn out of their respective positions. Hence, if the oppositions' player gets into a promising space opened, he then only has the goalkeeper to beat. Espanyol never let this happen.

------

With all options turning out futile, Madrid were compelled to pass in and around the centre of the park, searching for ideas to break up the Espanyol's set-up. Consequently Alonso-to-Modric and vice-versa were the two highest passing combinations for Mou's side.

Espanyol on the Counter with Wukaso and Stuani

The home side clearly opted to play on the counter.

With Madrid's wingers rarely tracking back, Espanyol were easily able to make 2 vs. 1 situations down the flanks (while even 1 vs. 1 situations against Essie and Nacho caused troubles).

Interestingly, Espanyol were productive down that flank which was opposite to the one that Madrid intended to overload.

In the first-half, Stuani was a menace due to Nacho being regularly called up to switch play and after the interval, Wakaso served as the trouble maker (with Essien marauding forward and failing to track back in time.)

Interchanging Roles

Although, this didn't result in much damage to Espanyol, Madrid's positional swapping was simply breathtaking.

In the first-half, Di Maria drifted in from the right-wing to interchange positions with Higuain or provide help on the opposite wing, with Morata doing likewise.

This unshackled the trio them from any man-marking as if the defenders would have continued roaming around the pitch with their respective markers, Espanyol could've left huge channels open. Madrid's aim was to ensure the opposing defenders were always occupied, while at the same time, not be able mark a particular player.

In the second-half, after Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo coming on, the positional swapping only improved. Benzema regularly operated on the left-wing, while Ronaldo kept getting into the hole behind Higuain to ensure a No10-esque present.

Higuain also helped on the wings (or dropped deep), with Di Maria occasionally taking up his national team's position as a striker when needed.

The most enthralling study was that no matter how versatile the players got with their positioning, the understanding and communication between them was such Madrid never congested a particular area with too many of their own men and made sure there was always an attacking outlet all over the pitch.

Set-Pieces

Despite the effective tactics by both the managers, the two goals in the match came through set-pieces.

Madrid's defending from corners, as it has been through the season, was horrendous.

Espanyol, on the other hand, fared relatively better during dead-ball situations, but a single lapse in concentration allowed Higuain to net in home.

Christian Stuani's opened the scoring for the hosts, before Gonzalo Higuain equalized for Los Blancos 13 minutes after the interval.

What follows is a tactical analysis of the game- how Espanyol successfully executed their tactics to frustrate Jose Mourinho's troops.

Madrid Overload Wings, Espanyol Hold Back

-First Half

Real Madrid's strategy from the start of the game was to overload the flanks. In the first-half, they put emphasis on outnumbering the hosts' left wing duo of Wakaso and Joan Capdevilla.

However, even when Nacho did get the time and space on the ball, Alvaro Morata was a let-down during link-ups and none of the left-back's crosses reached the target.

-Second Half

After the interval, Madrid reversed their tactics with Mourinho ordering his players to overload Espanyol's right wing instea.

But when Espanyol started to congest the right wing too, Madrid reverted to switching plays, this time to Di Maria or Michael Essien.

Madrid Down the Middle And Espanyol's Defense

The issue was, after switching play, Madrid's full-backs (Nacho and Essien) lacked imagination.

Hence, Madrid tried to attack down the middle of the park.

Espanyol, were perfectly set up to mitigate this threat. With nine men behind the ball, the 'Periquitos' squeezed any space in between the lines.

Modric also made late runs into the final third to provide another passing outlet, but couldn't carry on his momentum with the ball.

-----

During all this, the back-four of Espanyol was static, organized and never got drawn out of position, even if it meant leaving the above-mentioned spaces.

It was clearly up to the midfielders to do all the dirty work and get Madrid off the ball.

Thus, there was always a rigid back-four for Madrid to breach after getting behind the midfield strata.

------

Espanyol on the Counter with Wukaso and Stuani

The home side clearly opted to play on the counter.

With Madrid's wingers rarely tracking back, Espanyol were easily able to make 2 vs. 1 situations down the flanks (while even 1 vs. 1 situations against Essie and Nacho caused troubles).

Interestingly, Espanyol were productive down that flank which was opposite to the one that Madrid intended to overload.

Interchanging Roles

Although, this didn't result in much damage to Espanyol, Madrid's positional swapping was simply breathtaking.

In the first-half, Di Maria drifted in from the right-wing to interchange positions with Higuain or provide help on the opposite wing, with Morata doing likewise.

Higuain also helped on the wings (or dropped deep), with Di Maria occasionally taking up his national team's position as a striker when needed.

Set-Pieces

Despite the effective tactics by both the managers, the two goals in the match came through set-pieces.

Madrid's defending from corners, as it has been through the season, was horrendous.

Espanyol, on the other hand, fared relatively better during dead-ball situations, but a single lapse in concentration allowed Higuain to net in home.

International Madridista Card

2013-04-17T15:27:36Z

Would you like to have something to show off your Real Madridista passion? How about show it off while getting privileges such as discount offers, Madrid newsletters, and monthly and annual draws? If that is a YES, then getting an International Madridista Card is a good option.

The International Madridista Card is an official supporter card specifically made for those who want to show off the Madridista passion. This is not just the typical supporter card. Getting it comes with a number of benefits which include the following:

Real Madrid Official Newsletter
Aside from getting the official Madridista card, you will also receive the Real Madrid Newsletter. The newsletter contains the latest news and reports about football and basket matches. You will also be updated with other news and promotions in your areas of interest. The official newsletter of Real Madrid will be sent to your email periodically.

