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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says his players must be at their very best today if they are to get a result at Malaga.

Los Blancos will be aiming to close the gap on Barcelona to seven points after the Catalan outfit defeated Las Palmas on Saturday evening. But despite their mid-table position, Zidane says the Andalucian side will be a tough proposition – as difficult as it was facing Roma during the week.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of the match, Zidane, who is yet to taste defeat since taking over a manager in January, said: “We have recovered well and are prepared to play in Malaga. It is going to be a difficult game against a good side I am sure it will be tough, like in Rome, but that is what we have each weekend. The important thing is to be ready from the outset.

“The difficult thing is that we are going to have difficult games away and at home, but more difficult away ones due to the fans. I hope that we show determination, are attentive, and intense with everything that we do. All the games are going to be difficult.”

Asked for his thoughts on Real’s situation at the moment and what a tough task they have ahead if they are to be successful this season, he responded: “I knew that it would be difficult and everything is new, but I know that the most important thing is to win and we are doing it. We have to keep performing at our maximum level. We are going to keep working. The only thing we all want is work because we know that work is how to achieve things.”

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Malaga Real Madrid match preview

Zinedine Zidane faces one of the toughest challenges since he arrived at Real Madrid as Los Blancos visit Malaga on Sunday.

Javi Gracia men are in great form and are very strong in their stadium. In fact, they were close to upsetting Barcelona a few weeks ago. The dominated the La Liga leaders but ended up losing 1-2.

The Frenchman knows of the dangers of Malaga and he will lineup all his regular starters apart from Raphael Varane, who was sent off last week against Athletic Bilbao and will be serving a one-game suspension.

Nacho Fernandez will replace the French defender forming the centre-back pair with Sergio Ramos. Marcelo is expected to feature on the left side of the defense and Daniel Carvajal on the right, although Zidane could choose to give the Spaniard some rest and lineup Danilo.

Jese Rodriguez will also come in to replace injured Karim Benzema, who is suffering from problems in his hip. The Spaniard will feature in the forward line alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese will play against one of his favourite rivals. CR7 has netted six goals at Malaga’s stadium. Statistics favour Los Merengues, as they have only lost one of their last 29 league games against the Andalusians.

Javi Gracia has important losses in midfield, with Juan Carlos Perez, Christian Atsu and Chory Castro on the sidelines due to injury. Fernando Tissone is also a doubt.

Possible lineups:

Malaga: Kameni; Rosales, Albentosa, Weligton, Torres; Fornals, Camacho, Recio, Juanpi; Charles, Cop

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Fernandez, Marcelo; James Rodriguez, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Jese Rodriguez, Ronaldo

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real madrid football tactics

Real Madrid face a tough challenge as they take on Malaga on Sunday. The Andalusians are one of the teams in better shape in La Liga at the moment and could put an end on Los Blancos hopes of winning the title.

Thus, Zidane is expected to lineup all his regular starters. The Frenchman will not rotate any of his stars this time, knowing that the match will not be easy at all.

The only change in the lineup will be Nacho Fernandez replacing Raphael Varane, who was sent off last week against Athletic Bilbao and will be suspended.

The 25-year-old will feature in the centre of defense alongside Sergio Ramos, with Marcelo and Daniel Carvajal at the sides.

James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco are expected to form the midfield line, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will be the forwards.

This is Real Madrid’s projected starting eleven: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Fernandez, Marcelo; James Rodriguez, Modric, Kroos, Isco; Benzema, Ronaldo.

Meanwhile, Malaga’s boss Javi Gracia has several losses in midfield, with Castro, Atsu, Perez and Tissone remaining on the sidelines. Fornals, Camacho, Recio and Juanpi are expected to form the midfield line.

This is Malaga’s projected eleven: Kameni; Rosales, Albentosa, Weligton, Torres; Fornals, Camacho, Recio, Juanpi; Charles, Cop.

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Former Real Madrid and Spain boss Jose Camacho has told Rafa Benitez to shut up and stop complaining about his time in charge of Los Blancos.

Benitez was appointed last summer but sacked after just seven months into the job last month and replaced with club legend Zinedine Zidane in the hotseat.

This week, the ex-Liverpool, Inter Milan and Napoli manager spoke out about his brief spell at the club and slammed president Florentino Perez for being too impatient – not just with him but a long line of managers who have gone before him too.

Responding to that outburst, Camacho told Punto Pelota that Benitez was just bitter about his time at Real and should keep quiet.

“Benitez is bitter with Real Madrid. If I was him, I’d keep my mouth shut,” Camacho stated. He added that the appointment of Zidane was the correct one and the club will move forward under the 1998 World Cup winner.

Camacho isn’t the only one to have had their say on Benitez this week though. Real Madrid’s basketball coach Pablo Laso also urged Benitez to stop talking now he’s left the club.

He commented: “He talked about the past, what’s already happened, and I don’t think he said anything new or important. But if you have something to say, better to say it when you’re inside the club, not outside.”

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Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo says he prefers taking penalties over free kicks because of the adrenaline involved in trying to beat the keeper from 12-yards.

The 31-year-old has scored 33 goals in all competitions this season – seven of which have come from the penalty spot. He has missed just one spot kick all campaign.

On the other hand, Ronaldo, who is still one of the most feared free kick takers in world football, has actually found the net just three times from his last 100 dead ball efforts from outside the area.

Speaking in an interview with Unscriptd, the Portugal captain was asked which he preferred – penalties or free kicks. After a brief pause, Real’s all-time leading goalscorer said: “Penalty. I think penalties. It’s better, the adrenaline is better, so I prefer stuff with adrenaline.”

