Winter Mercato

The Brazilian striker has only enjoyed five training sessions with his new team-mates since joining the club on loan for a year from AC Milan.

After a difficult year in Italy, however, he recovered his smile with two clinical strikes in the pre-season encounter against the Segunda B team on Sunday.

Sergio García staked his claim for a place in the team next term with two goals of his own during hte opening 45 minutes, but it was Oliveira's appearance that lifted Zaragoza.

Having come on at the start of the second half, Oliveira had to wait only 14 minutes before guiding in his first of the evening and then capped a strong display by netting a second in the 89th minute.

The 27-year-old arrived from Milan to replace Ewerthon, who opted to return to the Bundesliga to join champions VfB Stuttgart this summer.

Coach Víctor Fernández also gave Francisco Pavón a run out as he continues to build for the new season, that will see Zaragoza participate in the UEFA Cup.

Following their stay in Huesca, Zaragoza will remain in Andalucia for their next three friendlies as they compete in the Trofeo Colombino against Parma and Recre, before taking part in the Trofeo Ramón de Carranza against Cádiz next month.

------------------------------------------

Taken from Goal, personally if you think about it that could of been R10. Both leagues are different and its hard for a player to impress in both leagues.

Schuster must live up to Real ideal of tiki-taka



Madrid's new coach has to strike a difficult balance between practicality and fantasy.

Sid Lowe


July 30, 2007 12:53 AM


There was a new star taking centre stage as Real Madrid began pre-season training in Austria: the ball. Gone were the long runs and the blood, sweat and tears of frustrated footballers worked into the ground. Soon gone, too, will be the yawns of bored fans reaching for their hankies in protest.

That, at least, is the theory, with Spain's best-selling newspaper, Marca, gleefully heralding "less hoofing, more playing" as the new Real Madrid is born under Bernd Schuster. A 2-0 victory over Stoke City prompted excited talk of "tiki-taka"; "pass and move" would be the Real Madrid groove.

The bar could hardly have been set higher for the former Barcelona, Atlético and Real midfielder. Fabio Capello clinched Madrid's first league title in four years, going on a heart-stopping 11-match unbeaten run, but was sacked for being "too boring". Madrid have touted Schuster as the antithesis of his predecessor - his task not only to maintain success at the Bernabéu but to do so in style. Madrid, their president Ramón Calderón, said, "cannot have a manager who is happy to win every game 1-0".
As proof of Capello's unsuitability for the job, the president revealed: "All season long, people said we were too defensive, and Capello goes and asks me to buy a defender!" A defender? How dare he? The new, exciting Real Madrid cannot go round buying defenders. Schuster would never do such a thing.

Only they can and he would. Schuster may have returned the ball to training, he may have been a player of extraordinary class and vision, his successful Getafe side may have used the ball well for a side of modest resources, and there may have been positive signs against Stoke, but his carefully constructed image as the great entertainer is a myth, happily lapped up by the cheerleaders in the Madrid press.

Getafe's matches had fewer goals than anyone else's last season; their success was founded on La Liga's best defensive record but only five teams scored fewer. Boring Madrid got nearly twice the number and relegated Celta Vigo scored as many. Madrid's first signing this summer was Christoph Metzelder and he has been followed by Pepe. Both are defenders - Pepe costing €30m (£19m) from Porto. Another was Jerzy Dudek, the goalkeeper.

They have been joined by Javier Saviola from Barcelona and Roberto Soldado, returning to the club from Osasuna. Both are strikers and both of them, like Dudek and Metzelder, were free. All four appear to be sensible signings and the early signs are that Pepe may be worth the money. But Madrid fans would be entitled to ask, what was the point? Where do they fit the new Madrid? Where is the planning?
As one Spain-based agent insists privately: "Madrid have no technical philosophy. They seem to just get a whole load of pieces, throw them on the floor and expect the puzzle to come together, instead of checking the box and looking for the specific pieces they actually need."

Perhaps that is inevitable at a club where the coach does not choose the signings and where the sporting director resents the arrival of the new director of football and has had a very public spat with the general director over who decides which players to buy, but it undermines the whole philosophy of building a squad.

Madrid have signed Pepe and Metzelder but they already had Fabio Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos at centre-back, plus Iván Helguera, Alvaro Mejía and Paco Pavón, all three of whom have hurriedly made for the exit in the past 10 days. That leaves a squad with four right-backs, as well as Raúl, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Soldado, Saviola, Gonzalo Higuaín, Julio Baptista, Antonio Cassano, and even Guti and Robinho for the two forward positions, but only one left-back and no right-winger to replace David Beckham.

