Down with Blue, Up with Roo

Well well well...for those who predicted dire straits for the Reds this season, last Wednesday's dramatic victory at Old Trafford over the "other side" of Manchester must have been a kick in the gut.  With our defensive woes (injuries to the max), loss of Ronny, and the anti-Glazer movement in full-swing, the pundits were almost sure that City would finally end its 33-year trophyless drought.  A banner hangs in the upper deck at Old Trafford which marks the years that City has been gloryless.  New City boss Roberto Mancini vowed before this tie that his team would tear down the banner!  Well, as you can see... 

...it's still there

Why?  The Reds won 4-3 on aggregate to send the Blues home in the Carling Cup.  Now, United will play for the cup (which it holds currently) against Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium. 
The match was a thriller, with oldtimer Paul Scholes starting off the scoring, followed by Michael Carrick.  This put United up by one on aggregate and bound for Wembley.  But a circus caravan overturned on the M16 and a band of trolls got loose.  One scored for City in the 76th minute, which left the agg tied at 3. 
The thought of extra time and penalty kicks made me sick to my stomach and just as I was about to write off a win (idiotic for a true Reds fan), the Roo headed home a corner by the future Sir Ryan Giggs and the crowd went wild. 
There's nothing like a derby, and the windup to this one was most acrimonious.  With the Troll/Neville dispute, Rio getting a ban for violent conduct (he played anyway and now has a four-match suspension), and the Manchester police asking for calm, the match was almost over-shadowed. 
My only tsk tsk would go to the idiots in Red who threw missiles (coins and plastic bottles) at Craig Bellamy.  This isn't proper fan behavior (although it WAS Craig who pummeled a Reds fan, who was being held by three men, earlier in the year).  The Welshman has a huge temper and was baiting the fans all night.  But, you don't have to throw things at him.  His punishment is he has to play for City...and that's enough!

I have a few choice pics from the match...enjoy!

Rio doing his civic duty in corraling the loose trolls

Nani, Carrick, and Fletch celebrate with Scholesy

Rooney actually ended up on Carrick's shoulders

hahahahahahaha...poor Michael!

Roo heads home the winner...Micah Richards is doing nothing as usual!

Roo does a cartwheel to celebrate!

Giggsy and Rio celebrate another trip to Wembley

Michael Owen shows his appreciation for Roo and Evra looks on

Rooney and Fletch (who was phenomenal in midfield)

Sir Alex pops a cork (with John O'Shea and new signing Chris Smalling)

Rio does the honors

Wes, Roo, Rio, Carrick, Jonny, Giggsy, Fletch, Evra, Nani

A familiar site

One more time...

Ronaldo Red Redux; Rio Railroaded

The Spanish Football Federation has given Cristiano a two-match ban for his "dangerous play" in Sunday's tie with Malaga.  The federation could have given him more if they thought his infraction was flagrant or violent.  My guess is he got a two-match rather than a one-match because he protested so much to the call and kept flailing his arms in disgust as he left the field.
RM will most likely appeal the decision.
The press have continued to blast him for his conduct, especially in Spain.  He was photographed in public (going to lunch), but the press reported that he looked "sullen and never smiled."
In other Real news...Jorge Valdano (Beezlebub Jr.) has now come out to say that "Real is not interested in Wayne Rooney."  Widespread reports in the Spanish and English media said that Rooney was on his way to Real this summer because he was in a contract dispute with United.  Rooney has now come out publicly to say that he is never leaving United, and has no inclination to play for Madrid or anyone in Spain.  Valdano's comments today can obviously be translated as..."we couldn't get him so we'll now say we didn't want him." hehe
Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan also received a two-match ban for his play against AC Milan on Sunday.  Sneijder, like Ronny, protested vehemently (screaming at the ref while being restrained by his teammates).  No word if Inter will challenge the ban, but Sneijder is an integral part of the team.  He is ironically one of the Dutch players who was "excised" from the bunyon that is Real Madrid last summer.  He has since said that "Real are run by two mafiosi" (Perez and Valdano). Double hehe.

