I have been neck deep in work, not an excuse really but that has kept me away from writing here for two weeks. Well for a Real Madrid fan like myself it was a time to forget. Real faced Sevilla in and lost the match 2-0 and also had Sergio Ramos the former local boy sent off in the second half. Real then travelled to Greece to face Olympiakos and apart from Van Nistelrooy hitting the bar, the game was a dull affair which ended in a 0-0 draw.
After Real's loss and Barca winning the corresponding week at home the lead for the Spanish champions was cut short to 1 point. Barcelona lost to Getafe this Saturday and Real were at home to Real Mallorca on Sunday. The last time Mallorca were here was a great day for Real as the 3-1 victory handed them the league title on June 17th. It was no different this year as it was to be a cracking game in front of a packed Santiago Bernabeu. Schuster was forced to make changes as Ramos was suspended and Guti was injured. He partnered Cannavaro and Heinze in defense and had Torres at RB and the young Brazilian Marcelo at LB. He continued with Gago and Diarra in midfield and Sneijder found his way back to the team as the attacking option. Raul, Robinho and Van Nisterlrooy have proved to be one of the most dangerous attacking trio in Europe currently.
As early as the 3rd minute from kick off Robinho found Raul floating on the left side and the Captain's cross just missed the on rushing Van Nistelrooy. With some good ball movement from both teams and Mallorca in no mood to stay back and defend it was a cracking opening to the game. The goal came in the 11th minute when Robinho made a stupendous heel pass to Marcelo and the LB crossed in to precisely find Robinho in the box who headed it in to make it 1-0 Real Madrid. Though Marcelo has been making some runs down the left his final ball or even attempts have been below average. This was a pleasant surprise.
The Brazilian LB was hero a minute and villain the next when a long ball found his way to Valera as Marcelo missed his clearance and a cool finish past the already committed Casillas to make it 1-1 Mallorca. Defensive error number 1.
On the 16 minute mark Sneijder in a much central role and enjoying more touches found 3 strikers ahead of him and his pass fell off Raul and a Mallorca defender to Robinho who one-one with the keeper finished it off cool as a cucumber. 2-1 Real Madrid.
Just when Real were gaining some momentum Mallorca again struck back again through Valera when he got past Marcelo again and Heinze could not get him before he unleashed a powerful right foot thunderbolt that flew in to the top corner. 2-2 Mallorca and it was half time.
I was expecting changes, atleast in the defense and my feeling was that Schuster will take out Marcelo and move Heinze to LB and have Pepe to partner Cannavaro in defense. Schuster surprisingly took out Cannavaro who may have been a little off from his usual self and gave the Brazilian born Portuguese Pepe a chance. Pepe has not played in a competitive game for Real since his 30M Euro move in the summer as he was injured. Now having been called up by Portugal for the upcoming International games Shcuster would have thought "wait a minute we pay his salary and you guys get the benefit?"
Well Pepe did justify the 30M Real paid for him in the next 45 minutes. He was so full of confidence and the way he cut out aerial plays was brilliant. The guy is a formidable presence on the pitch. Even he could not save Real from the second defensive blunder of the match. Pepe tackled Dani Guiza and the ball fell to Diarra who tried to be cute and passed it back to Heinze in the box and instead the ball fell to the Spaniard who blasted a shot past Casillas to prove why he just got called to the National team. 2-3 Mallorca. Defensive blunder #2.
Real Madrid have not lost a game since February of this year in the Bernabeu and Mallorca was about to beat that good run. But as last season Real were in no mood to give up. Robinho has been consistently performing well in the last 4 games and he made a similar trade mark run down the left got into the penalty box and squared the ball for Raul for a simple tap in. 3-3 Real Madrid.
The Champions wanted all three points and the understanding between Raul and Van Nistelrooy again showed as Raul set up an excellent through ball for the Dutchman who finished with a neat finish past the keeper trademark Van the Man style. 4-3 Real Madrid.
Real held on for the 3 points and also have the best record in club history for the same number of games played in a season. Its been 278 days in the Spanish League that Real have lost at the Bernabeu. They won the last 7 to close out last year and have an impressive 6/6 win at the Bernabeu this season. The Spanish FA started rewarding 3 points for a win in the 1995/96 season and Real's record of Played 12, Won 9, Drawn 1, Lost 2 is the best start since then. Real have 28 out of the 36 possible points from the 12 games played so far and the closest any Real Madrid team have reached is 27 points from 12 games and even then they were second in the league.
Real will lead the Spanish League for another 2 weeks without playing a game as it is a break for International duty. Real are leading with 28 points, Villareal at 27 and Barcelona at 24.
Here are the match highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBLFkKX-y8A
Valencia fans hoping for a good start were to be silenced by Real 50 seconds from kick off. Raul found Robinho, the fast move saw Robinho screaming past a slow off the block Valencia and an unmarked Captain at the end of the Valencia box, Raul with a sweet left foot shot scored with a little assist from the post. It was not the last time the post would favor Real Madrid. Real Madrid having conceded a goal in the first 10 minutes of the last 3 games played but this time it was their opponents who were on the receiving end. 0-1 Real Madrid.
Valencia tried to get off the block, but Real with the two midfielders in Gago and Diarra allowed Guti to be more effective in attack and was controlling the attacking moves for Real. Van Nistelrooy found himself in a shooting position twice, once to be saved by the Valencia keeper and then the second time blocked by the defense. There was just one chance from Angulo which was to be the only chance for Valencia in the first half. Diarra controlled the center of midfield beautifully and Gago supported the wing backs for some extra cover. 
