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Real Madrid trashed Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu lead by Cristiano Ronaldo, who put in a superb perfomance scoring a four-goal haul.

Pepe opened the score for the home side in the first half and Ronaldo sealed the victory with three great goals in the second half. Iago Aspas scored for the away side.

The visitors played with great intensity in the first minutes and threatened Real. They were close to taking the lead after 15 minutes as Aspas met a cross from the right, but his header smashed off the post and Keylor Navas saved from the rebound.

Los Blancos reacted after 30 minutes and Ruben Blanco denied Ronaldo and Isco from close range to save his team.

However, Real ended up taking the lead before the break as Pepe brilliantly headed an Isco corner past the Celta keeper.

Right at the start of the second half, Ronaldo made it 0-2 as he hammered a powerful effort past Blanco from distance. Eight minutes later, the Portuguese sent a free-kick over the top of Celta’s wall and into the far corner with aplomb.

Aspas shorten the hosts’ lead as he raced through on goal before lifting his effort over the onrushing goalkeeper with a superb finish.

However, Ronaldo was on fire and he scored two more to seal his team’s victory. First, he slided home at the far post after receiving a pass from Isco. Ten minutes later the Portuguese headed a Jese corner into the back of the net.

Jese made it 6-1 as he drove into the Celta box and finished into the bottom corner. Gareth Bale, who made his return after seven weeks on the sidelines, scored the last one with a shot into the bottom corner.

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Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane says Zinedine Zidane has had an immediate impact as boss and shares a ‘special understanding’ with the players.

Zidane took charge of Los Blancos in January following the sacking of Rafa Benitez. Despite being out of contention for the title, the players have looked much more relaxed at at ease in training and in games under the Frenchman compared to his predecessor – and Varane says that is because Zidane knows what it is like to be a top pro.

Speaking to UEFA.com about working with the former World Player of the Year, the defender said: “He is a coach who loves the game and likes attacking football – he likes movement [in the game], moving the ball around quickly. In training he has added a physical aspect to enable us to play higher up the pitch, which is what he is looking for in our game.

“He loves to talk and to show video clips in order to improve small details. It’s true that he is really close to the squad and of course the fact he was a player and is a young coach creates a special understanding between him and the players.”

And he added: “He became an icon at the 1998 World Cup, for everyone and for all time. He had a great impact on French football. As a little boy I watched him and he has a real aura worldwide, but especially in France.”

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Real Madrid Celta Vigo match preview

Zinedine Zidane has been forced to make several changes in his midfield line as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are sidelined due to injury.

The German and the Croatian will be replaced by Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic, who will feature in midfield alongside Isco. Lucas Vazquez has also earned a spot among the starters after his great game at Levante on Wednesday. Thus, James Rodriguez will seat on the bench.

In defence, Sergio Ramos and Daniel Carvajal will return to the starting line-up after serving a one-match suspension. Marcelo, who returns from a calf injury, will seat on the bench ahead of the crucial Champions League game against Roma. Zidane has picked Danilo to replace the left-back. Pepe will complete the defence line, sending Raphael Varane to the bench.

Gareth Bale will also make his return, although he will not feature from the start. With Karim Benzema on the sidelines, youngster Borja Mayoral will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s pair one more time.

This is Real Madrid’s starting eleven: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Danilo; Vazquez, Casemiro, Kovacic, Isco; Mayoral, Ronaldo.

Celta Vigo’s manager Eduarzo Berizzo has chosen Sergi Gomez and Hugo Mallo to replace his usual centre-back pair Cabral and Fontas, who are sidelined through injury.

This is Celta Vigo’s starting eleven: Blanco; Planas, Mallo, Gomez, Jonny; Wass, Hernandez, Diaz, Orellana; Aspas, Nolito.

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says the players are aware that they need to work hard to win back the fans after a disappointing season so far.