Now for shocking United news.  Rio Ferdinand has been hit with a violent conduct charge for his play against Hull City on Sunday.  In an altercation with Fagan (who most players would like to smack, as his middle name is Thug), the FA deemed post-game that he deserved a ban.  He was not given a yellow or a red for the incident.  How ironic that being one of Europe's finest center-backs, Rio had just returned to the United lineup, with huge games looming (Arsenal next week).  It makes a person say...hmmmmmmmm....een-ter-est-ink!  Someone at the FA (meaning all of them) really don't want United to win a fourth consecutive league title.  Guess we'll have to play the opposing teams, refs, and FA to win.  BRING IT ON!

Tata

Ronaldo...It's What's For Dinner

from the NY Times Online:

"Jekyll And Hyde" Ronaldo Slammed In Spanish Press


Published: January 25, 2010

MADRID (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo was widely criticised Monday after his sending off for violent conduct in Sunday's 2-0 win over Malaga again highlighted what some termed his Jekyll and Hyde character.
The Portuguese forward netted a first-half double to put Real Madrid in command at the Bernabeu but his night turned from glory to shame in the 70th minute when he was dismissed for lashing out at Patrick Mtiliga and breaking the Malaga defender's nose.
It was his second dismissal of the season after his sending off against Almeria in December for kicking out at an opponent.
"Cristiano Ronaldo, hero and villain" (El Pais), "Cristiano Ronaldo, again angel and demon" (La Razon) and "Doctor Cristiano and Mister Ronaldo" (Marca), were some of the headlines in Monday's Spanish press.
Marca columnist Roberto Palomar said Ronaldo's behaviour had been his "umpteenth act of idiocy this season" and slammed him for letting the team down with strikers Gonzalo Higuain injured and Ruud van Nistelrooy sold to Hamburg SV at the weekend.
"Anyone who gets sent off against Almeria and Malaga with the match already won is a fool," Palomar wrote.
"Someone needs to sit down with the lad and explain what's what because you can't go through life behaving like that."
Writing in El Mundo, columnist Orfeo Suarez said Ronaldo had to quell his anger for his own benefit and for that of his team mates and the club that paid his massive salary.
"All that is left for him to do now is think about himself, discover how to exorcise his demons so that only the goals remain but without affecting his personality, his hunger," Suarez wrote.
"It's a difficult equation because a good forward without a demon inside does not exist."
Santiago Segurola, another Marca columnist, and Ramon Besa in El Pais both focussed on what they said was Ronaldo's obvious desire to eclipse Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who succeeded him as World Player of the Year in 2009.
"Ronaldo is in as much of a hurry to compete with Messi as Madrid is to catch Barca and take over at the top of the table," Besa wrote.
"That's now two red cards against modest teams, Almeria and Malaga, which is proof of (his) anxiety."
Segurola added: "Ronaldo needs to control his impulses as he'll come up against an infinite number of Mtiligas.
"He's too fast, too strong and too high-scoring. And too nervous. Rivals coaches are taking note. Defenders too."
Ronaldo, who apologised to Mtiliga after the game and said he never intentionally tried to hurt another player, will at the least be suspended for second-placed Real's trip to Deportivo Coruna Saturday.
"People who understand football know that my intention is always to try and play. The red card is a disgrace I don't understand it," he told reporters.
"I know you saw blood on the TV screens but I was just trying to break free. I never try to hurt anyone."

Zidane Leads All-Star Haiti Benefit

from soccernet:

Zinedine Zidane and Kaka led an All-Star side against a team of current and former Benfica players on Monday, with proceeds from the United Nations charity game going to victims of the Haiti earthquake.
UN goodwill ambassador Zidane and Real Madrid's Kaka were joined by Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Thierry Henry, Pavel Nedved and Edgar Davids in front of a capacity crowd of 65,000 at Benfica's Luz Stadium.
"By coming to the stadium people have done a great thing. I am very happy we can do something to help," said former France playmaker Zidane after the 3-3 draw.
"This is a very good cause, that's why there are so many players here. Football is with the people of Haiti," said Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal who was in charge of the All-Star team.
The Jan. 12 quake killed up to 200,000 people and left hundreds of thousands more Haitians injured and homeless.
After a minute's silence for the victims, Portugal great Eusebio took centre stage for a ceremonial kick-off and Italian referee Pierluigi Collina (aka The Great Gazoo...see story and photo below) came out of retirement for the occasion.
Brazil playmaker Kaka put the All-Star team ahead before Nuno Gomes struck twice for the home side. Zidane set up the equaliser for Robert Pires only for Eder Luis to restore Benfica's lead in the 60th minute. The last goal of the night was scored by Frenchman Christophe Dugarry in the 85th minute.

