We won't be as tired as we were in Intercontinental: Pachuca striker Rondon ahead of Madrid clash
Madrid won that match 3-0 against a Pachuca team that struggled with a heavy schedule.
"We already know what it's like to face Real Madrid, although this time we won't be as tired as we were in the Intercontinental Cup final, where it was clear we were coming off two extremely demanding matches," Rondon was quoted by Xinhua ahead of Sunday's game in Charlotte
"There will be a noticeable difference in that regard, and I think it will be a great match to watch."
The Mexican side must win to keep alive its hopes of reaching the knockout stage after a 2-1 loss to Salzburg in their Group H opener.
Madrid, meanwhile, was held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal in their first game.
Rondon, a key figure in Pachuca's 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup triumph, said he is embracing his role as a mentor to his younger teammates.
"I love being of help. We have a young squad, but one that's eager to progress," the 35-year-old said, adding that he is taking the tournament "very seriously".
"Participating in this tournament means a lot to me. We represent Mexico and CONCACAF, but also, in my case, Venezuela. You see the level of the other participants and realize the magnitude, which is why we approach the tournament with the utmost respect," he said.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid's centre back Dean Huijsen, who has joined the club for seasons earlier this month, said, 'It's a dream come true for me. I think every kid dreams of playing for Real Madrid. It's the greatest club in the world and I'm so happy and really proud to be here."
'It's a great group and there's real togetherness in the dressing room. We're thrilled to have Xabi Alonso here as well. I think he has loads of good ideas and we're going to have some great years together. We are Real Madrid. We have to win and I think we're going to do just that," he added.
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Business Standard
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- Business Standard
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Some fan groups in Spain and the country's players association on Monday expressed their disapproval of the plan to move the match thousands of kilometers away. It has become routine, though, for U.S. pro sports leagues to stage games in Europe, Asia and South America that help build their brands and fan bases. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
United News of India
4 hours ago
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First Post
5 hours ago
- First Post
Real Madrid oppose La Liga's plan to stage Villarreal vs Barcelona match in Miami
Real Madrid have strongly opposed La Liga's plan to stage the Villarreal vs Barcelona match in Miami, calling it a threat to football's integrity. MADRID: Real Madrid said it 'firmly rejects' having a regular-season Spanish league game played in the United States and warned of 'a turning point in the world of football.' Villarreal, in contrast, is promising free travel and tickets for season-ticket holders if its match against Barcelona in Miami is approved in what would be a first for the league. The 17th-round match in La Liga would be played at the Hard Rock Stadium. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Madrid said Tuesday it has taken action to keep the Dec. 20 match from happening in the U.S., claiming it would hurt the 'integrity of the competition' and the 'legitimacy of the results.' More from Football 'The measure, which was taken without prior information or consultation of the clubs participating in the competition, infringes the essential principle of territorial reciprocity, which applies in two-legged league competitions (one match at home and the other at the home of the opposing team), upsetting the competitive balance and giving an undue sporting advantage to the applicant clubs,' Madrid said. The club said the match would set 'an unacceptable precedent that opens the door to exceptions based on non-sporting interests, clearly affecting sporting integrity and risking the adulteration of the competition.' 'If this proposal were to be carried out, its consequences would be so serious that it would be a turning point in the world of football,' Madrid said. The Europe-wide fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said it was 'liaising' with members, soccer stakeholders, affected groups, and partner organizations to 'collectively resist the latest threat to the very nature of football.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We are following the broader impact on football with the utmost concern,' the group said. 'Moving games from their domestic territories strikes at the heart of the relationship between fans and their teams, breaking vital links between clubs and their communities.' The group also criticized a similar move by the Italian league to play a match abroad. The Italian soccer federation said in July that a plan was in motion to play the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in the Australian city of Perth in February. Madrid said it has asked FIFA, UEFA and Spain's top sports body to not authorize the game in the U.S. The Spanish soccer federation on Monday approved a request for the match to be played in Miami. UEFA and FIFA now have to approve the request before it can be made official. 'Any modification of this nature must, in any case, have the express and unanimous agreement of all the clubs participating in the competition, as well as strictly respecting the national and international rules governing the organization of official competitions,' Madrid said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Madrid and Spanish league president Javier Tebas have often been at odds on various issues. The club said UEFA should deny the request to play the game abroad based on the 'criterion established in 2018 that prevents official matches in domestic competitions from being played outside national territory, except in duly justified exceptional circumstances, which are not present here.' Madrid said it asked the country's high sports council 'not to grant the necessary administrative authorization without such unanimous consent.' 'Real Madrid reaffirms its commitment to respect the national and international rules that guarantee the fairness and proper functioning of official competitions, and will defend its compliance with them before all competent bodies,' the club said. Villarreal earlier Tuesday said its season ticket-holders can travel for free and receive free tickets for the match. It said those who don't want to go, or can't go, will get a 20% discount on their season tickets. 'We would be the first (Spanish) team to play a league match abroad,' Villarreal president Fernando Roig told a news conference. 'It would greatly help us expand our brand in a key market like the United States.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Staging a match abroad has long been part of the league's goal to promote soccer and its brand in other countries. It first tried to stage a match in the U.S. in 2018, with a game between Barcelona and Girona, but the idea was dismissed after criticism from players, fans and clubs. Subsequent attempts to play there also failed. The league had offered compensation packages for Girona fans in 2018. It wasn't clear whether it would be Villarreal or the league paying for the travel and tickets for the club's fans this time. The attempts to play in the U.S. are part of the league's long-term partnership with sports and entertainment group Relevent Sports, which is part of Stephen Ross' portfolio of companies including Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins, the Formula One's Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis tournament. Earlier this year, it was announced that New York-based Relevent Sports has exclusive negotiating rights over the global commercial rights to the UEFA men's club competitions for the period 2027-2033. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD FIFA moved last year toward ending decades of soccer tradition by ordering a review of its policy that blocks domestic league games being played in other countries. Some fan groups in Spain and the country's players association on Monday expressed their disapproval of the plan to move the match thousands of kilometers away. It has become routine, though, for U.S. pro sports leagues to stage games in Europe, Asia and South America that help build their brands and fan bases.
