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Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez has said his players must be focused and disciplined ahead of tonight’s match against Athletic Bilbao.

Los Blancos travel to San Mames, a stadium where they lost last season, having yet to concede a goal in a competitive fixture this season.

But at his press conference before the match, Benitez told reporters the trip to the Basque country would be his team’s toughest game to date and the players must concentrate from first minute to last.

“We know that Athletic are a difficult opponent. Real Madrid lost there last year. We have to be focused, continue doing things as we have been up until now and increase our intensity levels. It will be a tough game that can help us maintain and build on our confidence levels,” he commented.

Should Los Blancos keep a clean sheet again, Keylor Navas would set a new record for the best start to a season in the club’s history. And with Cristiano Ronaldo closing in becoming the top scorer in the club’s history, there could be more records broken tonight.

But Benitez said that he’s more interested in three points than any other situation.

“I’d be more excited about winning the match. I’m not obsessed with keeping clean sheets, but rather winning games and playing well. If we win and also happen to set a new record then I’ll be even happier. The team need to be competitive in order to win and if new records are set then we’ll be even happier,” he commented.

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The latest Real Madrid transfer rumours include Sevilla hoping to bring Denis Cheryshev back from the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos eyeing a Chinese footballer and Florentino Perez considering to exercise the buy-back clause on Alvaro Morata.

Spanish newspapers are reporting Sevilla are very interested in signing Cheryshev in the next winter transfer market. The Russia international already spent one season on loan at the Andalusian club, and Unai Emery hopes he can now bring him back, since he is not getting minutes of play at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Sevilla could either request a loan or a permanent move, but in any case Los Merengues would always include a buy-back clause in the deal. However, should the 24-year-old leave in January, his first choice could be Valencia, who were close to signing him this summer.

Speaking of returns, Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda has revealed Florentino Perez is ready to pay Alvaro Morata’s 35-million-euro buy-back clause. Los Blancos failed to sign a back-up striker on the summer and they are already planning to reinforce that position next year. Morata is Perez’s preferred option and Rafa Benitez would also be very pleased with it.

Meanwhile, Romanian sports website DolceSport has claimed Real are eyeing Chinese centre-back Zhang Linpeng. The Guangzhou man is reportedly on Chelsea’s radar, and some call him the Asian Sergio Ramos. DolceSport has stated Guangzhou’s president has travelled to Madrid to negotiate the transfer of the 26-year-old, who has won four Chinese leagues and one Asia League.

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PSG winger Angel di Maria says he won’t celebrate against Real Madrid if he scores against them in the Champions League.

The Argentinean winger joined the Ligue 1 champions in the summer after a move to Manchester United last summer didn’t work out. Days after joining Laurent Blanc’s team, they were drawn against the 10-time Champions League winners in the group stage.

Di Maria’s last game for Real was in the famous 4-1 win in Lisbon over Atletico de Madrid – the game in which the club ended their 12-year wait to land La Decima.

Speaking to the UEFA website, the 27-year-old recalled the final minutes of that match.

He said: “It is incredible – it’s something you will never forget. And the minutes after we scored the third goal, knowing that it would soon be our trophy, were just phenomenal. To lift it up and have it in your hands having won it – that produces a lot of goosebumps. You certainly want to experience that moment again.”

And he added that he holds fond memories of his time at the club and will not celebrate if he scores against them.

“I don’t know how the people there will welcome me, but we won the Decima and many other titles together, and in my last match – against Atletico – the fans gave me a standing ovation when they knew I was leaving to go to Manchester. I think it will be really nice to return to [Santiago Bernabeu]. If I score, I won’t celebrate. Everything I achieved with that club is still in my heart.”

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Real Madrid froward Jese Rodriguez has moved to calm reports he is unsettled at the club and says he is ready to fight for his place in the team.

The 22-year-old started the season in Rafa Benitez’ team but since the return of Karim Benzema from injury has had to settle for a place on the bench.

The striker, who grew up in the youth teams at the club, burst onto the scene in the 2013-14 season when he netted eight goals in 31 appearances. Some had even called for Jese to be included in the Spanish World Cup squad.

But a serious knee injury sustained the Champions League tie against Schalke that season ended his campaign and saw him ruled out of action for the best part of a year. Since his recovery, Jese hasn’t held down a regular spot in the team.

Reports over the summer suggested he could move away on a temporary deal with Everton boss Roberto Martinez keen to take him to Goodison Park. No move happened though and he stayed in the Spanish capital.

Taking to social media site Instagram, the striker said he was happy to work hard and earn his place in the team.

He wrote: “Good things come to those who wait. The best are those who don’t surrender and fight. Good workout!”

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Keylor Navas has revealed that the transfer deadline day debacle in which he was close to a switch to Manchester United was the worst day in his life.

The Costa Rican was the makeweight in the deal that would have taken David de Gea to the Santiago Bernabeu but the move collapsed as the paperwork confirming the transfers did not arrive with the Spanish FA until after the close of the window.

Navas had not wanted to leave Los Blancos was told he would have to so the Spain international could join. Reports on the day suggested the 28-year-old and his wife were waiting at Barajas Airport in the Spanish capital ready to board a plane to Manchester once the deal was agreed.

Speaking to Cadena Cope, Navas revealed his anguish on the day and said he broke down in tears when it was all over as the emotions got the better of him.

“[Deadline day] was one of the worst days of my football career. I cried when the transfer window was closed, near my wife. I’m human and everything exploded. I was waiting in the airport even without suitcases. I was not on the plane, but I was near,” he revealed.

