The team held their first training session after the winter break yesterday morning, with six absences.  Cristiano, Pepe and Di María were given permission to have one more day of vacation, while Diarra was also excused due to family problems.  And Lass and Xabi Alonso would play later that night, so they were absent as well.  Kaká, Gago, Khedira and Canales all trained normally, leaving only Dudek and Higuaín in the sick bay.

The Vicente Calderón was the scene of the third Champions for Africa game last night (and Iker’s reappearance as field player – he did the same thing last year), which ended in a 3-2 victory for José Mourinho’s Team Africa United.  Sergio captained the losing Team Liga BBVA side, and scored a goal off a penalty a la Panenka.  Other Madrid players participating in the match included Lass, Canales and last minute surprise Iker!  Diarra was also supposed to play, but as stated above, has not yet returned to Madrid.

Some unusual things that happened during the game:  Callejón jumping on the back of his Espanyol teammate Kameni and Kameni running with him on his back; the crowd at the Vicente Calderón chanting Iker’s name; and the players sending text messages from their phones to help the cause while on the bench.

And of course, there was Sergio asking permission from Mourinho – the opposing coach – to take a penalty, due to what happened in the game against Athletic.  After making the penalty, Sergio went over to Mou to dedicate it to him.  I love that Mou told Sergio how to shoot the penalty!!!

Mou also signed autographs for the crowd during the course of the game, and was seen on the bench not writing in his notebook or throwing water bottles, but smiling.

As stated above, Iker tried out his luck as a field player several times during the game (above and below).  And each time, he got very winded because he had to actually run, something he’s not used to, and jokingly asked to be subbed out.

This was Mou’s reaction after one of Iker’s runs up the flank.

At one point during the game, Iker ran all the way up the field, and then stayed there, to hug the opposite goalkeeper, Andrés Palop.  And so when the ball went the other way, the goal was empty.  Luckily, an offside was called.

And of course, these two madridistas also played.

It was so great to see Iker and Sergio smiling a lot, and having a great time.  They really helped to set the “good times” tone of the game.  And to salute them, here they are, front and back.™

If you have trouble spotting Sergio, just look for his fashion victim / Cristiano Ronaldo has a matching one Gucci belt.

The proceeds from the game, more than €800,000, will help 70,000 Malian children attend school through UNICEF’s Schools for Africa program and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, as well as go towards the construction of a center for professional development built in Mali by the Kanouté Foundation.

Sergio tweeted that they had achieved their goals, in more way than one, and thanked everyone for their presence and support.  That’s wonderful.

Meanwhile, in the other game of the day that we’re interested in, Xabi Alonso (and my secret crush Javi Martínez) helped lead the Euskadi team to a 3-1 victory against Venezuela last night in San Mamés.

I think you know what this is.