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Both Madrid sports newspapers put their focus in Real Madrid basketball team victory over Barcelona in the fifth leg of the Spanish ACB league final which gave Los Blancos their 31st national title.

“Kings of the league”, says Marca in a pun of words with Reyes -‘kings’ in Spanish-, who was given the MVP of the finals award. “Giants and champions”, titles As. Real won 79-71 in a vibrant match.

Both newspapers also bring to their front pages the latest rumours about Carlo Ancelotti’s signing for Real Madrid. “Russia won’t let Fabio Capello go to Paris Saint Germain and Ancelotti’s transfer is stuck again”, claims As.

Marca states that the Italian manager “has given his blessing” to youngsters Jese Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata to be part of the squad next season.

The Madrid daily also highlights Tottenham’s manager Andre Villas-Boas words about Gareth Bale: “He will not leave Tottenham”, the Portuguese said.

 

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Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is on Real Madrid’s list of potential signings as they see him as the long-term replacement for Xabi Alonso, according to reports in the Spanish press.

Marca said the Turkish-born anchor man, who played a pivotal role in helping Dortmund reach the final of the Champions League, will be targeted by Los Blancos and will arrive next summer – once Alonso’s contract runs out.

Dortmund are unwilling to do business this summer, having already lost Mario Goetze to Bayern Munich. Striker Robert Lewandowsky also look set to leave the club this summer.

But Marca said Madrid’s good relationship with Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp could see them arrange a deal whereby Gundogan would agree a deal for the summer of 2014.

The 22-year-old midfielder, who is thought to be of interest to north London side Arsenal, is valued at around 25 million euros.

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June 17 marked the 10th anniversary of one of the most famous signings ever made by Real Madrid in their long and illustrious history – that of David Beckham. On that day in 2003 Los Blancos officially announced the signing of the English international from Manchester United.

Real paid the British club 25 million euros for the midfielder, plus another possible 10 million depending on the objectives reached, according to reports. “I know I would have regretted my whole life if I had turned down the chance to play for a great club like this”, Beckham confessed as soon as his arrival was made official.

The Englishman’s signing was a blow for Barcelona, since Joan Laporta had won the presidential elections after having announced an agreement with United to sign Beckham, among other promises.

However, Laporta was not able to finally convince Beckham, who didn’t fancy the idea of not playing the Champions League, since Barca had finished sixth in La Liga. “I would like to thank the interest that other great clubs, such as Barcelona, have shown. However, at this point in my career I need to play in the Champions League and I could not let the opportunity to play in such a big club pass me by”, the Englishman stated.

In spite of that, Beckham’s stay at Madrid was not as successful as he would have wished. Beckham, who has been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to football, left the club in 2007 having won only that year’s league title and the 2003 Supercopa. He played a total 155 games for Los Blancos, scoring 20 goals and providing 93 assists.

His official debut with Real took place on August 24 2003, at Son Moix Stadium in Mallorca’s 2-1 victory over Los Merengues in the Supercopa. Beckham played 54 minutes before making way for Claude Makelele.

Beckham’s first goal as a Madridista was in the second leg of that tournament, just three days later, in Los Blancos 3-0 home victory over the Bermellones.

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Young Real Madrid attacker Jese has revealed he feels flattered by comparisons with star player Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 20-year-old had an impressive season with Castilla in the Segunda Division, netting 22 times.

And he admitted he is now ready to battle for a place in the Real Madrid first team.

In an interview with Madrid-based daily Marca, Jese said he enjoys being likened to Cristiano Ronaldo – who he admits is an inspiration and idol to him.

“I have liked a lot of players; the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, but my favourite is Cristiano Ronaldo. I like being compared to him,” he stated.

On his future at the club, he added: “The club president is happy with me. I hope to reach an agreement and stay at the club. I really want to play in the first-team.”

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Former Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon has stated in an interview that he believes club legend Zinedine Zidane is not ready to the top job.

Club President Florentino Perez is still on the search for a new manager following Jose Mourinho’s departure.

PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti remains the hot-favourite to take the job, but it is believed other alternatives are being considered should he remain in Paris – with one of those being 1998 World Cup winner Zidane.

Speaking to Marca, Garcia Remon, a former goalkeeper at Los Blancos as well as coach for three months in 2004, said the pressure of the job would be too much for Zidane at this stage.

He stated: “It is a premature to say that ‘Zizou’ could coach Real Madrid. At the moment this remains a question without an answer. You do not know, nor can you say, who is going to come in.

