Real Madrid

[Rasputin]

Future far from Europe
Is it painful to leave top flight football?
I’ve had 15 years playing top-flight football for Manchester United and Real Madrid. Everybody knows that the level of football is different in America, but I have been very honoured and I have had such an amazing career playing for two of the biggest clubs in the world, playing in many big competitions, and winning everything possible for Manchester United, and hopefully something with Real Madrid before I leave. But it’s going to be sad. I’m going to be sad on Sunday because of the four years I’ve spent here and the way the people have treated me. I’m moving on to new challenges. It’s a challenge that I’m looking forward to and a challenge that will be difficult, but it’s also going to be rewarding being that I have the chance to take football in America, soccer as they call it, to another level. I’m excited about this opportunity and will be ready for the challenge.

But to win the League you first need to defeat Mallorca…
Winning the League is still difficult because we have a big match on Sunday. We have to relax because everyone was very excited after the game we played the other day. Everybody… the club, the fans, the players. But the League is not over. We have to win on Sunday. If we win, then we will enjoy the celebrations after.

Was this the toughest season you have ever lived?
It’s possibly been the toughest and most difficult season of my career, on and off the field. 1998 was difficult, but I think that this season I’ve gone through things that I never thought were possible. It’s been difficult, but I’ve had a lot of people around me. I’ve had a lot of friends, not just my family and English friends. I have a lot of friends that have given me so much support while I’ve been at Real Madrid, and especially this season. As I said before, it was the most difficult time I’ve had in my career; not being involved in training, not being involved in matches, and certain things being said about me that weren’t true. I want everybody to know that I have always loved this club and I have always given everything to play for this club and to be out there at the Bernabéu. It’s one of the best stadiums in the world and I have been honoured to play there for four years now.

Could playing in the US be detrimental vis-a-vis being called up for international duty with the England squad?
Without a doubt. The manager has already made it clear there won’t be a problem as long as my fitness is right and as long as I’m playing like I have been over the last six months, which is why he brought me back in the first place. I believe my fitness will be the same as what it is now, if not better. I don’t think I, or anybody else involved, have any reason to worry.



Targetof all opinions
Everyone has an opinion about the decision you have taken…
I think everybody has their own opinion, not just about my decisions over the last six months, but about my entire career. Some people think that I shouldn’t be in the team and others think I should. Some think I’m doing the right thing by signing for the L.A. Galaxy, and as they have been saying, going into semi-retirement, which I don’t think is the case. Then there are others that think that I can play for another two or three years at the top level and I’m one of those people. I don’t think it’s too early to be doing what I’m doing. I think it’s important for me to go to America, to play for the Galaxy, and to be an ambassador of the MLS at an age where I can still perform. I didn’t want to go there with people expecting so much and me being unable to deliver. I’ve always tried to deliver throughout my career, both on and off the pitch. So, everybody has their own opinion. I can’t change what some think, but I have change what others think by the way I have played on the football pitch, and that’s all the interests me.

Even Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke favourably about your return to the English team…
I think it’s an amazing honour whenever a Prime Minister speaks about you. The Prime Minister has spoken many times about me as a person and as a footballer. I’m very honoured and thankful for that, but it’s what I love doing. I love playing football and when I get criticized, it’s my way of coming back as a stronger person and stronger footballer, Whenever the criticism gets thrown at me, then I find a way of dealing with it and becoming a stronger and better person for it. I have to thank the Prime Minister because, as I said, he spoke so highly about me. He’s a man that knows about tremendous pressure, probably more than many people in the world, so for him to take the time to say the words that he has about me and my career, I’m very flattered and very honoured.



The last goodbye
A message for the fans.
For all the people and fans, thank you very much for everything. I would like to thank the press, the people in Spain, the fans in the Bernabéu, my teammates, my coaches... Thank you so much. It has been a real honour and pleasure to play for this team and this club. Thank you so much and farewell.

Your last thought please.
I need to stress that I’ve had four amazing years, whether we won on Sunday or not. But winning this Sunday will top things off for me. I’ve had an amazing for years with this club, the people within the club, the people around the city, and with the press. They’ve all been really kind to me, and I want to say thank you for that. I want to thank the coaches that I’ve had, to the Presidents I’ve had, and to everybody involved in making it possible for me to play here. It’s been an honour. It’s been a dream playing here. I want to wish the team good luck in the future. I want to wish the captain good luck because he has been a tower of strength for many people and for the team, and he’s been a person that a lot of people should look up to because he is very dedicated to what he does and what he believes in. Thank you to him and the rest of the team, and good luck throughout the rest of their careers.

[Rasputin]

"I will be sad to miss the game on Sunday"

Robinho will join Brazil to prepare for the Copa America, but he told Sao Paolo newspaper O Estado that he doesn't want to miss the Real Madrid-Mallorca fixture, in which the Whites could win the League title.

