Zaragoza vs Real Madrid preview - Callejon cheerful before Zaragoza trip

Posted Sunday, August 28, 2011 by PA

Real Madrid new boy Jose Callejon is in optimistic mood heading into the new Primera Division season as the capital club look to end Barcelona's reign of dominance.

Madrid start their league campaign with a trip to Real Zaragoza on Sunday as Jose Mourinho's side try to improve on last term when they won the Copa del Rey but finished runners-up to Barca in La Liga and lost to their arch rivals in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Those European matches were marred by controversy, and it was a similar story when the two clubs met again in the Spanish Supercopa earlier this month.

Mourinho again found himself in the spotlight following his behaviour during the second leg at the Nou Camp, where he appeared to put a finger in the eye of Barca assistant Tito Vilanova during a mass brawl at the end of the match.

The Spanish Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Mourinho, who will this season serve a UEFA-imposed touchline ban in Europe after comments made about Barca during the Champions League semi-finals, was under investigation for his role in the incident.

Around the same time there were rumours of Mourinho possibly leaving Madrid, but the Portuguese quickly quashed those in an open letter to supporters on the club's official website.

Callejon, who re-joined Madrid from Espanyol this summer having left the Bernabeu as a youngster in 2008, is delighted that Mourinho is going nowhere and hopes this season will see the former Inter Milan and Chelsea boss lead the club back to the top of the tree in Spain.

"He (Mourinho) wants to continue here and win titles this year, and we are with him. We are very pleased he's staying and, as well as that, we're convinced that it's going to be a good season and hopefully we will win titles," Callejon was quoted as saying in AS.

"I believe everyone, fans and players alike, support Mourinho. That's clear."

Madrid, who have also brought in Fabio Coentrao, Nuri Sahin, Hamit Altintop and Raphael Varane this summer as well as Callejon, head to Zaragoza looking to avenge their 3-2 defeat at the Bernabeu in April.

That result went a long way to helping Zaragoza avoid relegation last season, with the result being one of four victories in the final six games for Javier Aguirre's side.

Midfielder Leo Ponzio hopes they can pick up where they left off this campaign, saying: "Real Zaragoza have to be the same as they finished last season. We must keep clean sheets, something that gives you confidence to attack.

"We don't want to suffer as much as we've done in recent seasons, we want to enjoy it."

Regarding Sunday's opponents, he added: "It's a Madrid team with aspirations, who have great players and will want to start the season with a win."