Real Madrid moved the ball and the mid field put their heart into one of the best performances from Real in such a tough match. From a Guti free kick Metzelder found the ball and the goal at his mercy but the German slashed wide into the stands, that was the only open chance missed by Real, as they were in no intention to make it a habit and was looking to kill the game in the first half itself.
This was not to be the last piece of productive action for Madrid in the first half, minute 36 and the 3 Rs were dancing around, constantly changing positions in and around the Valencia box. Again it was Guti who faked a shot and then made and exquisite pass to Robinho who fired in first time on the volley and it was Van Nistelrooy who would turn it in for his second goal of the night and the 4th for Madrid. Real players were in for demolition and it was evident after the first goal from Raul that they smelled blood and each attacking move was with an intent to score. The is was evident when Van Nistelrooy scored, Raul was also sliding in, incase the Dutchman missed. 0-4 Real Madrid and it was to remain at half time.
Robinho started enjoying more of the space created by the entry of Sneijder and Raul. His dancing move finally saw him take a powerful shot outside the box which hit the bar on the 70 min mark. Then came the defining minute on the 78 th minute when Robinho on the right wing found Guti and a terrific through pass found Raul who failed to control the ball and it fell to Van Nistelrooy. The dutchman's presence of mind inside the box is out of the world. The keeper was advancing on him and there was no agle for him to shoot and he superbly passed it back to Raul who had an easy tap in. I have been always thinking why Shcuster is not giving the young Soldado who scored 18 goals last season on loan with Osasuna more chances but the understanding and the combination between Raul and Rudd is really the difference. 2-1 Rea Madrid.
Robinho was replaced right away with Balbao, and Real Madrid held on for a good 3 points. They still head the La Liga with 22 points closely followed by Barcelona at 20 as they won against Almeria 2-0 courtesy of goals from Henry and Messi. Valencia lost to Sevilla 3-0, and with their midweek game agaisnt Rosenborg also ending in defeat their coach was sacked. Real play the same Valencia on Wednesday at the Mestalla and then Sevilla on the weekend. Both these away games would test Real. Schuster must be relieved to welcome back Cannavaro, Heinze and Diarra who have been declared fit to play. 
Here are the full match highlights.....
Real were not to stay ahead for a long time. On the 7 minute mark Djordjevic found a lot of space on the left side of midfield. I should say Michel Salgado should either retire or Madrid should throw him out. I dont agree with Shcuster in picking him ahead of Torres. The last time Salgado played it was the same thing, as you can see from the video that the only direction he runs is towards his own goal. When defending he runs back towards his own goal allowing the player to get into a better crossing position. In this case it was the same, Djordjevic was advancing on Salgado, one on one with him Salgado did not put a single challenge instead kept him company by running backwards and finally he put in a slide which he missed and the cross fell kindly to Galletti who finished with his left foot. Salgado may have enjoyed a long spell in Real Madrid after coming in from Celta Vigo in 96 or 97 but i dont see any reason why he is considered to be such a hard nut character and the only reason why he stayed so long in a team like Real is because he was dating the former President's daughter. Now forget the defending, each time Salgado advances, even if there is an acre of space, after getting in to the Olympiakos quarter of the pitch he passes it back to either Gago or one of the center backs. He does not run at defenders, nor is able to cross the ball. People have bad days but Salgado should not be in the playing 11 at Real.
Now it was time for the Brazilian to take center stage. First it was Schuster who took out Salgado (ohh finally thank God) and put in Higuain. Guti put an amazing ball to Sergio Ramos on the right, the center back who is so versatile put in a delightful cross to the far post for Robinho unmarked to head in to the bottom corner. It was nice to see Robinho run straight to Schuster and celebrate the goal as in "Thanks for believing in me". Minute 68- 2-2 Real Madrid.
If you think that was it from the Brazilian, think again. There is a famous video of Robinho during his time in Brazil when he did almost 12 of his famous step overs before he was brought down inside the box to win a famous penalty. It was a replica of the same, recieving the ball on the left wing he used the step over again and again pushed the defender into the penalty box and the slightest touch on his shin, he fell earning Real a penalty. But all his hard work was to be blown away as Van Nistelrooy blazed over from the spot.
Robinho broke away from an Olympiakos free kick, run the entire pitch dribbled past a defender and un selfishly passed it to Balboa the substitute on for Sneijder and inside the box he took his time and turned and made a cool finish. 4-2 Real Madrid. Its hats off to Olympiakos for putting the Real fire power to test, but it was their problem of having 10 men on the ground for the majority of the game that pulled it off for Real. Gago, Guti and Robinho were enjoying the space, especially the Brazilian who straight away moved to the left flank when Olympiakos were down to 10 men. Real had a total of 28 shots on goal but still needed the Brazilian's inspiration to win. Robinho should be the automatic choice for Man of the Match with 2 goals an assist and also a penalty earned. Shcuster claimed this was a difficult 3 points, well it might be but the final passing and Real's inability to finish off a game that was at their mercy 10 minutes into it should be alarming for the Spanish giants.
Here is the video and i have one luckily with some exciting English commentary....
Barcelona's visit to Villareal was the other match on Saturday. Unfortunately for Barca fans and fortunately for me this was the game the TV rights issue affected. It was not televised. Ronaldinho-less Barca were defeated by Villareal 3-1, 2 of which were penalties to the home side. This was the first defeat of Barcelona this season.
Real stay top of the league still with 19 points, with Villareal and Valencia on 18 closely followed by Barca on 17 points. With the mid-week Champions League fixtures there is an extra match to savor this week. Real play Olympiakos at home, Real are unbeaten in the Champions League in the two rounds completed so far.
