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Former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert says there is no game in football as big as El Clasico.

Los Cules host Real Madrid on Saturday evening and despite there being a 10 point gap between the sides in the table with the Catalans looking set to retain their title the ferocity and intensity on the day will be the same as ever.

Former Dutch forward Kluivert played in many big games throughout his playing career having scored for Ajax in the Champions League final and represented AC Milan in many derbies against Inter.

But speaking to Omnisport, the ex- Barca man said playing in a Clasico is the most intense game in world football.

He stated: “Those games are amazing, you don’t have any other Clasico around the world. I played Inter against Milan, but Barcelona-Madrid is a different ball-game.”

He went on to describe the feeling on netting a winner while playing as the away team, saying it is a particularly sweet moment – hopefully one a Real player can experience this Saturday!

“All the games that I played at the Nou Camp and Bernabeu [were memorable], especially the Bernabeu if you won the game. It’s a perfect and beautiful stadium to play in. But if you win a game in Santiago Bernabeu it gives such a boost to individual players and the team, of course,” he commented.

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james-rodriguez

Former Colombia and Newcastle United playmaker Faustino Asprilla says compatriot James Rodriguez needs to be appreciated more by Real Madrid to perform at his best.

The World Cup 2014 top scorer joined Los Blancos from Monaco for 75 million euros two years ago and impressed many in his opening season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, his second season has been tougher for the 24-year-old. A loss of form and more rotation in and out of the team have seen him come under scrutiny from the media and fans.

Some reports suggest the club is ready to listen to offers for Rodriguez with Manchester United and Chelsea leading the queue for his signature.

But Asprilla said Rodriguez, who remains a star performer for his national side, just needs to be shown more love by his club and Madridistas.

The ex-Colombia international told Marca: “It’s not that James performs better for the Colombian national team than at Real Madrid, but with Colombia they give him the importance a player with his characteristics needs. At Real Madrid they are not giving him the importance he needs. He is a young guy, with a lot of talent, but James has not been given the love he needs by his club.”

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Tottenham Hotspur are planning to request Real Madrid Mateo Kovacic’s loan for next season, Italian website Calciomercatto has reported.

The 21-year-old midfielder is not getting many minutes of play since Zinedine Zidane took on the manager job, and some at the Santiago Bernabeu believe he should leave on loan to keep growing as a player.

Spurs are looking for a midfielder to reinforce their squad for next season, and Mauricio Pochettino believes the Croatia international would be the perfect man for the job.

According to the latest Real Madrid transfer news, Sevilla and AC Milan have also shown an interest in landing the Croatian.

Kovacic arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer from Inter Milan in a 30-million-euro move. The midfielder has made 16 appearances this season, most of them as a substitute, scoring one goal.

Real Madrid have targeted several players to reinforce their midfield line this summer, one of them Spurs star Dele Alli, and that would make it more difficult for Kovacic to get minutes of action. Thus, a loan could be the best option for the Croatian. Should Los Blancos decided to make an offer for Alli, they could be willing to use Kovacic’s loan to cheapen the deal.

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Real Madrid midfielder Isco says he and James Rodriguez should not be singled out as the reason why the team has under-performed this season.

The pair have not been at their best this campaign and reports in the media have suggested the 10-time Champions League winners could look to offload both of them when the transfer window opens in the summer.

Isco has been linked with a move to the Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester City leading the chase while Seria A side Juventus are also believed to be keen. Chelsea, meanwhile, have long had an interest in James, who joined Real from Monaco for 75 million euros.

Speaking to Cadena Cope earlier this week, Isco admitted he was not at his best this season but the fact that Real are out of the hunt for the title and have looked shaky in big games is not solely down to him and his Colombian team mate.

“It’s been a very difficult season but I do not think everything that happens to Real Madrid is the fault of James and me,” he commented.

He also spoke about his angry reaction to being substituted in the narrow win over Las Palmas a fortnight ago, saying he was frustrated with his own performance but that many players react in the same way.

“After the game against Las Palmas I was angry with myself and I do not think I’m the first player to have done that,” he said.

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Barcelone forward Leo Messi has said he does not like comparisons between him and Real Madrid counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo adding that he just wants to focus on his own performances and helping he team to success.

Messi and Ronaldo are widely considered as two of the greatest players to have ever played the game. Between them, they have won the past eight Ballon d’Or trophies and have set all sorts of records between them.

Much debate is carried out in the media worldwide as well as pubs, bars and living rooms across the globe as to who is the best between the two.

But speaking to MBC, Messi said he does not like the comparisons.

“The press is always looking for comparisons and those kinds of things. The only thing I care about is helping my team and to keep on improving each season. I am not comparing myself to Cristiano Ronaldo or to anyone else. I am only thinking about myself and my team-mates and winning games,” he said.

With the Clasico just one week away, the Argentina striker warned his team mates not to take Real lightly despite an underwhelming season for Los Blancos.

