BENZEMA (Spanish correspondents required!!)

[Slim]

i saw an article in "l'equipe" sports paper about 10 days ago saying baconface was after getting him on loan next season then last week it said Real wanted the money (35mill ),AC had also been mentioned as a possible move for him, i think we should get him just to piss baconface right off , nearly all the frogs that come over take time to find their form, will we the fans let him have the time to blend in ?

Yeah, but if we signed him, we could claim he was the best French player ever to play in the Premier League. Oh, that'd be sweet.

[Wooders]

rather have higuain but something tells me they won't be too keen to sell now.

Bring him on I say

[s1ty m]

Tevez good enough for madrid and would you swap him?

Seriously, I would only be prepared to discuss Carlitos going if Messi was coming the other way. No other deal would interest me. That said, I just really would not want Carlitos to go anyway, he is the best signing since Dennis Tueart. Bar none. Very few players have done so much in so short a space of time to gain such adoration. ali b, 2nd tier, was a joy.

[CityFanFromRome]

I'm not sure we need another striker. We have Tevez and Adebayor already, and Benzema would only be on the bench as backup to Carlitos. What we need is a top creative midfielder or two, and maybe a winger since we know Bellamy's knees are unreliable, and maybe a tall guy as backup to Ade if we reckon RSC is not reliable due to his injuries (but he hasn't done too bad when he's played so I'd give him another season at least to prove he's useful to the club).

[Alioune DVToure]

I wouldn't get too excited about Benzema, because he seems to be playing very badly. Slightly more interesting and ironic is that Kaka exploded on being subbed by Raul, and swore at the much-maligned Pelegrini on the way off. His representative later said it is a classic move of a bad coach to sub a star player to divert pressure from himself. Maybe Kaka will be begging at our door come June??? LOL

This is the Benzema translation:

Karim Benzema is the clear example of the erroneous political signings of Florentino Perez. Real, who paid Lyon 35 million euros last summer for the forward, INTEND to place Benzema on the market at the end of the season. The performance of the player hasn't reached expectations and the feeling in the camp is that the player hasn't even adapted to Madrid life, nor is likely to be a key member of the squad in the short term. The solution - bad obviously - is to transfer him, at the cost of losing the majority of the 5 million (misprint - 35????) that the club paid. Several Italian clubs have asked about him but the offers are clearly low given his poor performances. The transfer of Benzema by Madria seems to be following a similar pattern to that of Huntelaar, sold at cut price to Milan a few months after his arrival.

Karim Benzema es el claro ejemplo de la errónea política de fichajes galácticos de Florentino Pérez. El Real Madrid, que abonó el pasado verano 35 millones de euros al Olympique de Lyon por el delantero, tiene la intención de colocar a Benzema en el mercado a final de temporada. El rendimiento del jugador no ha respondido ni por asomo a las expectativas creadas con su contratación y en el seno del conjunto blanco consideran que el jugador ni se ha adaptado a la vida en Madrid ni es recuperable a corto plazo como pieza clave en el engranaje del equipo. La solución –mala, obviamente– pasa por trasparsarle, a costa de perder la mayoría de los 5 millones que el club blanco abonó por su fichaje. Varios clubs italianos han preguntado por Benzema, pero las ofertas son claramente a la baja dado el escaso rendimiento del francés, que se devalúa a pasos agigantados. El paso de Benzema por Madrid apunta a una trayectoria similar a la del holandés Huntelaar, traspasado a la baja al Milan a los pocos meses de su llegada

Good translation. If you don't mind me pointing out though, it's Perez's "misguided POLICY of signing galacticos, not his "erroneous political signings". Also "claro/claramente" translates more comfortably as "obvious/obviously" than "clear/clearly". Hope this doesn't come across as cuntish!

