Real Madrid

So finally the draw for the Fifa World Cup 2010 in South Africa has been declared. It was quite a ceremony hosted by the South African Charlize Theron.

The draw is quite exciting and I must say that most of the groups are unpredictable with this being a home tournament for the African teams.

Group G is going to be the 'Group of Death' this time around, with Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and the unknown North Korea.

France meanwhile would be feeling quite lucky to have been drafted in Group A!

I am looking for my favorites Spain and defending champions Italy who have got relatively easy groups.

So onto June 2010!

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This is absolutely pathetic!

It seems ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has decided to not renew their contract to broadcast La Liga in Asia. They have to pay USD 1 million per year for these rights as opposed to 13.5 million for 3 years for the EPL - this contract expires in 2010. This is the same way they lost the rights to the UEFA Champions League and Cup broadcast to Ten Sports - this also costs 1 million per year.

Their argument is they have enough cricket and EPL in their calendar and not many people would want to watch football at midnight (which is when La Liga is played - IST). Are you kidding me? Just this year when I though there will be more Liga matches on TV thanks to Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, Zlatan and more going to Spain, they decide to take the plug out completely! Not to mention the number of Ronaldo fans who would now want to watch Real Madrid games!

I have no hopes from Ten Sports giving more weightage to Spanish match in the Champions League as well now. To add to all this, it seems no other channel is interested in picking up the rights for La Liga as well.

It is a sad year for football! Atleast for me...

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Mouth Watering aint it?

Also, at the gala the following awards were announced:

Club Goalkeeper of the Year: Edwin van der sar
Club Defender of the Year: John Terry
Club Midfielder of the Year: Xavi Hernandez
Club Forward of the Year: Lionel Messi

Club Player of the Year: Lionel Messi

These awards were given based only on the UEFA Champions League 2008-09 matches.

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A sign that might force Sneijder to accept that he has to leave Madrid and move on to Milan, he was left out of the final pre-season match against Rosberg for the Santiago Bernebeau Trophy.

Sneijder has often insisted that he does not want to leave Madrid and will fight for a place among the high profile signings and the existing Guti and the Diarras. The Madrid midfield might look like Heathrow airport if coach Pellegrini employs a rotation policy, which however is highly unlikely.

In the tug of war between the player and the team, Sneijder has repeated his stance even after his exclusion. Speaking to Marca, he said, "I want to play for Real Madrid. The coach is counting on me and that is what motivates me. I will keep training like a proffessional so that the club sees that I want to stay". I think the whole world knows that you want to stay Wes.

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Yes, Real Madrid has won another game. But whoever expected them to lose? I guess being Real, you can never say, but anyhow, it was a convincing 2-0 victory against Real Sociedad at their centenary celebrations.

The two goals were scored by the new Madridista Benzema and the soon to be Milanista, Sneijder. I like Wesley, I hope he does not have to leave. I liked most of the dutch players in Real. They seem like a genuinely hard working young men who really wanted to prove their capabilities. However, they couldnt really do a lot for the club last year. But is it unreal to ask so much of youngsters in their first season? Well, at Madrid it is not. You come to the best in the world, you better be one of the best.

So on to the next match at and against Borussia Dortmund on the 19th. You want to take a chance guessing?

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