Annual Draw for Madrid Trip
Getting the International Madridista Card will give you a chance to win a trip for two to Madrid. All holders of the card are entitled to join the annual draw for this Madrid Trip. The winner will enjoy free tickets and accommodation, tickets for Real Madrid match, a meal at the Real Café Bernabeu Restaurant, and a tour in Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

To better enjoy the city you need to have a Madrid travel guide to get to know the best places in the capital of Spain. If you manage to win the annual drawing will have the most unforgettable experience of your life because you can see a match of Real Madrid in their stadium and also know the great city.

Get the Welcome Pack
If you’re a huge fan of the Real Madrid, then getting this welcome pack as part of the privileges of the card will definitely make you thrilled. The welcome pack is comprised of selected pictures signed by your favorite players, a poster, and a pin of the club.

Hala Madrid Magazine
Get to know the team more with the Hala Madrid Magazine. Home delivered every 3 months, this is one of the many benefits of the card. From matches to special reports and interviews, the magazine will definitely keep you updated with the ins and outs of the team. What’s more, you can get the chance to take part of its fun quizzes.

Loyalty Prize
The loyalty prize, which includes the exclusive Real Madrid scarf and welcome pack, is available to those who chose the International Madridista Special card. Aside from the loyalty prize, special card holders will also be getting exclusive renewal Club gift.

Official Club Items
Card holders will have the chance to win the official club items. Draw for these items will be done monthly. Each winner will bring home an official t-shirt, Madridista flag, football, Halamadrid scarf, and Halamadrid cap.

Official Club Stores Discounts
Another privilege of getting the card is discount offers for all purchases made at any official club store. Members and card holders will have 5% discount in all official club stores and 10% discount in its official online store.

Priority Access to Bernabeu Tickets
Nothing beats the thrill of watching a match live at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. If you are a holder of the International Madridista Card, you will be given priority if you book your tickets. However, you must notify the company at least a month ahead.

Other benefits enjoyed by card holders include discounts at Zen Market, La Esquina Asador-Sidreria, and Realcafe Bernabeu, discounts on basketball tickets, discounts on Bernabeu Stadium guided tour, and more discounts when visiting Madrid.

Madrid v Galatasaray: In-Game Shots Ratio

2013-04-05T11:43:42Z

Originally posted here (link)

Things we know: Real Madrid comfortably defeated Galatasaray on Wednesday night in the Bernabau. A 3-0 first leg lead should be be a big enough advantage to see Madrid through to the Semi-Finals.

What I wanted to show you guys today are the underlying numbers of Madrid's victory. What did the shot count look like, how did it change in-game, and how one team was far more accurate with the shots it had taken.

First of all I want to show you how each teams share of the shots (In-Game Total Shots Ratio) changed throughout the game.

In-Game TSR

This is a graph which shows us each teams moving average share of the shots throughout the game. As we can see it fluctuates somewhat during the game due to score effects.

0-9 minutes: Madrid are winning the shots battle handily early doors and this culminates in the opening goal.

10-29 minutes:Madrid, according to the shots ratio either sit off and defend the slender one goal lead or Galatasaray attempt to storm back for the away team heavily out-shoots Madrid in this time bracket. Unfortunately, Galatasaray's best spell of the game in terms of shots ends with Madrid scoring goal number 2.

30-94 minutes: Galatasaray's lead in the shots battle is gradually reduced by Madrid who regain the lead in the shots battle on the 59th minute and never again relinquish it. Madrid's 3rd goal arrives on 73 minutes and the game is comfortable from there on out.

One question I had, and it's one I haven't featured in posts like this before is how the frequency of each teams shots changes over the course of the game.

In-Game Shot Frequency

The above graph features each teams moving average in shots/minutes played. By doing this we get a shot per minute frequency for each team.

Madrid had a lightning quick start, firing in many shots in the first 9 minutes of the game, after that Madrid shot frequency dips and then becomes stable at around 0.2 shots per minute until around the 61st minute. For the rest of the game, and with Madrid comfortable with the 2 goal lead, we see Madrid's shot frequency tail off and then dip again in the last ten minutes in order to prevent any away goals conceded.

For Galatasaray, a poor start by SPM frequency but once they were a goal down and score effects kick in the away team up their frequency of shots to a peak of a shade under 0.3 shots per minute. That peak around the minutes Madrid scored their 2nd goal. Game over in a way, and from there on Madrid had complete control over the game.

This is evident in Galatasaray's 67 minute decline in shots per minute frequency.

Madrid shut this game down, reducing the away teams shot frequency and, as a by-product, also their own shot frequency. Tactics, I guess.

Shot Type

A weird chart but it visualizes some key info. We'll call this the shots breakdown.

Madrid's triangle is weighted towards the northerly tip which indicates a bigger percentage of their shots were on target. This is a good thing. Madrid's triangle leans slightly to the left also, this indicates more of their non-on target shots were blocked rather than missed outright.

For Galatasaray we see their triangle is leaning heavily to the bottom right towards shots off target (7).

I feel this is an interesting chart for it gives us some much needed context in an easily understandable visual format. It tells us something important about Galatasaray's impressive shot count of 14: it's made up largely of 'dud' shots, shots off target, shots that were never going in. This is visualized by the shape of their triangle.

Galatasaray's shots off target may have been caused by Madrid restricting the quality of Galatasaray's shots, or it may have been caused by simple wastefulness on the away teams part.

Hope you enjoyed this, any feedback on these experimental charts I created is more than welcome.

Originally posted here (link)

Things we know: Real Madrid comfortably defeated Galatasaray on Wednesday night in the Bernabau. A 3-0 first leg lead should be be a big enough advantage to see Madrid through to the Semi-Finals.

First of all I want to show you how each teams share of the shots (In-Game Total Shots Ratio) changed throughout the game.

