Reuters Soccer Blog
World Soccer views and news
Real put faith in youth to topple Barcelona
Real Madrid’s signing of Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil is further proof that they have opted for youth and pace this year, after glitz and glamour failed to knock Barcelona off their perch last season.
Poster boys Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema were Real’s star signings in a 250 million euro rebuilding programme last summer, but they only managed second place as another trophyless campaign ended back in May.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini paid the price and Real pushed the boat out to land Champions League winner Jose Mourinho from Inter Milan, and he has nudged the club in a different direction for the new season.
Ageing stalwarts such Raul and Guti have been off-loaded and in have come a clutch of talented and hungry youngsters who still have a lot to prove.
The 21-year-old Ozil joins fellow German international midfielder Sami Khedira (23), two of the central figures in the country’s impressive run to the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa.
Argentina winger Angel Di Maria (22) and Spanish wide player Pedro Leon (23) give Mourinho flying options down the flanks, and the precocious talents of the 19-year-old Sergio Canales should give Kaka plenty to worry about.
The pop star style presentations and the circus-like atmosphere at the Bernabeu have disappeared to be replaced by Mourinho’s more serious, down-to-earth approach.
Schalke get Ruhrpott Raul but Spain may have the last laugh
Raul’s decision to join Schalke 04 in Germany rather than one of the English sides interested in taking him will have plenty of Real Madrid fans scratching their heads, I suspect. “What is he doing going to the Bundesliga when he could have gone to la Premier?” I can hear them ask. ”What a step down after playing for Real in the Best League In The World (TM)!” “And where is this Schalke place anyway?”
So pretty good news for the Bundesliga then, eh? It’s rare for a player of Raul’s considerable reputation, and even more distinguished salary, to choose Germany over England and he hasn’t even gone to Bayern, the one big beast of the Bundesliga.
It’s certainly true that German football is in a pretty good state at the moment. The recent focus on keeping costs under control rather than splurging on big players looks increasingly prudent next to the financial excesses of some notable clubs in Europe’s other big leagues and the quality of the football has been improving too, as exciting young players have grasped the opportunities presented to them.
Let’s not forget either that Michael Ballack is back, opting to return to Bayer Leverkusen after his long spell at Chelsea, while Bayern Munich have held on to Franck Ribery after the Frenchman apparently decided a new contract in Bavaria might be his best bet, given the circumstances.
But I’d wait a few more weeks before declaring it boom time for the Bundesliga. While Spanish eyes will briefly turn to Gelsenkirchen to see Raul make his debut, attention will quickly focus back home, where Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing at least two of Germany’s best players at the World Cup.
Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil are the two most serious targets, according to the media, and signing either or both of them could turn out to be of far more significance than Raul’s arrival near the end of his career.
Khedira and Ozil are the sort of players the Bundesliga needs to keep if it is to engage new audiences. If they end up in Spain, and are followed over the next couple of seasons by the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller and other fast and fearless players from Germany’s World Cup campaign the last laugh will go to La Liga.
English Premier League starts this weekend.All the Games will be streamed live at http://www.WorldCupTV.org 08:11
