|
Mustapha Kamaruddin
|
|
Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:42 |
 HOLA!
Well... Spanish champions Real Madrid seem to be in major crisis.
And it will be interesting to see how Jose Mourinho's team perform in their opening Champions League Group D match against English champions Manchester City at Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow (2:45am).
At times, a team in crisis with many unhappy players, can just perform well to prove a point or two.
It will also be interesting to see Mourinho's lineup as they start their campaign in this so-called 'Group of Death' which also comprises German champions Borussia Dortmund and Dutch club Ajax.
 Real have not been performing well of late as proven in their 1-0 away defeat to Sevilla in a Primera Liga match over the weekend. That was their second defeat in the league after losing to Getafe last month.
Imagine this. They are now 12th in the table, yes 12th, with only four points to show.
There MUST be something really wrong with the team as they, more or less, have the same players from last season when they won the Prmera Liga title for the first time since 2008.
Of course, Mourinho and the players play down the crisis. But for how long?
The Real fans, surprisingly, seem to be still patient but it may well before long that they start giving the infamous 'white handkerchief' treatment to Mourinho (right), never mind if he is the ‘Special One’ or the ‘Only One’.
In Spanish football or bullfighting, it is a common sight to see supporters waving white handkerchief as an expression of deep emotion. And in this case, a negative sign of disgust at an especially bad performance.
Things are really looking bad for Real and Mourinho unless they send City packing tomorrow. They are feeling the heat.
As it is, Madrid-based El Pais reporter Diego Torres says the Real players have already thrown in the towel as far as the Primera Liga title is concerned after just four matches!
He told Radio Catalunya: "The players are very pessimistic. They believe that the league is practically lost and that Mourinho will not finish the season.
"They believe it is impossible to win the league playing under Mourinho because he is determined to play in a way that is no longer a surprise to Spanish teams.”
Well... Mourinho must make history if Real are to win the Primera Liga title. That is if he still around.
Real have never hauled in an eight point lead to win the title. Their best effort was in 2002-2003, when they came back from seven points down to lift the championship.
The best ever come back was by Barca in 1998-1999 season when they hauled in a nine point deficit to win the title.
Back to the clash tomorrow.
First of all, Real must work as a unit which was missing in the match against Sevilla. Is this because of the problem reported between Spanish and Portuguese speaking players?
 Then star attackers like the sulking Cristiano Ronaldo (left), Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain must raise their game.
Mourinho may be tempted to field newly-signed Luka Modric in place of Ozil but the former Tottenham star playmaker has yet to fit into the team that well. This was evident against Sevilla.
Karim Benzema for Higuain upfront? A bit difficult as Frenchman Benzema is not in good form.
Also off-color against Sevilla was defensive midfielder Xabi Alonso.
The defence led by Sergio Ramos and Pepe must also be alert to stop the danger posed by City strikers led by names like Carlos Tevez and Sergio 'Kun' Aguero, who has recovered from injury.
Whatever, a game not to be missed.
Real must start winning or Mourinho may just call himself the 'Going One' next.
Adios!
- mD
|