He stated: “Real Madrid have some great players. They have always had some impressive stars and are one of the best teams in the world. They are always a complicated rival for Barcelona. They always make life difficult for us in the race for the Liga title. There is a lot of competition and we always try to do better than them.”

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Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo says he would love if it he son became a top footballer one day but will not force him into a career in the beautiful game.

In an interview with Chinese TV channel Zhejiang Satellite TV, the 31-year-old revealed his son, Cristiano Jr, loves kicking a ball around at home and even at the young age of five year old is already showing signs that he can one day be a top athlete.

Real’s all-time leading goalscorer said: “I want my son to be a player. I am a footballer and I want him to be one too. I think he has something of an athlete about him, he has athletic characteristics. Obviously he is very young, a baby, he’s only five but he loves football, that is a big plus.”

He revealed that his son is always playing with a ball at home but admitted he would not force Cristiano Jr into playing football if he doesn’t want to.

He continued: “I have 30 balls at home, he is always with the ball and he loves it. But I will not force him to be a player because it comes naturally, it has to be his choice.He will be whatever he wants to be, I am not going to push him at all.”

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Gianluigi Donnarumma

Promising Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport has reported the 17-year-old has caught the attention of several European giants, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Los Blancos.

Donnarumma, who plays for AC Milan, has made a big impression in Italy. He has made his debut with the first team this season and he has been able to earn the starting goalkeeper role, sending former Real Madrid man Diego Lopez to the bench.

The young stopper, who is considered the next Gianluigi Buffon, has made 22 appearances this season, conceeding 17 goals.

AC Milan are not willing to let their wonderkid go easily. According to the latest transfer rumours, the Italians would only consider selling if they receive a 40-million-euro offer. It seems highly unlikely that any club will pay that amount for a player that has barely started playing at a professional level.

Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi is planning to extend Donnarumma’s contract, as he believes he could be the crucial piece to start building a legendary team.

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Xavi Hernandez
Xavi Hernandez - STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Former Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has suggested Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is not intelligent.

The 36-year-old, who currently plays for Qatari side Al-Sadd, was asked to compare Ronaldo and Leo Messi in a recent interview with The New Arab. The midfielder was very clear about it: “Messi is the best player in the world.”

“In football, there are two important elements: fitness and intelligence. Ronaldo is very fit but Messi has both the fitness as well as the intelligence, so simply put he is better,” Xavi said, suggesting the Portuguese lacks intelligence.

Asked about the differences between the two players, Xavi added: “Ronaldo is a goalscorer, and Messi is also a goalscorer; however, Messi is a much better team player than Ronaldo.”

Xavi spoke to the Arab website ahead of the Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Asked about the best players he faced in these derbies, the Spaniard said: “I’ve played against many great players, but those I cannot forget are Ronaldo Nazario, Luis Figo, Raul, Fernando Hierro, Roberto Carlos and Zidane. And in the recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil. But overall, I would said the best were Zidane and Ronaldo the Brazilian.”

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Niklas Sule
Niklas Sule during a Bundesliga match - DANIEL ROLAND/AFP/Getty Images

Real Madrid are reportedly eyeing German centre-back Niklas Sule, who has become one of the most sought-after defenders in the Bundesliga.

According to German television station Sports 1, Los Blancos are very interested in bringing Sule and they are ready to offer 1899 Hoffenheim 12 million euros.

The 20-year-old is a player of great physical strength and defensive skills. He has quickly become one of the leaders at Hoffenheim. According to the latest transfer rumours, many European giants have shown an interest in signing him, including AC Milan, Torino, Wolfsburg and Liverpool.

Sule grew up at Hoffenheim youth system and made his debut with the first team in 2013. Since then, he has made 69 appearances, scoring five goals.

He has also been a key player in all the Germany national youth teams. He is currently a member of the Germany Under-21 squad.

Hoffenheim are fighting to avoid relegation. Should they fail in remaining at the Bundesliga, it would be easier for Los Merengues to bring Sule, whose contract expires on June 2019.

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Karim Benzema

Ex-France striker Djibril Cisse says Karim Benzema should be included in the squad for the European Championships this summer no matter whether the blackmail case he is involved in is over or not.

The Real Madrid man has made the wrong headlines this season for his participation in an attempt to extort money from international team mate Matieu Valbuena to get rid of a sex tape the Lyon man featured in.

In the autumn, the French FA confirmed they would not select the striker until the case is resolved. He was banned from communicating with Valbuena by the prosecutor but that has since been lifted, leaving the door open for a possible return for Benzema to the French set up.

Polls in the French media have shown the fans do no agree with Benzema being called up to Les Bleus in the summer as it may be too much of a distraction as they try to win the tournament on home soil. France last won the European Championships in 2000.

Speaking to Public, Cisse said: “The ethical problem? I don’t care! The issue isn’t resolved but it would be a bad idea to not bring Benzema. He walks on water on the field and Les Bleus need him.”

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