International Sami Khedira Fanpage - Real Madrid - Germany National Team

23.04.13 Sami Khedira is happy in the shadow

Sami Khedira has reflected on the ‘motivational’ pressure in the Champions League for Real Madrid, as well as his backseat role in the team.

The midfielder is a regular for Los Blancos, but has revealed in an interview published this week that he is happy to not take the limelight at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“I understand perfectly that the spotlight is for Cristiano Ronaldo, Ozil and [Karim] Benzema,” commented Khedira to UEFA’s official magazine released this week.

“It's normal – they're the artists, they're the ones who do scissor kicks, nutmegs, incredible dribbling. We have an incredible team with the best attacking players in the world, but we need to win the ball first.

"My strengths? I am reliable, strong and with a great desire to win. During my early years I looked up to Patrick Vieira. He was very involved up front, very strong in defence, ran a lot, was aggressive and had great skills.”

Even so, Khedira also recognises that Jose Mourinho has played a part in the development of his defensive play. “When I arrived at Real Madrid I had a primarily defensive role. I was there to defend, but with the national team I was always more offensive and José Mourinho realised that. “I was often too impetuous and he has taken that out of my game. He told me to step back a little, play smarter, use my head more.

“I used to think I had to slog my guts out to help the team the best I could. I play in a subtler, calmer way now. “He has made me a strategist. He is one of the best coaches there is, and the best I've ever had. He sees the strengths in every single player and always wants to get the best out of you.”

This week sees Khedira and teammate Ozil return to Germany and face Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. “When I came to Madrid, everyone was talking about ‘La Decima’. Since I didn't speak any Spanish, I didn't know what they were talking about. “It took a while for me to understand, but at Madrid ‘La Decima’ is everything.

“Pressure? The Champions League is not pressure, it's our goal. In the team there is a desire to win the Champions League – our goalkeeper Iker Casillas is the only player who has won any of the nine. “Pressure is always there at Real Madrid, we are used to it. I want to win trophies – that's been my ambition since the beginning of my career – which is why pressure is not a problem. “It's probably more of a motivation than a burden.”

10.04.13 Sami Khedira - Großes kicker Interview (german only)

50 Jahre Bundesliga - 2007 - Sami Khedira und die Deutsche Meisterschaft mit dem VfB Stuttgart.

12.03.13 - Khedira: "My life at Real Madrid is perfect"

"Real Madrid has been a lucky break for me".

Sami Khedira is one of those players who doesn't hide his good fortune, both making a living playing football and playing at Real Madrid. He says as much on his website, where the German comes out of his shell and shows his more personal side. "My life at Real Madrid is perfect. I feel very much at home in Spain and all I can say is that I’m the luckiest person in the world since I joined this club," Khedira said on his site.

The German is enjoying some of his best moments at the club. The fans are taking note of the hard work he does for the team and he knows that he’s always had the backing of his teammates and Mourinho, the man who's shown the most faith in him.

Mourinho predicts a great future for Khedira at Real Madrid: "He has to stay here for many years. Why would a player as intelligent as him want to leave? Sami does amazing things on the pitch and he's mastered his position perfectly".

Özil is his best friend: "On a personal level he's an important person for me. He's my brother at Real and playing alongside him and seeing him every day gives me great confidence, which I also give him". Cristiano Ronaldo also praises the German: "He doesn't joke about much, but when he does tell a joke, it cracks you up. Sami is great for Real Madrid, both on and off the pitch".

Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira says the team have turned a difficult situation around after discussing internally where things had been going wrong.

Jose Mourinho's side appeared in disarray before the winter break, conceding six goals in their last three games of 2012, while losing to Celta Vigo and Malaga and drawing at home to Espanyol. They then returned after Christmas with a helter-skelter 4-3 home win over Real Sociedad. Since that game, Madrid have improved appreciably, winning three of their last four matches, scoring 11 times while conceding none, and appeared to be back to their very best in Sunday's La Liga 5-0 thrashing of Valencia. Germany international Khedira said the squad had worked hard to put things right, especially by tightening up defensively.