In-Game TSR

This is a graph which shows us each teams moving average share of the shots throughout the game. As we can see it fluctuates somewhat during the game due to score effects.

0-9 minutes: Madrid are winning the shots battle handily early doors and this culminates in the opening goal.

One question I had, and it's one I haven't featured in posts like this before is how the frequency of each teams shots changes over the course of the game.

In-Game Shot Frequency

The above graph features each teams moving average in shots/minutes played. By doing this we get a shot per minute frequency for each team.

This is evident in Galatasaray's 67 minute decline in shots per minute frequency.

Madrid shut this game down, reducing the away teams shot frequency and, as a by-product, also their own shot frequency. Tactics, I guess.

Shot Type

A weird chart but it visualizes some key info. We'll call this the shots breakdown.

For Galatasaray we see their triangle is leaning heavily to the bottom right towards shots off target (7).

Galatasaray's shots off target may have been caused by Madrid restricting the quality of Galatasaray's shots, or it may have been caused by simple wastefulness on the away teams part.

Hope you enjoyed this, any feedback on these experimental charts I created is more than welcome.

The Next Galactico

2013-03-15T18:47:29Z

The Next Galactico

The year was 2000. Real Madrid had just won "la octava" its eighth European cup by beating fellow Spanish side Valencia in the final. The Whites, who wore black on the night, comfortably disposed of Valencia (3-0) in Saint-Denis, in what was the first European Cup Final to pit two teams from the same country against one another. Morientes, McManaman and Raúl got the goals to hand the los Blancos the victory. It was their second European cup triumph in 3 years and it seemed Real were well underway to becoming the dominant force in Europe. Alas....

That summer a former Spanish civil engineer turned construction magnate took over as president of Real Madrid. His name was Florentino Perez and the era he ushered in was that of the galacticos. It involved paying enormous transfer fees for the best and most marketable players in the world. Although Real Madrid won its ninth European cup in 2002 and the league title in 2003, the first galacticos era was considered a failure as the club managed to win very little between 2003 and 2007. When Perez took over as president in 2009, it was only a matter of time before the mammoth signings were announced. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol (well they had to buy a defender of some sort) were signed in his first season. Mezut Ozil, Angel Di Maria, Sami Khedira followed in his second season. Also a certain Jose Mourinho was brought in as manager. A superstar manager for a superstar squad. 2011 saw the arrival of Fabio Coentrao from Benfica for the tune of 30 million euros and 2012 saw the signing of Luka Modric for 42 million euros. 2013 will undoubtedly see the arrival of another galactico. Who will it be which player would best fit into Real Madrid? In this article I go over all the players who might join Los Blancos next season.

Gareth Bale

This season has been Gareth Bale's best season. One of the best players in the premier league, the Welshman has scored 22 goals and provided 6 assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for club and country. He would be an asset to any team with his blistering pace and crossing ability. However this season, Bale has shown that he is more than capable of scoring goals when playing in a more central role. Real Madrid possesses a multitude of talent in the attacking department and Bale would just add to that. But where exactly would he play?

1. On the wing: The thought of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo running down the wings is truly a scary thought. The duo would be capable of switching flanks midway through a match and the in tight matches Bale's pace would be the key in unlocking tight defences. The problem is that Madrid already has a brilliant winger in Angel Di Maria. Di Maria is one of the best wingers in the world and on his day can be unplayable. His trickery and ability to take on defenders is second to none. In 27 appearances this season for club and country, he has scored 6 goals and provided 8 assists. Also Di Maria has always performed well against big teams. He has provided the most assists in this season's Champions League with 4 assists in 6 games. Some might say that Bale would be replacing Ronaldo, who is going to leave the club. I can assure you that, this will not be the case. Ronaldo is already a Real Madrid legend and is well on his way to becoming its leading goal scorer.

2. Down the middle: Bale could play down the middle in place of Mezut Ozil alongside Di Maria and CR7. He has been employed in this position by Spurs, but I doubt he will replace Ozil. Bale does not have Ozil's passing ability and ability to carve teams open with that one key pass. Also playing Bale down the middle wastes one of the Welshman's biggest talents: His ability to cross the ball. Also the German maestro was instrumental in Real Madrid's surge to the title last year. He provided the pass that led to Ronaldo's title clinching goal at the Camp Nou. This season he has scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists for club and country. He will likely be Madrid's No. 10 for some time to come.

3. Left Back: Bale started out as a wing back early in his career and could play in this position at Real. The problem is that Madrid already have to quality left backs in Marcelo and Coentrao. Coentrao especially has been brilliant lately for Real and Marcelo before his lengthy injury layoff had had a brilliant year which saw him get named in the FIFA Team of the year. Coentrao/Marcelo might play in the right back position in place of Arbeloa and Bale could play on the left. The problem with this is that Bales ability as a defender aren't the best and I can hardly see him starting at left back against a team like Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

4. Wing Back: A rare possibility. Playing 3 central defenders and using Bale and Di Maria down the wings. Highly unlikely, but still a possibility. Madrid used this system in 2002 with Roberto Carlos and Michel Salgado playing as wing backs with Hierro commanding the defence. Could happen in the future with Varane assuming a similar role.