Los Blancos trail Barcelona by 12 points in La Liga and there have been plenty of disapproving voices at games in recent weeks as Real have struggled to hit the heights. The 10-time Champions League winners did win midweek against Levante but there are still plenty of unhappy fans following last weekend’s meek surrender to Atletico de Madrid.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the match at Celta Vigo, Zidane called on his players to put on a great display and make the fans happy.

“We want the love and support of the fans and we’ll give everything for them because they are so important to us. It’s a game in which we must give everything and play as best we can on the pitch as a team,” he said.

Asked how he is handling the adjustment from Real Madrid Castilla boss to being in charge of the biggest club in the world, Zidane said: “I always keep smiling. It is not nice for anyone to lose, however I’m not going to deviate from my objective, which is the work we have in front of us, and that will take time. If we lose a game it is a catastrophe, but it’s nothing new because I have already lived it as a player. I can cope with it and we will work hard together. I believe in what we’re doing.

“There is sometimes a bit of stress, but as I am happy with what I’m doing the stress is not a bad thing. Before signing you know what to expect, but the important thing is to believe in what you’re doing, and this is how we will move forward.”

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real madrid football tactics

Zinedine Zidane will display a very unusual midfield line to face Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday. With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric on the sidelines, Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic are expected to feature from the start.

On the other hand, things will get back to normal in defence, as the French manager will recover Sergio Ramos, Daniel Carvajal and Marcelo. The Spanish defenders return from a one-match suspension, while the Brazilian has recovered from a calf injury.

Meanwhile, Gareth has also recovered from his injury and he had made it in the squad for the first time in seven days. He is not expected to play from the start, but he could get minutes of action in the second half.

Thus, the midfield line will most likely be formed by James Rodriguez, Casemiro, Mateo Kovacic and Isco. Borja Mayoral could start again as Cristiano Ronaldo’s forward partner.

The main doubt is whether Pepe or Raphael Varane will start at centre-back alongside Sergio Ramos. The Portuguese has been Zidane’s usual choice when he has been fit, so he has more chances of starting.

This is Real Madrid’s projected starting eleven: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; James Rodriguez, Casemiro, Kovacic, Isco; Mayoral, Ronaldo.

Celta will miss defenders Cabral and Fontas. Hugo Mallo and Sergi Gomez will replace them.

This is Celta Vigo’s projected starting eleven: Alvarez; Planas, Mallo, Gomez, Jonny; Wass, Hernandez, Diaz, Orellana; Aspas, Nolito.

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Real Madrid Celta Vigo match preview

Real Madrid will finally recover Gareth Bale after a recovery process of seven weeks as they take on Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

The Welshman has spent more time than expected sidelined with a calf injury, and although he is not expected to feature from the start, he will most likely get minutes of action in the second half.

Zinedine Zidane has confirmed Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will miss the game through injury. Thus, Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic could form the midfield line alongside Isco and James Rodriguez. Yet, Lucas Vazquez also has chances of starting after completing a brilliant game last Wednesday against Levante.

Sergio Ramos and Daniel Carvajal will return from a one-match suspension and Marcelo is also back from injury. The three of them will most likely start. Pepe or Raphael Varane will complete the defence line.

Meanwhile, youngster Borja Mayoral could get his second start for the first team, as the manager seemed happy with his performance against Levante.

Possible line-ups:

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; James Rodriguez, Casemiro, Kovacic, Isco; Mayoral, Ronaldo.

Celta Vigo: Alvarez; Planas, Mallo, Gomez, Jonny; Wass, Hernandez, Diaz, Orellana; Aspas, Nolito.

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Javier Mascherano
Javier Mascherano is assisted by a medic during the Spanish league Clasico Real Madrid vs Barcelona -PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP/Getty Images

Real Madrid are reportedly looking for a defensive midfielder to reinforce their squad next summer and one of the men they could be eyeing is Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano, Spanish website Fichajes.net has suggested.

Zinedine Zidane believes the team needs midfielder with better defensive skills to complement Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Casemiro could play that role but it seems like he has not convinced the new manager, who has only started him one since his arrival.

