@Porty: Not a bad fee for someone with his age and quality, superb signing for them.

So, how is this gonna work now for Real?

-------Raul--Nistelrooy---------
Robinho----------------Robben---

eh?

Seems pretty strong. With dst's love Gago and Diarra in the center-midfield.
Although Robinho can play on the right and Robben on the left. (exchange places)

But the transfer is not yet confirmed. Reports in England say Abramovich won't let Robben quit Chelsea.

On the other hand... they signed Dudek for Casillas sub.

I think that is to drive the price higher ... Cuz, Robben wasn't first team player last season .. And with Malouda and Shevchenko, Robben is a gonner IMO

Yup. Malouda is more Mourinho's type.

Hey mishale, as Israeli... do you know anything about Barcelona's young gun Gai Assulin.

He's known in La Masia as one of the best prospects out there along with Bojan Krkic, Thiago, Giovani dos Santos and Iago Falqué.

Damn, I really envy Barcelona in this field. Along with Arsenal they're the best out there. Although R.Madrid, Roma, Inter, Sporting Lisbon, Auxerre and Liverpool have some good talents too.

We have Facchin!!! He is fucckin great!

He's only 16, very fast, great technique, can play as AM and SS and considered as huge potential. He's already has a fan site : http://www.gaiassulin.com/ . A year ago Arsenal tried to sign him (wanted to do a 'Fabregas' ), and a month ago United and Chelsea tried to convince his parents and him to move to England.

Barca's scouting system is very effective. They are signing 11-12-13 y.o talented kids from all over the world, and it's very worth while in a long term. We should do this too. It's not only for a 'small' clubs.

It's Gai or Guy? I've seen in both ways.



BTW: Valencia just signed Helguera. There goes their defense.

It's free translation from Hebrew so it can go both ways.

I want dst RIGHT NOW over here. Greek info needed.

http://www.as.com/articulo/futbol/Seria/fa...sdaiftb_30/Tes/



This greek kid, Sotiris Ninis, it's said he is one of the best (if not the #1) European youngster born in 1990.

Spanish papers already interviewed him and Real Madrid is really looking foward to him.
He's compared to Messi. A great... great talent.

Any informaton dst? Do you know this kid from Panathinaikos?

^^^

He's probably even hit on the kid already...our dst

Now didn't you regret telling him that last time?

AS is really a damn good paper. This guys... I mean, not even Madrid and Chelsea announced the deal and they already put Robben on Real Madrid roster for the next season:

http://www.as.com/futbol/primera/jugadores/?idj=12575

I know AS/Marca are like Real Madrid paper, but still...

What if Robben renew with Chelsea? It would be bad for him but still... would embarass AS.

Thats almost desperation

I think AS knows probably something we don't. When it comes to Madrid, usually AS is better (at the moment). More reliable.

Marca in the other hand are more famous, and tradicionally the leading paper in the country, but at the moment that goes to AS.

Robben wasn't in the squad so maybe they do know, but they have been wrong on many occasions

FT Dundee United 0-1 Barcelona - Henry '90

The score was not right, in my opinion, yet another fixed game.

R10, Iniesta, Deco, Henry were all awful in this game, they were showed up by a poor Scottish team. In the '85 minute Dundee had a completely fair goal disallowed, the referee then gave a ridiculous penalty for a dive by that Giovani. Heny took the penalty and had it saved ( ) then put in the rebound.

R10, Henry, Giovani and co. were AWFUL, nothing more. If I was a Barca fan I'd be a little worried, yes it was only a friendly, but all of these supposed top young players that had got owned by a Scottish team, as did their senior players.

Priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESyg8MYNVAg

Class goal by Raul in the first pre-season match for Real Madrid.

Stoke!

Nice move and finish by Raul.

40'... Hearts 1-2 Barcelona

2 goals by Ronaldinho. A penalty (as always ) an a header.

I never knew Ronnie could head the ball

Yup. Just like the goal vs. Sevilla last season. Really good header.

Anyway, Giovani dos Santos scored on the 2nd half: 3-1 FT
Henry, Deco, Xavi and co were good. Krkic was the best in the pitch.

You're never full!

I've already talked about him in the Rising Stars thread!! But you were not paying attention!!! You are certainly going to get some spanking now!!!!