Neymar

The 21 year old Brazilian already commands one of the highest transfer fees in World Football. Many believe that Neymar will make the switch to Europe this summer. Those vying for his signature: Almost every big club in the world including Barcelona. Madrid would buy him just so that Barcelona can't have him. Neymar has scored 16 goals in 21 appearances this season for club and country and with Brazil hosting the world cup in 2014, the forward will be eager to gain some experience at the highest level before the tournament. Neymar like many Brazilians possesses extremely quick feet and his ability to take on defenders makes him a very dangerous player to play against. Although it will take him some time to get used to the more physical style of play used in Europe, a move to Spain will provide him with the best platform to do so due to the high level of technical ability seen in La liga. Technical ability is something that Neymar possesses in abundance. For Santos, he plays usually as a striker or down the wing. He is often given the permission to roam free in front of the opposition defence and it is here that he is at his best. His role at Madrid would probably be one of the following:

1. Down the wings: At 21, Neymar has a lot to learn and at Real Madrid he would be able to learn from one of the best wingers in the world. When Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United, he shared many of the attributes that Neymar has. If Madrid can follow United's example and mould Neymar, he could develop into a truly fantastic player.

2. As a striker: This is Neymar's preferred position and this is the position he would want to play. If Madrid's strikers continue to show the poor form they have been exhibiting of late, then Neymar might be brought in to play upfront.

3. Free Role: This would see Neymar playing in the same position that Messi plays for Barcelona. Madrid have had trouble against team that have defended deep and a tricky player like Neymar could provide key to unlocking tight defences.

Isco

The best Spanish player in La liga at the moment. The midfielder has scored 11 goals and provided 4 assists in 32 appearances for Malaga. But that's not the whole picture. Isco is one of the best passers of the ball and has one of the highest pass completion rates at 87%. Only a few players in the world can match that. To put simply Isco has all the abilities that are possessed by both Xavi and Iniesta. He is one of the best Spanish players right now and in my eyes is the one player who Real Madrid should buy at all cost. His 35 million euro price tag will no doubt be lessened considering that Malaga will miss out on Champions League Football for the next two seasons. At 20, Isco will only get better with age. Considering that Madrid have already let one Spanish jewel in the form of Juan Mata slip away, I doubt they would do the same with Isco. At Madrid, Isco would probably play in the midfield alongside Xabi Alonso or Luka Modric and might even be the long term replacement for the Spaniard. A midfield trio of Ozil, Isco and Khedira might be the future of Real Madrid.

Mats Hummels

The only player who I want Madrid to buy more than Isco is Hummels. The German international is an absolute beast of a defender. At 24 years Mats Hummels isn't even remotely close to his peak years, yet he has already established himself as one of the top center-halves in all of Europe. He has been imperious for Borussia Dortmund in their last two title-winning campaigns, and had it not been for a single lapse against Italy at the Euro 2012 semi-finals, he would've finished the stand-out defender of the tournament. Rumour has it that Bayern Munich only acquired fellow defender Jerome Boateng after Mats Hummels made it clear he would not return to his boyhood club. The current 2012/13 Champions League campaign has finally announced the arrival of Mats Hummels at the European stage. Borussia Dortmund not only topped Group D, the infamous group of death that included Real Madrid, they went unbeaten too. Though Dortmund's attack deserves its plaudits it also has one of the best defences in the world with Mats Hummels at the heart of it. Real Madrid already have one prodigal defender in Raphael Varane and the arrival of another would make Los Blancos a very difficult team to score against. One position where Hummels could play is at centre half alongside Ramos and later alongside Varane with Ramos playing at right back. Real could also switch to a 3 man defence with wing backs. A defence that includes Ramos, Varane and Hummels would be a nightmare for opposing attackers.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen

For those of you who do not follow the Bundesliga, this is the man who they consider to be the next big thing. It's not often that a teenager helps bring a club to safety and avoid relegation, but that's exactly what Marc-Andre ter Stegen did for Borussia Monchengladbach during the 2010-2011 Bundesliga season. After having only 16 points from 22 games, ter Stegen was called up from reserves to replace Logan Bailly in net, and the young German did not disappoint. The then 18-year-old keeper played inspired football, and Borussia Monchengladbach turned their season around and avoided the relegation zone to stay in the top flight. Marc-Andre hasn't looked back since his prominent debut and has taken over the reins of the Monchengladbach goal, making 45 appearances for the club since his initial season. He might only be 20 years old now, but ter Stegen has already taken over the responsibilities of team leadership. Many compare him to German legend Oliver Kahn with his aggressive decision-making and his emotional reactions on the field to errors that his defence commits. In two years as the full-time starter, ter Stegen has not only helped his team solidify its place in the top division, but has also helped earned them a place in European competition. His knack for top level performances in big games hasn't gone unnoticed, as he can add Bundesliga shutout victories over top German clubs Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich to his growing resume. After working his way up through the German national team youth squads, ter Stegen was called up to the German provisional squad for the Euro 2012 championships. But, beating out Manuel Neuer for the top German goalkeeping spot is going to be tough as German National Team Manager Joachim Low has made Neuer a first-choice keeper game in and game out. While ter Stegen is still young enough to compete for Germany at the youth national team levels, expect the 20-year-old to become a regular in Low's squads leading up to the World Cup in 2014. Although Casillas has a long way to go, I strongly believe that Marc-Andre ter Stegen should be the next Real Madrid goalkeeper.

These are 5 players who I would like to see join Real Madrid over the next few years. There are many other players who are currently being linked to Madrid, chief among them being Kun Aguero and Edison Cavani. Although they are both good players, I doubt that either of their transfers will happen. Let me know the players that you would like to see join Real Madrid over the next few years and why?

The Next Galactico

Gareth Bale

Neymar

Isco

Mats Hummels

Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Analysing The Road to La Decima at Quarterfinal Stage

2013-03-13T18:10:58Z

Who is to say last night's win for Barça wasn't purely routine. I will say that Messi's first goal which curved into the far left corner was good I'll give him that. Afterwards, it was Milan doing what they do best whenever they play the Catalan giants: lay down and let Barcelona walk all over them. Now with 6 teams qualified already for the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals and Bayern already holding the advantage over Arsenal (unless by some miraculous event Arsenal pulls of the remontada of the century) and between Porto and Malaga still being undecided (I honestly think that Malaga could pull it off at La Rosaleda, they could be this year's APOEL) I think we can start looking forward to each and every quarterfinal opponent.