As for the central midfielder, the ball-player who will impose Schuster's style, forget it. Madrid spent €20m (£13.4m) on Fernando Gago during the winter transfer window; now they are looking again. The search is not going well, with attention turning to Michael Ballack after Cesc Fábregas and Kaka said no, though Schuster has not given up hope of signing the Brazilian. Besides, the feeling lingers that Calderón chased them, as he is chasing Arjen Robben, to fulfil an election pledge as much as to fill a gap in the team. "We've got a big fat suitcase full of cash and there will definitely be a player or two to come. But it's difficult to lure top players away from their clubs," Schuster admitted.
Nor are Kaka and Fábregas alone. Cristiano Ronaldo chose to stay away, just as Xabi Alonso did. "Madrid are supposedly the biggest club in the world," reveals one player, "but on the inside it's not like that at all. The way it's run is a shambles, really." That message gets out and players think twice about signing. Madrid are rebuilding but for that to be a success they must change. They must also convince their targets that they have changed.

If they can do that they will again attract the world's finest talents and the new Real Madrid can become a reality. Madrid have, after all, got the money and the history. Unfortunately, they also have something of a reputation.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/20...p_to_real.html

Originally Posted by zlatanov

it's a good thing that, if not the management, at least the fans know what they are talking about ... as always

And what do u think?
Etoo/dinho werent our primary targets - the targets?
Mr X is top secret player observated for a long time?
Last day buy (like RO, even if it turns out great) wont be desperate backup bid?
Or will there be no bid at all and Mr X will vanish in smoke, milan buying pato in january or now?

Corriere started again the rumors about Cassano to Milan, but yesterday i read that Red Bull Salzburg are the team closest to getting Cassano.
Their coach is Trapattoni who'd like to get the Italian and who's ready to pay 4.2m euro for him.

Yesterday there was an interview with Calderon and it was a very interesting one. He talked a lot about Capello and how the "bad football" Real played was the greatest reason for releasing him. But Calderon also talked about the new atmosphere in Real during Capello time and the unusual (for Real) discipline in the locker room. Now with Schuster Calderon expects "pretty football" again but i expect the good old discipline problems to come out on surface again.... Real made a mistake by letting Capello go !

Also, Calderon talked about the promises he made and he said : I promised and i will certainly keep my promises. Fabregas, Robben and Kaka will be Real players in the next 3 years during my presidency. Robben may join us this year, Fabregas will be bought next year and Kaka will be bought maximum after 2 seasons.

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Corriere started again the rumors about Cassano to Milan, but yesterday i read that Red Bull Salzburg are the team closest to getting Cassano.
Their coach is Trapattoni who'd like to get the Italian and who's ready to pay 4.2m euro for him.

austrian media contacted trap and he denied their interest in cassano.

Doch sein Landsmann Giovanni Trapattoni winkte am Montag in Salzburg ab. "Wir können ihn nicht kaufen, er ist zu teuer", erklärte der Salzburg-Trainer und fügte hinzu: "Wir geben nicht viel Geld für einen Spieler aus, bei dem man nicht weiß, ob er überhaupt die Leistung bringt."

http://sport.orf.at/?href=http%3A%2F...%2F260713.html

trap is quoted and says that cassano is too expensive for red bull salzburg and has also declared that they are not willing to spend big money on a player where they can't be sure that he will offer them good performances in return.

Heeeey, today's news...i almost forgot

1. Chelsea bought Fabio Borini, 16 years old attacker from Bologna

2. According to Bild, Real is ready to offer 40m euro for Ballack who is Schuster's favorite.

3. Dortmund rejected Roma's offer ( 6m euro) for Dede. They don't want to sell the Brazilian for less than 10m euro.

4. West Ham is asking 10m euro from Kia Joorabchian to let Tevez go to ManUtd without any problems. The Iranian won't give them more than 150 000.

5. Barzagli is Palermo's new captain and he definitely closed the door for an eventual transfer. ( )

6. 31m euro for Robben and 15m euro for Drenthe is what Real will pay to Chelsea and Feyenoord respectively to get the 2 players (As)

7. Man City made the final offer for Chiellini. Juventus will give the answer today.

8. Another one who may be joining Man City is the Brasilian NT player Elano from Shakhtar Donieck. His price is circa 10m euro

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Corriere started again the rumors about Cassano to Milan, but yesterday i read that Red Bull Salzburg are the team closest to getting Cassano.
Their coach is Trapattoni who'd like to get the Italian and who's ready to pay 4.2m euro for him.

Yesterday there was an interview with Calderon and it was a very interesting one. He talked a lot about Capello and how the "bad football" Real played was the greatest reason for releasing him. But Calderon also talked about the new atmosphere in Real during Capello time and the unusual (for Real) discipline in the locker room. Now with Schuster Calderon expects "pretty football" again but i expect the good old discipline problems to come out on surface again.... Real made a mistake by letting Capello go !

Also, Calderon talked about the promises he made and he said : I promised and i will certainly keep my promises. Fabregas, Robben and Kaka will be Real players in the next 3 years during my presidency. Robben may join us this year, Fabregas will be bought next year and Kaka will be bought maximum after 2 seasons.

Actually the interview was in La Razon...Calderon was asked by the reporter that Robben this season, Cesc next season and Kaka the one after that, and Calderon responded with "I don't want to create any false hope, but yes I think so."

Also, Calderon said last summer that he was sure that Kaka would come play with Real this summer (2007).

