SEPTEMBER
A very good start to the season as we won the Spanish Super Cup (just) and we banged in a few goals also although we did get a thumping against Atletico Madrid. Fernando Llorente has started the season on fire.
No jobs have become available yet............
----------------------------------------------
Spanish Super Cup Final 1st Leg
Barcelona 3-0 Atletico Madrid Llorente 2, Muniain
Nice and easy - they had a man sent-off early on which helped.
Spanish Super Cup 2nd Leg
Atletico Madrid (0) 4-1 Barcelona (3) Busquets (Agg: 4-4 Barcelona win on away goals)
This was a good result as I had about 30 players missing as they were on international duty.
Llorente has scored 2 goals in every game he has played in so far.
---------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group B
Barcelona 3-1 FC Midtjylland Fabregas, Medero, Muniain
Played my backup players mainly here
This month was quite mixed results wise. Although we won every league game we drew both of our Champions League games which wasnt ideal which sees us lie in 2nd place 2pts behind Man City.
I may have actually sold too many players in the summer as my squad is quite small. I have been dipping into my B team quite a bit this season so far so maybe I shouldve kept a player or two but never mind!
I loaned out backup keeper Carlos Kameni to Sunderland for 3 months btw.
No jobs available yet although Inter, AC Milan and Hamburgs managers coats are on shoogly pegs while even Mr.Mourinho at Real Madrid job was termed as insecure before they beat Villarreal 8-1!
-----------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group B
Anderlecht 1-1 Barcelona Inigo Martinez
This was not a good result. I did play my backups but we didnt take enough of our chances
Last months surprise leaders were easily beaten here although they did take the lead but had a man sent-off. Messi got injured and is out for the best part of 2 months.
Real Sociedad 1-4 Barcelona Thiago 2, Sanchez, Daniel Alves
A fantastic result and performance this. Always like to beat this lot!
--------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group B
Barcelona 0-0 Manchester City
We dominated the game throughout but couldnt take our chances. Not the best of starts to the group!
-----------------------------------------------
Barcelona 2-1 Real Zaragoza Muniain, Rafinha
Thiago got sent-off early doors for us but we soon took the lead. Yesil levelled for them but Rafinha came off the bench to score the winner.
--------------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey 4th Round 1st Leg
Leganes 0-2 Barcelona Deulofeu, Joan
Played a load of youngsters here as you would expect and we didnt allow them a shot on goal
------------------------------------------------
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
DANIEL ALVES
yeah dont think the barca fans would be happy if u went from them to real....do u recommend any players for Bayern munich as i won champions league with Man utd and now in germany
yeah dont think the barca fans would be happy if u went from them to real....do u recommend any players for Bayern munich as i won champions league with Man utd and now in germany
yeah dont think the barca fans would be happy if u went from them to real....do u recommend any players for Bayern munich as i won champions league with Man utd and now in germany
This month was even more of a struggle than last month player wise as the injuries kept mounting up. Some youngsters came in and did well though and I have promoted Rafinha to the 1st team squad.
I also made Victor Valdes become a player/goalkeeping coach and Xavi a player/coach so their long term future at the club is secure.
--------------------------------------------------
Barcelona 3-1 Almeria Llorente, Iniesta, Sanchez
Llorente got injured and is out for the best part of 2 months!
-------------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group B
Manchester City 2-0 Barcelona
We were without a few players here so it was always going to be difficult. Man City are through and we are in a battle for 2nd which we should easily get...........
Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona Alba, Deulofeu, Zouma
CALL THE POLICE!!!! What a win this was. Real had over 20 shots while we had 5 yet we still ran out winners. Damiani, Pique, Messi, Llorente, Iniesta, Busquets, Muniain and Thiago were all out for this game.
---------------------------------------------------------
KRIS STUART TAKES OVER AT REAL MADRID
Lol - Mourinho got sacked just before we played them and I went into the game knowing that Real were flattered by my interest (surprisingly) but I still tried my best to get the 3pts with Barca. I also went in for jobs with Ajax and Marseille but Real responded first.
My short time at Barca has been thoroughly enjoyable as we destroyed most teams, won every competition we were involved in and I managed some terrific players who I dont normally get to manage in FM. My philosophy of blowing the transfer budget immediatley worked a treat but I have set them up to be successful for the next 5 years or so with the signings of Muniain, Inigo Martinez, Schennikov and Damiani.
I wonder if Damiani fancies moving with me again?