The obvious big contenders to the crown are FC Bayern München, Juventus and FC Barcelona. But who's to say that if drawn against either of the big three (I don't include PSG on here because they haven't necessarily proven themselves on the European stage recently to make me consider them a big contender) we can't nullify each and everyone of their strengths and advance. Quite honestly who I don't to be paired up with right away is Bayern because it would suit us better to beat them in the Final as revenge for last year. Yes that means that it would be 3 UCL Final's for them in the span of three years but it would also show you that Bayern choke when it comes to the cup with the big ears. Right now between Juventus and Barcelona, neither scare me. We've proven that on any given day we can beat any team and Juventus although they are a strong team, are not as strong as Barça. Just like with Barcelona, if you successfully cut of supply to and from Juventus' midfield trio, they are weak and vulnerable to the attack.

The pieces are all there for Madrid to make it to Wembley this year and take it but it's going to be up to Mourinho and Company to really work towards analyzing and beating our opponents day in and out until we can finally reclaim our place as Kings of Europe once more. May is just around the corner and this is crunch time for all the teams striving for glory heading into May. College Basketball has March Madness, well my fellow Madridistas, we here have Spring Madness and it's all about to go down soon.

A Madridista With Questions

2013-03-12T16:57:13Z

For the past few months, back when Atletico was the one chasing Barça for the league and Real were pondering life in 3rd place, I had a serious conversation with a fellow Madridista who resides in Madrid. The topic was La Liga. To be more exact, the main theme of our debate was who would we rather accept as Spanish League Champions: Atletico Madrid our hated city rivals or FC Barcelona, our eternal rival. Frankly we were both quite lost at who to choose. We were both in unison that we wouldn't want Barça as league champions again but we also wouldn't like for Colchoneros everywhere to be saying that they bested us both! In the end we both thought like Madridistas and said the only league champions we'd accept is Real Madrid C.F.

This past weekend I caught up with him on Skype and again we renewed our debate but this time things were changed around. Now that Madrid has caught up back to second and lowly Atleti is behind us in the league, Europe (and come May 17th, in the Copa De Su Majestral El Rey) but where do we stand as Madridistas if Barça takes the league still. One major point he pointed out is that many Cules, especially those in Catalunya believe that if Barcelona does take the league, it won't be as big as they would have like it to be only because they didn't manage to beat Real during the season. As a matter of fact, there are even some Cules who would rather be in our place right now which to many is hard to believe. Who knew that 13 points behind in second place, a spot in the Copa D.S.M El Rey, the Spanish Super Cup and with a good chance of winning La Decima was something Cules strived for their team. Is it what we as Madridistas strive for? I for one know that if Real Madrid could not only would they capture what they have now but they'd also take the league with them. It may be a bit too late for the league but then again stranger things have happened and in football anything can happen *cough* *cough* Chelsea winning last year's Champions League *cough* *cough*.

So as I leave you all with a final thought, I ask each and every Madridista out there, would you be satisfied if Real takes the Copa del Rey, Super Copa de España and La Decima and Barcelona takes the league? Hell I know I would. At least Cristiano would finish as top scorer in all competitions with trophies in hand (minus the league). Maybe then FIFA will give him back the Ballon D'Or... I'm getting too far ahead of myself!!

Man Utd vs Real - 2nd Leg, 1st Half - Offensive breakdown

2013-03-06T20:52:04Z

Was Real Madrid as toothless as they seemed in the first half or were they failing at a few key points? A breakdown of the first half's offensive play reveals that Real Madrid moved intelligently, were creative, but lacked the final ball and failed to utilize their fullbacks going forward. They certainly planned for Manchester United's tactics. Early in the game Real Madrid tried to press high and create gaps to exploit. United did a very good job of positioning with their backline and never allowed any of these situations to be highly threatening. Whenever Madrid tried to up the pace the game became broken up and Madrid looked poor.

Key Points

1) Real Madrid used Xabi Alonso to take one defender out United's defensive formation so they could work the middle of the pitch. In each of the following photos you will see that United constantly attacked the space that Welbeck would have been near or patrolling if he was not man marking Alonso.

2) Closing down Ronaldo was the other defensive hallmark of United in the first half. Ronaldo had a poor first half with lost passes, bad vision, and bad decisions. Rafael stuck very close to him anywhere to the left side of the pitch.

3) Khedira was allowed space and time on the ball. He moved around during the match to make up for this. His movement was excellent and positionally great. A lot of moves early had him moving into Di Maria's vacated space to allow Di Maria to drop deep and gain time on the ball. His major failing would be a lack of burst and creativity or passing ability on the ball. His runs occupied a defender but never created a real threat due to his acceleration.

4) Ozil became the focal point of all the attacks because of the way United was defending. He smartly dropped deep to the flanks on a number of occasions to draw out Cleverley and create passing lanes. He also made forward runs behind the defense and even ended up in striking positions at times.

5) Di Maria moved very well but was wasteful with his decisions and final ball.

6) Arbeloa did a great job of being a wide outlet and taking up good positions. Unfortunately everyone ignored him. Both United AND Madrid.

7) Coentrao did not do enough OR Giggs was amazing with his positioning to help double Ronaldo and prevent Coentrao from breaking forward. Giggs lacks the pace to threaten on the break and Coentrao could have roamed a lot safer than Arbeloa.

