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Former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says Karim Benzema is the perfect foil for record-scoring striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese forward has stolen all the headlines in recent weeks having surpassed Raul as Real’s all-time leading goalscorer.

But Ancelotti says his strike partner deserves plenty of praise for the work he does to enable Ronaldo to get on the end of chances.

Speaking to Canal+, the Italian said: “I think that Ronaldo’s success is largely down to Benzema’s hard work. Karim is a calm guy. He is a very relaxed and humble guy, but he is a great player. I really like Benzema.

“His style of play allows Ronaldo to shine and score, even though he is still a player of the highest level. I believe Benzema and Ronaldo are the perfect attacking duo.”

Ancelotti spent two years at the Santiago Bernabeu before departing in the summer. And he spoke about his dismissal, saying he knew if would have happened a year earlier if he hadn’t won the Champions League.

“The truth is that Madrid probably already wanted me out after one season and that is what would have happened if it weren’t for our Champions League win. But I was well aware that they would replace me if I didn’t win something in my second year,” he commented.

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Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane says France must keep their winning run going to take confidence and momentum into the European Championships next summer.

Les Bleus will have the added pressure of playing in front of their home fans at the tournament next summer and expectation is already building ahead of the championships.

Didier Deschamps’ men came in for criticism after back-to-back defeats to Albania and Belgium earlier this year but they have put that right with three consecutive wins in the last three friendlies, against Serbia, Armenia and Denmark.

Speaking to reporters, Varane said:”It is important to keep winning to reach the European Championships with full confidence. We want continuity, not letting anything go and winning all matches. First we win and then we try to correct what we can.”

Varane was also asked about his growing importance in the France line up. He has played more than any other player since the World Cup in Brazil. And the Los Blancos man said he’s not concerned about being the most important France player but rather see the whole team play well and communicate.

He stated: “The players with whom I play I know well. We adapt, it’s part of football, part of the national team. What is important is to communicate a lot. That’s how we manage to create a good understanding.”

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Real Madrid Castilla boss Zinedine Zidane says he son Enzo does not get any special treatment and is selected based on his form and performances.

The 1998 World Cup winner is now in his second season in charge of the reserve side who play in Spain’s third tier – Segunda B. After seven rounds of matches they sit fourth in the table as the look to challenge for promotion to La Segunda – the highest league they can play in.

Zidane’s son Enzo, a highly rated midfielder himself, has started all of Castilla’s games so far this campaign. But speaking to L’Equipe, Zindane said his son plays based on what he has shown in previous games – just like any other player.

He admitted Enzo is in a difficult position because in training and in games, he is treated the same as every other player but at home they have a normal father-son relationship.

“It’s tricky, but in the dressing room my son, Enzo, has to be just like any other player. Then, at home, he becomes my son again, but at the club I treat him like everyone else. I’m demanding and perhaps I’m even a little tougher on him, but I know he has more to offer. Enzo is playing more because he deserves it,” Zidane stated.

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Former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld has revealed he once turned down the chance to manage Real Madrid.

The ex-boss, who retired from the game in 2014, won the Champions League with Dortmund in 1997 – a feat that brought him to the attention of Los Blancos, who were looking for a new boss to replace Fabio Capello.

Speaking to Blick, Hitzfield said he was approached by the Santiago Bernabeu side that summer but he chose to move into the role of sporting director at the Westfalenstadion rather than join to the European giants. One of his fears, he said, was being fired before he’d had the chance to settle in a new country.

“I turned down the chance to take charge of Real Madrid after we had won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997. I lost a fair bit of sleep over that decision. But in the end I thought ‘I will get fired before I even get the chance to learn Spanish’,” he said.

After his stint as sporting director at Dortmund, Hitzfield had two spells in charge at Munich. He guided the club to five Bundesliga titles and the Champions League in 2001. Between 2008 and 2014, he was in charge of the Switzerland national side and retired after the World Cup in Brazil.

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Karim Benzema

Real Madrid are ‘tremendously angry’ at France for having put Karim Benzema at risk despite Los Blancos’ warnings about the striker’s fitness problems.

Sources from the club have reportedly revealed to Spanish newspaper Marca they are deeply upset about their top scorer suffering an injury in the 80th minute of a friendly international game.

“Our warnings fell on deaf ears,” a source from the club was quoted to have confessed to Marca.

Benzema ended last week’s derby against Atletico de Madrid with some muscle problems. He didn’t train on Monday and Tuesday out of precaution. Los Merengues doctors then sent a report of the situation to France national team and warned them they shouldn’t take unnecessary risks with the player.

Yet, Didier Deschamps decided to include Benzema in the starting eleven of the friendly game against Armenia and kept him on the field until the 80th minute. At that moment, after scoring his second goal in France 4-0 victory, Benzema felt pain in his hamstring and had to be replaced.

Medical tests have revealed he suffers a grade one hamstring strain, as reported by Real Madrid News. He will miss between two and three weeks of action, including the crucial clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Celta Vigo.

For Rafa Benitez, this situation is especially serious because he already had a worrying number of players in the sidelines. James Rodriguez, Danilo, Daniel Carvajal and Pepe are still recovering from their injuries, and Gareth Bale is not completely well yet.

