Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Cristiano and Özil are the attractions in Berlin

This afternoon, in a stadium full of history and stories with the maximum expectation, Real Madrid will play its fourth exhibition game this preseason 2011-2012. In the past, these matches were lost in the television programming between cartoons and Westerns. Or were not broadcasted. In the new era of closed clubs, the clubs understood as inaccessible bunkers, is presented as an opportunity to explore possibilities or find out the new players who have more chances to play in the future. As said the coach of Hertha, Babbel: "We face this match as a celebration of football". He also said he hoped his players, newly promoted to Bundesliga, "do not shit in their pants" forgetting that this is a friendly in which things are tested and the result is not important.

Hertha Berlin vs Real Madrid


It will, in a full stadium, the fourth friendly match of Mourinho's team that after working yesterday in a double session, has travel to Berlin in the morning and returns home after the meeting. Ramos, Sahin and Granero are out, and the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo ensures goals (four in three games, his best preseason). Real Madrid won three so far with more lights (the trick of Coentrao as a pivot in midfield, Callejon scoring, high performance by Varane) than shadows (doubts about Kaka, who only played at high level against LA Galaxy). Özil and Khedira (already recovered) return to Germany and will play at home.

For Hertha Berlin, the match is like a showcase to raise a few euros, but they play on Sunday a German Cup match against the Meuselwitz, an amateur team, a one-match knockout round, his first official appointment after recovering the top category and illusion.

Indeed, the summer friendlies have become a lucrative business for intermediaries and clubs. This has been organized by TSP, which works with both teams (were responsible for other four Real Madrid's travels to Germany) and, as usual, bears all costs of the event (hotel, travel), but takes all income (box office, television). Real Madrid takes a million euros and Hertha a good piece. A well-paid holiday, then.