"I will be sad if I can't play on Sunday," said Robinho, "It wouldn't be good for me to miss eating the stake after nibbling on bones all year. I want to be present at such an important time for the Club."
The forward expressed he wishes to play for Real Madrid on Sunday and to join Brazil after the game to start preparing for the Copa America, to be held in Venezuela in June.



"With all due respect to the Brazilian national team and other Clubs, Real Madrid is a great, strong and well organised Club, and it is taking care of things to have me play with the team on Sunday. I believe I will be able to face Mallorca," added Robinho, also pointing out that any player would like to play the last match of the competition, not just him.

Robinho doesn't think missing a week's training with Brazil will affect his performance with the national team. "I will have a whole week to train with Brazil before the Copa America kicks off. They must realise I'm still working here and that I train on a daily basis."

[abadani69]

Real Madrid ended their four-year trophy drought when they won the league title for the 30th time after a dramatic 3-1 comeback victory over Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Substitute Jose Reyes Antonio was Real's hero, equalizing a minute after coming on in the second half and putting the icing on the cake with a spectacular third seven minutes from time.


The nine-times European champions topped the final standings by virtue of a better head-to-head record against arch-rivals Barcelona, whose 5-1 victory at already relegated Gimnastic Tarragona was to no avail.

For over an hour the title looked to have slipped from Real's grasp as they trailed to a 17th-minute strike from Mallorca's Fernando Varela, while Barca overpowered Gimnastic.

But Real produced their customary late show, including a headed goal by Mahamadou Diarra, to storm back to victory and snatch the title from Barcelona's grasp.

"This team has recovered its spirit, this was a fantastic victory," Real coach Fabio Capello told reporters.

The match marked the final appearances of David Beckham and Roberto Carlos, who signed off with a championship medal in front of 76,000 adoring fans at the Bernabeu.

Mallorca gave Real an almighty scare with barely a minute on the clock when striker Juan Arango hit the base of the post with a low shot after stealing a march on defender Sergio Ramos.

SHAKY START

Real paid the price for their shaky start soon after when Varela put Mallorca in front with a low shot past Iker Casillas after Arango slid a perfect pass behind the static back four.

The Mallorca goal meant Barca were top of the table and the Catalans consolidated their advantage when they went a goal up after Carles Puyol slid the ball home at the near post after Lionel Messi had squared a neat pass into his path.

Real suffered another setback when leading scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy was forced off in the 32nd minute after appearing to pull a hamstring as he ran towards goal.

Barcelona, meanwhile, went 3-0 up by the break with goals from Messi and Ronaldinho.

Real struggled to respond at the Bernabeu and the restless crowd called on Fabio Capello to introduce playmaker Guti to give the side more control in midfield.

Capello did just that at the start of the second half but his side continued to live dangerously with a succession of last-ditch tackles stopping Mallorca adding to their lead.

The game was turned on its head shortly after Reyes replaced Beckham, who limped off midway through the second half.

The former Arsenal player equalized a minute later when he fired in from close range after some dazzling footwork by Robinho and Gonzalo Higuain on the right side of the area.

The Bernabeu burst into life after Reyes's goal and Real were back on top of the table 12 minutes later when Diarra, called back from international duty with Mali, sent a header bouncing off Mallorca's Angelos Basinas and across the line.

Reyes made sure of victory four minutes later with a great strike from the edge of the area to spark wild celebrations at the Bernabeu as Madrid finished on 76 points from 38 matches to snatch the Primera Liga title from Barcelona.

[Rasputin]

Madrid are the CHAMPIONS: Together we could! Thank you all!

An English thinker once wrote, “If you sow your seeds with faith and you care for them with persevearance, it's only a question of time until you reap a harvest of rewards.” How right was he as we saw the most vibrant La Liga of the last few years reach its final veredict. Real Madrid had no margin of error and as has been commonplace during this last spell of the League, everything worked out in the end. The perfect communion between fans, team, Club and history… the Together we can! campaign finally paid off. The sheer effort, the final spurt so immense, the will to fulfil yet another epic turnaround... Congratulations Campeones


A screaming fan base gave this grand finale just the atmosphere it needed, making everyone's neck hair stand on end and securing the team an inspiration which proved just the ticket before kick-off. Over 80,000 Madridistas filled the Santiago Bernabéu stadium to capacity, turning it into a real pressure cooker. The excitement and cheerfulness of the little ones infected the adults. Any reason for grief was postponed until the following day, or maybe just a tad later, because this title deserved an unashamed bellyful of joy. It was an evening to wallow in the delight of having witnessed the resurgence of a badge, the pride behind a sentiment, the efficiency of a work plan, that blessed goddess called luck, the strength through unity and belief… We were all privileged witnesses of a championship that ended up making its way to Real Madrid's unparalleled trophy cabinet.