And he continued: “It was as a complicated situation. I wanted to play, and to watch how others [De Gea] play above me is difficult to interpret. At 7pm my agent says me ‘you have to take a plane’ and I was waiting in a room. The contract arrived too late. My agent reviewed it and was correct. I didn’t want to go. I did the medicals in Valdebebas after that and I did not return to the airport.

“There was no time. Then I went to home. It was complicated. I arrived at home and I started to cry.”

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Paris Saint-Germain have denied they are preparing a record bid to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the French capital, after British newspaper The Sunday Times claimed they could be ready to offer 150 million euros for the Portuguese.

The Sunday Times had published PSG were ready to spend 343 million euros in total to sign Ronaldo: 150 for the transfer and 193 in wages for the 30-year-old to become the highest paid footballer in the world.

However, French journalist Spanish newspaper AS has contacted the Paris side to confirm the news and the club has rubbished this rumour claiming it is “completely false”.

Various Spanish newspapers have suggested Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Real Madrid next summer, and PSG is one of the few clubs that have enough money to seduce both Florentino Perez and the player.

The Los Blancos president is not willing to negotiate the exit of his biggest start, but he could consider an offer should Ronaldo request to leave.

Apart from Paris Saint-Germain, only Chelsea and Manchester City could have enough money to convince Perez, but none of them seem interested. So it seems that Ronaldo will either remain at the Santiago Bernabeu or move to Paris.

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Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is a unique football who has already gone down in club legend, according to president Florentino Perez.

The Los Blancos superemo used his opening remarks at the 2015 General Assembly to hail the 30-year-old striker, who last week became the clubs all-time league goalscorer, overtaking previous record holder Raul.

Ronaldo’s hat trick in the Champions League during the week also saw hit become the first player to hit 80 goals in that competition – just one of many goalscoring records he has broken in an illustrious career to date.

Perez told club members during his opening speech: “Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Best Player in Europe for 2014/15 and won his third Ballon d’Or, his fourth Golden Shoe and his third Pichichi Trophy as La Liga’s top scorer. On top of that, last week he picked up the World’s Top Scorer and World’s Best Top Division Goalscorer of 2014 prizes.

And he went on to add: “He has now become Real Madrid’s leading marksman in La Liga and in the days to come will also manage to take his place as this club’s all-time highest scorer. He is a unique player who will continue to bring us plenty of moments of joy.”

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Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president

Florentino Perez has said Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez is the best coach in the world.

The Los Blancos president was talking to club members at the opening of the 2015 General Assembly and used his speech to discuss a number of topics.

He hailed the arrival of Benitez, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, and said the Madrid-born boss would take the club forward because of his methodical approach. Real have started this season with four wins in five in all competitions and have yet to concede a goal.

He told members: “He’s the best coach for Real Madrid, one whose methodical approach is at the heart of the way he works. He promises quality and hard work. A coach focused on bringing the very best out of his players. He is a man who is passionate about football, and we have placed an impressive squad in his hands, with the best players in the world in every position.”

And he added: “He’s Real Madrid through and through, he’s passionate about this club and understands perfectly the demands here, and he brings the experience and expertise that comes with a 20-year coaching career that has taken him around the world, winning every trophy there is to win in this sport.”

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Denis Cheryshev says all the focus now is on preparing for Real Madrid’s midweek encounter at Athletic Bilbao following their narrow win over Granada.

Los Blancos won 1-0 thanks to a Karim Benzema goal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon in a match that was much closer than many had anticipated.

The home side were the top scorers in the league and the visitors had the second-most porous defence. And with Cristiano Ronaldo in sublime form, many had predicted another big win.

As it turned out, Granada defended stoically and also had the chances to get a goal themselves, while Los Blancos missed the chances to win by a bigger margin.

Speaking about the game, Cheryshev told journalists: “The Granada backline was extremely strong, they caused us problems. It doesn’t matter who plays, the team continues to perform excellently in defence. Keeping clean sheets is important and is the track we need to stay on.”

He continued: “It wasn’t an easy game. Granada made things difficult for us, but everything looks better after a win. We can continue to be optimistic. They pressed us with a lot of intensity, especially during the first half. They dropped off a bit in the second half and we had chances to score. It was a fair result.”

And he immediately switched his attention to the next game, saying: “There’s no doubt it’ll be a tough game. They are a side that always cause problems at home and away. We’ll be looking to come away with something positive, and I’m certain that will happen.”

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Iker Casillas

Ex-Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas has said he wasn’t the only player to fall out with former boss Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese’ controversial time in charge.

The now-Chelsea manager spent three years at the club and rather than leave a legacy of winning titles, left having fallen out with many of his squad along with plenty of opposition managers and Spanish FA officials.

Casillas was accused of being a mole and leaking dressing room stories to his journalist girlfriend Sara Carbonero.

Speaking to Deportes Cuatro, Casillas said being singled out wasn’t fair as there were others who fell out with Mourinho.

“It was like being in a couple. In the end it disintegrates. You start well at the beginning and later on, you don’t have that feeling that you had before; ‘He cares more about the national team than Real Madrid, he doesn’t train, he is unprofessional, he leaks things to the press, he is a mole’… I will make it clear – I am not going to tell the club what it should have done. I looked out for the club and kept quiet,” he stated.

And he added: “I knew some other players didn’t get on with Mourinho, but the only one singled out was Iker Casillas. I don’t get it. What really irritated me was how when we were going for La Liga as we were, the supporters focused more on me when I fetched the ball to take goal kicks.”

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