Heaven and Hell in Madrid, and just Hell in Milan

The headline in marca.com said it all:
"Cristiano, del Cielo al Infierno"...Cristiano, from Heaven to Hell.  From the 35th minute to the 38th minute he was on top of the world as he scored RM's only two goals against Malaga.  But in the 70th minute he was given a straight red for elbowing Mtiliga in the nose...breaking it.  Cristiano protested that he was trying to break free from the defender, but the ref wasn't buying it.  Adios, Cristiano.  He will now be watching from home as los Blancos play a nasty away test against a hard-charging Deportivo la Corun~a, a team that RM barely beat at home (3-2) in September.
Video of CR's goals (scroll down to see the 1st, then down farther to see the 2nd)
http://www.goalsarena.com/video/spain-la-liga/24.01.2010-real-madrid-malaga_en.html

This is the video of CR's transgression against Mtiliga. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ldiIHqaVDo&feature=player_embedded

In happier times

Tangling with Mtiliga (not the red incident)

Carta roja y adios muchacho

In 15 matches, 3 yellows and 2 reds...CR can't believe it

The long walk begins...

Pellegrini does not look happy...no CR for Depor

Adios was the word of the day in the Bernabeu, as Madridistas said a sad farewell to Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Dutch striker who has been hampered for the last two years with knee injury after knee injury.  RVN wants to play for Holland in the World Cup this summer (they don't need him) and feels he needs to be playing to do that.  The reason he isn't playing is ironic.  A former Manchester United striker, RVN was very critical of a young Cristiano Ronaldo when he first arrived at Old Trafford.  Even though the Portuguese winger slung in cross after cross for the Dutchman to bang home, obviously it wasn't good enough...or maybe it was TOO good.  Cristiano became an overnight sensation in Mancville and the egotistical RVN, who had been the darling of the Reds, didn't like it.  He publicly criticized Cristiano, which infuriated Sir Alex.  So....off with ya 'ead!  United sold RVN to Real and kept Cristiano, which turned out to be a masterstroke on SAF's part.  As the years have passed, RVN has admitted that Cristiano was good enough, so the Dutchman probably saw the writing on the wall when CR was purchased last summer..."I won't be here long."  A mass exodus of the Dutch (Sneijder, Robben, Huntelaar, and now RVN), so coveted by former manager Bernd Schuster, ensued.  Not happy with their dismissal, all have come out to blast the powers-that-be at the Bernabeu, with Sneijder saying, "RM is run by two mafiosi!"  RVN was smart enough not to comment, as he really needs a job.  The others have enough talent to make it go, but an aging hero with dodgy knees doesn't make most want to sit up and take notice.  Sneijder went to Inter Milan, Huntelaar to AC Milan, and Robben to Bayern Munich.  All are CL teams.  RVN is going to Hamburg, hardly a title contender for anything. 

Garay, Ramos, and Kaka clap for RVN on his goodbye lap

Now to Milan.  The big derby against Internazionale and AC is always a barnburner...but today it was a snoozer.  Inter won 2-0, down to 9 men!  Sneijder was sent off in the 30th minute for clapping at the ref and showing disrespect...a straight red.  Then in the latter stages of the match, Inter's Lucio was sent off for his second yellow for a handball in the area.  Ronaldinho took the penalty...and Julio Cesar palmed it away.  What a night for the Rossoneri...poor play...no...pathetic play.  They deserved to lose 5-0.  Now they are 9 points back of Inter in the table. 