But the big party of all Madridismo meant winning against Mallorca. The team managed by Gregorio Manzano had already fulfilled this year's La Liga aspirations, but they were more than ready to showcase a full display of their professionalism and make it very hard on the Whites. It is appropriate to remind everyone now that this is the team that has grabbed most points from the Bernabéu since 2000. Arango gave the first serious warning shooting against the woodwork in the first minute, and in the 17th minute it was Varela who hit the homerun and made the worst omens come true. The Balearic side took the lead stunning the Merengues. A perfect triangulation passing play between Víctor, Varela, and Arango saw the latter beat Casillas on his right post with a precision ground shot. It was time to come back as the thrills and chills made yet another appearance in a Real Madrid match. The fans were resigned to suffering as they re-enacted the epic victory syndrome.

The first step towards rounding off a spectacular second half of the season, with only one defeat in 17 games, consisted in netting the equaliser. The bad news piled up as the League's Pichichi, with 25 goals, and top-scorer in away matches with 17 strikes, said goodbye prematurely. Without a doubt one of the best footballers of the 2006-07 Primera Liga, Ruud Van Nistelrooy was forced to leave the field of play broken and despondent with 31 minutes on the clock due to a severe muscular strain. That said, the biggest motivation of the night had the shape of a cup. The first half saw the Madridistas hit the dressing room with a meager footballing record and gripped by tension. Míchel Salgado, the big surprise of tonight's starting eleven, was the only one who seemed to couple guts and skill during this first period. Raúl, Roberto Carlos, and Robinho tried hard, but to no avail. Everything would have to wait until the second half.

The dream is realised

Guti once again instilled new vigour coming in for Emerson during the break. It was time to go get a goal, or rather two. The Madridistas were obliged to defeat Mallorca seeing as Barcelona were winning. The counters and the set pieces were the big danger plays of Capello's team. Mallorca took a step back as Real Madrid shoved forward harder and harder. José Antonio Reyes came in for David Beckham, who was seen off the field with a standing ovation in what has been his home for the last four years. Blessed substitution for it was the Andalusian who produced the goods, levelling the score 69 minutes into the clash.

Gonzalo Higuaín devised the master plan, a great play capped off with a touchline service that the young Sevillian poked home with his right foot. "Go get 'em!" shouted the Bernabéu in unison… And so the team did: they went to get 'em and the League like a true steamroller. The first tentative on target came by way of Robinho, but his shot was deflected by Moyá. It seemed like it was only a question of minutes until Madrid turned everything upside down. Said and done! One minute later, it would be one of this year's newcomers who would head into the back of the net. Diarra materialised a corner kick with only ten minutes to go. The Santiago Bernabéu went into a state of elation and rapture as they saw their team go ahead for the first time in the game and the matchday. Reyes proved instrumental in tonight's turnaround victory, scoring the third of the night just minutes later. In the happiest day of his life, the Andalusian curled the ball past the rival stopper for the final 3-1 in the 84th minute of the game.

And so, this tale had a happy ending, although there was a fair share of suffering and excitement… Once upon a time, in the 2006/07 season, when Real Madrid were once again the best team… and reconquered their leadership in the Spanish championship as a true homage to the Best Club of the XXth Century. We shall finish as we began this match summary, with some food for thought: “Don't let your enthusiasm wane, a virtue as valuable as it is necessary; work, have aspirations, and shoot always for the moon... there where only the CHAMPIONS tread.”


MATCH REPORT:

Real Madrid: Iker Casillas; Míchel Salgado, Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Beckham (Reyes, min. 67), Emerson (Guti, min.46), Diarra, Robinho; Raúl and Van Nistelrooy (Higuaín, min.30).

RCD Mallorca: Moyá; Héctor, Nunes (Ramis, min. 35), Ballesteros, Fernando Navarro; Jonás, Pereyra, Basinas, Varela (Trejo, min.89); Arango and Víctor (Maxi López, min. 68

Goals:

0-1. Min. 15. Varela pokes home from the keeper's box.
1-1. Min. 68. Reyes taps in an assist of Higuaín.
2-1. Min. 81. Diarra heads in a corner.
3-1. Min. 84. Reyes from outside the box.
Referee: Muñiz Fernández, Asturian Refereeing Association. Booked Víctor (16'), Jonás (26'), and Maxi (83') for Mallorca, and Roberto Carlos (59'), Guti (69'), and Reyes (72') for Real Madrid.
Highlights: Attendance: 80,000 spectators for a full house at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Ruud Van Nistelrooy was forced to leave the pitch after straining his hamstring.

[Rasputin]

Nine months of struggle to be proclaimed Spanish champions

It came true 295 days, 37 matchdays, 73 points, 63 goals, and 22 victories later… As a famous TV ad says: "Winning the League: Priceless." Real Madrid's road has been a long one, a path packed with doubts, potholes, and tough moments, but like in every fairy-tale, this story had a happy ending. Realmadrid.com wishes to take a look back at nine months which will be hard to forget for the great family of Madridismo.



