by Ryan D. Jaeger
While English football fans enjoyed the start of the new English Premier League season on the weekend, Spanish football fans must wait until Saturday, August 28 before the start of the highly anticipated
2010-11 La Liga season.
But until that day, which will no doubt see the highest number of Spaniards perched in front of their TVs since the nation won the coveted 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa a month ago, La Liga teams are still 'fine tuning' their final lineups.
One such team is not
Real Madrid, runners-up to current La Liga champs Barcelona, who has at its helm respected manager José Mourinho. Uncharacteristically for a football manager, Mourinho recently told reporters he is happy with the team.
'I cannot want more than what the team is giving me,' said the manager. 'I am happy with my team. Although we are not yet a team tactically, the mentality is good. There is a team in there.' Such confidence should bode well in the season ahead.
Mourinho received a feather in his cap from German star midfielder Mesut Ozil, who says he wants to play for Real Madrid despite the fact he's in a bidding war between his Bundesliga club, Werder Bremen, and Serie A champions, Inter Milan.
According to reports, Ozil was prepared to pack up his gear and head off to Madrid, but then his club rejected Real's last bid of €14 million euros in lieu of the reported €30 million euros Internazionale is prepared to pay for the talented 21-year-old.
However, Ozil's father Mustafa, recently stated that Mesut promised Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, that if Werner Bremen did not let him go this season, then next year he would come to Real Madrid for free upon the expiry of his contract.