Paris Saint-Germain Marco Verratti has been rumoured to be Florentino Perez’s favourite to fill that gap in the squad. Yet, thinks might change if the Los Blancos president refuses to run for a re-election next summer.

Mascherano’s signing will be very complicated since he has a running contract with Barca until 2018 and his buy-out clause is 100 million euros. Real would need the player to reveal against his club and request a tranfer, which seems highly unlikely to happen.

Another option Real Madrid could be considering is Sevilla’s Grzegorz Krychowiak, a player that they have been eyeing since last summer. That option looks more plausible, although the Poland international is having injury problems which might cause Los Merengues to back out.

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Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool are on alert after reports emerged Real Madrid are planning a massive overhaul of the squad this summer.

Los Blancos have just the Champions League left to play for after an underwhelming display on the domestic front. Failure to win Europe’s elite club competition will mean two seasons without major honours.

Reports in British tabloid The Sun say boss Zinedine Zidane and club president Florentino Perez want to overhaul the squad in the summer and get their house in order before a potential two-transfer window ban comes into force should their appeal not be successful.

Cristiano Ronaldo heads the list of stars potentially heading towards the exit doors. Despite his own denials that he will leave anytime soon, the 31-year-old continues to be linked with a move back to former club Manchester United. Having been linked with club captain Sergio Ramos last summer, the Red Devils could also be keen on going back in for him again at the end of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, signed in 2014 to much fanfare, have both been disappointing this season and have been made scapegoats for the teams’ poor form. Both of those would not lack admirers should they come onto the market.

FA Cup winners for the last two seasons, Arsenal, are planning a major ovehaul of their midfield and Arsene Wenger has long been linked with a move for Isco. With the Gunners looking short up front, Jese Rodriguez could be a viable option as he seeks more regular first team football.

The Sun also claims fringe players such as Alvaro Arbeloa, Danilo and Casemiro could also exit to make way for new blood.

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Real Madrid are lining up Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino as the replacement for Zinedine Zidane should the boss depart at the end of the season.

Zidane has only been in charge for a couple of months following the sacking of Rafa Benitez in January and has seen his side lose just once in that time – last weekend’s defeat to Atletico de Madrid.

That loss – more the manner in which Madrid played – and the fact the club could be in for a major overhaul of its’ playing staff this summer has caused some uncertainty surrounding Zidane’s future despite him signing a two and a half year deal.

Should the 1998 World Cup winner and Los Blancos part ways in the summer,  Italisn paper La Gazetta dello Sport says plans are underway to bring in a replacement with Argentine Pochettino identified as a top target. The 43-year-old former Espanyol manager knows La Liga well and has overseen Spurs’ rise up the table in the past two years to put them on the brink of their first league title in 55 years.

It is understood that while they would be reluctant to lose their manager, Spurs would not stand in his way if he wanted to take one of football’s most coveted positions. Real and Spurs have done plenty of business in recent seasons with Gareth Bale and Luka Modric having left White Hart Lane for the Santiago Bernabeu.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo admits this season has been a difficult one for Real Madrid but has urged his team mates to ensure it ends on a high by winning the Champions League.

Los Blancos went into the season hopeful of ending Barcelona’s domestic dominance but damaging defeats along the way including last weekend’s home loss to Atletico de Madrid left the 10-time Champions League winners 12-points off the pace and with little hope now of lifting La Liga.

They were also thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player – Denis Cheryshev – in the tie against Cadiz. He played and scored in the first leg win when he should have been sitting out a one-match ban.

Off the field, there was the bungled attempt to sign David de Gea from Manchester United, and Rafa Benitez was sacked in January just seven months after taking over after reports of major divisions with senior players.

In the Champions League though, Real cruised through their group and hold a 2-0 lead against Roma with the second leg to play at home.

In quotes published by Marca, Ronaldo said there is still plenty to play for this campaign.

He stated: “It’s been a difficult season, but we’re still in the Champions League and very excited about it. It’s no coincidence that Real Madrid are the team with the most European Cups. Nothing has been lost and we’ll continue working hard in order to achieve things at the end of the season.”

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