A team with many signings
Ramón Calderón won the elections in early July. As promised during his electoral campaign, he gave full powers to Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic and Manager Fabio Capello. After an intense but short period of time, the sporting area of the Club managed to sign five new faces: Emerson, Diarra, Cannavaro, Van Nistelrooy, and Reyes. The new project was underway. Of course, it took a while to tune up a team that featured many new signings.

La Liga began in the last week of August at the Bernabéu. First result: a goalless draw against Villarreal. It would mark the beginning of one of Real Madrid's weak points during the 2006-2007 season, that is, dropping points at home. Two for starters! But the mean, White machine eventually got all the cogs clicking. The Club signed a few players during the winter transfer window and that is when everything got underway and the fans were able to see the true Real Madrid.
Four goals on the road against Levante and Osasuna and the crucial win opposite Barcelona
The first third of the championship held three key matches in store for the Whites. Two of them were outside the Spanish capital. Madrid poked four goals home at the Ciudad de Levante and the Reyno de Navarra stadia, a taster of what was to come: the best on-the-road Real Madrid in history. Seven of these eight strikes were netted by marksman Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who thus began his climb up the Pichichi ladder.



The decisive match of the Primera Liga took place on Week 7. Nobody could have imagined that a clash that took place in October could have had this much impact on the outcome of the tournament. Of course, that game needs to be coupled with the return leg, which took place in mid-March. In the first, the Merengues put on a true display of force and faith and beat Barça two-zero at the Bernabéu. Round 2 was at the Camp Nou. Real Madrid's collective effort saw them clinch a valuable 3-3 score, marking a true turning point in the team's spirit. If anything, this championship has shown us how crucial the head-to-head rule has proved in the Spanish Liga.

A grim-looking winter
As winter moved in, so did a shadow over the capital. Real Madrid experienced several low points and many believed that all hopes had gone down the drain. Three defeats at home were especially hard to swallow: Levante, Celta and Recreativo Huelva. Fortunately though, the woes at home were made up for as visitors, with important victories at Espanyol's Montjuic, Valencia's Mestalla and Mallorca's Ono Estadi stadia.



Madrid suffered a number of upsets during this time. They were eliminated from the King's Cup and the Champions League against teams that weren't anywhere near their best: Betis and Bayern Munich, respectively. Amidst this all the torment and incoming flow of criticism, the Madridistas had to visit Barcelona, whom many already tabbed virtual La Liga champions and invincible.

Barcelona: The turning point
On 11 March, the squad travelled to the Camp Nou stadium to face Barcelona. What a game that was! Real Madrid went ahead first and then dominated throughout the second half, but the Catalans managed a last-gasp draw thanks to a goal by Messi in injury time, preventing the Whites from taking all three points. The top spot on the table was still far away in the distance for Real Madrid. Sevilla were no longer simply the revelation team of the year, but clear title contenders.



Ten victories in twelve games... Together we stood, together we could!
The draw at Camp Nou marked a turning point for Real Madrid, who took a drastic upswing U-turn, both in form and in spirit. The following weekend, the Whites hosted Nastic. At that point, the Club had come up with the 'Together we stand, together we can!' campaign hoping to regain the fans' support. Its success was overwhelming. Real Madrid won ten of their last twelve games, earning a hard fought equaliser at La Romareda against Zaragoza and losing only to Racing at El Sardinero in a controversial match.

The squad featured some new faces for the final stretch of the season. Real Madrid had signed Marcelo, Higuaín, and Gago, three players with a bright future ahead of them, during the winter transfer window. The two Argentines played key roles in their team's comeback. Real Madrid defeated Espanyol at home thanks to a last-minute goal by Higuaín, who was also instrumental in the victory against Recreativo; the attacking midfielder began the team's swift counterattack and passed the ball to Gago, the other Argentine, who in turn assisted Roberto Carlos to score the victory strike in added time.

Heart-stopping minute in Zaragoza and the coveted title
Thanks to their impressive run, Real Madrid took the leadership and never let go of it. They came close to losing their privileged position against Zaragoza at La Romareda down 2-1 while Barcelona defeated Espanyol at he Camp Nou with an identical score. But the Whites pulled rank and Van Nistelrooy scored the equaliser in the 44th minute. Eighteen seconds later, Tamudo's miraculous equaliser for Espanyol gave Real Madrid back what they had lost for many minutes during this matchday.

They never gave up... And they got their reward
Matchday 38 couldn't have been more exciting: three teams played 90 thrilling minutes to find out who would be League champions. The game didn't have a good start for the Whites. Barcelona were defeating Nastic easily in Tarragona and Mallorca were winning 1-0 at the Bernabéu. But Real Madrid showed their winning side in the second half and scored three goals -two by Reyes and one by Diarra. The stadium became a massive party venue at the end of the clash.

We are all champions!