"We were in a difficult situation and we were not getting good results," Khedira said, "but we spoke among ourselves and we have worked hard in these last weeks. We are on a good path. We are more compact on the field.
"When you lose games, you have to change things. We had to play tighter. We have improved especially in defence. Then with Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Angel) Di Maria and Mesut (Ozil) we have a great counter. We have worked on our strong points, as Mourinho has taught us. It could be that players who were not at their maximum level before have got there now."

Khedira was speaking at Madrid's Valdebebas training facility during preparations for Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final second leg at Valencia, which sees the teams meet for a third time in eight days. Even with his side 2-0 up from last week's first leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and Valencia reeling from Sunday's 0-5 hammering at Mestalla, Mourinho is unlikely to make wholesale changes to his starting line-up. Ricardo Carvalho could come in at centre-back, while Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Marcelo are other options to freshen things up. Khedira said Madrid would not just sit back and look to defend their lead at Mestalla.

"We won the first leg 2-0, which is a comfortable advantage," he said. "To keep a clean sheet is important

but it is also important to score. We must set out to attack and give everything to win the game. Like every game, it begins 0-0."
Should Madrid progress as expected they will next face either Barcelona or Malaga, who meet in La Rosaleda on Thursday with their tie balanced at 2-2 from the first leg. It was too early yet to think about the semi-final against either side, Khedira said.
"We do not need to think about the next round," he said. "We must concentrate on this moment. It matters little to us if we need to face Malaga or Barca. They are both strong. When the moment comes we can then talk about that."

The former Stuttgart player, feted recently in the local media for his improved attacking contribution after providing two goals and two assists in his last seven games, said the backing of his coach and team-mates were what mattered to him. "I feel very good at the moment, in perfect shape," Khedira said. "For me the most important thing is that the coach and technical staff are happy with my work. I am in a good moment, but I am going to aim to keep this level and be consistent."

In an exclusive interview with bwin ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, Sami Khedira Real Madrid's Sami Khedira talks exclusively to bwin about the challenge of facing English title holders Manchester City ahead of the two teams' crucial Champions League Group D fixture on Wednesday, November 21st.

The Germany international is full of respect for Wednesday's opponents, but believes the Blancos can emerge victorious with the right approach. Los Blancos currently sit second in Group D with seven points from four games, while City is bottom of the group after picking up just two points.

"City have fantastic players and they are all capable of being match-winners. It doesn't matter who plays. We'll need to be very focused to try and contain them. They're among the best in the world," Khedira was quoted as saying on the Bwin website. "Dortmund showed us that it's possible to challenge City in Manchester, playing a compact game, fighting for every ball and trying to play your natural game. We shouldn't allow ourselves to be influenced by our opponent, we need to dominate the game with our attacking potential."

Madrid recorded a 3-2 win over City at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this campaign Madrid travel to Manchester on Wednesday in high spirits, looking to complete a double over City which would all but guarantee their place in the last 16 and boost their chances of overtaking Borussia Dortmund to top the final group standings.
"If we play a tight game, competing for every ball and trying to impose your style of play, I think we have a good chance," Khedira said. "We must concentrate on trying to play our own way there, not letting ourselves to be influenced by the opponent's style, but instead imposing our strength in attack."
Khedira admitted that City also had their own attacking danger men in Edin Dzeko, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Mario Ballotelli, but would not single out any particular individual. "Each one of these players has too much quality for us to concentrate on just one of them," he said. "Each has enormous quality and can decide a match. It does not matter who plays, we will have to be very alert to try to control them. They are amongst the best in the world."

The German international, 25, who returned from a hamstring injury with a goal against Athletic on Saturday night, says he feels he is currently playing the best football of his career. "I feel like I am a better player than in previous seasons, but as a footballer you should never say now I am at my best age," he said. "I think I am playing at a very good level, but there is always room for improvement, in every aspect."

source: goal.com + ESPN

17.11.2012 - Sami Khedira Comback after injury - 5:1 Real Madrid - Bilbao

Sami makes a long-awaited return as he comes on for Ozil just after the hour mark - Good way to announce his return: He makes it 5-1 to the hosts!

