DIEGO LOPEZ SUCCUMBS TO THE REAL MADRID PRESSURE TO LEAVE

According to Spanish TV "La Sexta",via its Sports news section, Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez will be sacrificed to make way for newly signed Costa Rica goalie Keylor Navas. Diego Lopez wants to stay & compete for the goalkeeper position but intense Club pressure along with Coach Carlo Ancelotti letting known that team-mate Iker Casillas will be chosen ahead has lead Lopez to rethink his position. Obviously the man is not stupid & can read the "politically" driven signals.

The result is a band aid solution to a complex situation that Real Madrid as a Club wanted to avoid at all costs the continuing haemorrhaging this upcoming season. However-my opinion-the Club bends to the majority fan-base & media pressures & forces the "wrong goalkeeper" to leave.  A tough & I believe unfair decision that Diego Lopez finally accepts as a true & grand professional. A great Club man.

According to the cited Spanish TV station, Lopez will return back from the US Tour & settle his contract exit in a low profile manner without stirring up a storm. The player does not wish to speak about the "whole affair" & will begin examining his immediate future with currently looks more heading toward AC Monaco. However, the goalkeeper has a great reputation & many Top European Clubs many race in to give interesting offers. What is assured is that Diego Lopez will be able to exercise his profession with problems soon & without the choking pressure of playing at Real Madrid.

His apparent substitute, new signed Kaylor Navas, has been delaying his return from Costa Rica while Real Madrid solves the "goalkeeper problem". It is speculated that now that Lopez has decided to look elsewhere that Kaylor Navas will fly into Madrid possibly next Sunday to be presented officially next week.

No other Spanish Sports media source has confirmed that Diego Lopez has decided to leave except the Spanish TV "La Sexta". What is a reality is the pressure from the Club on Lopez to exit & that the Iker Casillas is the chosen goalie to start the season.

Stay tuned for more & importantly, for a confirmation. 

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REAL MADRID SIGNS KEYLOR NAVAS FROM LEVANTE

Mayor bombshell that has saturated the front pages of most Spanish Sports daily´s & media today. According to "Marca" REAL MADRID CF has paid the 10M€ contract release clause for 27 year old Costa Rica International & Levante goalkeeper KEYLOR NAVAS. Spanish newspaper "Abc.es" gives details like a 5 year contract with a 2,5M€ net salary/season. All the above has important ramifications for the Real Madrid Goalkeeping area as it will force either Iker Casillas or Diego Lopez to have to leave the Club. 

The Spanish Sports paper "Marca" bets that Diego Lopez will leave to either Italian Club Napoli or to Monaco. Both are very insistent with the possibility of signing Diego Lopez. However, things are not as clear as one would expect & this news piece opens up a variety of unexpected possibilities which still may surprise all of us. 

What seems clear is that Real Madrid wishes to avoid this new season the ongoing debate & continual controversy of Iker Casillas vs Diego Lopez that has split the Club fanbase & fuelled media the last 12 months. 

Earlier last month Spanish TV "Antenna 3" advanced that Real Madrid would sell both Iker Casillas & Diego Lopez, & substitute for Keylor Navas & RCD Espanyol goalie Kiko Casillas. The media source was criticised for announcing  an over exaggerated "prediction" that now seems to be at least a half truth. 

Other sources indicated that Iker Casillas is currently doubting whether to continue at Real Madrid for next season. His bad performance in the Champions League Final, World Cup & continuing criticism has made the apparent interest from Arsenal FC & Paris St Germain a possibility. His Club team-mate Diego Lopez has told his inner circle that he has no intention of leaving Real Madrid & feels better than last season to keep fighting for the Clubs Nº1 goalie position. 

All this leaves open the following upcoming scenarios:

• Although "Marca" gives the scoop of Real Madrid signing Keylor Navas, we need to wait for an official Club announcement,
• The arrival of Keylor Navas will cause either Diego Lopez or Iker Casillas to leave the Club,
• Most media sources speculate that Diego Lopez will leave for either Napoli or Monaco,
• Iker Casillas leaving instead has gained strength in the last days. Club candidates are Arsenal FC or Paris St Germain,
• The possibility of both Diego Lopez & Iker Casillas leaving is still a viable option,
• If both leave, the new look Real Madrid goalkeepers would be Keylor Navas & Kiko Casillas (from RCD Espanyol).

As you can read big news if it is confirmed that Real Madrid has signed Keylor Navas, & a big "revolution" with the Real Madrid goalkeeping positions.

Who will leave? Diego Lopez or Iker Casillas? Both? Stay tuned?

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REAL MADRID | MOURINHO PREFERS LOPEZ OVER CASILLAS PLUS SLAMS PEPE

Explosive press conference given this mid-day by Real Madrid Coach José Mourinho. A press conference that has given media overkill material for headlines & speculation with special hammering for current Real Madrid Captain & goalkeeper Iker Casillas & defender Pepe, the latter who defended Casillas with comments after the last Liga match last weekend.

In a nutshell, Mourinho let known that he has no problem with Iker Casillas at all, simply that he likes more Diego Lopez as a goalkeeper & he makes the decision as Coach. Plus he sent a "shiver" down the spine of many players & media observers ( & perhaps the Club ) insinuating that he may actually stay at Real Madrid next season.

Here are some true gems ...selected Mourinho comments which I have translated to English. 

