REAL MADRID PRESENTS BUDGET FOR 2002/03 SEASON (30-7-02) .-
Real Madrid has given green light to their budget for this season, reaching up to €293 million. This sharply reduces last years' amounts, but only because the selling of the training grounds boosted the numbers of the previous season. That year was very important for the club's economy, because of the washing of the debt that pressed so hard on the accurate management of the club.
Budgets foresee a profit of nearly 80 million euros, and this goal will be possible because of the proper evolution of ordinary incomes, an improved policy of merchandising and, especially, for being free of the enormous financial wieght derived from the debt.
The economic futur of the club is shiny, because the financial expenses from the players have already been made, and an extraordinary income is yet to be received from the selling of the Ciudad Deportiva.
HIERRO TO PUT AN END TO HIS INTERNATIONAL CAREER (19-6-02).-
Fernando Hierro, Madrid's central defender and captain of the spanish national team along the World Cup, has decided to retire from the reds as soon as the Korea-Japan championship ends.
Hierro, who is 34 years old, has been showing a remarkeably enlightened mind when facing his obviously close farewell. No one can deny his better years are already gone, although he's still a world-class player and without doubts the best spanish central defender, even the greatest ever.
Certainly this is the first step towards the end in the career of a player that has written his own legend. As a defender, he has shown authority, a superb placement on the field and a superb quality (many have even suggested his ideal position would be as a midfielder), and an astounding hability to score. In fact,, Fernando hierro has netted more than 100 goals for Real Madrid, and is today the top scorer in the history of the spanish national team, a lead that will undoubtely be soon claimed by Raúl, but that is still of his own with 29 goals in 88 matches. These numbers should increase as long as the spanish course in the World Cup goes on.
CRAZY ABOUT ZIDANE (17-5-02).-
It may be true that Raúl's goal was worth exactly the same in the final score, and that, in injury time, Casillas became Madrid's saviour. But in football the most important thing are goals, and Zidane's in Glasgow was amazing and decissive. It was valious enough to put the european press down on their knees in front of the french player, who has become, deservedly, champion of everything. He has won the World Cup and the European Championship with France, and the Champions League with Real. Zizou has climbed to the very top along his career.
In his home country, the newspaper L'Equipe has devoted its main pages to him. In Spain all the media hail his technical move that ended in the 2-1, and also in Italy, Britain, and even in Germany where, while reamrking Bayer's good performance, they haven't saved good words towards the white 5.
Zidane came to Madrid to win the Champions League, just like Figo. His past experinces -two lost finals, one of them facing Real Madrid- made up his mind to join the club from Castellana Avenue, and facts have proved him right
Everybody will now expect the best from him at the World Cup. Also Madrid, who will certainly see their merchandising income boost about the player's image. Zidane's shot on goal ended in a superb goal, earned a Champions League... and much, much money.
Does anyone doubt that the 80 million euro expense needed to tie him up have been profitable?...
PRESS BET FOR MADRID ALL AROUND EUROPE (2-5-02).-
There are no doubts, at least for the European media: Real Madrid will raise at Hampden Park their Ninth European Cup. One day after signing their ticket to Glasgow, the spanish press hails Raúl, although the efforts made by Barça are not forgotten. The papers generally conclude that the white stars made the difference, especially Zidane, and th esame as ever: the number 7.
In the rest of Europe, the british tabloids also remark Raul's performance and clearly point at Real as favorite. Portugal hold some bitter criticism with the game showed by the team, although they can't deny their top level. Germany talks about "Dreamed Final" or about "The most desired rival" facing the match Real Madrid-Bayer. The lower level of Real Madrid along the semifinal allows them some hope for the final. Finally, in France Raúl, but also Zidane and Makelele center the comments, while leaving the impression that all the media were 100% sure about Madrid being in the final.
If that final could be won by the media forecast, maybe Bayer would be the second german team to be ran over in Glasgow...
TECHNICAL STAFF ALREADY PREPARES NEXT SEASON (20-4-02).-
Although the season's end is still one month ahead, and with the team wildly fighting for two titles, the market follows its own pace and the technical staff of Real Madrid working on the team 2002/03.
The club is fully aware that no player is now worth paying the huge amounts of money that brought Figo or Zidane to Madrid. Some 60 million euros, plus the eventual income after selling some players, would be prepared for this summer's "shopping".