04.11.2012 - Real Madrid Players Forcast - Sami Khedira ahead of the CL clash against Dortmund

In an exclusive interview with bwin ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, Sami Khedira talks about growing up idolising the legendary Zinedine Zidane and discusses his side's chances of qualifying from the Group of Death.

27.10.2012 - The Importance of being Sami Khedira

With Spanish papers chronicling Jose Mourinho’s dilemma in replacing Sami Khedira due to injury, Mina Rzouki analyses the player’s importance.

Suffering an injury that forced him off the field against Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid relinquished control and eventually fell to the mighty Germans leaving critics questioning the existence of the Khediradependencia notion.

In a squad full of the world’s greatest creative and offensive talent, Sami Khedira has often slipped under the radar, underrated and forgotten despite providing the shine that makes the jewels of Madrid gleam. Putting his ego aside to abide by the laws set by Coach Jose Mourinho, the German is the ultimate team player who puts the collective ahead of his own personal glory, making him a vital cog in the Madrid engine.

Running over 10km a match, Khedira is by the far the most energetic player Los Blancos have but he is also one of, if not the most, tactically intelligent men playing under Mourinho in Madrid. A box-to-box player tasked with winning the ball and covering space, he is equally effective when surging ahead to take a shot on goal or provide the key pass as he is in occupying space to shield his defence.

No game showed off his duality as well as the one against Deportivo de La Coruna this season in which he provided more key passes than any other attacking player, whilst simultaneously acting as their best defender by tackling and intercepting passes better than any other defensive player within the squad. He does this all despite producing less fouls on average than almost every other player playing in his role.

“Mourinho told me to ‘step back a little, play smarter, more with your head!’ I used to think I had to slog my guts out to help the team even more. Thanks to Mourinho, I now know that this harmed the team more than it helped. He has made me a strategist,” explained a grateful Khedira to Welt Online. A strategist he has become, when Madrid attacks, he is carefully thinking of the defence and how to cover space to stop the opponent from counter-attacking. When he is defending, he is sourcing the key pass that would unleash the squad’s lethal attackers.

Consistently underrated, the loss of the player against Dortmund perfectly proved his indispensability. Without his dynamism, the Spaniards failed to press as a unit and without his tactical intelligence, Dortmund easily identified the holes within midfield to exploit.

However, no one suffers more than Xabi Alonso in the absence of his midfield partner. With the German alongside him, Alonso can adopt a higher position on the field and dedicate more of his time to creating play quickly. Without Khedira, the Spaniard is often forced to adopt a deeper role to receive the ball free from pressure, which subsequently allows the opponent a few seconds more to stifle Alonso’s passes to either the full-backs or wingers waiting patiently on the flanks.

A leader on the pitch, Khedira never stops playing, remains focused for the entirety of the match and always believes in the win. Off the pitch, he is a strong character who is both respected for his influence and loved for his sense of humour and friendly touch. The man responsible for choosing the songs on the German team bus, his hilarious one liners that include ‘Poldi [Lukas Podolski] is not a man of many words but a man of explicit words’ make him a delight off the pitch as well as on it.

Source: www.football-espana.net / Author: Mina Rzouki / Fotos: dpa/Getty Images

26.10.2012 - Sami Khedira set to miss Duch & Dortmund games

BERLIN: Real Madrid star Sami Khedira is set to miss the next two weeks and both his club's Champions League clash with Dortmund, then Germany's friendly with Holland, after picking up a new leg injury.

The 25-year-old defensive midfielder limped out of Real's 2-1 defeat at Dortmund on Wednesday in the Champions League clutching his left hamstring. It was his first game back after injuring himself in the World Cup qualifier win in Ireland on October 11. Having also missed Germany's 4-all draw with Sweden in last week, Khedira is now set to sit out the next fortnight and will miss Real's return Champions League clash against Dortmund in Madrid on November 6 with his team second in Group D. He is also unlikely to be fit for Germany's international friendly against Holland in Amsterdam on Novemver 14. Since joining Real after the 2010 World Cup, this is Khedira's eighth injury.

