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Real Madrid suffered their hardest blow last Wednesday as they were eliminated from the Champions League by Juventus. However, Los Blancos are experts in falling and picking themselves up again. In fact, for the last ten years, they haven’t lost a league game immediately after being knocked out of the European competition.

Last time that happened it was 2005, when Los Merengues lost to Getafe 2-1 a few days after having bend the knee in the last-32 round of the Champions League. Curiously enough, that time they had also been beaten by Juventus.

Since then, Los Blancos have been eliminated eight times in the European competition, since they won the title in 2014, and they have never lost a league game after those eliminations. In those occasions they have earned six victories and two draws, one of them against Espanyol, their rival this Sunday.

Their favourite rival for recovering after a European elimination is Sevilla, a team they trashed in 2012 (2-6) and in 2013 (3-0). Unluckily, Los Blancos will not face the Andalusians this weekend, but the precedents indicate they are likely to succeed in their game against Espanyol

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says his players will give everything in the final two league games of the season until it is no longer possible to win La Liga.

Barcelona could win the league today if they beat Atletico de Madrid at the Vicente Calderon, but with Real playing at Espanyol at the same time, Ancelotti said his focus is on making sure his players pick up the three points.

Speaking at his press conference ahead of the games, the Italian said: “We know it is an important match and we need to bounce back from the result on Wednesday. It is going to be an intense and difficult match, but the have been training well and we’re completely focused. We want to give it our all in the next two games to fight for the La Liga title until it’s no longer possible mathematically.”

Ancelotti was asked about his future once again, a question that has been more frequent in recent weeks. And he told reporters now is not the time to discuss that.

“There is a lot of interest in this topic, but we have two matches left and we have to give it our all in both. We still have a chance of winning La Liga so I’m not going to speak about my future just yet. Out of respect for all concerned, we’ll keep fighting. There’ll be time to discuss my future afterwards,” he commented.

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Espanyol vs Real Madrid La Liga preview

Real Madrid travel to Espanyol this evening with slim hopes still of winning the title, although it depends on Barcelona faltering in their final two games.

Despite the manager and players talking about giving their all until the final ball has been kicked, there is already a real end of season feel around the club, with nobody expecting Barca to slip up.

The hosts can no longer qualify for the Europa League but can still finish as high as seventh, so will want to achieve that and improve on last season.

In terms of team news, Espanyol are likely to be without Jose Canas and Lucas Vasquez but should field an unchanged team from last time out.

For Madrid, there could be a couple of changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Juventus midweek. Luka Modric is injured and will play no further part in the campaign, and he was joined in the injury list this week by Sergio Ramos, who picked up a calf strain. Sami Khedira’s excile from the side should see Isco and Toni Kroos paired in midfield once again.

Possible line ups:
Espanyol
Casilla; Lopez, Juan Fuentes, Colotto, Alvaro, Arbilla; Sanchez, Abraham, Stuani; Sergio Garcia, Caicedo
Real Madrid:
Casillas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Isco, Kroos; James, Ronaldo, Bale; Benzema

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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has said he wants to play against Real Madrid in a Champions League final before he retires.

The Catalans will play in the showpiece event this season having seen off Bayern Munich in the semi-final. But hopes of a Clasico final in Berlin were dashed on Wednesday after Alvaro Morata returned with his Juventus team and scored at the Santiago Bernabeu to send his former team out.

Speaking to the media about the final next month, Pique said while the press have installed Luis Enrique’s team as favourites, the players are well aware of what Juventus have achieved this season. Not only are they the Seria A champions, they have knocked out Real, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco along the way on their European travels.

“The final is what it is. We’ll play Juve, who deserve to be here. They’ve had a great season and a great run in Champions League. We don’t feel like we’re favourites, it’s 50-50.

“We’ll try to play like we are at the moment. Ahead of us are a team who beat [Real] Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco, all great teams, to get here. Would we have liked Madrid? I’m among those who don’t want to retire before playing a Champions League final against Madrid,” he commented.

 

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Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos won’t appear for the club again this season having been ruled out of the final two games of the season.

The vice-captain picked up a calf injury in the 1-1 draw with Juventus on Wednesday and played through the pain as Los Blancos aimed to overturn a 2-1 deficit to reach the final in Berlin. But he underwent tests on Friday and has been ruled out of games against Espanyol and Getafe as Real look set to miss out on major honours at the end of the campaign.

“After undergoing tests at La Moraleja Santias hospital [on Friday], Sergio Ramos was diagnosed with a first-degree muscle injury in the soleus muscle of his left leg,” a statement on the club’s website read.

It’s been a disappointing end for Real and manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose squad has been hit by a number of injuries to key players. Luka Modric missed three months on the season in the winter, but made his comeback in March. He then picked up another knee injury just weeks later ruling him out of the Champions League semi-finals and the La Liga run in.

Ramos has scored seven goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for his club this season.

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Napoli boss Rafa Benitez is in the frame to replace Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Ancelotti’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu is looking less than certain after the team was dumped out of the Champions League this week by Juventus. Speculation has surrounded the boss for many weeks, and despite claims he wants to stay, neither he nor club president Florentino Perez have been convincing whenever they’ve been asked about plans beyond this season.

A host of managers have been linked with the 10-time Champions League winners, with Zinedine Zidane remaining the favourite to step up from Real Madrid Castilla, especially now he has he coaching badges in order.

Borussie Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is another name mentioned with Real, and now former youth team manager Benitez has entered the frame.