With Benzema out, Cristiano Ronaldo will be Benitez’s only number 9, and the manager will probably have to call Borja Mayoral from the reserves team.

Benitez is not pleased at all with this situation, just like everyone at Real Madrid, and they are crossing their fingers for the rest of the international players to return safe and sound.

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Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano says Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez played a key role in his career and helped him push on when the pair were at Liverpool.

Mascherano arrived in European football at West Ham in January 2007 alongside Carlos Tevez in one of the most controversial moves in Premier League history.

Then-Hammers boss Alan Pardew apparently didn’t see anything in the Argentine international and he signed for Liverpool six months later – his confidence destroyed.

Speaking to Paneka magazine, the Barcelona man said Benitez was the man to lift him from the doldrums and has had a key role in how he career has panned out.

“Benitez lifted me out of a dark hole 20 metres underground and put me up on a high. He is a great person and a teacher as a coach – with him you can learn a lot, if that is what you really want,” he stated.

He added they talk less than they used to at the moment, but the relationship will return to normal when either of them leaves their current club.

“Since we were at the same team we have remained in touch. Our relationship has not changed, although the situation is a bit more uncomfortable now. Someday I will leave Barca, or he will leave Madrid, and it will return to normal. We still talk now, but less often,” he added.

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Fabio Coentrao

Fabio Coentrao has said that he can’t understand why he was the media’s ‘ugly duckling’ when he played for Real Madrid.

The left back spent four years in the Spanish capital after signing from Portuguese side Benfica. He left on a loan deal this summer for Monaco in the French league.

While his Los Blancos career started brightly, Coentrao eventually slipped behind Marcelo in the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu. Last campaign, he made just nine appearances.

Speaking to Madrid-based daily Marca, the Portugal international said that he felt singled out by the Spanish media and couldn’t understand why he received plenty of criticism but few plaudits.

Asked by the paper whether he thought the treatment by the press was unfair, Coentrao stated: “Honestly? Yes, I think they were. I feel as though they never gave me the benefit of the doubt.

“If I had a bad game, they attacked me immediately. If I played well, they gave it very little recognition. Even today, I still ask myself why I was the media’s ugly duckling?”

Prior to leaving this summer, Coentrao had long been linked with a move away in previous transfer windows, with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Benfica all interested in him at various points.

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Karim Benzema has slammed those who suggest he does not care about playing for France.

The 27-year-old scored twice for his country in the friendly win over Armenia on Thursday – ending a run of one goal in 12 appearances for Les Bleus. He was substituted late on with a hamstring injury – one that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for around three weeks.

Going into the game, some pundits and commentators had suggested Benzema wasn’t bothered about playing for the 1998 World Cup winners and was too focused on his club game than winning titles with France.

But he hit back afterwards, saying: “I do not know if there is a debate. I’m happy to join up with the team. I have heard some [people] say I was not happy and that I do not want to join the France team, but that is wrong!”

And he continued: “I’m happy when I’m with Les Bleus. I want to win titles with this team. I do not know why there are so many questions about me. Maybe some people have problems, worries or maybe they like me too much, I do not know.”

Benzema is the leading scorer in La Liga this season with five goals to his name.

 

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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale says Wales’ 2-0 defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday evening was the ‘best loss of his career’ as his nation qualified for Euro 2016 despite the result.

Chris Coleman’s men needed a point to secure automatic qualification for themselves for the tournament in France next summer – their first major tournament since 1958. But Cyprus’ surprise win over Israel ensured Wales would go through no matter what.

Wales had conceded two late goals to slip to their first defeat in qualifying but when they heard the result from the other game, it sparked wild celebrations among the player and the travelling support.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Bale, who this week was named Wales’ Player of the Year for a record fifth time, said: “This is probably the best loss of my life. It was a difficult game but at the end of the day all that matters is qualifying.”

“This ranks right up there in terms of my career, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and every young boy dreams of playing at a major tournament. Now we want to go over there and do something in France. We’re like brothers out the pitch and there’s so much togetherness in this squad. It will nice to be able to test ourselves in the best tournament of the world, and we can’t wait,” he continued.

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Former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez says criticism of Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez so soon into his reign is ridiculous and the media needs to lay off.

The Los Blancos manager has been criticised for being too defensive following the draw with Atletico de Madrid last weekend. With his team 1-0 up, Benitez decided to take off Karim Benzema in place of a more defensive option, a move that backfired as Atletico scored with just seven minutes remaining.

Real also drew their opening game of the season with Sporting Gijon, a result than angered plenty of fans who had predicted an easy win.

Los Blancos are unbeaten in both the league and Champions League though and have conceded just two goals all season – facts that tend to be forgotten when the critics have their swords drawn.

Speaking at a promotional event Xavi defended Benitez, saying he needs time to establish himself in the Spanish capital.

“He’s only just started. Luis Enrique was also criticised last season, yet we won everything. People have to be patient but football is judged on a daily basis.

“There are many TV and radio programmes that give their opinion, and the alarms go off when Barca or Madrid don’t win. It’s normal that there’s criticism, but you [journalists] must give [Rafa] time and space to see what he can offer Real Madrid,” he commented.

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