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Food and football: Match made in heavenBy CNN's Chris Dwyer  Ronaldo is one of the stars of Real Madrid. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSMADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Good food is not something generally associated with the beautiful game, but if gastronomy and football are two of your passions, and you are looking for the pinnacle of each, then few cities fare better than the Spanish capital, Madrid. The city's most famous team, Real, have amassed some of the world's greatest players in their stellar line up. Brazil's Ronaldo, France's Zidane and England's David Beckham are just three of the megastars who grace a team that over the years has won more European Cups than any other. Likewise, the city of Madrid has cherry picked the best dishes from around the world, meaning the weekend visitor is presented with a fabulous array of restaurants and international cuisine to choose from. Specialist companies offer all-in weekend football packages combining airfare, hotel and match tickets in the Spanish capital. Invariably a cheaper option however is to organize the weekend on your own terms, meaning of course that more money is left over to make the most of the city's fabulous culinary heritage. With hundreds of flights a day to Barajas airport, including a range of low-cost carriers from across Europe, getting there need never be a problem. Madrid has gone out of its way to accommodate these weekenders and offers the 'Madrid Card' that allows reduced price entry to all the city's iconic sights. The wonders of the Prado, the medieval splendor of the Palacio Real and even bus and metro travel are all heavily discounted in the package. But before the sites and the food comes the football ... The beginning of the football season combines well with the start of cooler temperatures in Madrid and also means that the team's new signings appear competitively in front of the fans for the first time, often before weaker decidedly opposition. An avalanche of goalsOn my visit to the Bernabeu I was lucky enough to see an avalanche of goals as Los Blancos put five past an overwhelmed and totally outplayed Major League Soccer All Star side in a pre-season friendly. Beautifully worked goals came from galacticos including Ronaldo, Beckham and Raul. Things have not been as easy since however and manager Wanderly Luxemburgo has recently been shown the door as a run of bad results have left the team seriously off the pace set by the rampant Barcelona. Aside from key games such as against the bitter rivals from Catalonia (who also forced Real to watch from second place as they were crowned 2004-2005 Primera Liga champions), tickets are generally available for matches. The club's official web site www.realmadrid.com is the best starting point for match details while ticket purchase options include ticket agencies, web sites and taking a chance in person at the ground. Once inside the Bernabeu you quickly appreciate why it is one of the game's great stadia. Vertiginous stands mean that every one of the 80,000 seats has a clear view of the game while the atmosphere and passion generated is simply extraordinary. The games are attended by a wide cross section of Madrileños but you can guarantee that each and every one know their team inside out. A guided tour of the Bernabeu also provides a fascinating insight into the team's illustrious history, with highlights including the nine European Cups and a life size team photo where you can park yourself next to David Beckham and claim your place in football legend. Sublime arts in the kitchenThere are few better ways to round off a night of sublime skills at the Bernabeu with some sublime arts in the kitchen. In honor of Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, first stop is La Cocha who serve one of the best caipirinhas in the world, let alone Madrid. The limes and ice are crushed by hand, brown sugar added in just the right quantity and an insanely generous pouring of cachaca completes the Brazilian classic, while smooth jazz beats in the background. The caipirinha acts as a perfect aperitif to then whet the appetite for tapas, the resolutely and fabulously Spanish tradition of small dishes that speak of both the country and the sea. The delightful décor of 'El Madrono' (just off the Plaza Mayor) draws many alone, but the food's the true star. Patatas Bravas and chorizo combine the subtle kick of smoked paprika, boquerones are fabulously fresh whole anchovies, while deep fried calamari come with rich mayonnaise benefiting from the faintest touch of lemon juice. A thin slice of Manchego or some salted almonds add to one's thirst and so the night continues. Indeed, the particular joy of tapas is that one is meant to bar hop throughout the night, sampling a little glass of amontillado sherry here, a cerveza there, before many then go on for a full dinner. After watching the exertions at the Bernabeu before sitting down to great cocktails and marvelous food, a gentle stroll through the cool Madrid night can only be a good thing. 
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