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Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos believes preparation for Champions League games is similar to the World Cup and the memory of winning the competition last season will help Los Blancos in their tie with Atletico de Madrid.

Since winning La Decima on that famous night last May, Real have met their city rivals six times and failed to beat them in any game. They lost twice in the La Liga, and drew and lost one each in the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey.

But speaking to AS, the ex-Brazil left back said Carlo Ancelotti’s men will have be confident, especially playing the second leg at home.

“Madrid play the second leg at home and that is a very important factor. They will have a very different approach at Vicente Calderon than if the first game was at home, so the tie will be decided on [Madrid’s] ground. The Champions League is different to the League. The preparation is totally different. So I think Madrid will have many opportunities to go through knowing the second leg is at home,” he said.

When pressed on how the Champions League and World Cup are similar, he added: “The concentration for playing in the League and the Cup is one thing, but the Champions League is like the World Cup. In this competition players concentrate 110% and that makes the difference.”

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says every derby game is different and there are no favourites ahead of his side’s clash with Atletico de Madrid in the Champions League.

Diego Simeone’s men have the upper hand on Real this season having beaten them four times and drawn twice in the six matches they have played this season. But Real fans will remember fondly the last time these two met in the Champions League – the 4-1 win in Lisbon last season securing the club’s 10th European crown.

At his press conference ahead of the game at the Vicente Calderon, the Italian boss said every game against Atletico is different and it’s always impossible to predict a winner.

“Every match is a different challenge. One time we lost because of set pieces, the last time we lost because of an attitude problem. it’s hard to say what has happened the last few times, but this will be a different tie, we don’t need to win tomorrow and the most important thing for us is to qualify to the next round,” he commented.

He told reporters that while his focus is on defeated Atletico, his ultimate goal is to win the Undecima. “Our goal is to reach the semifinals, but our dream is to win La Undécima. We will try to win, but we can go through with two draws, so we are not obsessed with winning tomorrow,” he said.

And he denied that his side had a mental issue when it comes to playing against Los Colchoneros.

“This is a very level tie, so it is all even in terms of the odds, but this doesn’t change our mentality and attitude which is playing the game the way that allows our players to optimize their skills. Courage and personality will be very important for us. It’s an honour to play against Simeone but also a problem. Their style and defensive skills will be very difficult for us but they are not a black beast for us.”

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Premier League side Liverpool are the favourites to sign Asier Illarramendi from Real Madrid, according to reports.

Madrid daily, Marca, claims The Reds are after the 25-year-old to replace the outgoing Steven Gerrard, who is set to complete a move to US side LA Galaxy at the end of the season.

Despite featuring in the 3-0 win over Eibar at the weekend, Illarramendi has only started seven times for Los Blancos this season and is believed to be keen on a move away from the Spanish capital to resurrect what was a promising career until he joined the club.

The Spain international signed from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2013 and was seen as the long-term replacement for Xabi Alonso. But a lack of first team opportunities in his first season, and the arrival of Toni Kroos last summer have hindered his progress.

Marca claims Brendan Rogers is preparing an attractive offer that Real boss Carlo Ancelotti would refuse to turn down. Should Liverpool follow through with their apparent interest though, it could spark a bidding war with other Premier League sides. Arsenal are know be to long-term admirers of the central midfielder and with Arsene Wenger on the lookout for reinforcements in the summer, the north London side could be tempted to enter the fray.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said he’s proud to play for the club following the 3-0 win over Eibar.

Navas, who has seen limited first team football this season following his arrival from Levante last summer, has been linked with a move away – with Premier League club Liverpool said to be the team interested in signing him.

But after the win over the Basque side at the Santiago Bernabeu, Navas said he is proud to wear the club’s shirt and was pleased to keep another clean sheet.

“We have gone into the games with confidence and a serious attitude. We had to go out and win and we gave nothing away. It is always good not to concede any goals and that is thanks to the fact my team mates did a great job,” he told reporters.

He added: “It is a real source of pride to play for Real Madrid and a blessing to play with the fans we have. We all hope they give us chances and we can show our quality. We want to make the most of every minute.”

Looking ahead to the Champions League, Navas stated: “We will go out there with a winning mentality. We all want to reach the semi-finals and to do that we need to overcome Atlético over the two games.”

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Jese Rodriguez has said there is nothing better than scoring for Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Los Blancos striker scored in Real’s 3-0 win over Eibar on Saturday afternoon as they kept up the pressure on Barcelona in the race for La Liga.

It was another great moment for the young forward who missed nine months of football because of a serious knee injury.  Speaking to reporters after the game, Jese was quick to thank his manager, team mates and the fans for the support they have given him in recent months.

“I have always felt the support of my team mates, manager and the president. They are great players, great team mates, and I feel really at ease with all of them,” he stated.

He continued: “Scoring is incredible and even more so at the Bernabéu. It was an individual move and I like that kind of play. We are here to do that and we have to keep working. It was a deceptively difficult game because Éibar closed down at the back and made life difficult for us.”

Jese then spoke about the upcoming games with Atletico de Madrid in the Champions League, stating the team goes into the encounters full of confidence.