Source: AFP / Foto: SID/AFP Images

25.10.2012 - Sami Khedira suffers thigh injury

The "Royals" not only lost the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, but also their holding midfielder. Sami Khedira's evening was finished finished after 19 minutes. Because of thigh problems the 25-year-old was not able to go on - coach Jose Mourinho took Khedira out of the game and brought Luka Modric. The severity of the injury is determined in the next few days.

Khedira had been strugglingwith the same problems during Germany's World Cup qualifying match against Ireland two weeks ago. In that match the former Stuttgart player was replaced after the first half with Bayern player Toni Kross.

According to a reports of the BILD newspaper, coach Joachim Loew gave notice of Khedira's injury to his Real coach Jose Mourinho by sending him an SMS. Khedira was not in the squad at Germany's spectacular 4-4 against Sweden.The match against BVB was probably still too early.

Source: goal.com / Foto: Reuters

23.10.2012 - Sami Khedira bwin interview

"The atmosphere at Dortmund is one of a kind in Germany"

Sami Khedira, who returned to training as normal with his teammates, warned of the atmosphere awaiting Real Madrid on their visit to Borussia Dortmund.
"I know it well from my time at Stuttgart. It will be a special moment, because the atmosphere is one of a kind in Germany," he said. Mourinho's team is set to visit Borussia Dortmund as the leader of the 'group of death' in this year's Champions League, completed by Manchester City and Ajax, and Khedira warned that the German side is dangerous.

"They're a great team, just like Manchester City. They made it difficult for us in the first game and we only won in the final minute. I think that all three teams – including Ajax, although they're not doing so well on points – are big and we can't say we should only focus on Borussia. If we win in Dortmund we'll have taken a big step towards qualifying at the top of our group," Khedira told 'Bwin'.

Khedira highlighted the players which make up Borussia, last year's Bundesliga champion: "It's a compact team, a block. They play with a lot of pace for the 90 minutes and tactically they're very disciplined. Even if they don't have much experience in the Champions League, they have a lot of quality, especially up front. It's a very good team."

Source: marca.com

26.09.2012 - Sami Khedira kicker interview

"Talking about the World Cup final is completely wrong"

Sami Khedira reckons staying in the present is more important than planning for the future. The Real Madrid midfielder warned Germany not to over think or plan too far ahead for the 2014 World Cup. With "kicker" he talks about the things, that have to change and his new aims with Real Madrid ... read more

23.09.2012 - CL Real - ManCity 3-2 - Post-Match interview of Özil & Khedira in German

Mesut, how did you experience the match? It’s been awesome. In the beginning, 2:1 for Manchester United (!!), than you were able to turn it. How does this argue for the team?

Özil: Of course we’re happy. We knew it would be a hard match. Especially in the first half we were able to control the game, but we had few chances. And only two chances in the second half. We scored twice - plaudit to the team. We fought, we gave it all, and I think we deserved to win.

Sami, after the match against Sevilla, the coach said, he had not seen a team. So in what way did you respond to this today?

Sami: I think, today one could see the motivation of the team. We don’t need to talk about the match in Sevilla, it’s been… it’s been bad, but today we played very, very good from the beginning. We missed to score in the first half and unfortunately, we were in arrears. But then the team really reacted very, very well - but then, to be in arrears a second time… I think we deserve a compliment.

There is always a lot talking about Real Madrid. For example it’s said there a two separated groups inside the team. First one, lead by Sergio Ramos, than the second one made up of the Portuguese around Ronaldo. How do you experience this?

Sami: Oh well, I think, that’s normal for every team. No one would deny that you get along with one better than with another, but we get along very well on the pitch. I can assure you that we are all getting along very well but that you like one better than another is just normal for every team.

Mesut, you came to play in minute 65’, you were on the bench before, today. How do you assess your situation at Real Madrid?