[Rasputin]

With a total of 25 goals, Van Nistelrooy is the top scorer of La Liga

He was the record-setter of the season. With 25 goals under his belt, Ruud Van Nistelrooy equaled the best scoring streak in the history of the League by netting strikes in seven straight matches, just as former Madrid great, Puskas. The Dutchman's keen sense of scoring played a large role in Real Madrid's 30th League title. Van Nistelrooy was Europe's second-highest scorer this year, one goal short of Roma's Totti. One of the most effective players in the League, the striker scored 40% of Madrid's goals this season -25 of the 61-, and his 25 goals resulted in 25 points that carried Real Madrid to the top of the table. There's no question that Van the Man's goals are worth a League.





Strikes in seven straight weeks:
Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored 25 goals in League play; all were important and all were decisive. But the Madrid striker not only ended the season as the top scorer of the championship, but the Pichichi also equaled Puskas with the longest scoring streak in history. The success began against Valencia with a brilliant volley off a Miguel Torres cross, which contributed to Real Madrid's third consecutive victory at the Santiago Bernabéu. It also eliminated one of the Whites' closest rivals in the hunt for the title.
The following week, Real Madrid visited San Mamés to take on Athletic Bilbao. Not only did the Dutchman score once, but he hammered home a brace. The first was a perfect finish after Cicinho and Emerson passes, and the second, a powerful strike from the edge of the box. With the victory, Real Madrid took care of business and overcame a pesky Athletic by brute force.



Van Nistelrooy hit the target another two times against Sevilla to score in his third straight match. With fine tuned accuracy, seeing him score anything less than a pair was becoming rare. Ruud's first was set up by Jose María Gutierrez “Guti”, who came on in the second half and changed the course of the game. Then the second arrived to close out the match. While the Santiago Bernabéu stadium was entertained by a magical night of football, the win allowed Real Madrid to leap over Sevilla to claim the second spot in the table.

Week four: an epic night. Espanyol landed at the Bernabéu like a wolf in sheep's skin, and Real Madrid took the lead with a goal by the Pichichi, who finished off a play inside the box. The prize that night: leadership of the League. The fairy-tale continued one week later. Ruud Van Nistelrooy drilled home the White's second of the night (0-2) by way of a penalty. It was his fifth straight game with a score, and the dream of finishing the year as the top scorer was closer than ever.



A victory over Deportivo Coruña allowed Madrid to hold onto the top spot in the table for one more week, and it proved that this team only grew stronger as it was tested by any kind of adversity. The Dutchman put the scoreboard at 3-1 by finishing a strong effort by Raúl. Yet again, Ruud put the cherry on top of another grindout match. Van Nistelrooy's mission continued against Zaragoza by scoring two crucial goals. The first, a header, drew the game 1-1, and the second came off a rebound in the box with two minutes to play; the goal that very well may be worth the League.

There's no doubt that 'Van the Man' is a specialist in the art of scoring, and his output was one of the main factors why Real Madrid are now League champions. A 'killer' in front of the net who was the top scorer in the Spanish League. Although he was unable to finish the last match of the season, Ruud Van Nistelrooy had plenty of reasons to celebrate his first League title with Real Madrid with his teammates.

[Rasputin]

Ramón Calderón welcomed all the players at the Presidential Balcony of the Santiago B

Happiness is the word that best defined the reigning atmosphere in the Presidential Balcony moments before the official Champions dinner began. Real Madrid President Ramón Calderón and the three team captains, Raúl, Guti, and Roberto Carlos, toasted with all the family and friends of the footballers for the League title and for a future full of success.

The players and the coaching staff crowned 2006-07 La Liga champions were received with jubilant applauses. Family and friends of the Real Madrid players awaited for their arrival after their pit stop at the Cibeles fountain. They made their way to the Presidential Balcony one by one. President Ramón Calderón was waiting for them at the door. The first one in was manager Fabio Capello. After winning his second League with Real Madrid, the Italian coach radiated happiness. Capello was received by Madrid's premier as they both toasted with champagne for the recently won Primera Liga title.
The players of the first team followed the trainer. Marcelo, Robinho, Michel Salgado, Miguel Torres… all of them were greeted by the President as they arrived. Their families would be next in line as the evening's heroes waited for them already at their respective tables.

One of the most expected players was Roberto Carlos, who was visibly moved. He came in all alone, personally greeting each and every one of the 200 guests of the Champions gala dinner. After the number “3” of the Whites, it was the turn of another man who would be saying goodbye to Real Madrid. Dressed with a black suit and a white shirt, David Beckham made his way to Pedja Mijatovic, whom he embraced tightly.

One of the last ones to arrive was Real Madrid skipper Raúl González Blanco, who greeted the President and the rest of the guests with a big smile drawn across his face. The speeches followed. Ramón Calderón invited the three captains of the Merengues to take the floor as they began their thankful discourses.

