With the Copa del Rey final on the line, the Whites took time out of this crunch week to come together for a group lunch to join forces ahead of the match against Atletico. The players are aware of what’s at stake in the business end of the season and gathered for a lunch that was dominated by a feeling of unity. The squad, after completing a morning training session in the Ciudad Real Madrid, met at the Filandón restaurant in a demonstration of team unity and focus ahead of the all-important clash this Friday against Real’s eternal rival (9:30 p.m., La 1). The team joined forces three days ahead of the fight for the title and sets their sights on what would be Real’s second Copa del Rey in three years and the nineteenth in club history. The squad knows what’s at stake and is prepared to do all it takes to win the championship.

Jose Mourinho called up 24 players for the Copa del Rey final that Real Madrid will play against Atletico de Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu. Only Varane, injured, is missing from the list.


CONVOCADOS:

Goalkeepers: Casillas, Diego Lopez, Adan and Jesus.
Defenders: Ramos, Pepe, Albiol, Carvalho, Arbeloa, Coentrão, Marcelo and Nacho.
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso, Essien, Khedira, Kaka, Modric, Özil, Callejón and Di María.
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuain and Morata.


If you want some snacks for the game, may I suggest some mixed nuts?

Madrid: Esteban Granero is convinced that a conflict between goalkeepr Iker Casillas and Jose Mourinho is keeping the Spain international on the substitutes bench at Real Madrid.

Diego Lopez has been the number one choice between the posts at the Santiago Bernabeu since joining the club from Sevilla in the January transfer window.

And though Mourinho has remained insistent that his preference for Lopez is purely a footballing decision, there remains a suspicion that there may be more to the tale than meets the eye.

“It’s hard to judge from the outside,” he told AS. “Obviously there is a conflict. I know Iker very well and he is the best goalkeeper in the world. He is the captain of the team and has lifted the World Cup and the European Championship twice.

“He is a symbol of Real Madrid. He has spent 20 years at the club and to me has always been an example.”

The QPR midfielder did reserve praise for Lopez, however, and admitted his performances in recent months have warranted a first team spot.

“I am not the coach who evaluates the status of each player. You can say Diego Lopez has done nothing to not deserve this spot. I have seen him train like crazy in his life. He is very professional.

“But Casillas is Casillas and he is the undisputed starter. The coach is smart enough and professional enough to choose on form.”

The Game of Hope is a football match organized by Michael Essien to raise money for a variety of charities in his home country of Ghana. A team of 11 African players will play against a team of 11 internationals. He's been urging both Chelsea FC and Real Madrid players to show their support, although as of now I'm not sure if any of them will actually be playing. The game's set to take place on the 8th of June.

I'm sure Essien can explain it better than I can, however.



Luka Modric, Mesut Özil and José Mourinho support the Game of Hope.


Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo & Sami Khedira support the Game of Hope. (MARCELOOOO! I CAN'T.)

I hope more of these videos will follow in the future, and will be sure to update this post with them if they do. Quite frankly, they're adorable.

These dorks. (Mesut at the end, lol...)

Yes, Barca won the league earlier than we might have wanted them to. Yes, the way we played yesterday was hardly inspired. Yes, we're still Dramadrid.

But then there are small moments like these, that make me laugh and shake my head because this team? This team is, and always will be, fantastic. If the game was a bit of a let down, the bench certainly didn't disappoint. Sure, some of it went like this:


Guys no. Guys! What are you doing??

*sigh* Iker hold my diamonds, gonna have to try and score up in this bitch.

( But you'll like these clips!Collapse )

I swear, this team is made of dumbs...

ROLL CALL



Porteros: Casillas, Diego López, Adán y Jesús.
Defensas: Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Albiol, Coentrão, Marcelo, Carvalho, Nacho y Llorente.
Centrocampistas: Xabi Alonso, Khedira, Kaká, Özil, Essien, Modric, Callejón, Di María y Casemiro.
Delanteros: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuaín y Morata


This has been such a depressing season. Let's end on a high note with a bunch of wins. <3