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James Rodriguez says the Real Madrid fans had every right to voice their opinion and boo him in recent weeks as he has not been up to par.

The Colombian has been the target for a small group of supporters unhappy with his contribution as Real stutter in La Liga. He was subject to some boos in the early stages of the win over Roma on Tuesday evening but those boos turned to cheers when he netted the team’s second goal of the night.

Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, James said: “The fans want a nice game and when not everything goes so well, they have every right to boo. I just try to play well, and they know when it is right and when it is wrong. The whistles are part of football.”

The 2014 World Cup top scorer went on to praise boss Zinedine Zidane for his patience and hailed the new boss for the impact he has had at the club since taking over two months ago.

“Zidane takes care of every player and I have always tried to give my best. I try every day to grow more and to help the team so we can do well. I scored today but I’m going to keep on working hard every day, because Real Madrid is a very demanding club,” he commented.

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Former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves doesn’t think Real Madrid will scare any of the other big clubs in Europe this season after their show against Roma on Tuesday.

Los Blancos won 2-0 on the night (4-0 overall) with Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez seeing off the Seria A. But the visitors had plenty of chances with the score still at 0-0 to haul themselves back into the game.

Hargreaves, now a TV pundit with BTSport told television viewers after the final whistle that he doesn’t think Real will cause much concern for the likes of Munich and Barcelona – considered the two favourites to lift the trophy this season.

He stated: “That performance won’t scare anyone in the Champions League. Before you would have thought Real Madrid are one of the top teams but that was careless. They could have been down in that game but the only difference was they took their chances.”

Hargreaves’ opinion is different to that of our editor, Paul Collins, who earlier this week gave an interview with Bettingrunner.com in which he said Los Blancos have got to go for the Champions League now that they are well off the pace in La Liga.

He commented: “It will be two seasons without major honours if they don’t win it and that’s not good enough for a club like Real Madrid. Despite a somewhat turbulent season on the domestic front, Real have looked strong in Europe. And with Bale, Modric and Benzema all returning in the next week or so they should be fresh and ready to go for a big final push.”

 

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says he is pleased his players got an important job done as the saw off Roma 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to progress to the quarter finals of the Champions League.

Already holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg, second half goals from Cristiano Ronaldo – his 40th of the season – and James Rodriguez, ensured Los Blancos are into the last eight once again.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the 10-time winners of the competition as Roma were guilty of some big misses with the score still at 0-0. Edin Dzeko and Mohamad Salah both missed huge chances.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Zidane said: “It was a difficult game, but in the end we got our objective which was to go through and we didn’t concede a goal. Over the 90 minutes many things could have happened because we were up against a team with good and fast footballers. But we got the job done, have achieved our goal and now we are thinking about the next game.”

The boss picked out Casemiro and Lucas Vazquez for praise after the duo put in solid displays and was also please to see Colombia Rodriguez back on the scoresheet.

He commented: “We are a squad of 26. Casemiro played well, like everyone else, but he was especially good defensively. Lucas Vazquez was also important. He gives everything whenever he plays and he always competes that is a good thing for a coach. I am happy with James goal because he is training well and scoring is important for a player like him.”

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Real Madrid qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League as they beat Roma 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.

Los Merengues dominated possession from the start and had plenty of chances for scoring. However, the better opportunities of the first half fell to Roma.

The visitors should have been ahead after 15 minutes as Salah drove down the right before feeding a low cross into Dzeko, who fired wide under no pressure.

Minutes later, Salah had another wonderful chance as he broke clear once again, but shot wide off the post from a slightly wide angle.

Zinedine Zidane men increased their pressure after the break and were close to scoring as Marcelo and Ronaldo both had attempts before James Rodriguez volleyed towards goal, but Szczesny was on hand to make the save.

In the next play, Salah once again found himself unmarked inside the Real Madrid box, but his effort again cleared the post.

Keylor Navas made two superb saves to deny Florenzi and Manolas from close range, and Roma would regret those errors.

Los Blancos finaly took the lead as Ronaldo turned a low Lucas Vasquez cross home from close range, following a brilliant play from the youngster.

Four minutes later, James sealed the win in a counter-attack as Ronaldo slid a super pass into the Colombina, who drilled into the bottom corner from close range.

Both teams had chances for scoring more goals, but the goalkeepers did their part to keep the 2-0 score that qualified Real with an aggregate 4-0.

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Marcelo and Gareth Bale return to Real Madrid’s starting lineup as Los Blancos take on Roma in the last-16 round of the Champions League.

The Brazilian will feature in defense alongside Danilo, Pepe and Sergio Ramos. Zinedine Zidane has decided to rest Daniel Carvajal and include the former Porto man at right-back.

In midfield, the French manager has decided to give Casemiro a chance. The Brazilian has done well in the past few games and he will form the midfield line alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

Bale returns to the starting lineup for the first time in seven weeks. The Welshman will be part of a forward trio together with Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez.

This will be Real Madrid’s starting eleven: Navas; Danilo, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Ronaldo, James Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, Luciano Spalletti has made very few changes from the starting eleven he displayed in the first leg.

This will be Roma’s starting eleven: Szczesny; Florenzi, Manolas, Zukanovic, Digne; Pjanic, Keita; Salah, Perotti, El Shaarawy; Dzeko.

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Rafa Benitez wasn’t the problem at Real Madrid and the club’s issues run much deeper than just the manager not being right, according to former Barcelona man Luis Garcia.

Benitez last just seven months in the job at the Santiago Bernabeu before being replaced in January by Zinedine Zidane. But with Real still lagging way off the pace in La Liga, Garcia says the managerial change wasn’t the only problem at the club.