A Few Attacking Moves

Move 1

Khedira has time on the ball while the right side of United's defense is out of position to handle a ball to the touchline for Ozil. Di Maria has dropped deep to pull up Evra and Arbeloa is staying wide to offer an outlet and occupy Nani. Cleverley refuses to close down Khedira and instead takes away a passing lane while staying near to Di Maria. Ozil's movement has taken Carrick out- leaving a gap on the opposite side of their defense. Notice Welbeck ignoring anything besides staying about 5 yards off Alonso while keeping himself ball side.

Khedira ends up dribbling and passing to Arbeloa. Khedira moves to the wing position while Di Maria drops very deep. Di Maria receives pressure from Cleverley after he receives the pass and launches a poor forward ball.

Move 2

Real moved the ball from one flank to another as Ozil drops deep to receive the ball. With time on the ball, Khedira runs to overload the right flank and drags Carrick over. Di Maria drops deep and receives the ball from Ozil with enough space to turn and cut inside.

United have been drawn out of position with a gap between Carrick and Giggs as shown above. Notice how Welbeck is attached to Alonso in a position he can break quickly towards goal if Real loses the ball in a bad position. Real are exploiting the middle of the pitch behind Welbeck. The move ends with a foul on Alonso after a Ronaldo backpass; however, had Ronaldo controlled the ball well he had space to move in as Rafael had closed down on him hard. Higuain was making a wonderful run, too.

Move 3

A broken down attack resets and Ramos feeds the ball to Di Maria who is closed down by Nani. Di Maria beats Nani off the dribble which creates an excellent attacking opportunity. Ozil has seen the play developing and makes a run into space. Arbeloa moves to keep a good wide outlet while Ronaldo and Higuain team up to create good movement. Higuain drops deep off Vidic to occupy Carrick and offer a simple passing outlet. Khedira is in space with good passing options. The best option here is probably a throughball towards the right touchline or a simple pass to Ozil so that he can exploit the 2v1 outside. Instead Di Maria tries a throughball right towards the goalkeeper and has it headed away.

Move 4

Di Maria drops deep on the right side and puts in a cross field pass to Ramos. Ramos hits a longball to the left side and recovers the clearance with acres of space. As the United defense tries to reset Ronaldo and Higuain occupy Giggs and Carrick - which leaves a lot of space in the middle of the pitch where Ozil has popped up. Ramos has Khedira making a move into the space and tries a blooping pass to Ozil which Ozil heads to an onrushing Di Maria. His touch is poor and United closes down the space before he can recover.

Move 5

Ozil is allowed time on the ball deep on the left side and he dribbles in to find Higuain dropping off his marker into space. Ozil makes a run in behind the defense while Ronaldo does the same - Higuain is too slow on his decision and United closes down the dangerous passing lanes.

Move 6

Ozil and Di Maria have dropped deep on the right side again while Arbeloa and Khedira make smart runs. Khedira drags Carrick across the pitch but as Nani closes down Ozil he launches a crossfield ball to Ramos. Note Di Maria and Ozil's position. Ronaldo drops deep to play a quick pass to Coentrao and makes a run to the touchline. Ozil has now come over and receives the ball deep...

Ronaldo receives a nice pass on the run and ultimately dribbles beyond Rafael. Di Maria has made a wonderful crossfield run to occupy the defense while Higuain is moving to be ready for a pass and create space for Ronaldo. Ronaldo now has acres in the middle to make a decision.

He has Ozil making a run in behind Cleverley to get to a dangerous position and be ready for a pass. Higuain is moving in behind Vidic. Di Maria is occupying Carrick on the left. Unfortunately Ronaldo just shoots into Vidic's face.

Move 7

The front three have started to interchange positions more and a passing move has led to good movement with United's defense stretched. Khedira receives the ball with time and space. Ozil is available for a quick pass with angles to hit the onrushing Di Maria and Higuain. Ronaldo is starting a run and Khedira lofts a ball to the left of the goal that Ronaldo finds but can't convert. It is a nice pass but leaves Ronaldo with a lot to do. The defense was so stretched if Di Maria or Higuain had received the ball on the move it would have been tough to stop. This situation is similar to the second goal except Khedira has been switched with Modric and Higuain is out wide right.

Move 8

This time the move breaks United down when Ronaldo has come deep from the right side to pick up the ball - much like Di Maria was doing earlier. However, he finds a simple pass to the open Khedira (unlike Di Maria) and then makes a run to occupy the defense. This move looks far more dangerous with Ronaldo cutting inside with passing options than Di Maria did.

Higuain drops deep from his marker to receive a simple pass with United's defense pulled apart. Ozil makes a run but is closed down by Rafael after Higuain takes a few touches. Higuain ends up spraying a very nice ball out to Di Maria is who wide left. His cross is blocked because he takes too long on the ball.

Hope you guys enjoyed that - I enjoyed writing it. I'm not a huge Higuain fan but he made spectacular runs and pressed very well. The way United were set up we needed one more threat in the middle and to be less wasteful with some of our final balls. Kaka being subbed on for Di Maria improved the team; as did moving Khedira out to Arbeloa's space so that Modric could be more dangerous if allowed time on the ball in the middle of the pitch like Khedira was getting.

Key Points

5) Di Maria moved very well but was wasteful with his decisions and final ball.

6) Arbeloa did a great job of being a wide outlet and taking up good positions. Unfortunately everyone ignored him. Both United AND Madrid.

A Few Attacking Moves

Move 1

Move 2

Move 3

Move 4

Move 5

Move 6

Move 7

Move 8

Should mourinho rest his players on Saturday?