Mesut: I already said that I’m very happy here, at least the coach decides who will play and who won’t. Today I sat on the bench and came in the second half, I’m happy about it, of course. I’m happy about every time I can play at the Bernabéu. The most important thing is that the team won, and… that’s the most important thing, yeah.

Does the coach speak with you about such decisions like you sitting on the bench today?

Mesut: Hehe, even if he spoke with me I wouldn’t say it in public. We really get along very well, he has faith in me and I enjoy it a lot.

And finally, Sami, the next match against Ajax Amsterdam – it’s said, you’re in the “group of death” (Spanish, Dutch, English and German champion). In what situation do you think you are, now that you beat Manchester City?

Sami: Well, I think, it’s been very important to win these three points when looking at our situation. Also because it’s been a home game. We needed to get these points and we got them. Now we have to play against Ajax with same intensity and try to get another three points.

Reporter: Thank you, also for the waiting, thanks.

Found on: www.tumblr.com

19.09.2012 - Champions League: Real Madrid - Manchester City 3-2

The Spanish champions needed late goals from Karim Benzema and Ronaldo to turn a 2-1 deficit into a win in their opening Group D encounter. The night ends in misery for Roberto Mancini's men despite two shock goals as Cristiano Ronaldo's dipping effort seals a dramatic but deserved victory for Los Blancos.

18.09.2012 - Sami Khedira Press Conference for Real Madrid

Sami Khedira accompanied Jose Mourinho in the Real Madrid City newsroom.

The white-team midfielder is conscious of the importance the beginning of the foremost continental competition has for his team in terms of both sports and spirit: “It’s normal to not have very high self-esteem when you don’t start as well as you should, but tomorrow is a very good opportunity to win, and recuperate it 100%."

The German player, who said that football is the “priority” in his life, also talked about the way they should dispute all the competitions they enter into: “It’s very difficult to concentrate on a single competition. The Champions gets us going, but we could say that the Liga isn’t enough and defending the Liga title motivates us. All competitions get me going and we have to have the same concentration for all of them.”
Referring to Group D, which includes his team together with three other champions of their respective Leagues—Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, and Manchester City—he said: “We’re four top level teams that are champions in our respective Leagues. I’m always happy to play against the best, and even better if it’s in the last phase. We’re all at the same level and the games are going to be decided by very little".

When asked about Mourinho’s words in the newsroom of the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, the German football player couldn’t have been clearer: “I think we’re a team. The coach has the responsibility and we have the responsibility to play well. We have to play better to give the best of ourselves. The coach is right and we played a very poor game. He has every right in the world to say what he wants before public opinion".

Source: realmadrid.com / Alberto Navarro

14.08.2012 - Löw & Khedira lament German misfortune

Germany coach Joachim Löw refused to criticise his team after last night's 3-1 defeat to Argentina in an international friendly in Frankfurt.

A red card for goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler after half an hour proved to be the turning point, according to Low, who was nevertheless satisfied with the way his team fought with only 10 men for two thirds of the match. "We started very well for 20 or 25 minutes and then the red card meant we were chasing the game," he said. "Then there was the own goal and it was difficult for us after that against class players like (Lionel) Messi, (Gonzalo) Higuain or (Angel) di Maria. We made a few tactical mistakes, but the players gave everything. It is hard to get at them early when you have a man less. We managed it in the first 20 minutes, but not afterwards."

Sami Khedira, whose unfortunate own goal put Argentina on the road to victory just before half-time, agreed the dismissal had changed the complexion of the game. "We had done really well before the red card," he said on the German Football Association's website.

"We needed a bit of time to find our feet after it. The result was fair in the end but, with a bit of luck, we could have got a draw out of it. I am sorry about the own goal - it is my first one ever."

Meanwhile, Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella applauded his side, but admitted playing against ten men had eased the task considerably. "There was one decisive moment and that was the penalty and the red card for Zieler," he said. "Up to then, Germany were even on top of the game. Messi played a good game, particularly in the second half."