“It is a very difficult job, where results decide everything. And not just that. Someone who is very mentally strong must come in, and they must let him work in peace. Everyone talks about Madrid and the pressure on the coach will have an impact when it comes to making decisions. “

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The focus in the press today is on Spain’s 4-2 win over Italy in the European Under-21 Championship, which saw three Real Madrid youngsters become European champions – Daniel Carvajal, Nacho, and Alvaro Morata.

“Champions” and “We win again” shout the two Madrid-based papers As and Marca on their front pages.

From a Real Madrid point of view, As carries post –match quotes from Morata, who finished as top scorer in the tournament. “I’ve spoken to the club president and he wants me to stay next season,” he says. He has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks should Los Blancos sign another forward.

Marca says the managerial situation at the Santiago Bernabeu should be cleared up soon, with PSG close to agreeing a deal to hire former Real Madrid and England manager Fabio Capello. Once that is confirmed, the paper says Carlo Ancelotti will be unveiled in Madrid.

Finally, As claims Florentino Perez wants to wrap up Real Madrid’s transfer dealings by the start of pre-season training and will unveil both Isco and Gareth Bale in July.

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Napoli are interested in signing either Sami Khedira or Alvaro Morata as part of the deal that would see Edison Cavani move to Real Madrid, sources have told.

The new manager of the Italian club, Rafa Benitez, has ordered the signing of a centre-half and a striker, and those could be his two favourite options.

According to As journalist Manolete, Benitez himself could have called Morata to try to convince him to join Napoli by assuring him that he would be the starting striker.

As states that Napoli would be willing to pay a high price for Real’s youngster, while La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Morata could see Los Blancos pay a lower amount in cash to take  Cavani to Madrid.

German press have reported that another wish of Benitez would be including Khedira in the transfer to reduce the 63 million euros that the Uruguayan costs and that Florentino Perez is not willing to pay.

However, Real’s directors see the German international as a key piece of Los Merengues squad for next years and will not let him go.

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Real Madrid youngsters Alvaro Morata, Daniel Carvajal and Nacho Fernandez became European champions and helped Spain retain their Under-21 crown with a 4-2 victory over Italy.

Of the three Real players, only Morata started the game. The striker won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals, but in the final he played the role of provider.

A brilliant personal play by Morata allowed Barcelona’s Thiago Alcantara to score the first goal after just six minutes of play.

Immobile drew for the Azzurri soon, but two more goals by Alcantara in the first half almost secured the victory for the Spaniards.

Malaga’s playmaker Isco, who has admitted he will decide whether signing for Real Madrid or Manchester City after the tournament, sealed the win in the 66th minute with a penalty shot.

Borini’s second goal for Italy came too late for the Azzurri to have any chance of reaction.

Neither Carvajal nor Nacho had any minutes of play in the game, but both contributed to Spain’s success with their appearances in the previous rounds.

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Real Madrid left back Fabio Coentrao wants to return to his former club Benfica this summer, according to reports.

A Bola newspaper claimed the 25-year-old is frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities at the Santiago Bernabeu and is eyeing a return to the Estadio de Luz to play under Jorge Jesus.

The Portuguese international has also been linked with a move to Premier League side Chelsea, where he would join up with Jose Mourinho again, and big spending Ligue 1 side Monaco.

But the paper said Coentrao would reject the riches on offer at both sides in favour of a switch back to Benfica after two years in Madrid. Before signing for Los Blancos, he spent four years at Benfica.

The defender believes returning to his homeland would offer him the greatest chance of regular football and he would be happier there than settling into a new country and new league.

Real Madrid and Benfica have some way to go to find common ground for the move to happen. A Bola said Los Blancos would demand a fee of around 20 million euros, while Benfica would prefer to take the player on loan.

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Napoli striker Edison Cavani confessed in an interview to Spanish radio station Cope that Real Madrid “are a beautiful team and every child dreams of playing there”.

“However I belong to Napoli for now and I am just thinking about the Confederations Cup at the moment”, he added.

The Uruguayan international, who played against Spain in his national team’s first match at the tournament, admitted he’s been told about Real’s interest: “We’ll see, because nobody has officially contacted me”.

“Whatever the clubs decide doesn’t depend on me, it will be determined by other factors that will be taken in consideration when this tournament finishes”.

Cavani was part of  Uruguay’s forward line along with Luis Suarez, the other main candidate for Los Blancos striker job. Spain won 2-1 and Cavani describe them as “the best team I have ever played against”.

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