2013-03-01T00:15:10Z

This is not an article. Therefore I would not make any arguments in favor or against it, and I leave that to you. As you all know in two days Real Madrid is playing Barcelona again, and they have to play against Man-U in midweek. The circumstance is somewhat similar to last year when we had to play Bayern Munich. On that time, we had to play Barcelona only once and La Liga was at stake. However, we had lost against Bayern Munich in the first match and we needed it at least a 2-1 win, if we wanted to have any chance. This time we are playing Barcelona twice, and we have won the important game, which has secured us a place in Copa del rey's Final. Now, in Saturday's game, it is our honor at stake. We know there is not much chances to win La Liga now unless Barcelona fall completely off track. However, can Real Madrid afford the 16 points difference become 19?

Poll

Should Real Madrid rests its player on Saturday's classico?

Yes, Man-U is more important. We should rest them

34 votes

No, The risk is too little, we should go all in for both games

5 votes

39 votes | Poll has closed

Real Madrid App Survey

2013-02-28T04:17:54Z

Hey everyone, as some of you have seen in a previous post, I'm designing and developing an Android application for Real Madrid as a part of my senior project in my college's IT program. As a result, I created a survey to determine what an average fan values in a mobile app. So please use the link below to complete the survey, it won't take more than 5 minutes of your time. There is a suggestion box there as well so please feel free to leave feedback. Thanks guys!

Real Madrid App Survey

Gareth Bale Scouting Report

2013-02-26T10:49:13Z

Introduction

This report has been produced after observing the player in his last three matches against Lyon(home and away) and Newcastle United(home) as well as prior recorded matches.

Details:

Name: Gareth Bale

Current Team: Tottenham

Shirt Number: 11

Age: 23 years old (16-07-1989)

Height: 183cm

Weight: 74kg

Nationality: Wales

Behaviour

Gareth Bale is an ambitious determined player,who likes to shine in the biggest of games.His rise to glory after a long injury lay off and severe lack of playing time is a testament to his work and commitment

Positions:

Gareth Bale is proficient in playing as:

Left Winger
Left Back
Right Winger
Centre Attacking mid

The Below table highlights his proficiency in each:

Bale plays best as a left winger due to his pace and ability to cut in or cross equally well making him unpredictable. But when deployed in the trequista role his direct running causes all sorts of problems for the opposition defences.

Position	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
AML (Attacking Midfielder - Left)	19	8	2	7.62
ML (Midfielder - Left)	6	4	2	8
AMC (Attacking Midfielder - Centre)	3	5	0	9.13
DL (Defender - Left)	1	0	0	8.55

Preferred Moves

Likes to cross
Likes to cut inside
Likes to dribble
Runs with ball through centre

Bale alternates between cutting inside and attempting a shot or outpacing his marker and whipping in a cross. His proficiency with both feet enable him to do that

Strengths:

Dribbling: Bale is an expert dribbler but with an heavy emphasis on pace
Free Kicks: Bale is a talented free kick taker. He alternates between using the knuckle ball and curling the ball

Weaknesses:

Diving: Bale has a tendency to go down a bit too easily under pressure.

Ability Comparison (Left winger)

Cristiano Ronaldo: *****

Gareth Bale: ****

Angel Di Maria: ***

Mesut Ozil: ***

Gareth Bale is a carbon copy albeit an inferior one of Cristiano Ronaldo and would be the second best left winger on the squad if he was signed.

Potential Ability: *****

Gareth Bale would probably play in a level similar to Cristiano in the next few years

Potential fee:***

Bale has a contract that runs till 2016.It would take an offer in the region of 50-60 M to sign him

Introduction

This report has been produced after observing the player in his last three matches against Lyon(home and away) and Newcastle United(home) as well as prior recorded matches.

Details:

Name: Gareth Bale

Current Team: Tottenham

Shirt Number: 11

Age: 23 years old (16-07-1989)

Height: 183cm

Weight: 74kg

Nationality: Wales

Behaviour

Positions:

Gareth Bale is proficient in playing as:

Left Winger
Left Back
Right Winger
Centre Attacking mid

The Below table highlights his proficiency in each:

Position	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
AML (Attacking Midfielder - Left)	19	8	2	7.62
ML (Midfielder - Left)	6	4	2	8
AMC (Attacking Midfielder - Centre)	3	5	0	9.13
DL (Defender - Left)	1	0	0	8.55

Preferred Moves

Likes to cross
Likes to cut inside
Likes to dribble
Runs with ball through centre

Bale alternates between cutting inside and attempting a shot or outpacing his marker and whipping in a cross. His proficiency with both feet enable him to do that

Strengths:

Dribbling: Bale is an expert dribbler but with an heavy emphasis on pace
Free Kicks: Bale is a talented free kick taker. He alternates between using the knuckle ball and curling the ball

Weaknesses:

Diving: Bale has a tendency to go down a bit too easily under pressure.

Ability Comparison (Left winger)

Cristiano Ronaldo: *****

Gareth Bale: ****

Angel Di Maria: ***

Mesut Ozil: ***

Gareth Bale is a carbon copy albeit an inferior one of Cristiano Ronaldo and would be the second best left winger on the squad if he was signed.

Potential Ability: *****

Gareth Bale would probably play in a level similar to Cristiano in the next few years

Potential fee:***

Bale has a contract that runs till 2016.It would take an offer in the region of 50-60 M to sign him

Poll

Should we sign bale?

Sign him up!!!

13 votes

Another modric

2 votes

Nope

5 votes

20 votes | Poll has closed

Pics & Videos of my experience watching RM vs Man U at the Bernabeu - Chanting in the streets & more!!

