Real Madrid News

Ahead of this year’s Goal 50, we want to know who you think was the best stopper during the season 2012-13

POLL

The latest Goal 50 for 2012-13 is fast approaching as we review the best players from all regions of the world over the previous season.

This is the sixth edition of the prize, which has previously been won by current holder Cristiano Ronaldo (twice), Barcelona star Lionel Messi (twice) and Wesley Sneijder in 2010.

As part of the build-up to this year’s gong, we are running a series of polls asking readers to vote for their own best players in each position for what should be an intriguing debate.

After kicking off with the goalkeepers, we now put forward a number of high-profile candidates who can lay claim to having been the best defender in the world game over the last 12 months.

Bayern Munich were undoubtedly the team of the season and they have three representatives in our list. Right-back Philipp Lahm, central defender Dante and left-back David Alaba all impressed throughout 2012-13.

In Spain, Raphael Varane’s emergence in defence was one of the highlights of Real Madrid’s season, while Gerard Pique was again important for Barcelona as they notched up 100 points on their way to winning La Liga. At left-back, Jordi Alba’s performances have been outstanding for club and country.

Over in Italy, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci ensured Juventus secured a successful defence of their Serie A title, while Thiago Silva cemented his reputation as one of the game’s best stoppers with his performances for Paris Saint-Germain in France.

It was not a vintage season for defending in the Premier League but Rio Ferdinand reminded everyone of his quality as Manchester United secured league glory and Jan Vertonghen enjoyed an impressive first campaign at Tottenham.

HAVE YOUR SAY

In total we have 15 goalkeepers up for your vote to decide on the best goalkeeper for the 2012-13 season.
Let us know your thoughts by voting in our poll and leaving your comments below. You can also get in touch via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

There had been doubts over the striker’s long-term future with los Blancos, but his performances in Israel have earned him the opportunity to establish himself

Alvaro Morata has confirmed that he will stay at Real Madrid following a phone call with president Florentino Perez in the aftermath of Spain’s triumph over Italy in the European U21 Championship final on Friday.

The 20-year-old accumulated just 581 minutes under Jose Mourinho last season – equalling to a total of 15 matches – and there had been concerns that the striker would seek a move away with a view to gaining more first-team football.

But after helping la Rojita defend their European crown in Israel by finishing as the competition’s top scorer, Morata says he will fight for his place at the Santiago Bernabeu next season as his employees are “very happy” with him.

“I called the president and he told me that I will stay at Real Madrid next season. He is very happy with me,” he told Cadena SER.

“[Spain] came here [Israel] as a group, and that’s why we have been crowned champions. I am happy, yes, but this is a success of the group and everyone in it.”

Morata also revealed that he spoke to Isco about the possibilty of the Malaga attacker joining him at Madrid before the start of the 2013-14 campaign and suggested Thiago Alcantara was considering his future with Barcelona.

“I am trying to convince Isco to to come,” he added. “It seems Thiago has received bids, and they are enough to make him consider leaving [Barca].

The Blancos youth product scored four times, two ahead of his nearest rivals.

The Peixe official believes the Italian giants must meet them halfway if they are to successfully negotiate the sale of the former Real Madrid attacker

Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues says AC Milan must lower their asking-price if they are to complete a deal for Robinho this summer.

The 29-year-old, who spent three years with Peixe prior to joining Real Madrid in 2005, is said to be keen on a move away from San Siro in the coming months after having found himself on the fringes of Massimiliano Allegri’s plans for much of last season, and his former club have long been desperate to have him back.

However, the Rossoneri are understood to be holding out for at least €9 million for the forward, while Santos are believed to be reluctant to table an offer of mor than €6 million, and Rodrigues has appealed for a compromise.

“We have spoken to people who represent Robinho and Milan, and the quoted figures are very high,” he told Globoesporte.com.

“We spoke on the phone and we are still waiting to hear confirmation on those figures.”

Robinho previously retutned to Santos in 2010, spending six months on loan from Manchester City, during which time he helped the club to Copa do Brasil and Campeonato Paulista titles.

Currently without a coach since dismissing Muricy Ramalho at the end of May, earlier on Tuesday Santos announced that the deal to bring Marcelo Bielsa to Estadio Vila Belmiro had fallen through.

Tottenham’s star player has been heavily linked with a big-money move to the Liga giants and the figures bandied about have shocked the ex-Arsenal skipper

Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas thinks Real Madrid would be ‘crazy’ to break the world transfer record and pay €100 million for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale.

The Wales international has been heavily linked with a move to the Bernabeu with speculation putting a potential transfer fee in the region of £85 million – which would break the current transfer €94 million record which Madrid paid to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, Fabregas does not understand how a club could be prepared to spend such a substantial figure.

He told AS: “For me, spending €100 million on Gareth Bale is crazy. I don’t know how any club could spend that amount of money in these [economic] circumstances.

“He is a great player with all the right attributes, but we will have to see if Madrid sign him and if he can perform there.”

Fabregas also reiterated his desire to remain at Barcelona despite continued speculation linking him with a return to the Premier League.

“People talk a lot, but the truth is that no one has spoken with me,” he added. “I want to triumph in Barcelona. That club is my home and I always dreamed of playing there, so I will try and succeed there as long as I can.”

The midfielder also insisted newboy Neymar will need time to settle at Camp Nou, adding: “Neymar will need time to adapt because he is coming from a completely different type of football.

“We need to help him settle in and grow so that he can give us great nights.

“The egos are very controlled in our team. [Lionel] Messi has won the Ballon d’Or four times and is probably the best player of all time – but when you see him every morning, he doesn’t seem like it.”

The Spain coach insists that the Roja and Real Madrid skipper’s selection against Uruguay was a sporting decision, not one born out of loyalty

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has denied that he is selecting veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas due to favouritism.

The Real Madrid skipper spent the second half of the 2012-13 season on the sidelines and subsequently on the bench, which coincided with the impressive form of emergency replacement Diego Lopez.

However, he has walked back into the Spain team for the Confederations Cup, though Del Bosque insists that he is discounting club form.

“We value a lot of things about him,” he told Radio Marca. “Because of certain details we included him as a starter. It’s not a case of favouritism with Casillas. It’s always a question of the team before players.

“I want to isolate clubs. Nobody can doubt Casillas’ many matches. He deserves respect at the very least.”

Andres Iniesta put in a man-of-the-match performance during Spain’s 2-1 win over Uruguay on Sunday and Del Bosque is delighted with the Barcelona star’s form.

“He’s very comfortable when he’s playing, very loose, very easy, very smooth and he’s doing it all naturally,” he added.

Roberto Soldado played as an orthodox striker against the South Americans and Del Bosque says he will practise rotation more in this tournament than in previous years.

“They will all have opportunities. There’s going be more participation than in other tournaments.”

Finally, the veteran trainer said he is eager to face their Euro 2012 final opponents at the climax of the competition.

“I don’t have any preference but a rematch against Italy would be nice.”