The interview comes just days after Ronaldo was asked for his thoughts on the Leo Messi and Luis Suarez penalty for Barcelona last weekend. In the match against Celta Vigo, the Catalan outfit were awarded a spot kick. Rather than shoot for goal, Messi passed to in on running Suarez who side footed home past the keeper in what many saw as a homage to Johan Cryuff’s famous effort for Ajax in 1982.

Ronaldo’s response when asked about the penalty was: “Messi’s penalty? I know why he did it but I don’t have more to add.”

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Former Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano has spoken disparagingly about English football saying it lacks ‘tactical sophistication’.

The ex-Argentina international, who played for and managed Los Blancos, was interview by Cataluña based newspaper Mundo Deportivo and was asked about the impact Pep Guardiola could have on the Premier League as a whole when he joins Manchester City.

The ex-Barcelona boss will take over the Citizens at the end of the current campaign after he decided not to renew his deal at Bayern Munich.

And Valdano said that the three Spanish teams left in the Champions League – Atletico de Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid – have a much greater chance of success at winning the tournament this year compared to the three English teams – Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Discussing the English league, Valdano said that while it is exciting, there is no focus on tactics and much of outcome of games it is emotion based, driven largely by the fans rather than what the coaches do on the sidelines.

“The Spanish clubs have a very large window for success compared to the other teams. We fill our mouths talking about the Premier League, but it is far from competitive with Spain,” he stated.

And he added: “English football is deeply rooted in culture in which the public celebrates a throw-in or a corner. It is a football that lacks tactical sophistication, in which teams are driven by a very large emotional climate created by the public more so than the coaches.”

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Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos is being tempted by Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea, according to reports from Spain.

Pep Guardiola has reportedly asked City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain to sign the Germany international. The Spanish manager, who will move from Bayern Munich to Manchester next summer, wants to reinforce his midfield line, and Kroos is one of the players in his wish-list.

Meanwhile, Chelsea could be preparing a 50-million-euro bid to sign the German, according to Italian website Calciomercato. The Blues would be especially interested in Kroos if they sold Eden Hazard.

Should they fail to sign Kroos, Chelsea would try with Borussia Dortmund man Ilkay Gundogan, according to Calciomercato.

Despite the latest Real Madrid transfer rumours, it seems highly unlikely that Florentino Perez will be willing to sell Kroos, who has become a crucial piece for the team since he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2014.

Kroos signed for Los Merengues on a 25-million-euro deal. Since his arrival, he has made 75 appearances for Real, scoring two goals and providing 19 assists.

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Real Madrid are ready to denounce Rafa Benitez for violating a clause in his dismissal contract that forbid him to speak about the club until July 1st.

The former Los Blancos manager slammed Florentino Perez for his “impatience” in an interview on BT Sport and criticised the way he interferes in everything at the club.

As reported by Spanish newspaper El Economista, Benitez had signed a clause agreeing to keep silence about matters related to Real Madrid until the end of the season.

Benitez agreed to receive 4 million euros for his dismissal on January 4th. He should receive one million more in July, according to El Economista. However, Real are now planning to denounce him for violating this clause and will refuse to pay the remaining million.

Perez is reportedly offended by Benitez’s comments. Asked about his dismissal and the president’s decision, Benitez told BT Sport: “You have to do everything perfect. As soon as something is wrong, or the chairman thinks something is wrong, you have problems.”

According to the latest rumours, the Real Madrid players are also upset about Benitez words, with some of them reportedly saying that if they spoke about Benitez “he wouldn’t work for ten years.”

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The judge investigating the blackmail case involving Karim Benzema has lifted a ban on him that prevented him communicating with Mathieu Valbuena.

The 27-year-old Los Blancos star is facing preliminary charges of conspiracy to blackmail after it emerged he was involved in an attempt to extort money from the Lyon midfielder to get rid of a sex tape featuring Valbuena.

When the investigation first started in the autumn, Benzema was not picked for the friendlies against Germany and England. He has since been banned from selection for France until the case is over, putting his participation in this summer’s European Championship in his home country in jeopardy.

With the ban on communicating now lifted, Benzema is able to contact his international team mate. However, he is still banned from contacting other people who have been charged in the case.

Preliminary charges in French law mean that magistrates believe a crime has been committed and can have more time to investigate further. Benzema has consistently denied any involvement in a blackmail attempt against Valbuena and has received the backing of his club and Florentino Perez in particular, who came out in support of the foward saying his is a good guy and wouldn’t knowingly get into trouble.

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Edison Cavani is becoming frustrated with being played out of position at PSG and would be keen on a move to Real Madrid, according to the player’s father.

The Uruguayan forward, who joined the Ligue 1 side for 55 million euros in 2013 helped his side to a 2-1 win over Chelea in the Champions League this week.

He has netted 70 goals in 127 games for the French side and during his time in the capital city has secured two championship titles, the French Cup and French League Cup.

However, Cavani’s father told Israeli TV station Sport 5 that his son has had to make do with a place further out wide rather than his favoured central striker position because Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the focal point of Laurent Blanc’s team.

He stated: “Zlatan is not willing to play on the wings. So they gave up on Edinson. PSG themselves. Edinson is suffering at PSG. If they let him play as the No 9 he will be happy. I would like to see him play for Real Madrid, Manchester United or Juventus.”

Real are not believed to have made any moves for Cavani as yet but should they wish to do so in the summer they may face competition from Premier League side Manchester United who are also believed to be on the lookout for a new forward.

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