Mondal's Musings: The Real Madrid Epic, The Second Division, The AFC Cup And Liverpool's Goalscoring Prolificacy

Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, Franck Ribery And Now David Beckham.....

Sometimes silence is more eloquent than eloquence itself and Florentino Perez knows this perfectly; rather too perfectly. The former Real Madrid president is (virtually) the only candidate running for the presidential post at the Spanish giants and it is all but certain that the Spanish businessman and former politician would return to the helm from where he resigned in not so long ago. But so far he has not said anything in public.

But then again Perez need not say anything; the tabloid headlines say it all, especially when it comes to signing the neo-Galacticos. The past week or so has been littered with stories of all the best players in the world packing their bags to catch the first flight to Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo is of course the first in the queue and the likes of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Kaka, David Villa, David Silva, Franck Ribery, Diego and even Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas seem to be lining themselves up for the biggest club in the world that has failed to get past the last-16 stage in the UEFA Champions League for the past five years and have appointed nine coaches in the last six and a half years.

Oh, even the British press seems to be eager to throw its name into Madrid's boiling pot. British tabloid The Sun reports that Madrid are mooting for the most recognizable footballing face on earth, the player whom Madrid drove away from Europe altogether. Beck to the Bernabeu? Come on!

But not every speculation is bad. Madrid legend Jorge Valdano and Zinedine Zidane are apparently on their way to the ‘White House’, Valdano as a sporting director, a post he has held earlier, and Zidane as Perez’s advisor.

SuperPippo Scores A Super 300

Just Face It, Pippo Inzaghi Is A Legend: A 300-goal legend. On Sunday against Siena Filippo Inzaghi scored two typical Inzaghi goals and did the typical Inzaghi celebration, only this time after scoring his 300th goal he held out a shirt with the number 300 on its back. SuperPippo doesn't have the grace of Thierry Henry, the frightening runs of Samuel Eto’o or the genius of Ronaldo (the Brazilian one) but what he lacks in 'talent' –as if possessing an eye for goal and an anticipation to know where the ball would end up next don’t qualify as ‘talent’- he makes up in resilience and persistence. SuperPippo is not the first name that comes to your mind when you start thinking of 'the great strikers I have watched in my lifetime' but 300 goals in a career that has taken him from Piacenza to Parma to Atalanta to Juventus to AC Milan and the Italian national team as well do speak volumes.

Hats off to you, SuperPippo.

But one thing..... Doesn't he bear a fair resemblance to our Bollywood star Arjun Rampal?

Liverpool Are Not Boring….At Least Not At The Moment

There in England, Liverpool are enacting their own Bollywood drama. First it was the turn of Real Madrid to get a 4-0 whitewashing, although the second goal at Anfield was a shame- and now it was the turn of reigning Premier League and European Champions Manchester United to get reddened as the Red Devils conceded four goals and scored only one in reply to a Liverpool side that has shown over the past few days that it does have the potential to play arousing football.

If you had watched them ‘play’ at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their last 16 tie with Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, then you would have wondered why the doctor ever prescribes you pills to get rid of insomnia: watch Liverpool! It's easier, cheaper and certainly more reliable.

But no, with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in their side, the Reds can and at times do play quite entertaining football, as they did against Man United on Saturday. Yet much water had flown under the bridge and the league is all for United to lose.

Just as the Liga is all for FC Barcelona to throw away.

I-League Division II Round One Is Almost, Almost Over

Last week, we discussed how North Eastern club Shillong Lajong were on the verge of qualifying for the second round of the I-League Division II ahead of the more prominent clubs Oil India and George Telegraph. Well, they did eventually accomplish that  and over the past seven days, further development has taken place in the second tier of India football. Sesa Football Academy and Pune FC have made it from Group B while Viva Kerala have marched on to the second round from Group C. The second team to qualify from Group C will be decided on Thursday when favourites Salgaocar take on underdogs Chandni. A draw would take the Goan side through and the only way that Chandni can progress to the next stage is by defeating Salgaocar by a large margin, which doesn’t seem too likely.

Can Chandni do a Lajong? Well.....

AFC Cup Brings Pleasure And Agony In Equal Measure

The AFC Cup action saw India celebrate and suffer, again. While Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan lost 2-1 at home to Jordanian club Al Wehdat on Tuesday in Group D despite taking the lead in the 13th minute, Goan powerhouse and reigning I-League champions Dempo were at the right side of a 4-3 thriller against Jordianian club Al Faisaly at the Amman International Stadium on Tuesday. Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa fielded a much weakened side against Al Wehdat and much to the credit of the players, they did put up a good show and could have snatched a point had Rakesh Masih's header not struck the frame of the goal only seconds before the final whistle.

Bencherifa has already said that he is more serious about the league and now that Asian football is out of the equation for now, maybe the Green and Maroons can start winning matches again. As for Dempo, they might not be doing too well in the league this season but are going quite smoothly in the AFC Cup.

Subhankar Mondal