[john@staustell]

I wouldn't get too excited about Benzema, because he seems to be playing very badly. Slightly more interesting and ironic is that Kaka exploded on being subbed by Raul, and swore at the much-maligned Pelegrini on the way off. His representative later said it is a classic move of a bad coach to sub a star player to divert pressure from himself. Maybe Kaka will be begging at our door come June??? LOL

This is the Benzema translation:

Karim Benzema is the clear example of the erroneous political signings of Florentino Perez. Real, who paid Lyon 35 million euros last summer for the forward, INTEND to place Benzema on the market at the end of the season. The performance of the player hasn't reached expectations and the feeling in the camp is that the player hasn't even adapted to Madrid life, nor is likely to be a key member of the squad in the short term. The solution - bad obviously - is to transfer him, at the cost of losing the majority of the 5 million (misprint - 35????) that the club paid. Several Italian clubs have asked about him but the offers are clearly low given his poor performances. The transfer of Benzema by Madria seems to be following a similar pattern to that of Huntelaar, sold at cut price to Milan a few months after his arrival.

Karim Benzema es el claro ejemplo de la errónea política de fichajes galácticos de Florentino Pérez. El Real Madrid, que abonó el pasado verano 35 millones de euros al Olympique de Lyon por el delantero, tiene la intención de colocar a Benzema en el mercado a final de temporada. El rendimiento del jugador no ha respondido ni por asomo a las expectativas creadas con su contratación y en el seno del conjunto blanco consideran que el jugador ni se ha adaptado a la vida en Madrid ni es recuperable a corto plazo como pieza clave en el engranaje del equipo. La solución –mala, obviamente– pasa por trasparsarle, a costa de perder la mayoría de los 5 millones que el club blanco abonó por su fichaje. Varios clubs italianos han preguntado por Benzema, pero las ofertas son claramente a la baja dado el escaso rendimiento del francés, que se devalúa a pasos agigantados. El paso de Benzema por Madrid apunta a una trayectoria similar a la del holandés Huntelaar, traspasado a la baja al Milan a los pocos meses de su llegada

Good translation. If you don't mind me pointing out though, it's Perez's "misguided POLICY of signing galacticos, not his "erroneous political signings". Also "claro/claramente" translates more comfortably as "obvious/obviously" than "clear/clearly". Hope this doesn't come across as cuntish!

Depends how much time you got mate. I usually have to rush these things as people are screaming for the info. But it´s my misunderstanding of what the fella said in the first instance, as I was thinking of Perez as a political animal who gets elected by making big political statements, but policy is more sensible for sure. As for ´claro´ in this case ´clear example´ is as good as any in English, as I usually try and put what an English person would say rather than just translate, which isn´t always possible as you know, as they say things different!!

Anyway ´El mundo deportivo´ 2 hours ago reckons that Madrid are seeking a buyer for Benzema, that Kaká is reserving himself for the world cup, and that they´ve sussed out that Ronaldo is no Messi!

Xabi Alonso, an excellent Madrid player and son of former Blaugrana Perico Alonso, has outlined, in one stroke, the hectic environment he has to live in: "We dont have to aspire to the level of Barca, but to be a good team."

It´s impossible to say more with less words (?). At Real they´re asking what just cannot be given. To compare themselves with the excellent Barca. Something absolutely impossible when their project ..... depends on the last result.
Exactly the opposite of what happens at Barca, where there is awareness that what makes the difference is style and commitment.


It´s not strange therefore that just the same as in it´s day ´Madriditis´ ruined the Barca universe, then now ´Barcelonitis´is devastating the ficticious splendour of the white galaxy. Pérez and his multi-millionaire model have only won 3 trophies out of 21 that he has competed in, whilst Barca have got 11 in the last 7 seasons, and could still get 2 more - League and CL. And another thing - if this year Madrid win bugger-all, Pérez will have won no trophies in his last 4 seasons as President.

Such a balance sheet has created undeniable unease. You only need to read the press to spot immediately that Madrid, desperate, want everything that barca already have. That´s obvious (:-)). They can already see it.

If we take notice of what has been written, nearly €300 M after the last investment, Madrid has devoured, in nine months, it´s new coach and several of it´s charismatic figures. Pellegrini, unjustly, is under scrutiny. They are looking for a buyer for Benzema, they suspect that Kaká is saving himself for the World Cup and they are now aware that Ronaldo is no Messi! Neither on or off the pitch.

Solutions? Yes there are. But the main thing is not to go back to putting the wedge needed on the table so that Valdano can buy a brain like Xavi (Fabregas), a style player like Iniesta (Silva), a Brasilian Messi (Neymar), a Pedro which doesn´t exist and a coach like Pep who, in record time, has blended past, present and future to win titles for Barca. That would be wrong again.

