ONE. Someone asked in a comment in the previous post why Mou’s words were disparaging towards Pellegrini, so here’s the full question and answer.

Question: Do you think comparisons to the Madrid of Pellegrini are fair, as they had one more point at this point in the season?  Do you fear the same thing that happened to him will happen to you, that you’ll be axed if you don’t win a title?

Answer: The same thing no because if Madrid gets rid of me I wouldn’t go to Málaga, I would go to a grand club in Italy or England.  I wouldn’t have any problems in coaching another great club.  Comparisons can be made.  If you all say that Madrid had one more point and was first, that’s true, but you have to also say that they were no longer in the Copa at that point and also had to make a comeback after losing to Lyon.

That’s why people perceived both Manuel and Málaga to be insulted by the statement, as Mou wasn’t very tactful.

TWO. In any case, we can’t underestimate Málaga tonight, even though they haven’t been lucky lately, as they are 19th in the table.  We’ve lost to teams in the relegation zone before, and Málaga is also injured, both physically (they have eight players out due to injury) and in terms of pride, after Mou’s declarations, and teams like that are always dangerous.  On the plus side, the calendar hasn’t been favorable to them, as they have three games in six days: they played Monday against Almería, they’ll play us tonight and then they have to face Osasuna on Sunday.  However, unlike certain people, no complaints about the schedule have been heard coming from them…

THREE. I also have to add that I hate the way that Manuel Pellegrini left, or actually, was forced to leave Madrid becauseit reminds me of another departure that I have yet to get over, that of Vicente del Bosque, as there are many similarities in those histories: Florentino Pérez, a coach with the reputation for being a gentleman, a record setting/trophy winning season, a new, “brand name” Portuguese coach waiting in the wings, lack of gentlemanly conduct on the part of the directors, the nearly simultaneous departure of a legendary club captain…  If this club really prides themselves on being a gentlemanly club, they have to stop doing things like this.  And Mou needs to stop ranting and complaining.  It makes everyone look bad.

FOUR. In his time with the press, Mou also revealed that the days of players giving press conferences (remember when it used to be a daily thing?) are more or less over, because “the players here are not part of the communication strategy… they go to the press conference and say normal things.  I think that you all (referring to the journalists) already have enough to write about with the interviews that Ribot conducts, the time the players spend in the mixed zone after games…  you have so many opportunities that I don’t believe you need more.  And then, if you write about all who criticize me, you’ll fill 20 pages each day.”

FIVE. As for the concentración last night, I guess it was “stick by your fellow countryman” night.

SIX. In other news, Gonzalo Higuaín is back on the field as part of the second phase of his recovery (the first phase consisted of physiotherapy and gym work).  Yesterday, Pipita stepped onto the field for the first time in months to start exercising with the ball.  Gonzalo was operated on just about two months ago, on Jan. 11, and his recuperation is progressing as scheduled.

The only picture of Gonzalo smiling that there was, although it also might be a grimace.

SEVEN. Speaking of Pipita, he’ll be the next Madrid star to be interviewed on the Real… series, with RealHiguaín airing this Friday at 19:30h on RMTV.  I would have expected Cristiano to be next, but I guess Madrid doesn’t want us to forget about Gonzalo.

EIGHT. And Madrid’s web site gave us this interview with Castilla winger Denis, who scored a goal in Castilla’s 2-0 victory last Sunday.  But what I love are the pictures, and the original poses!  Why can’t the first team pose like this, instead of always having to stick up their thumbs in the air?  (The cider pouring pics are because Denis – who is Russian – spent part of his childhood in Gijón, Asturias, where his dad played for Sporting.)

NINE. In other Castilla news, their starting goalkeeper Jesús suffered a fractured finger during the training session yesterday and he’ll be out three to four weeks.  A familiar face will step in for him during that time:  Tomás Mejías.

TEN. And stalker alert:  Madrid has already chosen the hotel it will stay at in Valencia for the final of the Copa del Rey on April 20.  The chosen “headquarters” will be the Hotel Palau de la Mar, and the club has reserved the entire hotel for the nights of April 19 and 20.