Source: goal.com

14.08.2012 - Khedira: Germany squad trust Löw

The 25-year-old believes that only the squad should be blamed for the Euro 2012 semi-final loss to Italy and that the criticism aimed at the 52-year-old is unnecessary.
The 52-year-old's decision to field Toni Kroos as an auxiliary central midfielder in the 2-1 Euro 2012 semi-final loss to Italy was greeted with widespread criticism in his homeland. But the Real Madrid midfielder insists the former Stuttgart boss has the trust of all of his players and believes that they should have beaten Cesare Prandelli's side.

"We are 100 per cent confident in him," he announced at a press conference. "We have no doubt because he is a competent coach. "A trainer proves his worth by making risky decisions and no one can blame him for his starting line-up in the semi-final of the European Championship. We, the players, were the ones on the pitch.

"We had many chances to score before the Italians got their goal and should also not have been 2-0 down. We didn't do what we did against Greece in the quarter-final against Italy."

Source: goal.com

08.08.2012 - Mourinho hails Khedira as best in his position

The Portuguese tactician could not understand why Real Madrid players are berated in sporting circles as he took up the case of face-planting goal hero, Khedira.

Sami Khedira - Real Madrid

For Real Madrid, it is another season and another twist in the tale with a similar story. The Capital club have come under criticism for all kind of actions and baseless allegations, according to first team head coach, Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho took up the case of Fabio Coentrao and Sami Khedira, questioning the bases on which the duo are criticised in the Iberian Peninsula. The former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager shared that the media wants to promote negativity and are doing a good job by the public execution of his stars.

Continuing on the topic, Mourinho rejected statements that the duo have underperformed for Los Blancos. He asked for a better player to replace Sami Khedira in Real Madrid first team, stating that there is none as the Germany International is that said player.
"I cannot understand why Khedira and Coentrao are criticised all the time in Spain," he told Spox. "This is because the media are always looking to write something negative. I currently do not know any other player that is better than Sami in his position."

Source: better.com / Foto: Getty Images

24.06.2012 - DFB-Interview: "The hardest match so far"
"A high-performer in central midfield, Germany’s Sami Khedira has been shining as a shrewd strategist, tireless box-to-box player, and scorer of goals. On the day after his team’s 4-2 EURO 2012 quarter-final win against Greece, he spoke to DFB.de writer Steffen Lüdeke about his duties on the pitch and the joy that lies in special challenges ... read more

22.06.2012 - Classy Khedira pulls strings for Germany

Midfielder Sami Khedira played an integral role in Germany's dynamic attacking display as the Mannschaft dispatched Greece 4-2 to reach the UEFA EURO 2012 semi-finals. The skill with which Sami Khedira dictated Germany's dynamic attacking game earned him the plaudits as the Mannschaft overwhelmed Greece 4-2 to reach the final four ... read more

20.06.2012 - WELT-Interview: "We want to become immortal"

Germany's midfielder Sami Khedira speaks in an interview with"Welt Online" about the interaction with Bastian Schweinsteiger,the honesty of Jose Mourinho and his girlfriend's outfits.

Mario Gomez? Bastian Schweinsteiger? Philipp Lahm? When it comes to Germany's most consistent player in the European Championship, usually one name is mentioned most: SamiKhedira. The defensive midfielder has developed during his two years at Real Madrid to a world-class player ... read more

15.06.12 - ZEIT-Interview: "Just Like It Is With Kids"

Sami Khedira discusses Italian courage, Spanish pride, German ways of playing and the question of what footballers shouldn't be allowed to do ... read more

5-2012 - Sportbild: Sami Khedira over Manners, Morals & Integration
Sportbild: Sami Khedira, what do you think when you hear the word “Integration” ?

Sami Khedira: This word became a theme for the first for me in 2009. We had a great many players with immigrant backgrounds in the team that year and I came to ask myself why this should be. All of a sudden there was so Ramelow, Nowotny, or Schneider on the pitch but Ozil, Boateng and Khedira ... read more

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