2013-02-22T22:25:15Z

Hello every one, I'm a bit late posting this but better late than never! I made my first trip to Madrid last week to watch Real Madrid vs Manchester United in the CL at the Bernabeu, and I have to say it was one of the best experiences of my entire life! Firstly Madrid is an AMAZING city, I would have had the time of my life even if I didn't go to the game. The people are some of the nicest, most friendly, and most helpful people I have ever dealt with in any city! The food is amazing, the night life is amazing, the whole atmosphere of the city is great, highly recommend visiting Madrid!

On to the futbol... Firstly I must say that as annoying as they were the Man U fans were pretty awesome and made their presence felt both in the city and at the game. They weren't actually annoying but the constant chanting they did in the streets the days leading up to the game started to eventually get a bit "obnoxious" for lack of a better word. We were in Madrid after all you don't want opposition having too much fun! But overall they were extremely passionate and some pretty cool folks. They were fairly loud at the game as well but would be quickly drowned out by whistles thankfully! Below I'm going to post some pictures & videos from the game, as well as a tour I did of the stadium. Hope you guys enjoy!

Some quick notes about the game:

-Firstly the atmosphere was amazing! The Ultras were amazing, providing much needed energy after Man U's goal!

-Secondly the game goes by 5x faster when watching in person, it happened too fast.

-Watching the game in person gives such a different insight to how the game was played. Madrid dominated the game, Di Maria played great (we know he works hard, but seeing it person is more impressive), Ronaldo of course with the amazing goal... But I must admit watching Mesut Ozil play in person was mind blowing, his skill, vision, and touch was breath taking. He also covered a lot of ground, he tracked up and down the pitch all game, more than I think many people may realize.

-The Man U player I was most impressed with was Van Persie. He played with extreme confidence in most cases and dribbled very well and was hard to mark. Although that ball he mishit that almost rolled into the goal was fortunate for us, thankfully it didn't go in!!!

-Madrid are the better team clearly, we dominated that game and should have won. I'm confident for the 2nd leg and hopefully we advance!

¡HALA MADRID!

AWESOME VIDEOS:

These first few video were all the Madridistas in the streets in front of the stadium chanting, it was amazing!!!

GAME PICTURES: (YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR A BIGGER VIEW, HELPS MOSTLY ON THE WIDE ANGLE AND PANORAMIC PICS)

STADIUM TOUR PICTURES:

Some quick notes about the game:

-Firstly the atmosphere was amazing! The Ultras were amazing, providing much needed energy after Man U's goal!

-Secondly the game goes by 5x faster when watching in person, it happened too fast.

-Madrid are the better team clearly, we dominated that game and should have won. I'm confident for the 2nd leg and hopefully we advance!

¡HALA MADRID!

AWESOME VIDEOS:

These first few video were all the Madridistas in the streets in front of the stadium chanting, it was amazing!!!

GAME PICTURES: (YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR A BIGGER VIEW, HELPS MOSTLY ON THE WIDE ANGLE AND PANORAMIC PICS)

STADIUM TOUR PICTURES:

One week to define our season - A Madridista's nightmare.

2013-02-20T05:52:05Z

Here we are, one week away from the most important week of this season, by far. La Liga is a distant (optimists’) dream. Copa Del Rey and Champions League has the same story. A 1-1 draw at home against two fierce opponents. To make matters worse our two lethal strikers from last season look nothing like the vicious dog and agile cat they were famed to be. Our dangerous left back Marcelo is cleary out of shape and our guardian angel in between the posts. Iker, is injured. Can it get any worse? Apparently, yes.

We face Barcelona at Camp Nou on 26th February 2013 for the CDR semi-final, the only domestic trophy we can grasp this season. Then after a ‘long’ break of 3 days we face Barcelona at home on 2nd March, this time in La Liga. Immediately after that we travel to The Theatre of Dreams to face Manchester United on 5th March for the quest of the elusive La Decima. One week. Three matches. Lose the important matches and our season will be over almost 3 months before the scheduled time. Win all (which will be amazingly difficult) and we, the madridistas, have something to look forward to this season. If we take a quick look the CDR and CL match seems the most important, but Barca would love to cause an upset in the Bernabeu, so the La Liga match is important as well, for our pride. Players like Kaka, Modric and Essien should start on that match so that some of the other players in the position get some rest before the Manchester United clash.

All in all, lets all gear up for a very interesting week. The team’s character will be at stake. Hala Madrid!

Poll

What will be the story of our season after 5th March?

In the Copa Del Rey Final and Champions League quater-finals.

14 votes

In the Copa Del Rey final.

1 votes

In the Champions League quater-final.

4 votes

Out of both of the competitions.

0 votes

19 votes | Poll has closed

Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester United: A detailed match report and tactical breakdown

2013-02-14T19:27:13Z

My take on last night's game between Real Madrid and Manchester United. A deatiled match report and a tactical breakdown on the events as they unfolded at the Santiago Bernabeu.

http://www.thehardtackle.com/2013/real-madrid-1-1-manchester-united-post-mortem/

I write for he above mentioned blog on a regular basis. If you've time, visit it here.:

http://www.thehardtackle.com/author/shivam1/

Also this is my first post on SB nation, so many thanks for visiting. Hala Madrid, Vamos Real!

My take on last night's game between Real Madrid and Manchester United. A deatiled match report and a tactical breakdown on the events as they unfolded at the Santiago Bernabeu.

http://www.thehardtackle.com/2013/real-madrid-1-1-manchester-united-post-mortem/

I write for he above mentioned blog on a regular basis. If you've time, visit it here.:

http://www.thehardtackle.com/author/shivam1/

Also this is my first post on SB nation, so many thanks for visiting. Hala Madrid, Vamos Real!