The real solution for Madrid doesn´t need money but time. Revise the model and forget about comparing themselves with Barca because, as Xavi Alonso has openly said, they aren´t in the condition to match them......because Barca already have all that Madrid want. Basically an extraordinary team which has been put together to win titles and not to sell shirts. The Champion (Barca) is a constant sporting project. The contender (Madrid) is a miraculous business plan. To get more money than anyone, but lose all the titles. How ideal for Barca!

Xabi Alonso, un excelente futbolista del Madrid e hijo del ex blaugrana Perico Alonso, ha dibujado, en una sola pincelada, el agitado entorno que le ha tocado vivir: "No tenemos que aspirar a llegar al nivel del Barça, sino a ser un buen equipo".

Imposible decir más con menos palabras. Al Real Madrid se le está pidiendo lo que no puede dar. Compararse con la excelencia azulgrana. Algo absolutamente imposible cuando su proyecto, en vez del modelo, depende del último resultado. Exactamente todo lo contrario de lo que ocurre en Barcelona, donde existe conciencia de que lo que marca la diferencia es el estilo y el compromiso,

No es extraño, por tanto, que lo mismo que en su día la madriditis hizo estragos innegables en el universo blaugrana, sea ahora la barcelonitis galopante quien agobie y difumine el ficticio esplendor de la galaxia blanca. Florentino Pérez y su modelo multimillonario sólo han ganado tres títulos de los 21 que ha disputado, mientras que el Barcelona 11 en las últimas siete temporadas... y en esta todavía puede ganar dos más: Liga y Champions. Y otra cosa, si este año el Madrid acaba en blanco, Florentino habrá ganado cero títulos en sus cuatro últimas temporadas como presidente.

Semejante balance ha sembrado desazón innegable. Basta con leer su prensa para deducir, de inmediato, que el Madrid, desesperado, quiere todo lo que ya tiene el Barça. Está claro. Ya lo verán.

Si hacemos caso a lo que se está publicando, casi 300 millones después de la última inversión, el Madrid ha devorado, en nueve meses, a su nuevo entrenador y a varias de sus carísimas figuras. Manuel Pellegrini, injustamente, está en cuestión. Buscan comprador para Benzema, sospechan que Kaká se está reservando para el Mundial y se han dado cuenta de que Cristiano Ronaldo no es Leo Messi. Ni dentro ni fuera del campo.

¿Soluciones? Las hay, claro. Pero la esencial no es volver a poner encima de la mesa el dinero que haga falta para que Valdano pueda comprar un cerebro como Xavi (Cesc), un estilista como Iniesta (Silva), un Messi brasileño (Neymar), un Pedro que no existe y un entrenador como Pep que, en tiempo récord, consiga aglutinar pasado, presente y futuro para discutirle los títulos al Barcelona. Se equivocan otra vez.

La auténtica solución del Madrid no exige dinero sino tiempo. Revisar el modelo y dejar de compararse con el Barça porque, como abiertamente ha dicho Xabi Alonso, no están en condiciones de hacerlo.... porque el Barcelona ya tiene todo lo que quiere tener el Madrid. Esencialmente un equipo extraordinario que se ha diseñado para ganar títulos y no para vender camisetas. El campeón de todo es un proyecto deportivo constante. El aspirante a todo es un plan de negocios milagroso. Gana más dinero que nadie, pero pierde todos los títulos. Lo ideal para el Barça.

[Manx Blue]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... l?ITO=1490

All seems going to plan...Di Maria allegedly going to Real....which means we would fight it out with the Skiprats for Benzema by the looks of things.

[Slim]

I would like both please.

[Michael Brookes]

#1 Priority for me is midfield...
-I dont believe any of our Central midfielders are up to scratch and a million miles away from world class (arteta/foreign gem).
-If theres any truth to petrov/sweep/bellers going then wide men should definately be on the shooping list (milner/Pienaar/Young/foreign gem)

Benzema would be a big gamble and should only be pursued if we sell all of our on loan strikers. Every squad should have 4 main strikers so I guess theres room for him but I honestly believe with a proper midfield to dominate possesion and dictate play (not just relying on the break away) a front 2 of Ade and Tevez is truly world class.