29/07/2010 Training Session in LA [HQ] (140 x)

27/07/2010 At the Valdebebas Real Madrid training camp [HQ] (5 x)

29/07/2010 RM player return to hotel in LA [HQ] (9 x)

28/07/2010 Cris arrives at the airport in Madrid [HQ] (1 x)

26/05/2010 Cris visits clinic in Lisboa [HQ] (3 x)

29/07/2010 Press Conference in Los Angeles [HQ] (28 x)

Former Manchester United man hails new boss Jose Mourinho…
By Subhankar Mondal
29 Jul 2010 23:28:00
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he is keen on wearing the No.7 shirt that club legend Raul has since vacated.

The 33-year-old Madrid icon left the Bernabeu earlier this week for an adventure in the German Bundesliga with Schalke and there have been whispers that Ronaldo, who wore the No.7 jersey at his former club Manchester United will be given Raul’s number.

“I would like to have the No.7 shirt and I’m sure Raul would be happy if I had it because he knows how I am and how I think,” the 25-year-old said, as quoted by the club’s official website.

“Raul was always an important player to Real Madrid. He made the decision that best suited his interests. He is a great professional and I’m sure he will play at a very high level.”

Ronaldo is also appreciative of new coach Jose Mourinho’s approach during training sessions and believes the Merengues will be an offensive minded outfit.

“Mourinho is a winner. Real Madrid has attacking players, so we will be an offensive team. The priority right now is to get back in shape as soon as possible,” he added.

The Portuguese international, who didn’t perform to his potential at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, is eager to start the new season and is confident of succeeding in 2010-11.

“We are very excited and working very hard. We have to keep this level of excitement up in order to win titles,” he continued.

The former Ballon d’Or winner doesn’t seem to be scared of bitter rivals Barcelona either.

“Barcelona were more regular than us last year, but we are not worried about what they may do this season. I’m sure we will have a better run this year,” Ronaldo went on.

“If I actually believed we couldn’t defeat Barcelona, I would be home instead of here.

“All great players are welcome here and we will greet them the best way we know how. All the summer signings are very good.”

source: goal.com

Cristiano Ronaldo Backstage of the Trip to LA 29/07/2010 (Translated to English)

Cristiano Ronaldo Suffocated by Reporters in the embark to LA (28/07/2010)

The Madridista expedition landed in California after nearly 14 hours of flying

Fernando Porrero / Translation by realmadrid.com

Real Madrid have arrived in Los Angeles to begin their preseason training in the USA. The stage concludes on 7 August, when the team returns to Madrid.

The 18 players who made the trip -Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe, Diarra, Lass, Pedro Leon, Granero, Dudek, Adan, Benzema, Gago, Marcelo, Garay and Drenthe, plus five youth teamers including Morata, Tebar, Juanfran, Alex and Nacho- will be put through a rigorous week of work, including two-a-day workouts and two matches. The first takes place against America in San Francisco and the second in LA against the Galaxy.

Higuain, Di Maria and Kaka are expected to join up with the team any day now, while Casillas, Ramos, Arbeloa, Albiol, Xabi Alonso, Canales and Van der Vaart will do so at a later date.

The Portuguese player cut his holidays short to train with the squad the day prior to leaving for the US

Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O’Donnell

The first stage in Real Madrid’s preseason came to an end after Tuesday’s evening workout at Valdebebas, the last before leaving for the US on Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo cut his holidays short to rejoin the team before the trip.

Ball work took centre stage again. The players divided into two teams to play two practice games. Six mini-goals were laid out for the first, while the second had two regular goals guarded by Adan and Dudek.

The squad will meet at Real Madrid city at 10:20 CET tomorrow. They will then travel by bus to the airport in order to get a flight to Los Angeles, where they will remain until 7 August.

Back-to-back Primera Division champions Barcelona go into the upcoming Primera Division season as the hot favourites to complete the hat trick of titles but many pundits are turning to Real Madrid – now under the auspicious guidance of Jose Mourinho – as the real threat to the title.

Mourinho you might remember made quite a few headlines last season when he successfully led Inter Milan not only to another Serie A title but the side’s first Champions League title in –oh, ages.

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Mourinho’s arrival to Madrid is therefore the perfect complement to the depth and talent inherent in Estadio Santiago Bernebeu’s locker room, which includes Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka to name a few – a compilation of talent so individually great it would be any coaches envy.

Mourinho is also a fitting rival for Barca’s coach Josep Guardiola and an appropriate protagonist for him to match wits against.

It is a longstanding rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid and Jose Mourinho and Guardiola are sure to do the competition proud.

In fact, the last six years the La Liga title has been firmly in the grip of either of these two sides – Barcelona won four and twice back-to-back from 2004-2006 and 2008-2010.

Real Madrid dominated two years running in 2007-2009. Real Madrid also owns titles in 2000-2001 and 2002-2003.

The only other side to win a Primera title in the last decade was Valencia, which they managed twice in 2001-2002 and 2003-2004.

BetUS has released pre-season futures on the upcoming Primera Division 2010~2011 season and Barcelona though installed as hot favourites at -135 have Real Madrid hot on their heels at a tempting +110 price.

The market moreover reflects this unshakeable Barcelona-Real Madrid domination in Primera with a staggering drop in price between this top duo and the rest of the field.

After Barcelona and Real Madrid, Sevilla is third best priced albeit significantly larger at +2500.

Valencia is a whopping +3500 soccer bet along with Atletico Madrid and after these three sides, the prices just get out of hand.

* Barcelona -135
* Real Madrid +110
* Sevilla +2500
* Valencia +3500
* Atletico Madrid +3500
* Villarreal +6000
* Deportivo la Coruna +20000
* Mallorca +25000
* Athletic Bilbao +25000
* Getafe +25000
* Espanyol +25000
* Real Zaragoza +50000
* Osasuna +50000
* Almeria +100000
* Racing Santander +100000
* Malaga +100000
* Sporting Gijon +150000
* Real Sociedad +150000
* Hercules +150000
* Levante +250000
source: betus.com