I know we have the Santiago Bernabeu trophy in midweek, but I'd rather focus on the championship. Athletic will be confident of an upset here, so Schuster needs to be smart with his team selection. We know Athletic are going to play like they usually do at home against Real Madrid; strong physically, aerially and fast, direct balls through the wings.

I think the backline essentially picks itself, with Diarra adding further defensive protection in front of it. Raul, Robinho and Van Nistelrooy will start in attack...which means the entire engine and organization of the team will be squarely at the feet of Guti and Sneijder - two players with a lot of football in their boots...but not enough personality.

 

Anybody remember this fixture last year?

 

Yes, a rare 1-4 win when Athletic where in the midst of a crisis and a serious brush with relegation.

I really do believe they will give us a tough match this time, we always have trouble beating Joaquin Caparros teams.

 

WARNING: The referee in this contest will be none other than Medina Cantalejo.

for the love of god! :scared:

 

for the love of god! :scared:

:scared: i am worried already!

Would be interesting who starts in midfield, i think Guti will start for sure, but i think any 2 from Diarra, Gago, Sneijder and Baptista have a shot at the other 2 spots.

Its away, and the Classico is coming up, so i would keep Diarra, we need him to find back his form. The last spot, a toss up between Gago and Sneijder.

 

Surely a stupid question, but what's the fuss about the ref? I never remember their names... p

 

Surely a stupid question, but what's the fuss about the ref? I never remember their names... p

Cantalejo is a bitch. He is the idiot who sent Roberto Carlos off for "complaining" in El Clasico, and then did not award a clear, 100% penalty against Ronaldo later in the same game. We've had many incidents with him.

 

I hope that Real Madrid win this game for personal reasons

Good luck :thumbsup:

 

I hope that Real Madrid win this game for personal reasons

Good luck :thumbsup:

roud:

 

I hope that Real Madrid win this game for personal reasons

Good luck :thumbsup:

Hehe . . .

 

Cantalejo is a bitch. He is the idiot who sent Roberto Carlos off for "complaining" in El Clasico, and then did not award a clear, 100% penalty against Ronaldo later in the same game. We've had many incidents with him.

than again he did red card that oaf Oelguer in the last clasico :thumbsup:

 

Should be an interesting match!! I hope we come out on top with 3 points. Robinho will be decisive in this match... and Raúl will hopefully accrue to his already accumulating goal scoring tally.

 

than again he did red card that oaf Oelguer in the last clasico :thumbsup:

That wasn't Medina, i am almost sure it wasn't but let someone confirm. And Oleguer deserved it 101%

 

Athletic and Real Madrid are two of only three teams which have never been relegated.

Cooooorrection once again. Two teams have never relegated, three teams have never played in Segunda.

 

Ahh, I read three teams had never played in Segunda - so I assumed all three were never subject to relegation.

 

Cooooorrection once again. Two teams have never relegated, three teams have never played in Segunda.

What? Barcelona, Madrid and Athletic never played in Segunda and never relegated since all 3 played in Primera since the very first day. The only thing I know is that we played a playoff game to avoid relegation back in 1942, but we won that game against Murcia. But this fact can't be called a "relegation".

 

All he has to work with is straws. Do you blame him for grasping at them?

That wasn't Medina, i am almost sure it wasn't but let someone confirm. And Oleguer deserved it 101%

Nah it was that coward Undiano Mallenco. It's quite ironic really how history repeats itself with the Basques selling the Catalans out to the Castilians.. :moan:

 

Temporada 1933-1934

El Barcelona acaba penúltimo y evita el descenso gracias a la ampliación de la Primera División, que pasa a 12 equipos.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_del_Fútbol_Club_Barcelona_(1930-1940)

 

Real Madrid have won their last three matches in Bilbao
http://realmadrid.com/articulo/rma44970.htm

Setting foot on the turf of La Catedral, also known as San Mamés, is setting foot in a chapter of the history of Spanish football. Athletic Bilbao was one of the first La Liga clubs to celebrate its centenary; just one reason for all the hype surrounding Real Madrid's match on Saturday.

Real Madrid are three for three in their last three visits to La Catedral. More importantly, they have left with points in hand in 40 of their 76 encounters on Basque soil (24 victories and 16 draws). The last time these two sides squared off in Bilbao, Van Nistelrooy's brace sealed a 1-4 Madridista victory.

Familiar faces collide
Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid are two of the most tradition-filled teams in Primera Division. Pioneers in the development of footballers, both clubs are famous for their youth systems. Lezama and The Factory have produced greats who succeeded no matter where they played. Bilbao and Madrid can also boast of being two of the three teams that have always played in the First Division.

The first Madridista-Los Leones clash (a 2-0 victory for the Red-and-Whites) dates back to the 1928/29 season, the first edition of the League. Barcelona finished first, Real Madrid second, and Athletic third.

High-scoring affairs
San Mamés has hosted some absolute thrillers, and the hosts have been on each end of the thrashings. Bilbao handed Madrid a 0-5 defeat in 1969/70, only to get a taste of their own medicine in 1995/96 when Laudrup, Michel, Zamorano, and a young Raúl returned the favour.

Three straight in San Mamés
More than three years have passed since Real Madrid last lost in Bilbao. The first victory came in 2005/06 King's Cup action; a 0-1 defeat by way of David Beckham. The next came in League action days later, when Robinho and Raúl Bravo struck gold for a 0-2 win. Real Madrid's last triumph in San Mamés took place last season. Sergio Ramos, Guti, and Van Nistelrooy (2) carried the Whites to a 1-4 drubbing, while the Dutchman's brace paved the way to League Pichichi honours.

RealMadrid.com

 

looks like this game wont be aired

 

looks like this game wont be aired

You always act like Al Jazeera or whatever it's called is the only channel in the world, RG. p This has happened a few times already.

Anyways, this game is on GolTV at 4 PM EST on Saturday.

 

p

itsnot on the show list of el jezeera yet ..... if its gol tv it should be showed on eljezeera yet

 

Schuster said after the Partizan match that the reason Soldado has barely had a look-in this season is because, in his opinion, Raul and Van Nistelrooy are the best forwards in European Football.

For better or for worse - we will live and die by the Raul-Van Nistelrooy attack for the rest of the season...meaning one from Sneijder, Robben or Robinho will always start on the bench. Gago will struggle to get a game once Diarra is back from the African Cup of Nations.

If I consider that Raul-Van Nistelrooy are untouchable, this is the best "fixed" team we can hope for to deliver trophies;

Diarra - Guti

Robben - Raul - Robinho

RVN​

 

the game is on the show list of eljezeera thx god

 

I hope to c this line up TOM.

..............Iker..............

Ramos....Pepe....Heinze....MT

............Diarra.................

Sneijder...Guti...Robihno

.............Drenthe.........

..............Raul...........


*Drenthe : The guy looks like an explosive player to me and needs to be given the chance as fairly as Higuain

*RUD : give him some rest , better to have him fully fit against Lazio