The Real Madrid News / Reviews / Discussion Thread

Maybe, maybe not. Zidane was definitely up there in 03, him and R9 were both in great form. You said Raul was arguably the best in the team, that's not true when 2 of the best players in the world were his teammates.

Raul got a lifetime contract when Capello was here, if that doesn't say untouchable, I don't know what else to tell you. And Zidane being smart to leave is not the issue, it's the way he left, rescinded his contract and didn't take a cent, Fernando Martin the interim president was shocked at how he just left money on the table. Mourinho didn't care much for Raul and Guti, they weren't "smart to leave" like Zizou or R9, they both clung on and had their contracts bought out to be forced out.

 

Bro chiiiiill with the revisionism. The team was very imbalanced and top heavy, Raul was not a solution though he was part of the problem. Unlike R9, Zidane and Figo though he wasn't actually adding much in attack to justify his spot. Owen came for a season, outperformed him, then scuttered away when he saw there is no dislodging Raul.

Also only Figo took penalties so not sure what that stat padding comment is about. Anyone who watched that train wreck of a team during the Galactico years wouldn't even try comparing R9 to Raul, it's like Cristiano vs Robben/Robinho.

 

If we were to go back and do it again, from 03/04 onwards it could have been a solid overall team with a few key plugs. But the imbalance was crazy.

I mean there were games where this was the line up … Guti having been moved from striker to attacking mid to double pivot centre mid in the space of three seasons!

——Beckham——Guti————
Figo————Raul———Zidane
———-——Ronaldo—————

 

https://www.worldsoccer.com/world-soccer-latest/raul-best-in-the-world-says-ferguson-49534

I'm not alone in thinking Raul was in the best player conversation circa 2000-2003. Ferguson was a man with enough foresight that in 2003 he decided to part ways with David Beckham and signed some teenage prodigy named Cristiano Ronaldo, but go on and tell me what a bad judge of talent he was at the time.

Well he had milked every scent of his contract up until that point despite sub par performances for practically entire seasons from 2004-06. The fact that when Zidane, Figo and R9 left the team started winning titles again with tells a slightly different narrative than the one you are portraying as to who was performing and making the difference.

Mourinho didn't think much of a lot of players who have won a lot more than he has, the man chased off Raul and mid season was crying he needed another striker. LOL. Terrible example.

Owen had the same problem as Raul and that was R9 playing in his preferred position. The difference is Raul was able to play in other positions and he had already established himself as an indispensable part of title winning teams. Owen was more of goal poacher then Raul and offered even less when it came to creating and defending for the team.

 

Bro, I very clearly said 2003 onwards, and here you are talking about a period ending in 2003. I think I said many times already here that Owen winning the balon dor in 01 over Raul is a crime.

Yes, we let go of galacticos but we also signed practically a whole squad and got respectable coaches and directors to run the team. Simplifying it to just Zidane/Figo/R9 leaving and Raul staying is silly. By your logic, Figo left before the 05/06 season and we had a horrible season, and Beckham played in the 06/07 season and was a key reason we won the league.

Except I wasn't defending Mourinho, I said when Mourinho didn't want Raul, the madridismo and born and bred in Chamartin Raul wasnt gracious enough to just leave, he had to be forced out. I think you are in the smallest of minorities if you think Raul had a place in the team in 2010, he wasn't even playing much with Pellegrini.

Raul always worked hard but to say he was creating and defending for the team to a level justifying his fixed place in the 11 is just silly. I am sure his tackle/interception stats and his assist count matches what you are saying then?

 

Raul is a Real Madrid legend and his service to the club warrants his chances or opportunities at the club.

 

🗣️ Emmanuel Macron: “We are going to do everything we can to have a competitive team at the Olympics. I have confidence in the French & European clubs.

Am I referring to the president of Real Madrid? Exactly, that’s what I’m referring.” pic.twitter.com/vZ7109Dfoe

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 15, 2024

Would love to know the context of this one

 

******** em.

 

Great. Now we will have a Galactico who literally goes to the President's office. We get a PK dispute unexpectedly occur between Mbappe v. _________________ (insert name of player) and Flo's gonna have to appear before the UN and answer questions regarding the club's crimes against humanity.

 

He is indeed a legend of the club……as a player, IMHO this does not give him carte blanche as a manager with Castilla as long as he likes, we all want that team to be competitive as with all before him, if he’s not improving that team, we should move on, I’d be happy to see Arbeloa get a chance there and he is also one of ours

Making sure we allow Kylian to play? Thus inadvertently confirming that he is indeed on his way to us?…..

 

I've been keeping up with Castilla and honestly the results aren't good at all. I'd rather give Arbeloa a chance and let Raul get his coaching paws wet somewhere else. If he is serious about his coaching career, he needs to go somewhere else and get more experience.

 

Absolute nonsense, from a leader of one of the leading countries in the world.

Politics has turned into a damn TV series!

 

Bro confirmed the transfer.

Turtle coming home 🔥
pic.twitter.com/9ke2EzkqEe

— Complicated Airflow (@ComplicatedAir) April 15, 2024

 

And pressure to succeed and do well with his team seeing as though he is getting to pick and choose if/when he should move on from Castilla regardless of results, if true that certainly can’t be good for him or us

 

🚨César Soto Grado is the favorite to referee upcoming El Clasico. @relevo pic.twitter.com/9c4uNHFVfx

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) April 16, 2024

I hope we won’t be the ref. He really bad and hate us. Every game with him is a nightmare

 

As bad as he might be, it's not up to the ref to determine our results. We're good enough to beat Barce comfortably.

 

That’s what I was thinking as well. Raul has been Castilla coach for 5 years now; and it might do him some good to go out and get some fresh ideas. Or maybe be an assistant manager somewhere a la Zizou for La Decima.

 

I don't care about which ref officiates our games, as they're all equally as bad in my book. Very inconsistent and typically trying to steal the show. We have to finish the job ourselves, and I'm sure we can do it.

 

🚨 JUST IN: Real Madrid - Sociedad will be played on FRIDAY, 26th April. @AranchaMOBILE pic.twitter.com/5NKNkgfeUk

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 18, 2024

Official. RM asked to play at Friday due to the CL away game vs BM

 

Both Barca and Atleti had their requests granted before the l16. Only right that we do too

 

Hope that by the time this game comes around we can afford to rest whoever needs resting anyway.