The remainder of November will be done in the next post.
So I arrive at Real Madrid with only 1 senior keeper at the club in the shape of Iker Casillas who has an injury, only 4 senior defenders in the squad and a backroom staff whom I wouldnt have at Aberdeen!
The squad overall is on a par individually as my Barca team as they have signed 2 decent players in the shape of Shaqiri and Ferreyra its just that they are overloaded with forwards and attacking midfielders. The board have given me a transfer kitty of £76m and I expect that to be gone by the end of January!
Real are currently well behind Barca so although I clawed back a 10pt gap with Barca last year I doubt I will manage to win the league this time however Real have already qualified as group winners in the Champions League.
On the field we did quite well and we were without the services of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sami Khedira.
Real Madrid 3-1 Espanyol Shaqiri, Di Maria, Benzema
We were all over them but it took a goal from sub Di Maria with 5min to go to earn us the 3pts. Benzema sealed the win in injury time. Ferreyra was signed for £16m and I gave him his debut here.
---------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group B
Real Madrid 2-2 Hannover Callejon, Benzema
Hannover took the lead twice but we are through as group winners already so I dont care! I gave Callejon his first start of the season here.
-------------------------------------------------
Real Madrid 3-0 Getafe Varane, Higuain, Alonso
Nice and easy - Barca dropped 2pts against Espanyol so the gap is now 12pts.
-----------------------------------------------------
PLAYER OF THE (HALF) MONTH
GONZALO HIGUAIN
Without revealing names I arranged a transfer worth £42m and when that was agreed the board bumped up my transfer budget from £35m to £120m!!!!!! If I dont win the Champions League with a budget that big then something is wrong - unless I get beat by Barca or Bayern I suppose.
The main problem I have in planning my transfers is that the duds in the squad are homegrown so I need to keep them! It is quite frustrating but hey-ho. As it is I have so far agreed to spend £112m in January!
Still havent had the pleasure of having a fit Cristiano Ronaldo yet!
Btw Manuel Pellegrini has replaced me at Barca who won the Club World Cup - I wonder if I will ever win that competition as I seem to leave before it comes around!
-----------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey 4th Round 2nd Leg
Real Madrid (4) 3-1 Castellon (2) Ferreyra 3(1pen) (Agg: 7-3)
-------------------------------------------------
Osasuna 1-2 Real Madrid Ozil 2
This was a tricky game but we got the 3pts
----------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League Group G
Parma 2-0 Real Madrid
Already top of the group - played a weakened side - dont care
---------------------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey 5th Round 1st Leg
Real Madrid 3-1 Sevilla Higuain 2, Di Maria
Khedira got sent-off early on but even with 10 men we deservedly won the game.
Real Madrid 4-1 Granada Higuain, Iriney (og), Ferreyra, Pepe
A nice win as we cut down Barca's lead at the top to 6pts - they have 2 games in hand though.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey 5th Round 2nd Leg
Sevilla (1) 1-0 Real Madrid (3) (Agg: 2-3)
Even more so than I did with Barca - I splashed the cash here as once again I felt I may as well try and buy the Champions League and be here for a short period of time rather than spend 3 or 4 years here - although I might not win the cup of course!
First of all I agreed to spend £42m on Neymar. He wasnt on my player search screen but I knew he was transfer listed as he was interested in coming to Barca so I had to give him big wages to make him accept. I then turned my attention to my defensive shortages.............
In for £30m came Brazilian CB Dede from Vasco da Gama. He will by first choice alongside Varane. I then shelled out £24.5m on another CB in the shape of Mapou Yanga Mbiwa of Montpellier. Although he is naturally a CB he can do a job at both full back positions too.
I then spent £12.5m on Italian CB Davide Astori from Cagliari. I had him in FM12 and he was amazing so in he came as did Ezequiel Munoz from Palermo for £8m. I also brought in Vicente Guaita from Valencia for £5.75m as my new backup keeper but only after I paid £2.5m for a regen keeper and then realised I couldnt register him as I already had 3 foreigners registered!
If that wasnt enough I have also agreed to bring in Toni Kroosfrom Bayern Munich at the end of the season on a free transfer!
Outgoing was Kaka on a free transfer as he wasnt going to get sold and I didnt want him taking up a squad place. Callejon was loaned out while I dumped a load of players into the B team.