Speaking to Omnisport, the ex-midfielder stated: “When Benitez first arrived I thought he was the right man. He knew the club, he was there for many years before and he knew how Real Madrid works. He’s been waiting for that chance for many years. We all knew that he would finish up one day managing Real Madrid.

“But at the end, football is all about results. It’s not about the coach, the players or the club, it’s about the results. It has been a long time without winning a trophy. They won the Champions League two years ago, but La Liga has been very difficult. Madrid is about trophies. They are not looking to finish second.”

He went on to add that with Real 12 points off the pace in La Liga, there is plenty f work for new boss Zidane to do to make them competitive again.

“When Benitez arrived, he tried to adapt the team to the way he works, but it didn’t work out. We saw that when Zidane took over. Things started very well, as often happens when a team changes their manager. But Real Madrid still has a lot of work to do, which means Rafa Benitiez probably wasn’t the problem.”

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Real Madrid defender Pepe says the team must be at their best this evening because Roma have great players who can hurt them.

Los Blancos hold a 2-0 first leg lead going into the game at the Santiago Bernabeu but the sounds coming out of the club are that no one is taking anything for granted.

Speaking to reporters at the training ground on Monday, the experienced centre back said: “The best way to go in to a game like this is with humility and team spirit. We will try to do this tomorrow to come out as winners. We will not forget what happened against Schalke and the coach has said we have to go in to the game to win, taking it seriously and with a team spirit to achieve our success.”

The Portugal international added: “Roma have got great players and they’re a big team in Europe and one of the best in Italy. They have got really fast players on the wings and they’re going to try everything to make our job difficult, but we will go out do defend the Real Madrid badge and give everything. This team is always dangerous. Real Madrid is Real Madrid and it’s a very powerful club and we have to give everything in each game.”

Discussing the team’s chances of going all the way in the competition, Pepe commented: “We know that we have to learn a lot of lessons from this season. They are different times from the years of the Eighth. We want to win the Champions League but we know that there are other teams with the same capacity to win it. It will be difficult and we have to give our all. The most important thing is that the team is together, with our fans and fight for a common objective.”

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says he is only thinking of the Roma game today and not of possible matches later on in the Champions League.

Los Blancos take on the Italians in the second leg of their last-16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu and go into the game holding a 2-0 lead.

But at his press conference ahead of the match, the Frenchman said his team would be taking nothing for granted and will go out to try and win the match this evening and focus only on this game.

He commented: “We have to concentrate on tomorrow’s game because a lot of people think it will be easy, it will be difficult and we must play well and win well. I’m not worried about creating doubts. We must concentrate on the game.

“Our main obligation is tomorrow’s game and we will try to do the best we can and win the game. I’m not thinking any further ahead and after that we will think about the league game. Concentrating day to day makes me stronger. We have to play all the games. They’re never won before. I’ve been a player and I know that if you don’t do well, they can knock you out.”

Zidane also went on to discuss the Real Madrid fans, telling journalists that Madridistas are very important to the players and they will do all they can to make them proud of the team.

He commented: “They are very important for us and they know that. They have always been with us and in the game it’s normal that when they see things how they want them, they whistle a bit. I’ve been a player and they’re things that happen in football. There is no need to make anything of it.”

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Zinedine Zidane is expected to display his usual eleven starters to face Roma in the Champions League, with the only expeption of Karim Benzema, who will be sidelined due to injury.

The France international could be replaced by Jese Rodriguez or James Rodriguez, although Lucas Vazquez, who has put in some great performances in the past two games, also has chances of starting.

Gareth Bale proved last weekend against Celta Vigo that he is completely recovered from his injury and ready to become a starter again. With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric also recovered from their injuries, the midfield line should be formed by Bale, Modric, Kroos and Isco.

In defence, Zidane will most likely display Daniel Carvajal, Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo. Keylor Navas will keep goal as usual.

This is Real Madrid’s projected starting eleven: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Bale, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Jese Rodriguez, Ronaldo.

Meanwhile, Luciano Spalletti is expected to make very few changes from the starting eleven he displayed in the first leg.

This is Roma’s projected starting eleven: Szczesny; Florenzi, Manolas, Zukanovic, Digne; Pjanic, Vainqueur, Nainggolan; Salah, Perotti, El Shaarawy.

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Real Madrid will seek to seal progress to the Champions League quarter finals as they face Roma at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Zinedine Zidane men earned a 0-2 victory in Italy that will make things much easier for them. Cristiano Ronaldo will look to extend his excellent scoring form after netting four in Los Blancos 7-1 victory against Celta Vigo.

Midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will return to the starting eleven after missing Celta’s clash through injury. Marcelo and Gareth Bale, who played a few minutes as substitutes in that game after returning from injury, are also expected to start against Roma.

Karim Benzema will be Zidane’s biggest loss. The French manager has decided to leave out youngster Borja Mayoral, who has replaced Benzema in the past two games. Thus, it is unclear whether James Rodriguez, Jese Rodriguez or Lucas Vazquez will replace the striker. Another option could be Mateo Kovacic if the Los Blancos manager seeks to reinforce his midfield and gain control.

Meanwhile, Luciano Spalletti will miss defenders Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Rudiger, who are on the sidelines due to injury. The Roma boss has claimed his team will do anything possible to get a win.

Possible lineups:

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Bale, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Jese Rodriguez, Ronaldo.

Roma: Szczesny; Florenzi, Manolas, Zukanovic, Digne; Pjanic, Vainqueur, Nainggolan; Salah, Perotti, El Shaarawy.

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