Return to the scene of the crime…

March 20, 2010 at 8:54 am | Posted in La Liga | 2 Comments
Tags: Benzema, Kaka, La Liga, Manolo Preciado, Manuel Pellegrini, Rafael Van der Vaart, Real Madrid, Sporting Gijon

Officially done with finals and can finally sink my head in into all the happenings at the club. There has been several juicy topics that I am sorely sorry that I missed, but nevertheless it is good to be back. So let’s look at what we have on our plate this week.

After being eliminated from the Champions League, Madrid put their boots on tightly and clocked in four goals past the simple Valladolid. Unfortunately for them they became our victim to which we took out our frustration. Still, for the most part I don’t think the madridista’s as a whole are content with the performance shown last week and the real test comes with the team’s reaction in front of the critical and fickle crowd of the Bernabeu. It is a return to the scene of the crime, where the players will have to vindicate themselves and reconnect with the audience that they have let down. Although we do face a mid-table Sporting we must not be tranquil as it is these teams that have nothing really to lose so they put up the hardest fight and also deliver the biggest surprises. I insist we need our A-game, people!

Do I think that we will see a 7-1 like last season? Nope, but I do think we need to see plenty of goals and good football in order to continue with our operation to take the Spanish title back to the capital, where it belongs.

Here is what you need to know:

1. Kaka and Benzema are still out. Benzema who has recovered from the hernia has been left out by Pellegrini deeming that it might be best for him to rest a bit longer. Kaka also hasn’t recuperated in time from contracture to his left hamstring muscle. You can also add Diarra and Drenthe to the list of absentees. Everything else stays the same in terms of the players who have been called up.

2. Pellegrini as usual has faced the hounds in the routine pre game presser and here is a snippet of what he said about this weekends rival: “Sporting are a dangerous team. Much is at stake for them. We’ll have to play well to defeat them.” True, very true!

3. Sporting’s manager Manolo Preciado also spoke and threw a jab against the Madrid press accusing them of a “witch hunt” campaign against the Chilean. Well Pellegrini, at least you have someone on your corner. Anyway, Preciado added that his team will not use the same brutal tactics employed by Valladolid to stop CR9.

4. Finally, Sporting also face some hurdles as they have not won in their last two games and also have failed to score. Not good for them as Madrid have been in form in goal and are undefeated at the Bernabeu. The pleasant news for them is that heart of their defense sees the comeback of Gregory.

Video: Well I dug deep into the vault and it was incredibly hard to find a goal or any recap of a Madrid vs Sporting game. There have certainly been some great meetings between these two especially in the early 90s when Sporting where living a glorious chapter in their history, but unfortunately I did not find any good videos of these past encounters. Still, seeing as though Rafa Van der Vaart has been finding some good fortune in plenty of minutes (will surely start this weekend), I thought why not go all the way back to the  2008-2009 season, where VDV made his debut appearance against Sporting. Yes, I know these were simpler times. Anyway, it was against the boys of the Molinon, where VDV scored a hat trick with one of these goals being the currently in fashion heel flick. Enjoy!