Cannavaro: I Think I Will Be Staying In Madrid

Real Madrid might be a side in trouble at the moment, but should they lose defender Fabio Cannavaro things could get a lot worse.

The Italian has been rumoured to be leaving the Spanish capital, with his contract expiring next year, and Milan has been touted as a possible destination.

However, he assured Real's fans today that he 'feels like a Madridista' and thinks he will be staying at the club, before talking about his future briefly.

"Overall it has not been a good time to speak about it," he said to AS.

"Everyone has to know that the team comes first, then personal matters. When January comes I will speak more with the club, but I am not in a hurry because I know they, and my team-mates, want me here.

"I believe I will be staying here, but in football anything can happen."

Certainly were Cannavaro to leave it would be a blow to the defending La Liga champions, who are already missing key personnel at the back. They seemed to have been rejuvenated slightly with the recent arrival of Juande Ramos, though, and the defender spoke a little about the change of coach.

"Before we were coached well, nobody can say that with [Bernd] Schuster we were not coached well," he declared.

"The team had bad luck and accumulated injuries, that was not the fault of the coach. When there is a new coach everything seems new though, it is different. Juande has imposed small rules, before we were more free.

"With Schuster we also had rules. I am a professional and I know that we have to arrive at training half-an-hour before the start, but some were only turning up twenty minutes before. That is one of the small things that does not happen now."

El Clásico

Despite the change in coach, Real Madrid were unable to beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the first league game under Ramos, as the Catalan side moved further clear at the top of La Liga.

Cannavaro is capable of looking back at the match in a positive light, even though they lost.

"It was a very tough game because we had just changed coach and had injuries, but we showed in the Camp Nou that we were strong and united, and that only some bad luck and injuries are making it difficult," he opined.

"We worked phenomenally hard, and we were very humble, knowing that we couldn't control the game, but would have two or three chances, and the frustrating thing is we didn't get any points for our work."

The win for Barcelona, along with a victory against Villarreal last week, means they finish the first-half of the season ten points clear of their nearest rivals Sevilla. Inevitably this has sparked plenty of commentators to declare the league over already, but Cannavaro believes this plays into the hands of Real Madrid.

"In the dressing room we know we have to fight until the last day and things we have seen, like Barcelona fans celebrating as if the league is won, is not normal," he said.

"For us it is better that in Barcelona they are already celebrating. We are going to see what happens and I am sure that this Madrid, without injuries, will go up.

"We lost in Barcelona but the fans saw 15 players fighting, trying to stop them, and then the game was won and lost."

Injury Woes

Amidst all the drama this season though, one thing has been constant at Madrid, and that is the injury list, which has usually featured a few key players. Having lost so many influential members, Cannavaro said that it is not every day this happens.

"It is not normal to play without Pepe, [Gabriel] Heinze, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, [Arjen] Robben, Marcelo and [Sergio] Ramos, there are so many injuries," he moaned.

Madrid have already ensured that they will have reinforcements for next year though, bringing in Lassana Diarra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar as well as recalling Dani Parejo from loan. Cannavaro spoke about the signings today, and sounded optimistic about the future of the Dutchman, whilst jesting about the former Portsmouth player Diarra.

"Huntelaar is 25-years-old, can only speak a little Spanish, but has a lot of desire and wants to win. I have spoken with Wes [Sneijder] and he has told me that he is very strong, who finishes well and I am sure he will do well here," he began.

"Of Diarra, I only know he has the same surname as Mahamadou, that he is more good looking than Mahamadou, and that he is nicer than Mahamadou...No that is a joke. Mahamadou is like a brother to me, we are missing him in the team."

Despite the signings already made, Cannavaro believes they need to add more to the squad, but says they are not fearing anyone next year, even Champions League opponents, Liverpool.

"To reach the final of the Champions League and to get to the end of the league with a chance, we need more people. Right now we have fifteen, and the club know this and are making signings," he opined.

"Madrid fears no-one, nobody should forget that we are champions. The Liverpool game will be a good one, because they are a strong team and one of the best in Europe."

-- James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com