Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's only the bloody fifth edition of Football Circus! This week we'll take a look at why Real Madrid have been in such good form in recent weeks, Juan Sebastian Veron shows why he's an all round good guy and there's some on-pitch madness in Brazil. Our Italian Football Story of the Week features, not for the first time and almost certainly not the last, Mario Balotelli.
The Real Reason for Madrid's Success this Season
Jose Mourinho's credentials as a manager are rarely questioned, although he has his detractors when it comes to his character. Abel Rodriguez is not one of them. The California dwelling Mexican has, for the past seven years, spent much of his annual leave assisting the Real Madrid team in their pre-season training camp at UCLA. Rodriguez is such an avid fan that he does the job free of charge.
When the opportunity arose this year to fly to Madrid in the hope of attending El Classico, Rodriguez had a crisis of conscience. The money set aside could have been spent on family holiday. His family, fully aware of Rodriguez's dream, talked him into going. So he flew out to Madrid without a ticket for the match, in hope of a miracle. What transpired was nothing short of just that.
Not allowed into Real's training ground by security, Rodriguez sat outside hoping to spot the team. As luck would have it, none other than Jose Mourinho himself passed by and immediately recognised the Mexican. After Rodriguez explained his story, Mourinho put him up in a top hotel and brought him to the Barcelona game, which Madrid went onto win.
Rodriguez, quite content with his escapades, had planned to return home after the match. Not on Mourinho's watch. Jose deemed Rodriguez to be a good luck charm and told him to prepare to fly to Manchester, where Real were due to play Manchester United in the Champion's League last 16 tie. Only too happy to oblige, Rodriguez flew out with the team and acted as a kitman, meeting Sir Alex Ferguson and fellow Mexican Javier Hernandez at Old Trafford. Real qualified for the quarter finals of the competition and both Mourinho and Rodriguez returned to their respective homes, satisifed with their lots.
Rodriguez described Mourinho and Ferguson 'true gentlemen'.
Veron Lends a Hand as Tragedy strikes in Argentina
Former Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron assisted rescue efforts in the La Plata region of Buenos Aires last week as more than fifty people tragically lost their lives as a result of flooding in the area.
Veron, played for Sampdoria, Parma, Lazio, Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan before returning to his native Argentina where he ended his career at Estudiantes, his local team who are also based in La Plata.
Three days of mourning were declared in Argentina following the casualties. Veron, rarely one to shirk his duties on the football pitch, felt compelled to help out and brought his boat out to go in search of the missing.
Veron stated "I’m very bad because it’s something that makes us suffer, directly or indirectly. I went with my cousin and his house was flooded and could not get out. So we went with a boat and we recovered four girls and two boys. What you feel right now is sadness, helplessness and anger".
What's that you say? Your faith in football and all involved is being somewhat restored? Well we'll soon see about that...
Players Attack Riot Police after Copa Libertadores Tie
This was one attack that riot police working at the Atletico Mineiro and Arsenal de Sarandi could not have predicted.
Following Atletico's 5-2 victory over Argentinian side Arsenal de Sarandi in Belo Horizonte last week, angered Arsenal players opted to take out their collective frustration, not on the opposition but the riot police who had formed a barrier around the match officials.
Behaviour more commonly associated with hooligan fans saw the Arsenal team kick and throw objects at the police. Rubber bullets were fired at the players in retaliation.
Eight of the Argentinian side's players were held in custody after the incident and serious action is likely to be taken against the offending side by Conmebol, the governing body of South American football.
Police and a journalist were injured during the fiasco, while the culprits also took it upon themselves to destroy a dressing room.
Italian Football Story of the Week
- No Ifs or Butts, Balotelli Guilty of Smoking on Train
Two weeks ago in this very segment we reported Mario's Balotelli's claims of his love life being the reason for his new found calmness since moving back to Italy.
We may have been mistaken, for it seems Super Mario likes to destress with a cigarette, even if he has to smoke it on a train.
As AC Milan travelled to Florence ahead of their Seria A game against Fiorentina last week, Balotelli snuck off to the toilet to light up.
His plan was foiled though when a train guard noticed smoke emerging from the toilet and Balotelli was promptly ordered to put out the cigarette or face having to get off the train.
The preceeding match saw Milan throw away a two goal lead to draw 2-2 with Fiorentina. Balotelli argued with a match official while Milan vice president Adriano Galliani was escorted from his seat by security after getting into a heated dispute with fans.
Balotelli may not be the only one at Milan craving a cigarette at this rate.
Football Recommendation
Leagueslider.com: Pretty cool moving graphic representation showing how some of Europe's top leagues have developed throughout the course of the season.
Non-Football Recommendation
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared
- By Jonas Jonasson, translater by Rod Bradbury
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