Spain Calls But Heart Is in Italy

Pablo Mastroeni, club captain of the Colorado Rapids, is getting closer to his dream of playing in Europe. This week, he has received calls, via his representative in Spain and Italy, from two clubs in Spain - Malaga and Seville's Real Betis. The offers are good, says Pablo, but much remains on the table. "We are just keeping the doors open and seeing what comes at the end of November," Mastroeni told me after training today. "I think it's going to be a question of five possibilites and picking what we think is right." Pablo may still remain a Rapids player next season. He says his relationship with Gary Smith is very good and Smith is very keen to hold on to him if the interim coach keeps his job. This would be a great thing for the Rapids fans but you can't stand in the way of a person's dream and Pablo's eyes are clearly on a bigger stage. It may be Spain but he admits that his heart is still set on Italy. But, for now, he is very much a Rapids player and, if today's training is anything to go by, there is increased intensity in the camp as the players head into the last five games. Pablo, himself, and good friend, Mike Petke, had a furious row during scrimmage today but Mastroeni almost welcomed it. "That's what it is all about," he said. "Everyone is increasing the intensity for these last five games and that is what we want. You see a lot of teams giving up in this league at this stage of the season but not here."
There will be some changes in the line-up for this weekend's game against New York and I'll post something on that later.