ONE.  We’ll start with the autograph session the previous night, when Cris was being all adorable with Kaká and with all the small kids.

That continued the next day, when Depor’s youth players approached him for a photo while he was checking out the field.  This photo is from La Sexta journalist José Luis Sánchez.

Cris took charge like the good father he is, telling the smaller boys to get in the front, and then telling everyone to say “cheese” (we say “patata,” which means “potato” in Spanish).

He’s so arrogant and rude, no?  The kids – and we know the truth comes from the mouths of babes – said things like, “he was really friendly” or “he was really nice” or “it was said that he is cocky, but now we know that as a person, he’s completely humble and nice.”

TWO.  Cris started the game on the bench (the last time that had happened was on Sept. 18, 2011 in a Liga game against Levante).

His entry into the game, along with those of Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil, changed the course of the game for Madrid, which was down one goal at that point.

THREE.  Thanks to them, to goalscorers Kaká and Gonzalo Higuaín, and to the rest of the team, Madrid made a comeback to win the game 2-1.

And yes, it may be time to give Kaká “the best comeback award”!  Let’s hope he continues on form!

Pipita’s goal was his 100th in the Liga, making him the 13th Madrid player to reach that round number.  This was his seventh season and his 179th game, and he’s the second youngest player to achieve this behind Raúl.

FOUR.  Remember how we thought Sergio’s sending off against Rayo Vallecano happened so quickly?  Well, those 40 seconds were surpassed by Ángel di María’s two yellow cards in ¡¡11 seconds!!   Let’s hope no one ever breaks that record.  The ref’s report said that his first card was for ignoring him when he told him to respect the required distance during the positioning of the wall, and the second for moving the ball away from the spot where there was going to be a free kick, preventing the rival from taking it.  I hate cards for petulant behavior!  Madrid has finished with 10 players for the last three Liga games.  Pipa was sent off against Sevilla, Sergio against Rayo and now Di María against Depor.

FIVE.  Some Cristiano moments…

SIX.  And we have Marcelo to thank that this game didn’t end in a tie, as he saved a goal by heading it out after the rival beat Diego López.

BONUS THINGS.

And dentist and former referee (he retired last season after 17 years) Eduardo Iturralde González gave an interview to Marca several days ago.  There were some interesting things I wanted to share with you!  He was reminded that Barça won all three of its games with him, with a combined 11-0 score, and he responded “Iker is a good friend, but one day he told me, ‘Itu, joder, I love you a lot but don’t call our games anymore, please.’  There are other statistics.  For example, the most number of times Madrid has lost in the Bernabéu has been with me, and in second place is my grandfather, who was also a referee.”

Itu goes on to say that he supports Athletic, although his father, also a referee, is “very white” and therefore the “black sheep” of the family.  He reveals that he likes teasing players, and tells this anecdote: “one day I asked Xabi Alonso if I could tease Cristiano, and he told me yes.  Before the second half began at the Bernabéu, we were waiting in the tunnel to go out and I went up to him: ‘hey Cristiano, you talk too much.’  He froze, and said, ‘but I never speak about referees!  I didn’t say anything.’  I told him, ‘no, I’m not talking about that.  The other day, you gave an interview to Marca where you said you were number one in ping pong.  You should know that I’m number one.’  He looked me up and down and responded, ‘I’m number one on the field and in ping pong,’ and ran out (laughs).  The next game, we were warming up and from far away, he began making gestures of playing ping pong at me.”  I love Iker, Xabi and Cris!