Real Madrid can live without Ronaldo, Villa: Mijatovic

Real Madrid sports director Predrag Mijatovic has defended the club from criticism that they failed to add top quality players in the summer transfer market.

The Spanish champions were unsuccessful in their attempts to lure Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, Valencia striker David Villa and Villarreal winger Santi Cazorla to the Bernabeu during the close season.

On the final day of the transfer window, they reluctantly sold Brazil forward Robinho to Manchester City after the player insisted he wanted to leave, prompting criticism from local media that the squad was short on quality for the new campaign.

“We can function very well without Cristiano Ronaldo or David Villa. The first year I was here we did well without Kaka (a player president Ramon Calderon had promised to buy) and we won two leagues without him,” Mijatovic told Real Madrid television.

“Real Madrid is above individual players even if they are the best in the world "

“We had conversations with Manchester United and they didn’t want to let Cristiano Ronaldo go. We made an offer for David Villa but did not want to pay what Valencia asked for him.”

Real have strengthened their squad with the signing of Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, the recall of two former youth team players from loan spells with other Primera Liga clubs, Javi Garcia and Ruben de la Red, and Argentina defender Ezequiel Garay.

The 21-year-old Garay is to play on loan with Racing Santander this season.

“Although it may seem like we have not signed anyone we have landed four players you can rely on,” he added.

“We have a squad of 24 and this is ample. We do not plan to make any signings in the winter transfer window, although you never know what may happen in football."

“We have a competitive team, capable of competing at a national level and in the Champions League, and we should not be worried.”

Mijatovic added that Real were not concerned their power in the transfer market would wane due to the arrival of major investors in world football, such as the Abu Dhabi-based company that bought Manchester City.

“I am not worried because great football players want to achieve genuine success and if they want to chose between a good contract and playing for Real Madrid, I don’t think they will hesitate in their decision,” Mijatovic said.

No Winter Signings - Mijatovic

Real Madrid had a traumatic summer in the transfer market by their standards. They failed to sign any of their major targets, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, David Villa and Santi Cazorla, and they also lost their prized asset, Robinho.

But boosted by the cash from the sale of the Brazilian to Manchester City on the last day of the shopping window, Madrid were expected to open their cheque books come Christmas time for the January trade period and numerous names have even been linked with a move to the Spanish capital, including Lukas Podolski and more recently, Aaron Lennon.

The club’s sports director Predrag Mijatovic, however, has now revealed in an interview with RealMadrid TV that the reining La Liga champions will not be looking to bring in any new faces during the mid-season break.

“Real Madrid will not make any signings in the winter transfer market,” was his blunt reply when asked by the interviewer.

“We have a group of 24 players and at this stage, we do not have the intentions of recruiting any new players, although in football, you never know,” he explained further.

Mijatovic was then asked to access the club’s failed summer transfer activities, starting with David Villa.

“We made an offer for him, one which we considered sufficient, but his club Valencia made a counter-offer which made it impossible for us to negotiate. We were not about to go mad for him.

“As for Cazorla, I was specifically ordered by the president not to be forced to pay his buy-out clause because Real Madrid are great not just because of our achievements but also because of our control and authority.

“And for Cristiano Ronaldo, it was obvious that we wanted to sign him but Manchester United opposed strongly to his sale,” Mijatovic detailed.

Finally, the Montenegrin reiterated that there is no tension between the coach, Bernd Schuster and himself.

“My relation with Schuster is excellent. We are both top people in charge of our own duties and we speak daily about everything that’s on our agenda,” he assured.

KS Leong

Kaká Backs Messi For Ballon d'Or

The Brazilian star vowed to return to challenge for personal honours after tipping the Barcelona forward to pick the France Football award ahead of Ronaldo.

Many have tipped the Manchester United playmaker after he helped the club win the title and the Champions League, but for ability alone, Kaká prefers Messi.

"Messi is a truly great player. Cristiano Ronaldo is also very good and deserves the away, but I want Leo to be my successor," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He has incredible ability and can control the ball superbly and that makes him one of the best players in the world.

"I think he is the sort of player that you would always want in your team.

"I am only talking about this year. My aim is to recover my form as quickly as possible and to try and win th trophy again in Paris and the FIFA World Player of the Year in Zürich.

"But for that to happen I have to be playing at a consistently good level for Milan."

Kaká then stated that he believes Ronaldinho's move from Barça to Milan will turn out to be a bargain for the Serie A side and explained that he enjoys playing alongside him.

"Without doubt he will be the best signing of the season in the Italian league. Our paths in life have been very different, but that does not mean that we cannot be friends," he continued.

"Above all, it does not mean that we cannot play together either."

Finally, Kaká moved to reiterate his desire to stay with Milan despite the annual rumours of him attracting the biggest clubs on the continent.

"First it was about Madrid now everyone is talking about going to England. That is how the market is, but I insist that I am not going anywhere, he explained.

"My relationship with everyone at the club is excellent and unless someone has a change of plans one day and decides to sell me, I will not be moving."

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

Raúl Vetoed Villa Move?

Just a week ago, Sport published a report that suggested a certain group of Real Madrid fans believed under-fire club icon Raúl may have prevented the team from recruiting their big name targets during the summer transfer window.

Now, the Catalan-based daily are theorizing that El Capitan may have been the one to veto coach Bernd Schuster’s requests for a top class striker and, in particular, the signing of Valencia’s David Villa, to ensure that his place in the first team is not threatened.

Iker Casillas, another of the squad’s elder statesmen, had allegedly approved the arrival of the Los Ché hitman but his endorsement was overwritten by Raúl’s final say. It is speculated that the goalkeeper and vice-captain was not too happy with that decision and there may now be friction between the pair.

It is also rumoured that the Bernabéu icon was the one who convinced president, Ramón Calderón to slowly disband the Brazilian contingent in the squad due to the bad influence they were having on the team on and off the field.

Cicinho, Roberto Carlos, Julio Baptista and ofcourse Robinho have all departed the Spanish capital in recent past, although none have yet to come out and drop even the slightest of hints that it was indeed Raúl’s doing.

Ironically, Sport also published a separate finding that football kiosks in Albacete near the Estadio Carlos Belmonte – the venue where Spain played at in their midweek World Cup qualifier against Armenia – sold more Raúl jerseys than any other player’s. Casillas and Fernando Torres were a close second.

KS Leong