“We go to the Calderón with high hopes and the motivation to get a good result. It is a difficult ground to play at but we really have to go for it. We want to show that we are the champions of Europe.”

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Real Madrid forward Chicharito has said he needed a goal and playing time and he appreciates the opportunity given to him by boss Carlo Ancelotti.

The on-loan striker netted Real’s second goal in their 3-0 win over Eibar on Saturday afternoon, a win that moved Los Blancos to within two points of leaders Barcelona.

Chicharito has seen his playing time limited this season and isn’t expected to stay in the Spanish capital beyond his one season deal from Manchester United. But he told reporters he was happy at the club and has enjoyed his time with the 10-time European Cup winners.

“I needed that goal and to play from the start of the match. Things are going well for me. The celebration wasn’t some kind of liberation for me, I knew what I was getting into when I signed for Real Madrid. I needed to feel the faith that everyone has in me. It was a great performance by the whole team,” he said.

And the Mexican added: “I’m happy that the manager thinks I put in a good performance and that he is speaking about me on more than just a personal level. I didn’t feel like the worst player before when I wasn’t playing and I don’t feel like the best one now just because of the boss’s praise.”

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Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas says the Real Madrid squad is determined to help the club become the first to retain the Champions League.

The last club to win Europe’s top prize was AC Milan when the trophy was still under its guise as the European Cup.

Real finally ended their long wait to win La Decima, the club’s 10th Champions League, last year when they defeated city rivals Atletico de Madrid 4-1 on a famous night in Lisbon.

And Casillas said the players are determined to win the trophy again this year to help the side to the Undecima. First, Real must beat Atletico in the quarter finals, a tall order as they have failed to beat the Vicente Calderon side in six attempts already this campaign.

Speaking at a promotional event on Friday, the club captain said: “I expect a cracking end to the season, but we need to apply pressure and hope they slip up.

“We’ve struggled against Atletico this season but we are eager to lift the Champions League again after winning it in Lisbon. We’re very excited and focused about making this year’s final in Berlin. You think a lot about what can happen but the game never turns out like you expected.”

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has said he was delighted with the team’s third win in a week and they’ll go into the Champions League tie with Atletico de Madrid full of confidence.

Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Chicharito and Jese Rodriguez gave Los Blancos a 3-0 win over Eibar on Saturday afternoon. It follows recent wins over Granada and Rayo Vallecano. The three points, combined with Barcelona’s draw with Sevilla later on in the evening, means Real are just two points behind the Catalans in the title race with seven games remaining.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Ancelotti said he was pleased with the win as well as the fact that some of the fringe players got some valuable game time.

“The players who hadn’t had much playing time before now did well, especially Chicharito, who got an important goal. Then there was Jesé as well. We didn’t strain ourselves too much for this game, but everything went to plan,” he said.

Looking ahead to the tie against Atletico, the Italian said the team is motivated to avenge their 4-0 humiliation a couple of months ago.

“Our last result against Atlético gives us extra motivation. This will be a different game, a tough one, as it always is against Atlético. We head into this fixture in good form, we are motivated and we are going to give it our all.

“We have no doubt that this will be an intense game. That is a huge factor for this match, but there will also be other things we will need to make use of. I have a clear plan for Tuesday, all that’s lacking now is the result.”

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Reports in the UK have suggested Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira has been offered to Barcelona when his deal expires in the summer.

The German midfielder has announced he will be leaving the Spanish capital after five years at the club to take on a new challenge after failing to agree a new deal with Los Blancos.

According to some of the tabloid press in the UK, including The Star, the World Cup winner’s agent, Jörg Neubauer, has been offering his client to a number of leading clubs across Europe – including Barcelona.

It is not known whether the La Liga leaders have expressed any interest in the 28-year-old however. Luis Enrique’s squad is already packed with central midfield options, with the likes of Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano able to play the more defensive role.

When the time comes to deciding his future, Khedira will not be short of options. A number of Premier League clubs remain interested in him, including FA Cup holders Arsenal, who could be looking for fresh legs this summer with Mikel Arteta and Matie Flamini having seen their best days already. Manchester United and Chelsea are also possible destinations, while AC Milan and Fiorentina have been interested in Italy, and Bayern Munich and Schalke in Khedira’s homeland.

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Alvaro Arbeloa praised his team after Real Madrid’s 3-0 over Eibar in La Liga. In an interview with Spanish television GolT, the Spanish defender claimed “it was a complicated match, because we had important losses, but we have made a great effort and the victory has been fair.”

Los Blancos were never threatened by Eibar and that allowed Carlo Ancelotti to rest importante players in the second half. Arbeloa admitted they played the last minutes “thinking of Tuesday’s game against Atletico de Madrid.”

The right-back was very pleased with the team’s performance: “We have been improving in the last four or five games. Luckily we the team is almost completed, without injured players. We will determine our fate in the next few weeks and we are fine and happy for how things are going.”

Finaly, Arbeloa asked Sevilla a favour, as they played against La Liga leaders Barcelona a few hours later and Los Blancos needed the Azulgranas to drop points: “Every game can be decisive, you never know in which match Barcelona could drop points and we have to focus on winning all the remaining games,” the Spaniard said.

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