5.13.2012

Five 'survivors' from the last Spanish Championship

After three years of waiting, Real Madrid has won the Spanish league, again. Mourinho and his 'fighters' can now boast of having added a new league title to the list of 31 that filled the showcases of the museum at the Bernabeu stadium. Since the 2007-08 championship that Schuster's team conquered, many things have changed in the Real Madrid club, from the president to the players.

Guardo of honour performed by Barcelona at Bernabeu stadium in 2008
2007-08 Spanish Championship celebration

From that squad in which Raul and Guti were the captains and had players like Robben, Robinho and Sneijder, there are only five in the current Real Madrid of Mourinho: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Higuain and Marcelo. Interestingly, they have all worn at some point in this campaign the bracelet that gives them the captaincy.

For many, the Real Madrid this season has had one of the best squads in its 110 years of history, tremendously superior to the group that conquered the league managed by Bernd Schuster. Although that Madrid had good players like Cannavaro, Van Nistelrooy, Guti, Robben, Robinho, Sneijder and Raul himself, also lived with other players of dubious quality as Miguel Torres, Heinze, Drenthe, Gago, and Mahamadou Diarra.

Only one year after, that team collapsed after the disastrous management by Ramon Calderon. The club finished the year following the edge of the abyss and the season ended with the return of Florentino Perez to the presidency of the club with the need to "make in one year what should be done in three".

Most of that squad then began a new way. Raul emigrated to Schalke and his friend Salgado went to Blackburn. They will play in Qatar, very soon, the last years of their careers. Gago, after two years without minutes on the field with Pellegrini and Mourinho was transferred to Rome. Drenthe played first for Hercules and now runs for Everton.

Robben went to Bayern Munchen, where has been injured less. Sneijder changed the night of Madrid for the Milan 'clubs' and played at a high level in his first year at Inter. Then, never more. Van Nistelrooy went to Hamburg and last summer returned to Spain thanks to Pellegrini.

Finally, three years after the guard of honour performed by Barca at the Bernabeu, Casillas, Ramos, Higuain, Marcelo and Pepe are the only players that tonight may boast of having won the last two leagues together in Real Madrid. Five players who are, with Cristiano and Xabi Alonso, the 'backbone' of the current white team.

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