It was also time for goodbyes. The President bid Roberto Carlos and David Beckham farewell. Deeply moved, the latter two then did likewise. There were also thankful words for Paco Pavón and Óscar Miñambres, with Ramón Calderón making special mention of their immaculate Madridista record.

It was the the turn of captain Raúl and vice-captain Guti, who came in with the impressive League Cup. The skipper, along with all his teammates and family members, finished off his speech singing "Campeones, Campeones!" The entire squad of Real Madrid, their families, Club directors and employees enjoyed an evening marked by the joy of having conquered the thirtieth League title of the Whites.

[Rasputin]

Seventeen June 2007 will go down in history as the day Real Madrid won their 30th League title. Here at Realmadrid.com we want all the fans to relive that magical night with the best snapshots of the match and the ensuing celebrations. We're all champions.





What an intense day. The team arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium at about 7:40 pm CET, where thousands of Madridistas waited for the heroes of the night. From inside the bus, the players looked on as thousands chanted their names. They were all warmed up one hour later. Much has already been written about what went on in the Bernabéu. There are no longer any words to describe what took place. And because an image is worth a thousand words, what better than dozens of photographs? The portrait of the night that the Madridista family won its 30th League title.

http://www.realmadrid.com/articulo/rma40507.htm

[Rasputin]

The stars of the League hail the Club's most coveted trophy

During the champions dinner, Ramón Calderón, Fabio Capello, Raúl, and Guti took photos with the League Cup and thanked the guests for an undying support that has helped them achieve everybody's dream title.





Ramón Calderón: “This thoroughbred team has achieved this Cup that we see here tonight”
“Many thanks to you all for being here with us tonight. After four years, the League Cup has seen its way back to the place where it really belongs. As you all know, this has been a hard achievemet. In February, I was thinking more along the lines of the Intertoto Cup. Now it's June and we are here celebrating this very deserved title. It's tough to assess the true worth of this success. This was a brand new team, with a new coach. We encountered many problems from the very beginning, but the stock of this group of players, their teamspirit, their hard work and their unity have brought home this wonderful trophy we contemplate tonight. More than one million Madrilenians hit the streets this evening, which means that in the rest of Spain, millions of Madridistas swarmed into their respective celebration sites. We have given the fans renewed hopes and that is entirely the work of the players and the coach.



“I also wanted to thank the best left fullback of the history of Real Madrid for his dedication and hard work. He has raised the bar to levels that will be extremely hard to match. Roberto, we will never forget you. The fans and the people love you. Thank you very much, Roberto.
“We are also saying goodbye to David Beckham, a player that has left his mark and, for sure, a lasting impression in our Club. He was, is and will always be an exemplary athlete. It has been an honour to have him here at Real Madrid. He will succeed in whatever he does and enjoy his work wherever he goes.”

“I also want to thank Paco Pavón and Miñambres for their hard work. They will be leaving us after this season, but I am sure that they will be successful wherever they decide to go.”

“Thank you all. Thank you Fabio. We are truly going to enjoy this evening. This isn't something that you achieve every day and it is the result of great efforts and enormous dedication.”

After his speech, the President gave the floor to Real Madrid Captain Raúl González, who had a word of gratitude for all the protagonists who played a leading role in this very special victory.

“I think we are all very happy. We have recovered many things that we had totally forgotten in these past four months. This is a title entirely based on unity, team spirit, and hard work. I have to thank all my teammates, the coaching staff and, of course, the managers and all Club employees: physios, maintenance managers, outfitters, etc. They are all part of the great big Real Madrid family and they take care of us. I also want to thank the President and the Board of Directors. I don't want to forget all of our parents. They are essential. They suffer with our defeats and they are overjoyed with our victories. Hala Madrid!"

[Rasputin]

The Madridistas visit Cibeles Fountain to crown the Goddess with the title

Thousands of Madrid residents and Madridistas celebrated the Whites' title at Cibeles Fountain. The team arrived surrounded by fans to crown the Goddess with the their flag.



More than 200,000 people gathered at Cibeles Fountain, Real Madrid's first stop after winning their 30th League title. Fans from all over Spain waved their flags in honour of the latest title. The Club organised the celebration and called it "Together we can!", the same slogan that was coined many weeks ago in order to round up the fan's support for the rest of the road to the League title. A light and sound show welcomed the players, as did the smiles and cheers of all the supporters.

The bus wrapped in a banner reading "Champions" arrived at Cibeles Fountain. There, the players jumped up and down together with the fans, while the P.A. system called for supporters to wave their flags to honour the players. But it wasn't necessary. The party in the heart of Madrid had been underway for hours.
Standing on top of an open-top double decker bus, the players watched the Madridistas and danced to the beat of "We are the Champions." Raúl, meanwhile, made his way to the crane that would carry him to the top of the Goddess Cybele, who he wrapped in a Spanish flag and scarf.

Miguel Torres bounced, Van Nistelrooy took pictures. Sergio Ramos recorded everything around him with a video camera. Cannavaro led the fans in cheers. Everyone had a great time during what was perhaps a once in a lifetime experience.

