Bale trains in secret

Real Madrid held its last Valdebebas training session on Tuesday prior to travelling to Elche to play at the Martínez Valero stadium. As is the norm in the run-up to a competitive match, the media were allowed in to watch the first 15 minutes of the session directed by Carlo Ancelotti, during which the players carry out typical warm up and kick around exercises.

At 11:00 in the morning, the blinds of the media centre went up so that the journalists gathered there could watch the activity on fields 1 and 2 of the Valdebebas.
The 'Blancos' squad was divided into two groups, but Gareth Bale was not in either. Once the 15 minutes was up, a member of Real Madrid's press office requested, as usual, for the cameras to be packed up and brought back inside the media centre. Thus far, business as usual.
The surprise came when, amid the commotion of the press leaving the observation balcony, Bale walked out onto the pitch, accompanied by a member of the coaching team. On seeing that some journalists were still there, Bale, confused, went back inside the building on the instruction of one of Carletto's assistants.
Then, at the press conference later, Carlo matter-of-factly confirmed that Bale had been doing "individual work" out on the pitch. The club, it seems, is going to great lengths to keep its players away from the supporters.

 Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehman believes Mesut Ozil is a better signing than Gareth Bale.

Former Arsenal legend Jens Lehman believes that Mesut Ozil could turn out to be a better signing for Arsenal than Gareth Bale for Real Madrid.But the former German international is under the impression that Arsene Wenger's side seriously overpaid for the emerging star, despite the attacker having the most assists in Europe over the past few seasons.

Ozil completed his £42million switch to the Gunners following Real Madrid's signing of former Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, for a world record fee of £87million.But, former keeper Lehman has condemned both transfer fees, though he insists that Arsenal have completed the better signing.

Speaking to German website Spox, Lehman said: "In all honesty, Arsenal paid too much for Ozil, but that's because Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid for so much more money. Nobody is worth that much."

And the keeper - who made over 150 appearances for Arsenal - believes that there isn't much difference between the two players, despite there being a £35million difference in price.

"The Ozil deal was much better. I don't see a £35million difference between the two players. That's how that market works when a club like Real Madrid loses the plot.

"Arsenal are profiting from Ozil's level of game and performance and his success is not a surprise to me.

"Wenger did not fail, and, given time, he demonstrated a great success in the market," he added. 

 

Wake up!!! Ancelotti concerned with team's focus

More than being worried about the team's style, if they should keep possession or rather play on the counter, Ancelotti is concerned about the team taking time to get into the games.




Ancelotti has given his players grief for the first time. Lafita's goal in the fourth minute, which gave Getafe a one goal lead, is something that cannot be allowed to happen by a team hoping to win the league, or any other competition for that matter. It's a matter of attention and intensity. This is the message the technical staff has passed on to the players in an attempt to correct what seems to have been the team's Achilles heel so far.

The manager himself revealed his concern: "We've spoken with the players and they agree that we need to start the game with greater intensity, because we've always been having problems early doors. Then the team improves. We spoke about making a better start against Getafe, but we were unlucky enough to concede that goal".

The answer is simple. The players need to get it into their minds that they have to play at full intensity right from the first whistle. And Di María is a good example for the other players to follow when it comes to this. The Argentine never lets his guard down. He's fired up all the time, he always works his socks off wherever the ball is and he pesters the opposition.

First and foremost, the team's foundations need to be balanced and with more solidity. Without this, all the skill in the world is worth nothing. And giving yourself an uphill struggle at the start of the game can bog down even the best players around. The take-home message for the players is to wake up!