Lofty Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 From Sky: Real to unveil BenzemaReal Madrid have announced that they will officially unveil Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday. The striker signed for Real from Lyon for an initial fee of 35million euros last week to take their spending this summer close to the £200million mark. The 21-year-old will now experience the kind of introduction that his new team-mates Kaka, Raul Albiol and Cristiano Ronaldo received when they joined the club. The scenes are unlikely to beat the welcome that was bestowed on Ronaldo on Monday when over 75,000 fans crammed into the famous stadium to greet the current Fifa World Footballer of the Year. Brazilian superstar Kaka drew a crowd of 55,000 when his capture was confirmed while defender Albiol saw a more modest 8,000 turn up for his unveiling. Real Madrid begin pre-season training on Friday before flying to Dublin on Monday ahead of their first friendly against Shamrock Rovers a week later. Both Ronaldo and Benzema could feature in the game although Kaka and Albiol have been given extra time off after competing in the Confederations Cup last month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalpitv Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Will they unveil every freaking player they sign?! I am sure they would have unveiled Turnbull as well had they signed. I don't understand. Since the entry is free, they are not even making money! Or am I missing something? The shirt sales generated can't be SO huge? Or is it not for money (not possible with this club) and is a Spanish custom? I am a little unsure here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 £200m spent on transfers in 8 days, and possibly more to come. Theyre going to look like fools if they dont make it to the champions league final in their own stadium next May, especially if Barca do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I don't understand. Since the entry is free, they are not even making money! Or am I missing something? The shirt sales generated can't be SO huge?Or is it not for money (not possible with this club) and is a Spanish custom? my guess is that the revenue sales alone are worth them doing this. Granted, they obviously dont get anything near 100% of every shirt sold, but 140,000 people have already flocked to the stadium in a matter of days. A fair chunk of those probably bought shirts at 80 euro a pop, plus whatever other crap they are selling. On top of that, there is huge psycological value to this. Madrid are grabbing all the headlines, weeks after Barca completed the most successful Spanish season ever. All this tri talk is made moot. Madridistas around the world see these sideshows, wish they could be there, and hop online to get a jersey, or join their site for the exclusives. Perez and Madrid are maximizing the value of what they have got right now, which is mega money signings and bubbling excitement. If they team cant put it together on the pitch and play some fantastic (or at least winning) football, and unseat Barca, its all for naught. Hell, i am pretty excited to see how that team does, and I loathe Madrid. Foir his sake I hope he remembers why Galacticos mk. I failed. But based on their half assed pursuit of Alonso (a player who, IMO, might be the missing link) and the manner in which they have made zero effort to shed useful players off their bloated roster, Im starting to doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I heard they sold 3000 #9 shirts with Ronaldo on the back during the first two hours at the stadium megastore, so I'd say it's worth it to lure the fans to the stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I heard they sold 3000 #9 shirts with Ronaldo on the back during the first two hours at the stadium megastore, so I'd say it's worth it to lure the fans to the stadium. I actually wouldve thought it wouldve have been more, but in two hours i suppose that is pretty damn impressive, even for a huge club shop like theirs. I wonder what the numbers were like over the whole day and since Supposedly, the day Beckham signed for Madrid over 65,000 of his shirts were sold in the Madrid area. But different economic climate at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I think the figures include just the megastore, but apparently they've been selling an average of 15 Ronaldo shirts per minute ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I think the figures include just the megastore, but apparently they've been selling an average of 15 Ronaldo shirts per minute ever since. holy crap. I guess with online sales being factored in, and three big name players to sell, the numbers have the potential to be staggering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damocles Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 £200m spent on transfers in 8 days, and possibly more to come.Theyre going to look like fools if they dont make it to the champions league final in their own stadium next May, especially if Barca do. That would be hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 holy crap. I guess with online sales being factored in, and three big name players to sell, the numbers have the potential to be staggering Kaka shirts haven't sold quite as well. According to a story I read today, they sold "only" 600 Kaka shirts during the first two hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Kaka shirts haven't sold quite as well. According to a story I read today, they sold "only" 600 Kaka shirts during the first two hours. That's because the bloke who printed them ran out of a's. No one wanted shirts with Kak on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 No one wanted shirts with Kak on the back. Well, it's still better than having this on the front of the shirt: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 speaking of Kaka on the back, anyone seen this? [[fimg]=Anyone seen this?] [/[fimg]] they had him pose in ones for china and korea too. Kaka shirts haven't sold quite as well. According to a story I read today, they sold "only" 600 Kaka shirts during the first two hours. Im surprised by that. Despite the turnout numbers, I thought alot of Madrid fans wanted Kaka even more than Ronaldo, just because he is Brazilian and fits the 'good lad' type The Zidane to Ronaldo's Beckham, if you will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_mac Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 And then they say that they are not paying the 35 million asking price for Alonso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) And then they say that they are not paying the 35 million asking price for Alonso I dont think they will have to in the end, and its more than wishful thinking on my part. I think he will go for 25-30 and, I think, Madrid would jump at that price I think Alonso will go if give the chance. He is Spanish and every player wants to be at Madrid right now. But if the price remains high, Perez will get that old media machine started up, and Marca will start cranking out fictitious story after fictitious story like the days of old. By the end of the month, its the same story as the old galacticos. Photoshopped pictures, "theyre already practically signed" etc etc etc. And then Tubby sells up or he faces having a pissed off player who, professional as he is, will be distracted They will never lose Mascherano and Alonso in one summer, though. That would be a catastrophe Edited July 10, 2009 by TheWestwayWonder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It was also a bit rich Tubby banging on about getting loyalty from Alonso, when he wanted to get rid of him a year ago. Alonso stayed, and played brilliantly all season, so what the f*ck does he owe L*verpool? I can see him jumping at the chance to go home and play for a manager who actually wants him. It's all a little bit too late from Tubby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWestwayWonder Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It was also a bit rich Tubby banging on about getting loyalty from Alonso, when he wanted to get rid of him a year ago.Alonso stayed, and played brilliantly all season, so what the f*ck does he owe L*verpool? I can see him jumping at the chance to go home and play for a manager who actually wants him. It's all a little bit too late from Tubby. exactly, Benitez is playing with fire admitting that he chased Barry again this summer. Guilliame Bollocks has said their relationship is past the point of repair and he will probably be moved. What loyalty does Alonso owe anyone after the way he was whored out last summer? He provides something Gago and the rest of their CMs dont, so I think Madrid will keep sniffing. And if Liverpool sell him, they can kiss their creative distribution and their 8 million red cards against opponents goodbye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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