The Real Madrid anthem was played loud and clear, while thousands of white balloons were released into the sky.

[Rasputin]

Adidas dressed the heroes of the 30th Liga of the Merengues

Every player wore it tonight. It was the League Champions commemoration shirt. White and with the number 30 on its back. It's not just any shirt; it's the one that the 2006-2007 season champions donned this evening. Adidas designed this very special jersey for the momentous occasion, a moment that every Madridista fan had been expecting for the last four years. It's the shirt of joy, happiness, hope, and the Madridista triumph.

[Rasputin]

Gracias a Dios,hemos ganado lo que era imposible e dificil de conquistar.

Ahora somos campeones,a disfrutar :=) .

[donsaeid]

در پي قهرماني رئال مادريد در لاليگا

كروز: كاپلو مربي بزرگي است


بازيگر مطرح هاليوود كه در جايگاه ويژه ورزشگاه سانتياگو برنابئو حضور داشت، كاپلو را يك مربي بزرگ توصيف كرد.


به نقل از ماركا، تام كروز گفت: از ديد من، فابيو كاپلو مربي بسيار بزرگي است. از تماشاي بازي رئال مادريد، به خصوص در نيمه دوم واقعا لذت بردم و متوجه شدم فوتبال يك ورزش واقعا گروهي است كه نياز به مديريت و روان*شناسي دارد.

وي كه مدير برنامه هاي بكهام در آمريكا است، گفت: هواداران رئال از اينكه اين بازيكن را از دست مي*دهند، ناراحتند؛ اما او هم بايد به جاييكه به آنجا تعلق دارد، مي آمد.

كروز متذكر شد:* بكهام در هاليوود به آنچه كه استحقاقش را دارد، خواهد رسيد؛ اما قلبش هميشه متعلق رئال مادريد خواهد بود.

رئال مادريد شب گذشته در ورزشگاه سانتياگو برنابئو، با نتيجه 3 بر يك مايوركا را شكست داد تا به قهرماني لاليگا دست يابد.

[Rasputin]

"Yes, this League is for Madrid", "Catwalk to Cibeles" or "One last Lazarus act", today's headlines

“The League of the comebacks.” This is the name with which the national Spanish press baptised the recently finished La Liga championship which Real Madrid clinched after defeating Mallorca 3-1. All the front pages of the Spanish dailies have a special spot for the terrific celebration that followed the confirmation of the Madridista victory and subsequent Primera Liga title. The aforementioned and the leading sports sections of prominent European dotcoms also had a special mention for Madrid's title claim as well as photo galleries of the match and the champions celebration, statements by the footballers, and opinion pieces.





Marca: “I won the League of the comebacks”
The Madrilenian sports newspaper frontpaged today's edition with an image of the moment when Real Madrid's open-top bus arrived to La Cibeles square, which houses the famous fountain. The front page also includes a special dedication: “To all the Madridistas who could together” in reference to the “Together we can” spirit which has driven Real Madrid to secure their thirtieth League title.
Inside, the paper underlines that Madridismo lived last night “the biggest party ever told” including several photos of the best moments of the Champions celebration, both inside the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and at the Cibeles fountain. The sports daily also reported on the statements of every single member of the squad as well as of President Ramón Calderón, who emphasised, “This much suffering was worth it; next year we will fight for all four titles.”

Skysports.com: “Beckham's Real reign in Spain”
The electronic version of the sports TV channel also covered the news of the Madridista victory.
“Real Madrid were crowned champions of Spain for the 30th time as they came from behind to beat Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu in a thrilling conclusion to the Primera Liga title race.”
“In David Beckham's final game in Spain, Real scored three times in 13 minutes to turn the tide in their favour and claim the title by virtue of a superior head-to-head record.”
Also, the final “...strike from the on-loan Reyes sent the Bernabeu into raptures and gave Beckham the perfect send-off before his journey to America.”

BBCsport.com: “Beckham bows out with Liga title”
“It is the club's first La Liga success in four years and they edged out Barcelona, who beat Gimnastic 5-1, because of their head-to-head record.”
“Elated fans flooded down the Paseo de la Castellana from the Bernabeu stadium for the first time in four years to cheer their heros.”
“It is a fitting end to Beckham's career in Spain.”



AS: “ Y olé! ”
AS opted for a front page photo of Real Madrid skipper Raúl González Blanco during the title celebration, holding the bullfighter's cape. In inside pages, AS titles the match report “The factory of miracles”, stressing how the Santiago Bernabéu witnessed an incredible feat that drove the entire stadium into utter ecstasy”. In the opinion column, the editor in chief of AS stated, “Madrid always come back”, and the Whites have “recaptured the values typical of the powerhouse.”

About the celebration party at Madrid's representative fountain, the daily said, “Cibeles drew 600,000 Madridistas” next to an image of Raúl atop a crane placing a flag and a scarf of Real Madrid on the Goddess.