Wesley Sneijder trying to accessorize his head with the red card

Wazza to the Fourth, Cavenaghi to the Third

Born in Croxteth (Liverpool).  Schooled by Everton.  Made by United. 
When Ronny left for Madrid, many thought, "Who will take up the scoring mantle for United?"  Cristiano was the first to say, "Wazza will."  The two phenoms had enjoyed a 5-year love affair on the pitch with United, but Ronny's departure left a hole most thought couldn't be filled.
This season set out to be a test for Rooney's prowess...could he summon the magic without his world-class winger?  The answer is YES.  Always on the attack and even a defender, Wazza has proved Cristiano to be a deft judge of talent.  At the moment, Rooney has 20 goals for the season, with 15 matches to go.  Could he make it to 32 and tie Cristiano's record?  Only time will tell, but his personal annihilation of Hull City today was an important step in the right direction. 
United has been weak in the back this year, which isn't the norm.  The goals haven't come as swiftly as in the past (Ronny's exit has had an impact), but the 4-0 drubbing at Old Trafford not only sent notice to those who doubted Wazza, but also put United up by 2 points in the table.  Granted, C-Scum and Arsenal have games in hand (C-Scum 1, Arsenal 2).  But.......it IS January.  January is when United usually make their run for the title.  When others start to falter and drop points, United "gets in" and mows down the competition. 
Large games are looming (an away tie at the Emirates), and a home tie with C-Scum.
Michael Owen also had a stellar game today, as did.....Nani!  That's the first time I've said that this year.  Nani, who certainly looked destined for the chopping block at season's end, played like Valencia down the wing, and even supplied the cross to Rooney's second goal. 
A few pix of Wazza from today:

Despite the push, he put the ball in the net

My excuse to put a Michael Owen pic in here!

Wow...Wazza needs a tan!

Goal number two

Celebrating goal number 3

And goal number 4 in the 94th minute

Wazza makes off with a Hull scalp and the much-deserved game ball

It was nice to see Rio back in after a three-month back injury

And now to Girondins de Bordeaux.  They played in the final 8 of the Coupe de France against Ajaccio.  It wasn't much of a match, with the Marine et Blanc scoring in the 2nd minute from the boot of Janus Plasil.  Wendel made it 2-0 on an un-touched freekick that left the Ajaccio keeper just standing there.  From then on it was the Cavenaghi show, as the Argentinian won the gameball by knocking in a trio.  Bordeaux 5-1 Ajaccio.
Chamakh and Gourcuff did not feature for this match, and neither did Tremoulinas, Ciani, and Chalme.  Laurent Blanc likes to give the workhorses of the team a break once in a while, and after this score you can see that he made the right choice.

Fernando Cavenaghi gets an "Ole!!" from his teammates

Zizou Cares

Hot off the press:

Zidane has organized a match in Lisbon, Portugal at the Estadio da Luz (January 25) to benefit the poor and afflicted in Haiti...which was 85% of the population before the earthquake and 95% of them now.  What a horrible sight to see in a place that has been in freefall since the days of Papa Doc Duvalier, who manhandled the population while gilting his palace and setting up his son, Baby Doc Duvalier, to take over the "family business."  Much like the Saddam Husseins, Pol Pots, and Robert Mugabes of the world, these social terrorists are responsible for the mess that the country is in now.  Earthquake or not.

So it warms my heart to know that someone I admire, Zinedine Zidane, will be playing for the cause.  Since his retirement he has traveled the world as an ambassador to bring the Beautiful Game to those who don't have a chance to watch footy on their computers like I do.  Joining him in Portugal will be Kaka, who is replacing Ronaldo (Nazario de Lima) who has to play with Corinthians on the date.  I'm curious as to why Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't signed on to play the game...after all it is in Lisbon!  In any event, I'm proud of footy for stepping up for the cause.

Kaka and Zizou announcing their involvement

The Man from Molde vs. Moldy Man City and the Great Gazoo

By MUTV's Stewart Gardner (courtesy manutd.com)

Have United unearthed another gem from Molde?

I seem to recall the last unknown striker the Reds signed from the Norwegian club turned out to be quite good. His name was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and he scored 126 goals in 366 games.