Although his Napoli side were beaten in the semi-finals if the Europa League on Thursday, he does have European pedigree having guided Liverpool to the Champions League title while at Anfield. He also masterminded Valencia’s UEFA Cup win in 2004 and guided Chelsea to the Europa League title in 2013. Benitez has also won two La Liga titles and a number of domestic cups with the various clubs he has managed.

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Gareth Bale’s agent talks too much and doesn’t really know what goes on inside the club on a day-to-day basis, according to Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Welshman has come under fire from the media and fans alike this season and speculation has increased in recent weeks that the 25-year-old could return to the Premier League with Manchester United or Chelsea at the end of the campaign.

Jonathan Barnett added fuel to the fire this week by claiming Bale has found it tough at the club as many of the players in the squad don’t pass the ball to him so he’s limited in what he can do.

But Ancelotti hit back saying Bale is a key member of the squad and wants to stay in the Spanish capital, where he gets on well his his team mates and enjoys the way of life. He added that Barnett has never attended a training session so has never seen the camaraderie between Bale and the other players.

“He has had a good season. Last year he scored at important times and it’s possible that this season he’ll have the chance to do the same. We’re happy with the season that he has had. I’ve spoken to him many times and he’s delighted to be here,” he told reporters.

Ancelotti added: “I didn’t understand what his agent said, but we’re used to many people talking too much. This is a world where many people talk and sometimes they talk too much. Bale’s agent has never seen a Real Madrid training session, he’s talking from the outside and Bale has never had any problems with his team-mates, nor his team-mates with him. Bale likes his team-mates and his team-mates like him. It would have been better if he had not said anything.”

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Cesc Fabregas has leapt to the defence of Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas, describing him as a ‘great captain, great person and great footballer’.

The former Arsenal and Barcelona man has defended his interational team mate in the past and felt he had to speak out again after Casillas was the target of abuse from some fans following Real’s draw with Valencia.

Some Madridistas blamed him for the goals in the draw that effectively ended Los Blancos’ La Liga hopes and the keeper was seen making a gesture to them after suffering from the abuse.

Speaking to Cadena COPE, Fabregas stated: “I didn’t see what happened and I only know what I’ve been told. I’ve defended Iker many times and deservedly so because I’m really sorry about it. If I have to I’ll do it again without any problem.

“He is a great captain, a great person, a great footballer and a great friend. There isn’t much else to say because you only have to look at what he has done for the national team and Real Madrid.”

During his time at Barcelona, Fabregas was also the target of abuse from fans, and added it is harsh, but helps build character.

“You must try and stay strong, concentrate on football and do the best you can. If you analyse it then at times it can be your fault, although sometimes there are other circumstances.

“I think if you’re at your best then you won’t get whistled at, while at other times maybe you are not at your best or the team has lost. My case is different from Iker’s because he has won the public over a million times. Things can change overnight in football and you can play in the Champions League final, save a penalty and become God again,” he commented.

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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has said he would love to see Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti return to work in the Premier League.

The Italian’s future at the club has been in doubt for some time and there will be increasing talk of his tenure coming to an end in the coming weeks after Real were beaten in the semi-final of the Champions League. A 1-1 draw with Juventus on Wednesday evening wasn’t enough and the Seria A champions progressed to the final in Berlin with a 3-2 overall victory.

With Manchester City and Liverpool potentially looking to replace current managers Manuel Pellergini and Brendan Rodgers in the summer, a couple of big jobs in the Premier League could be available – and Henry told Sky Sports he’d like to see Ancelotti return.

“We would be happy to see him in the Premier League. He’s a great manager and a great guy. This is Real Madrid, if you don’t deliver every year, you have to go. That’s just how it is,” he stated.

Fellow pundit Jamie Carragher says Ancelotti is unlikely to be at the Santiago Bernabeu next season.

“I don’t think he will be manager here next year. He will know that better than anyone. He was a [Sergio] Ramos header away from losing his job last year.

“He’s one of the world’s top managers but there’s no way he’ll be here. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens in the next couple of days. That’s the nature of Real. We’ve seen them fire people who have won the Champions League.”

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Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has said Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale should not be made the scapegoat for the team’s failings in the second half of the season.

The Welshman has taken much of the fans’ anger after the team stumbled in La Liga post-Christmas and exited the Champions League this week at the semi-final stage. It means Los Blancos will not win any major honours at the end of this campaign, in stark contrast to the scenes of jubilation 12 moths ago, when Bale was a central figure as the side ended the 12-year wait for La Decima.

Bale may not have hit the same dizzy heights as last season, but has has still scored more goals and provided just as many assists as Eden Hazard has for Chelsea this campaign – the Belgian being a player many Madridistas would like to see replace Bale at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But speaking to ESPN, Pochettino said the former Spurs man doesn’t have to take all the blame.

“Gareth Bale is not the only player who is responsible for what happened to Real Madrid. I think Gareth Bale is a very good player but it’s not easy to score 30 or 40 goals every season. It’s difficult to analyse him because the expectation of Real Madrid is maybe different to at other clubs,” he stated.

He added: “Now Madrid can’t win the league, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey so there are no chances to get a title this season and always when you spend the money like Real Madrid and you get to the end of the season with no title, it’s difficult. You have in Real Madrid, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and a lot of big stars.

“Never is it easy to settle from the first moment. Gareth Bale is a player that needs to feel that the team plays for him. It’s like Ronaldo or like [Lionel] Messi. They are a type of player that needs to feel the confidence, the trust and play in the way that they want to play. For that, sometimes it is not easy.”

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