This is something would like to write more, but for some reason let it lagged behind. My passion for football/soccer/calcio is huge. I am the one who yelled screamed and sing/dance even in bars when the games of my beloved team is on. Therefore, on a sunny day in my Morbihan Breton, let me tell you more about one of my passions. I will do this one in my black and white series, no pictures! Plenty of them in my blog already.
I have written before several blog posts on the sport and my team, and La Liga (the league as its call in Spain). I think you will have plenty to read on the history ,the passion, and the game as well as Madrid above. However, beyond me just remember August 13 (Friday) is the start of the new season 2021-2022 and the first game of La Liga!
As so much written on my Real Madrid and the La Liga will be brief, sort of a special announcement!! The webpage for La Liga and schedule is here : https://www.laliga.com/en-GB/laliga-santander/calendar
Our first Liga game will be against Deportivo Alavés tomorrow August 14. Away game! 22h our time. And this will start the 91st football season in Spain! The Comunidad de Madrid will have four teams this year Mine Real Madrid, the arch neighbors of Atletico de Madrid, the south town of Getafe, and my sentimental team Rayo Vallecano from the Vallecas district of Madrid.
The teams playing in the Champions league from Spain will be Real Madrid, Atletico de Madrid, Barcelona, Villareal (Vila Real) ,and Sevilla. The second tier Europa league will have Real Sociedad (San Sebastian) and Real Betis (Sevilla).
The Real Madrid has significant changes for this year with a new coach Carlo Ancelotti who has come back for another chance replacing Zinedine Zidane. We are missing our great Captain Sergio Ramos gone to PSG France! Already as last year will be a very tight league with the above teams on top.
Our women team in its second historical year in the LIga Iberdrola (1St division) will be playing tomorrow as well at Cacereño but a friendly game not official competition. The first official match will be about September 4-5 vs Levante away game time not yet confirm. They will be under same coach David Aznar.
The men’s team will have the following players this season
Goalkeepers: Courtois (Belgium) and Lunin (Ukraine)
Defenders: Carvajal, Militao (Brazil), Alaba (Austria); Nacho, Marcelo (Brazil), Odriosola, Méndy (France) and Vallejo
Midfielders: Kroos (Germany), Modric (Croatia), Casemiro (Brazil) Valverde, Lucas Vazquez, Isco, Ceballos, and Odegaard (Norway)
Forwards: Hazard (Belgium), Benzema (France), Asencio, Jovic (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Bale (Wales), Vinicius (Brazil) ,Rodrygo (Brazil), and Mariano (Dominican Republic).
Many names missing I know, will be a tough year me think sort of rebuilding all due to the financial strains on clubs impose by UEFA, the Union European of Football Associations.
The official Real Madrid CF webpage: https://www.realmadrid.com/en
A new stadium on the lookout; the Real Madrid CF has been playing since 1947 at the famous historical glorious Santiago Bernabéu stadium with official capacity of 81 044 persons. However, the stadium is been completely redone with even a covered retractable roof and ready to host many events other than football/soccer/calcio! You get here by metro on line 10 stop Santiago Bernabeu or by bus like the 27 or Cercanias trains at Nuevos Ministerios, or walk to it or drive underground parking! The future stadium will look like this: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/history/santiago-bernabeu-stadium/future-santiago-bernabeu-stadium
And of course, you have more from the Madrid tourist office on the Bernabeu: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/santiago-bernabeu-stadium
Last info, the new Santiago Bernabeu will be ready by December 2022. There are talks of holding the game vs Celta de Vigo on September 11-12 2021 at the new stadium as a preview. In the meantime, the Real Madrid CF will be playing its home games at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium in the Ciudad Real Madrid in Valdebebas north of Madrid between the congress hall IFEMA and the Adolfo Suarez international airport of Madrid. Ciudad Real Madrid info here: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/club/ciudad-real-madrid
And more from the Madrid tourist office on the Ciudad Real Madrid city: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/sports/ciudad-real-madrid
There is a Cercanias train to the station in Valdebebas and then taxi to the Ciudad Real Madrid or by car from a point in Retiro park get out on my favorite road A3 direction Valencia but join the beltway M30 to hook up with the M11 then bear left into Avenida Alejandro de la Sota( you will see the IFEMA congress hall on your right) ,go to next street and turn right into the Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, and look for signs for parking.
And I ,of course, can’t wait for it to start. The highlight of the year and the talk of the house. The team this year is a question mark with a new controversial hiring coach, the lost of key players such as above, and not much hiring of importance yet. Wait and see situation,which hopefully will peak by the time Champions league begins! Stay tune plenty of choices to watch it on many channels on many networks and plenty of different languages. Enjoy La Liga !!! and I will try my best to enjoy my Real Madrid CF!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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