As for the football itself, well all I can say was that we were amazing!!! Apart from one game we were on fire. Neymar despite being stuck out on the LW has been world class while I also welcomed back Cristiano Ronaldo. We faced Barca 3 times and won 3 times and the title race is back on - possibly!
As for the Champions League I forgot to mention in last months post that we got drawn against Celtic
Real Madrid 5-3 Sporting Gijon Neymar, Higuain, Khedira, Shaqiri, Astori
We surged into a quick 4 goal lead here and then let things slip a bit! Neymar also had a goal disallowed but it was nice to see both he and Astori get debut goals. We had over 40 attempts on goal here!
---------------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey QF 1st Leg
Real Madrid 6-1 Valencia Benzema, Soldado (og), Neymar 2, Varane, Dede
The beast has been unleashed!!!! We were 5up before half-time here and Neymar was denied a hat-trick when he had one chalked off.
This is a magnificent result. Both sides had over 20 attempts on goal in an end to end affair but Neymar's early goal was the difference. Messi had a goal disallowed right at the end. We have overhauled a 14pt deficit to go 3pts clear - but Barca have 3 games in hand...................
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copa del Rey SF 2nd Leg
Barcelona (1) 2-4 Real Madrid (3) Di Maria, Neymar 2, Benzema (Agg: 3-7)
After 10min we were amazingly 4-0 up!!!!!! Couldnt believe it. They missed a pen but our place in the final was already booked.
Firstly there is a small bit of transfer news. I brought in Javi Garcia from Man City on loan as he started his career with Real and will help for the Champions League registration rules. I sold Pepe to Man Utd for £1.4m also and made Xabi Alonso a player/coach. Finally I have agreed to sign Will Hughes from Derby on a free at the end of the season.
We did ok results wise this month although we did get a few scares against Bilbao and Celtic. Still outsiders to win the league but you never know!
-----------------------------------------------
Athletic Bilbao 3-3 Real Madrid Higuain, Ferreyra, Cristiano Ronaldo (pen)
My first dropped points in the league as Real Madrid manager - dont mind dropping points to Bilbao of course!
Not much footy was played this month but we did what was needed and even caught up Barca again! Getting to the interesting part of the season now.............
The youth intake was pretty pathetic but I am not bothered as it wont be until I get to teams where it will take me 3 or 4 years to win the Champions League before I will really benefit from a good youth intake.
Phew!!!! Barca lost to Zaragoza the day before so there was a lot of pressure on us. We battered them - taking nearly 30 shots on goal - but it took an injury time goal to win it. Casillas even had to save a penalty!
-------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League 1st Round 2nd Leg
Real Madrid (3) 1-1 Celtic (2) Shaqiri (Agg: 4-3)
I rested everyone apart from Casillas here who saved a penalty. Atletico Madrid knocked out Bayern Munich!
This month had its ups and downs anyway! The start was awful and it looked as though we had handed Barcelona the title but then they began to slip up and we are 1pt behind them with 4 games to go. Its going right to the end!!!!!
In the Champions League we seem to score loads of goals at home but concede a few to not quite leave us comfortable. We got away with it against Juventus but could Chelsea make us pay?
Gabi missed an early penalty for them and we surged into a 2 goal lead but we threw it away in the last 20min. **** SAKE!
-----------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League QF 1st Leg
Real Madrid 5-3 Juventus Astori, Neymar, Higuain 3
This was a thriller! We fell behind, went ahead and got pegged back but got the win in the end. It was 4-3 at half-time! Conceding 3 away goals is a worry though.
Our title dream is over methinks - this was pathetic. They even had one disallowed. Barca drew so the gap is 6pts with 7 games to go. Casillas broke the club record for league appearances with this game.
---------------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League QF 2nd Leg
Juventus (3) 1-0 Real Madrid (5) (Agg: 4-5)
We were poor here and just scraped through and no more. Chelsea knocked out Barca so they are our opponents in the semis.
I rested several players for the upcoming Champions League game here so took a bit of a risk. Barca lost to Espanyol so their lead is cut down to 1pt now! Astori got sent-off late on btw.
-----------------------------------------------------------
UEFA Champions League SF 1st Leg
Real Madrid 4-2 Chelsea Courtois (og), Cristiano Ronaldo, Ramos, Ozil
We were gifted the opener in the first minute and when Torres equalised I thought we were in for a tricky game but we were excellent after that and have a great chance to reach the final. Torres scored late on annoyingly though - 2 away goals conceded could be costly.
----------------------------------------------------------
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
DEDE
i'm from Hungary