United legend Ole (now our Reserves coach)

Of course, no-one would want to compare Mame Biram Diouf to Ole after two brief cameos from the bench but the early signs do look promising. Tremendous pace and a great spring look to be his main assets and he showed a bit of bravery to beat Brian Jensen to the ball to head home in front of the Stretford End on Saturday. His celebration was a gymnastic triumph as well. Just imagine if both Diouf and Nani scored in the same game for United – there would be bodies flying everywhere!
If Diouf does turn out to be a bit of a star then it shows that you don’t have to splash big money to bring in talent. And I spoke to him on MUTV after the game and he was very modest indeed. You get the feeling that a bit of success won’t go to his head.

That's right...you wear the number 32 so much better!!!

Admittedly, Diouf’s goal did add a bit of gloss to the scoreline. I think 3-0 was a bit harsh on Burnley. They had some great chances: David Nugent’s miss when it was still 0-0 was really shocking given he’s played for England. What a chastening thought! He was put through by Chris Eagles, who I thought was tremendous. He left Old Trafford with the Man of the Match champagne and he told me he was very touched by the great ovation the United fans gave him when he was substituted. He seems to have become a very accomplished Premier League player. [end story]

I would love for Diouf to march into Middle Eastlands and be substituted in just like Michael Owen was in the derby earlier this year...and scores the winning goal in injury time.  Why?  Because it would be poetic, and also because he wears the number 32...the same number that whats-his-name used to wear.

And now for something completely unrelated:
Italian Pierluigi Collini has been named the all-time best "arbitrator" (referee) by the International Federation of History and Statistics...I think they share a suite in Zurich with the International Federation of Who Cares.  When I saw the photo on marca.com I was immediately reminded of someone else:

Collini

Great Gazoo

I wonder if Collini ran toward the offending players and said, "Helloooo, Dum Dum!  Heer ish yor yello cart!"

:)

Joy and Despair

Manchester--
This week the Reds returned from Doha, Qatar and clobbered Burnley 3-0 at Old Trafford, with Mame Diouf bagging his first goal in his OT opener.  After being purchased from Norwegian side Molde FK, the 22-yr-old impressed on his home debut.  Berbatov and Rooney scored the other two, taking Rooney's season-long tally to 17.  3-0. 3 points. 1 behind Chelscum (who won 7-2 against a side I could have scored against wearing 5-inch Louboutin boots!).

Berba bangs one home

Rooney shows why he leads the Prem League in goals

Diouf teaches the keeper a lesson...

...and celebrates by balancing upside down on the corner flag! hehe

Ronny is in trouble at RM.  The Merengues failed to make a showing against Athletic Bilbao, thanks to the disorganized play (for the most part) and an incredible display of guardianship by the Bilbao keeper, Gorka Iraizoz...I'm not making up that name.  Thanks to a goal by Llorente, Bilbao put down Los Blancos and sent them home empty-handed.  Not a good thing when Barcelona stomped their competition 4-0 (Sevilla), a team that they lost to in the King's Cup on Wednesday.  Revenge.  The Blaugrana are now 5 points ahead of Madrid, and showing no sign of letting up.
Why is Ronny in trouble?  He was confounded by the defense and flustered by the hideous fans yelling, "Die Cristiano," and "Portuguese S.O.B.," and many other foul things.  He even had a brief spat with a fan (although it was largely overblown by the Spanish media), which amounted to nothing more than Cristiano pretending to throw a ball at a man (see photos below and video).  Cristiano has always been singled out by opposing fans, like last year's barrage from Chelscum fans, "You should have died in the tunnel." (referring to his horrifying Ferrari crash the day before the match.)  Opposing players have also taken a swipe at CR, as former teammate Ryan Giggs has attested, "You should see his ankles.  Defenders kick at him and go in hard to try and stop him."  Cristiano has largely ignored those, even saying that he enjoyed the boos because it made him want to do even better.  So why was he so unnerved yesterday against Bilbao?  Only CR knows, but as you will see by the photos, he was not at his best.  I blame the environment in which he lives and works.  Despite moving to his "dream team as a child," he hasn't clicked yet and has spoken recently of Manchester United.  This week Sir Alex was asked if United missed Ronny at all:

“Of course we miss him,” Ferguson said in Doha, Qatar.  “He’s a great personality. He’s a great player. He was with us for six years. That was the best we could do for him.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dlM9pHqwew

Ronny showing his fan appreciation in Bilbao

Another missed chance by Ronny

Ronny seems to be saying, "shut it"...in Spanish of course..."por que no te callas!"