Anyway... he's good, very good!! He was good at the U19 championship but he wasn't at 100% because he's been playing non-stop in Panathinaiko's starting XI since December when he only had "primavera" experience and training... he was awfully tired in these matches but he still showed some signs of brilliance! And yes, your team are following him for quite some time now!! I hope they won't snatch him... cause I like him!

Villarreal just signed Giuseppe Rossi for 10M/euros.

And that value is based on what? Doing nothing at United, even less at Newcastle and having an average Euro u-21? Surely he can't be worth that much JUST for his Parma performances.

Hannover 3-0 Real Madrid
What's pathetic is that both teams had +/- the same number of chances. Higuain and Raul missed 4 or 5 sitters.

OK, OK... Nistelrooy, Robinho, Robben (most probably), and many others didn't play, but still...

Schuster will be insulted by every single paper in Madrid tomorrow.

I can't wait.

Well, if we played Darmian, Aubameyang, Grimi and 3 or 4 Primavera guys... we'd get killed by any team too.

Sh!t happens. They got 8 clear chances. Hannover 6 and scored 3.

---------v.Nistelrooy--------
Robben--------------Robinho

With this trio, it would have been different.

I've seen the match. Madrid wasn't impressing at all, I was a bit disapointed. Nice goals by Hannover. Higuain could have scored 3 goals easily, but he didn't manage to get past Enke or missed the open goal
Well, in the end we all know Madrid would have won it easily if it was not a friendly.

I've noticed that Higuain has a serious problem: the finishing. I mean... he did everything right 2 or 3 times, usually the hardest part of a foward, and then misses an open-goal.

Well, still young.

Come on... you like Iaquinta...


Oh, you're enjoying it!?? ...

No.

Well, it's pre-season but this year with Schuster... even with Robben they miss many things.

Barcelona, if they play, 51% of what they know... they'll be Champ. Unless they self-destruct like last year. Or something out of this world happens until the end of August.

It's called the biggest transfer in football history. Involves a buck toothed fellow. That's all I can tell you at the moment.

Iaquinta single handedly put Udinese into the CL, where he bagged a hat-trick in the first game. He also scored at the World Cup and picked up a winners medal, he's not too bad in big competition, his league form isn't bad either.

After all, Juventus signed him.

Did you see Newcastle-Juventus the other day? Oh my god. He got a prize: -the worst striker in Juventus on the last decade.

He's good for Udinese. Nothing more. Pure crap.

I agree with Porty about Iaquinta. As a box striker, he's got all the agility of a bull in a china shop and about as much charm as Pippo has in his little finger. He's good for a mid-table team but not for someone like Juve (or Milan). I was surprised to see him in the WC squad, to be honest (he didn't actually start any of the WC games).

Then again, maybe I should be glad he signed for the Zebras and not, say, for Milan.....

So he's the worst striker ever because of one friendly?

Kaka' and R10 were made to look ametuer against England, was only after they went off that Brazil got back in the game, are they crap?

Nop. I always said Iaquinta is good but NOT for a top-team.

One thing is if a player is not interested in a friendly and don't even run or so. Other thing is if the player trying to get a place in the first 11 and simply... he's sh!t. He tried but he's not good enough.

I mean, it was not 1, 2 or 3 times during the match. It was pathetic really.

Anyway, I think he'll be benched as Del Piero and Trezeguet are still there. And those... are world-class.

allegedly Real Madrid signed Ballack & Robben for 40m (both)
http://www.as.com/articulo/Futbol/Robben/B...sdasftb_31/Tes/
http://www.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/...lo/1023596.html

My Spanish isn't the best, but does it maybe say that Madrid have offered 40m for the two players instead of saying that they've signed them?

Yup. No confirmation yet.

Hopefully they'll have no need for Ricky now!

Do you really think Ballack will leave Chelsea? Robben I think it will but Ballack? Humm... only if Mourinho is looking for Deco.

Tonight in a Spanish radio:

"Robben and Drenthe are done. They'll be officially Real Madrid players on the next hours/days."

We're here to see.

OFFICIAL: Drenthe is a Real Madrid player - http://www.realmadrid.com/articulo/comunic...icial_41728.htm



Top-talent there. Still very young but very agressive IMHO.

Barcelona's market seems to be close but in Madrid the thing is wide open.

Rumours today about Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Quaresma + the usual Robben-talk.