"Me planteo seguir y siempre jugará Diego López conmigo"
"I am thinking in staying,  & Diego Lopez always would play with me"

I think the "I am thinking of staying" is very ironic & sarcastic ( even humorous ) from Mourinho.

When asked about Pepe:
“Su problema tiene un nombre: Rafael Varane”.
"His problem has a name: Rafael Varane"

He later when on to say that the future defensive line of Real Madrid is Varane & Sergio Ramos.

Then he put the final boot in ( nail in the coffin ) for Pepe with:
"No es fácil para un hombre de 31 años, con status y un pasado, ser atropellado por un niño de 19 años".
"It is not easy for a man (player) of 31, with status and a past, be "run-over" by a 19 year old boy" (Varane)

Devastating for Pepe , & just as nightmarish for Iker Casillas.

Mourinho maybe "bluffing" that he will stay at Real Madrid next season as a tactic to stop players speaking out in public before the important Spanish Cup Final against Atletico de Madrid on Friday 17 May. Or not!

Either way we are in for some exciting & explosive stuff in coming days & weeks.

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REAL MADRID | WILL IKER CASILLAS REGAIN HIS GOALKEEPING PLACE ?

Diego Lopez is the current goalkeeper of Real Madrid CF. Born & raised in the "White House" the keeper had to find our pastures to gaze ( ...Villareal, Malaga FC ) in order to practice his profession. One of the reasons for his departure is due to the man that he is now replacing Iker Casillas,  Spanish National Team & Real Madrid Captain. 

The hand injury to the latter which required surgery has sidelined Casillas for up to 8 weeks. With this situation Real Madrid signed a another goalkeeper to fill the position knowing that important & vital Spanish Cup & Champions League matches were on the upcoming schedule.

The Club restored to Diego Lopez, also Spanish International & at Malaga FC where he was not getting the playing time one would expect for a player of his caliber. The Club needed a profile that would adapt quickly to the team & the Club as an institution, who better that Diego Lopez under the circumstances.

After the initial games, Lopez has shown again his abilities & skills being pivotal in the FC Barcelona games ( Spanish Cup & Liga ) & Manchester United clashes. In fact only 4 goals had gone through his "hands" in said encounters, but with more than half a dozen match winning saves. His Coach Jose Mourinho poured praises over his goalkeeper after the Manchester United Champions League match & this signals that Lopez has lived up to/ his expectations. 

This raises the question, a "serious" question. What happens when Iker Casillas recovers?

At this point there is no justifiable reason to replace Diego Lopez, that is, Iker Casillas would be the second goalkeeper. This is exactly what Coach José Mourinho wanted to create, serious competition for the goalkeeping spot as he felt that Iker Casillas was "unconsciously" resting on his "laurels" . This season Casillas has received more criticism than usual for lapses, fixed play mistakes & perhaps not following the Mourinho line of thought. The relationship between the Real Madrid Captain & José Mourinho is said to be strained-tense & that Casillas was a suspected  "supergrass" of the press on dressing-room matters. What now?

I personally think that if Diego Lopez continues this line & in growing form that it will be difficult to see Iker Casillas win back his place this season barring injury to Lopez. The last Tuesday night exhibition by Diego Lopez against Manchester United not only consolidated his position as Real Madrid goalkeeper it has also lifted him psychologically & given him a push in self-esteem perhaps lacking before due to his few minutes at Malaga FC. Diego Lopez has already won his place with his saves & efforts for the Spanish Cup Final & if Real Madrid continue onto the Final of the Champions League objectively & morally Lopez will have solid arguments.

This raises another issue, can Spanish Football National Team Coach Del Bosque justify calling up & placing as goalkeeper Iker Casillas if he isn´t playing? If this does occur we will have another debate, intense in itself & with some possible ramifications for Iker Casillas.

Interesting & changing times ahead  as always at Real Madrid & Spanish Football.

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REAL MADRID SIGNS SEVILLA FC GOALIE DIEGO LOPEZ

The hand injury to REAL MADRID Spanish International Goalkeeper IKER CASILLAS comes at the worst moment for the player & Club as it faces the complicated Champions League & Spanish Cup phases. The worst news however is that the hand fracture could leave out Casillas for up to three months.

Real Madrid has acted rapidly to fill the gap & has signed SEVILLA FC Goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ for 3,5M€. The goalkeeper is a Spanish International & was a key element during the glory years of Villareal before going over to Sevilla FC.

Diego Lopez returns home in a way as he began his Football career as a youngster in the Real Madrid junior levels. This may have been a factor in the signing decision, apart from the fact that Lopez is a very experienced & quality player that can help Real Madrid face the difficult rest of the season with more confidence.

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MANCHESTER UNITED INTERESTED IN DIEGO LOPEZ

The story has been quietly sounding for some time. Spanish sports
daily “Sport” has published today that MANCHESTER UNITED is
seriously thinking in 27 year old VILLAREAL & Spanish International
goalkeeper DIEGO LOPEZ as the substitute for current keeper VAN
DER SAR.

The English daily “The Sun” publishes that Manchester United would
be willing to offer 16M€, a sum that seems low to which SFS is sure
Villareal will ask for a higher amount.

Current Man Utd. keeper Van Der Sar has 39 years of age & suffers
injuries more often, added to this Coach/Manager Ferguson isn’t
convinced 100% with current substitute keeper Ben Foster. Diego
Lopez would be the player to give guarantees & security under

the goal posts

Stay tuned!

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