I went to a footy match and a wrestling match broke out!

Can't deal with "the wall"

Yep...you lost

I haven't talked much about les Girondins de Bordeaux lately, as they have been on winter hiatus in France, but today was a huge match for the Marine et Blanc.  They started out the day being 9 points ahead of second-place Lille in Ligue One standings.  Their opposition today was quite honestly the most physical, violent team in France.  Cristiano Ronaldo would say not just France, but the Champions League as well.  Souleymane Diawara (known as Souley) who used to play for Bordeau last year, is now a defender for Marseilles.  He is the one who slid into Cristiano during a CL match, injuring the star.  Former United and Real Madrid defender, Gabriel Heinze (and good friend of Cristiano) also plays for Olympique.  The Marseillaise, who are used to being in the top three each year, have struggled this year.  Because of that they seem to have taken it upon themselves to muscle their way to the top by sheer thuggery.  It hasn't been successful and they are languishing in 6th, 11 points behind Bordeaux. 
The match was very physical from the start.  Marouane Chamakh opened the scoring with a header/own goal near the halfway mark.  He rose to head in a cross and proceeded to knock it in with the keeper assisting!  Despite the protestations of the Marseilles players, the goal stood.  Bordeaux 1-0.  That's where the score stayed for almost 30 minutes.  On 61 minutes, Marc Planus of Bordeaux was shown a red card and the Bordelaise played with 10 for the rest of the night.  What's the big deal?  Well, this is the first red card for Marseilles for the entire season.  Yes, Bordeaux plays a clean game, relying more on finesse than cheap tackles.  Going down a player meant most of the last 30 minutes was played in the Bordeaux half, with Marseilles battering the keeper with a constant barrage of balls.  The Bordeaux keeper, Carrasso, was injured and Ulrich Rame, the backup keeper came in to play his part.  He did fabulously until an offside goal was allowed.  Bordeaux 1-1 Marseilles.  The Bordelaise held on for the draw, which is a testament to their fortitude.

Chamakh makes it 1-0

It wouldn't be a blog without a photo of these two! Chamcuff!

Chamakh and former Bordelaise, Souley Diawara

   
Pray for Haiti...

Fodder for Footy Fans

Some ramblings to discuss:

United is finally back in Prem League action this weekend as they host Burnley.  Crocked defenders, Ferdinand and Vidic, may feature this weekend.  The former has been out for weeks with a curious back injury.  Many in recent weeks have slated United saying they do not have the chutzpah to last until the end, but left-back Patrice Evra thinks otherwise:
"I am sure we will win the league this year," he said. "Tell me another team that would have nine defenders injured like that and still only be one point away from the leaders.

"Chelsea and Arsenal do have a game in hand but no-one else could do so well. We would definitely be well ahead at the top of the table without these problems."
Given the negativity of the past few days, it was probably just as well United spent the last few days in Qatar.
"It was a chance to make sure everyone understands we must not throw the league away," Evra said. "We talked a lot about tactics and what we needed to achieve until the end of the season. It is a chance to write the story.
"A lot of people talk about Manchester United's attack but if you look back at our last three titles, the real strength is the defence.
"The performance in Barcelona two years ago was the best performance of the entire team. When we are a unit like that, it is difficult to beat Manchester United.  "People say we are not going to win the title and we have dropped too many points, but I am proud and happy where we are. I fear no-one. I only fear Manchester United."  You tell them, Pat!