Sport & Mundo Deportivo (Barcelona sports dailies)
“The disaster was confirmed: La Liga went to Real Madrid”. The Catalan sports press reported on the accomplishment of Real Madrid as the 06/07 La Liga champions. Inside, the newspapers speak of ”Failure” of F.C. Barcelona and success of their arch-rivals Real Madrid, stating, “Madrid claim the League title four years later” and “Madrid don't crash”.

El Mundo: “Another epic turnaround wins Madrid the tightest League in many years”
El Mundo headline their news report “Champions of faith” underneath an image of Fabio Cannavaro celebrating the title on top of Sergio Ramos and Míchel Salgado. On the inside, the opinion section is dedicated to Real Madrid President Ramón Calderón, whom they tag “the man who wanted to win”. El Mundo devotes two full pages to the main stars of the Primera Liga, pointing out, “Van Nistelrooy poked home the goals and Sergio Ramos ensured Madrid had a true champions stock”.



uefa.com: “Madrid secure title in dramatic finale”
“Rául González celebrated Real Madrid CF's "unity and companionship" as their Spanish title success coincided with farewells to two of the club's top stars.”
“Having looked dead and buried midway through the season, Fabio Capello's side pulled off one last Lazarus act on Sunday night to steal the title away from perennial rivals FC Barcelona.”

El País: “Madrid conquer the hardest-fought Liga”
Underneath a snapshot of of the champions bus upon its arrival to Cibeles fountain, El País explains that Madrid is the “Champion of faith”, in line with rival Spanish daily El Mundo. The newspaper reports on Captain Raúl's words, saying, “This is the League of unity”. El País monitors Real Madrid's players man by man, including many images of the celebration and a special newspiece on the team's and the championship's top scorer, Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The Dutchman stated, “Even I am surprised with how quickly I have adapted.”

ABC: “Thirtieth champions catwalk at Cibeles”
Newspaper ABC asserts “The title is won in the umpteenth heroic deed” next to stills of the title celebration. The daily also published a reportage on the current squad of the champions as well as one last interview with Roberto Carlos, which was done 48 hours before the game was played. The Brazilian cries out, “I will die a Madridista”.

La Razón: “Thirty Leagues punctuate Real Madrid's history”
Under a full page photo of Raúl placing the flag atop the Goddess Cibele, Spanish national newspaper titles the sports section, “Back to Cibeles”. On inside pages, the daily insists, “League champions once again”, featuring post-match declarations by all of Real Madrid's footballers, whose shared sentiment was, “A united squad vanquished all”.

La Vanguardia: “Madrid laughed last”
The Catalan paper titled Madrid's achievement “Final comeback” stressing the important win against Mallorca in the game's last third. They also put special emphasis on how strange it was that the goals were scored by Diarra and Reyes.

[Rasputin]

The airplane took off with a half-hour delay from Madrid's Barajais Airport Terminal 4 destination Tel Aviv. There, Real Madrid will play the Peace Match against a Peace Team comprised of Palestinian and Israeli players. The players were somewhat tired after two days celebrating the League title clinched on Sunday evening. They took advantage of the long trip to the Near east to take a nap and restore their strength for the last game of the season.
Real Madrid President Ramón Calderón arrived in Barajas at 7:00 CET accompanied by his wife, Teresa Galán, and several members of the board. Next up were Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic, Carlos Bucero and the coaching staff, spearheaded by Fabio Capello. The squad arrived just minutes after.



The first one at the boarding gate was Cicinho, followed by Captain Raúl. Little by little, the rest of the squad trickled in: Casillas, Guti, Higuaín, Cannavaro, Salgado, Ramos, Emerson, and Helguera. At approximately 7:20 CET, the squad was completed with the arrival of the nine youth players who would be travelling to Israel: De la Red, Agus, Negredo, Granero, Adrián González, Adán, Javi García, Sergio Sánchez, and Nieto.

Flight IB 4854 destination Tel Aviv took off from Barajas Airport with just over a half hour delay. The expedition was comprised of 107 members. In addition to the players, there were Real Madrid President Ramón Calderón, his wife, Spanish FA President Ángel María Villar, the Board of Directors, the coaching staff, the President of the Spanish Peres Center for Peace Isaac Siboni, the Israeli Ambassdor in Spain Victor Harel, and the media that normally cover everything Real Madrid.

Besides the aformentioned occasional nod, the La Liga champions also played cards, read the press and took some photos with the on-board crew. The League champions landed in Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport at approximately 14:00 local time (13:00 CET) following a flight of approximately four hours.


SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Casillas & Adán.
Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Salgado, Helguera, Cicinho, Agus & Sergio Sánchez:
Midfielders: Guti, Emerson, De la Red, Granero, Javi García, Adrián González & Nieto.
Forwards: Raúl, Higuaín & Negredo.