Furthermore, Real also made a bid for C. Ronaldo a few months ago, and Mijatovic was quoted as saying "we will not surrender for C. Ronaldo".

Up to their dirty tricks and all to fulfill election promises like the article states above (the one I posted, and even though C. Ronaldo was not part of those promises).

Originally Posted by acdc81

austrian media contacted trap and he denied their interest in cassano.

Doch sein Landsmann Giovanni Trapattoni winkte am Montag in Salzburg ab. "Wir können ihn nicht kaufen, er ist zu teuer", erklärte der Salzburg-Trainer und fügte hinzu: "Wir geben nicht viel Geld für einen Spieler aus, bei dem man nicht weiß, ob er überhaupt die Leistung bringt."

http://sport.orf.at/?href=http%3A%2F...%2F260713.html

trap is quoted and says that cassano is too expensive for red bull salzburg and has also declared that they are not willing to spend big money on a player where they can't be sure that he will offer them good performances in return.

Good for them. Zickler is doing great as it is, they don't need Cassano

Originally Posted by peters

And what do u think?
Etoo/dinho werent our primary targets - the targets?
Mr X is top secret player observated for a long time?
Last day buy (like RO, even if it turns out great) wont be desperate backup bid?
Or will there be no bid at all and Mr X will vanish in smoke, milan buying pato in january or now?

what I think doesn't matter, what matters is that I don't assume to know better than people who've been doing this for decades now and have been very successful at it

Plus, there is slight difference between a player like Etto/Dinho to be our target and that player being available for a transfer or transferable in the first place ... after all, there is only so much Milan can do to lure a player of such magnitude away from a club of the improtance of Barca.
Honsetly, how hard is that to understand?

Furthermore, signing any other player apart from Etoo/Dinho would be a bunch of steps down from our primary targets, so to argue that the management is making excuses by going for someone else once they tried everything to get Dinho/Etoo and didn't succeeed, would mean to virtually not want any new faces on the team just because that new face isn't one of the two Barca players.

Who else was out there with a proven record in europe and more improtantly CL that Milan could have gotten in place of Dinho or Etoo and that not be seen as an excuse?
So, is that what you want - either Dinho/Etoo or no one else? ... I kind of doubt that given all the noise that was made for Milan not signing anyone.

As for Mister X, his existence in the first place is an assumption in itself, what is left for actually figuring out his real identity ... maybe he is Baptista, but maybe he is Etoo/Dinho.
And if we do end up getting Baptista, it wouldn't necessarily mean that he was Mister X as he may well be just an "insurance" by the management making sure that we don't have to make a last-minute buy, while we are still waiting on developements on the Dinho/Etoo front.

Also Baptista would be a very versatile buy. If we do get another forward by the end of the transfer season, we could use him as an AM.

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Good for them. Zickler is doing great as it is, they don't need Cassano

yeah they have vonlanthen to cover that position. unfortunately for him trap started this season fielding only one striker (zickler) and a lot of dm's.

he'll never change

Originally Posted by Hasan Rossonero

Also Baptista would be a very versatile buy. If we do get another forward by the end of the transfer season, we could use him as an AM.

Yeah, I'm finally starting to warm up to signing the beast too. I just hope this isn't going to be another RO situation...

Villareal is out of Baptista race
Their president said Baptista is no longer in their plans.
When asked about Riquelme ( still owned by Villareal, lets not forget) he only said " Riquelme still has 2 more years of his contract with Villareal"

http://www.calciomercato.com/index.php?c=all&a=49999

Originally Posted by Tony29.

Villareal is out of Baptista race
Their president said Baptista is no longer in their plans.
When asked about Riquelme ( still owned by Villareal, lets not forget) he only said " Riquelme still has 2 more years of his contract with Villareal"

http://www.calciomercato.com/index.php?c=all&a=49999

So Tony29...is it going to be Baptista to Milan ?

Originally Posted by Hasan Rossonero

So Tony29...is it going to be Baptista to Milan ?

As long as it's not a Juve player, former Juve players (Zambro, Ibra, Vieira or Canna) or Ronaldinho, you can buy whoever you want ( including Eto'o, Pato, Riquelme, Villa)

Dunno, Hasan. This situation with Milan reminds me of the good old summers with Moggi. You never knew till the very end of mercato who was he going to buy but you knew he was going to get you a good player. I know everyone in Milan said how no one will be bought if you won't be able to buy someone who'll add more quality where it lacks, but i still think things won't stay as they are and it won't be only Baptista who'll join Milan. You never know what option may be opened in August.

As for Baptista to Milan..... even though it looks very possible atm, i'm still 50-50 about this. He was connected too much with Milan ( by the media only, not by Galliani or Berlu like it was the case with Gilardino or Nesta) and like i said, Galliani reminds me of Moggi so i expect the new signing to be someone unexpected not someone who everyone expects to become Milan player.

And personally i wouldn't buy him. He had 2 chances with big clubs and he failed both times, while his best year was with an average, at the time, team.