World-Class Left Back Patrice Evra

Que lastima!  When Florentino Perez plonked down borrowed money on his big stars this summer, Madridistas everywhere were salivating at the promise of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema.  But so far the products of United, AC Milan, and Olympique Lyon have failed to produce the fireworks necessary to fell the current La Liga champions, Barcelona.  Although they are a skant few points behind, they haven't shown any spark that would suggest Barca and their troll leader have anything to fear.
With the summer signings, the question arose: What will happen to longstanding members of RM like Raul (Tutanbaul to the Madrid faithful) and Guti?  The former, whose moniker suggests the Madridiots think he's mummified, has shown no life this season and has left a deep imprint "en banquillo."  He wears the number 7, so coveted by the King of Upper and Lower Bernabeu, Cristiano Ronaldo.  If Pharaoh CR had really pushed the matter, I think the RM powers-that-be (Beezlebub and Adolf Hitler) would have shuffled Tutanbaul off to the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.  But he has a "contract for life"...who has ever heard of such an idiotic thing?  Only in Madrid.

Tutanbaul and Tutankhamun...the resemblance is scary!

Guti, who spends most of his windswept-hair-tossed days berating the press for daring to ask why he is wearing the bench this season instead of Armani, has the emotional maturity of a fireant.  Prone to fits and outbursts at players (see photo below), he finally met his match when he criticized his own manager.  Since then Guti has been warming his booty with the mummified-one on the bench.  When the Spanish prensa suggested that's why he has been watching the games instead of featuring in them, he let forth a verbal tirade questioning their brains.  But...the plot thickens.  Yesterday he was asked if he would ever leave RM, his home since his youth academy days...and this is what the fireant had to say:
"I would like to end my contract at Real Madrid but it is also true that I would love to be able to play for another team," Guti told Canal+. "To be able to enjoy another culture, to be able to enjoy another life, other team-mates, another league."

Inter Milan are interested and, when asked about the Italian giants, Guti did not hide his enthusiasm.
"I would go there with open arms," he said. "It is a great club. I have great friends there, Samuel Eto'o and Wesley Sneijder (ousted by RM this season). I think it's a team that can aspire to everything.
"The truth is that it is one of my best options, if it could be real. It is true that I've had a very nice time at Real Madrid, that Madrid is a city where I wanted to live all my life, and now I want to leave Madrid.
"It's like a contradiction, but I want to be able to get out of Madrid, to be able to be in another country, in another city and to be able to enjoy other things."
Wow...what a difference a summer makes! ;)  I suppose the honey-dripping PR soundbites issued this summer about how the old guard at RM were welcoming the new signees with open arms is now just sticky paper in the trashcan.

Speaking of RM...former Manchester United player, Gerard Pique, whose gorgeous eyes (see photo, right) spark naughty thoughts from many a fangirl (present company excluded), now spends his time with Barcelona.  His revelation yesterday that "RM are not a real team yet," sparked a standing ovation from non-Madridistas (present company included). 
"Florentino Perez has thrown away many millions and has great footballers, but they need a lot more time to be a real team," he said. "They still depend on individuals. Each game we do well in because of what the team does.

"We're never going to be tired of winning because the dressing room is a tight-knit clan. There is unity, commitment and there are no clashes or in-fighting: we all feel important."
Pique was also asked about former team-mate Ronaldo. Debate continues to rage over whether the most expensive player in the world is better than Lionel Messi, who lifted the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards. Pique believes the Argentina playmaker is superior and insists Ronaldo would not fit into the Barca team.
"Messi is superior in that he has a direct approach and doesn't use so much fussiness," he said. "Ronaldo uses more feints, bicycle kicks... I don't believe he would be good for Barca. I think it would be very hard for him to fit in because he is a player who needs to feel important and know that he is vital for his team.
"At Barca we are all important but no one is indispensable. We know that Messi is fundamental, the best in the world, but he doesn't need reminding of that every two minutes."
Well...he had me up until that ridiculous comment.  I can only remember two bicycle kicks in the last six years.  It's ironic that Pique never criticized Ronny's form when they were winning Prem League titles together at United.

Although this has nothing to do with any of my teams, I thought it was funny and certainly highlights the religion that is footy in England:

:)