What the team needs seems to be very clear. Target no.1 is a defensive midfielder, a stopper that would give more liberty to the impressive offensive arsenal of Madrid. Vieira is still the player dreamed, but if this fails, Holland's Van Bommel could be the next in the list.
Other weak points are more discussed. In the defensive line, no one can say 100% sure that Hierro will be able to resist one more year at top level. Pavón will have to show that he's able to keep his place in the starting eleven and Helguera might play in the back line next year. Karanka will almost surely leave the club, Campo simply does not exist for the coach, and rumours point at Leverkusen's brazilian Lucio.
The hottest point is the position of no.9. With Morientes' performances under heavy fire and Portillo noisily knocking on the team's doors, the club is now listening some interesting offers from Rome and other teams, never under 30 million €. But there is no replacement at sight, and leaving all the weight of Madrid's goals on Portillo might be excessive for the junior. Meanwhile, a sad Morientes declared that, if the club does not trust him, he will be ready to move outside the White House.
Besides, Japan's Nakamura could be officially presented as RM's player as soon as the season ends, and several players from the youth team will join the elder in August.br>
MASSIVE WORLD 'PEÑAS' MEETING IN MADRID (6-4-02).-
Nearly 8000 representatives of the 'Peñas' (fan groups) from all around the world met at the Recreation Park in Madrid to be honoured by the club on their day along the Centennary celebrations.
President Pérez thanked the energy and the work of these groups in the task of taking the madridism everywhere. He also encouraged them to keep the pride of being related with such a big institution as Real Madrid is. On this subject, having received sharp comments of arrogance because of the massive coverage the Centennary is receiving from the media, Florentino Pérez pointed out that, although no one must fall into arrogance, Madrid must never apologize for rising such an extreme interest among papers, TV and radio stations. This is only the proof that Real Madrid do always interest the fans, that count by the millions all around the world.
SPAIN WINS IN FOOTBALL INDOOR CENTENNARY TOURNAMENT (31-3-02).-
Spain, the current football indoor world champion, won the International Football Indoor Tournament played as a part of the celebrations honouring Real Madrid's Centennary. The national squad, who blasted Japan in the first match to reach the final, fought a pretty final against their hardest rival along the last years, Brazil. The americans could only be beaten after two extra times, when Joan converted in goal a double penalty. The final score, 4-3, shows how levelled the match was, although lately Spain is going over the canarinha once and again.
HARD MOMENTS FOR ROBERTO CARLOS (11-3-02).-
Everyone who follows Real Madrid usually must have realized that one of the team's pillars, Roberto Carlos, is far from his best moments. Not only the backwing's performances on the pitch are between the worst since he arrived to the club in 1996, but he's no longer showing his eternal smile and his friendly behaviour.
Truth has been revelaed some days ago, when it was known that the ties between the player and his agent, Oliveira Junior had deteriorated so much that in fact it is now broken. Because of that, Junior asks Roberto Carlos an amount close to 2 million euros to put an end to the tie.
Oliveira Junior has worked as Roberto Carlos' representant since he first pointed out as a junior player. It was Junior who brought him to Palmeiras, Inter and Madrid, but in return he has got an enourmous income. The conditions of the agreement , set when Carlos was only 17, built up a lifetime relationship, also a 10% commission on every income of the player, and even allow him a close control on every economic decission made by Roberto Carlos. This one has been more and more aware about this abusive power until he has decided to put an end to the deal.
Real Madrid's lawyers have already offered themselves to help the player not only in ending the relationship but also in a most serious affair, since Oliveira Junior says he won't give back some personal documents of the player until he receives the money
All the fans hope this situacion will soon come to an end, because everyone wants to see again one of the most reamarkeable players to play ever for Real Madrid.
LIFE GOES ON FOR MADRID (7-3-02).-
Madrid ha already started healing the injuries left by the Cuip Final. Without noise, and with full acknowledge of rivals' superiority, Florentino Pérez and Vicente del Bosque clearly showed the club will deal with the defeat with fair play, making no tragedies of it, although they accept the deception has been great.
While the coach is already thinking in the return to the League, Pérez looks decided not to let the Centenary celebrations fade by this defeat. It is obvious that the year remains a historic spot, and Madrid has both the right and the duty to honour their unrivalled history.
The players are sad, of course, but still strong after what was seen on the first training session after the final. Everyone is aware of the mistake made, and the decission is firm to write a different page of history in the League and in Europe.
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