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Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says the players raise their game in the Champions League and are looking forward to their tie with Atletico de Madrid.

Los Blancos face their cross-city rivals in the quarter-finals next month in a repeat of last year’s final, which Real won 4-1 to secure the 10th Champions League crown.

But since that famous night in Lisbon, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have failed to beat Los Rojiblancos in six attempts this year. They lost both encounters in La Liga, as well as a draw and a loss each in the two legged Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey ties.

In Europe this season, Real breezed through the group stages winning all six games. But having defeated Schalke 2-0 in the first leg of their last 16 tie, they almost blew it at the Santiago Bernabeu, going down 4-3 and clinging on by their fingernails for the last seven or eight frantic minutes.

But speaking in an interview with Marca, Benzema said the Real players love playing in European competition and raise their game in the Champions League.

He stated: “It’s going to be tough, it always is, but Real Madrid always raise their game in the Champions League. We’re thrilled to be playing in Europe.”

 

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Former Barcelona player and manager Johan Cruyff has said the Azulgrana didn’t even have to play very well to win the Clasico at the weekend.

Los Cules moved four points clear of their fierce rivals in the race for La Liga thanks to goals from Jeremy Matieu and Luis Suarez. Carlo Ancelotti’s side had the better of the opportunities in the first half though and could have been two or three goals up at the break.

In quotes published by AS, the Dutchman said: “Football is so great, that you can play a match poorly and win. When a team plays well, the logical outcome is a win, but when a team plays poorly and wins…

“How many balls did Barca concede? Who won on possession? Madrid, no? Well that’s all that needs to be said.”

While Cryuff was no doubt pleased his former side put one over their old adversaries, he admitted off field issues, and in particular the court case surrounding Neymar’s transfer to the club and the transfer ban handed down for irregularities when signing foreign under-18 players, had damaged the image of the Camp Nou side.

“Court cases do nothing to help the image of the club abroad. We have this and the ‘B’ team about to get relegated to contend with,” he stated.

 

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Real Madrid have moved quickly identify the men who attacked various players at the club’s training base in Valdebebas after they returned back to the Spanish capital following defeat in the Clasico.

Two men were seen insulting a number of players as they left in their cars in the early hours of Monday morning. Jese Rodriguez and Gareth Bale both had their cars punched and kicked. Sergio Ramos stopped to talk to the men and told them to calm down, adding that the the team wins and loses together and individuals are not to blame.

One of the two men is a member at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the club has announced it has banned him following the attacks.

In a statement on the club’s website, it read: “The club has already identified the individuals responsible, one a Real Madrid member, for these aggressive and violent actions against several of our players.

“Details of this member’s identity have been sent to the club’s Discipline Commission, requesting that it expel the individual from Real Madrid for what is considered a very serious offence.

“This afternoon, the Discipline Commission held an emergency meeting and decided to open a disciplinary investigation and provisionally suspend the individual’s rights as a member and access to the Santiago Bernabeu or any Real Madrid facilities.”

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Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos has played down the four point gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga ad insists Los Blancos maintain their hopes of winning the league.

Real slipped to defeat against their fierce rivals at the Camp Nou on Sunday to fall further behind in the race for the title. Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out Jeremy Matieu’s opener in the first half, but Luis Suarez scored for the hosts in the second half to secure all three points.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Ramos, who recently returned to the side following an hamstring injury, said the players were disappointed with the result but know that if they perform for the next for games like they did in the first half of the Clasico, they will be in with a great chance of winning the title.

“We saw a Madrid side that gave everything and a great set up from our manager. We had more chances than them in the first half and we lacked that little bit of luck in front of goal that would have killed off the match. It is clear that these games are like that and we knew what a great side we were up against,” he said.

And he added: “In the first half we performed at a very high level, although in the second half they had a little bit more control. We are sorry that we didn’t finish off the chances. Four points is nothing and we are going to keep fighting for La Liga.”

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Real Madrid left back Marcelo has said the players know where they need to improve on the field and will do all they can to put things right between now and the end of the season.

Los Blancos slipped four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona on Sunday night after losing 2-1 in the Clasico. It means that should Luis Enrqiue’s side win nine of their last 10 games, they will be Spanish champions.

Speaking to the media afterwards, Marcelo said the Real players fought hard and deserved more from the game, but he vowed they would keep on fighting right until the last game.

“We played better in some parts of the game and we had more possession than them in the first half and at the beginning of the second half, but in the end they were better. It was a key game where we could have gone ahead of them, but there are games left and we are going to keep fighting,” the Brazilian commented.

“We are never going to give in, we are going to keep battling, and be aware of our faults so that we do not make them again. Now we do not depend on ourselves and it is more difficult, but we are going to fight on until the end.”

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is planning to raid his former club this summer and tempt Real Madrid with a 90 million euro offer for Gareth Bale, according to reports.

The Portuguese boss had identified the Welshman as the man to take the Blues to the next level as the self-styled Special One failed to lead Chelsea beyond the last 16 of the Champions League despite being one of the biggest spenders across the continent.

Bale has netted 12 goals in 24 La Liga outings this season, and scored twice in his last appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Levante, ending a nine match run without a goal.

But the 25-year-old has found it tough of late, with fans and media in the Spanish capital criticising him for being too selfish. He has also taken the brunt of fans’ anger for a downturn in form for the side overall.

The Metro reports Chelsea are looking to end Bale’s spell in Madrid and take him back to the Premier League. Manchester United are also believed to keeping tabs on the situation.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man scored in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals last season as Los Blancos finally ended their 12-year wait for La Decima.

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Two walking scumbags who boastfully call themselves Real Madrid fans attacked Jese Rodriguez and Gareth Bale last night at Valdebebas training ground when Los Blancos returned from Barcelona, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat against their arch-rivals.

The video recorded by Spanish television channel Cuatro shows how these two worthless people were waiting at the exit and tried to stop Jese and Bale’s cars when they left. One of them called Jese a “son of a bitch” and threatened him pointing at him with his finger.

Jese stopped his car and rolled down the window, and the supposed fan continued: “You’re a son of a bitch. You have to run.” Jese left and the individual hit his car as he left.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Captain Sergio Ramos left the training ground behind Jese and, having watched the scene, stopped to confront the agressors. The defender had a heated discussion with both of them that went as follows:

– RAMOS: Do you think this is normal?
– SCUMBAG 1: I apologise.
– RAMOS: You don’t have to apologise to me.
– SCUMBAG 1: Look, I have spent a lot of money to come and see you play.
– RAMOS: Like so many other people, dude. The team has fought.
– SCUMBAG 1: No, Jese and Bale didn’t.
– SCUMBAG 2: Sergio, some players have fought, others haven’t.
– RAMOS: When we lose, we lose as a team, the same as when we win.
– SCUMBAG 1: Don’t get mad at me. They don’t fight like you do.

Unable to make the two subjects come to their senses, Ramos left.

The troublemakers remained there, calling everyone who left a “son of a bitch.” They suddenly became more violent when Gareth Bale appeared, shouting at him and hitting and kicking his car while the security guards stood there staring.

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti insists his team’s bid to secure the league title isn’t over despite the loss to Barcelona on Sunday night.

Los Cules moved four points clear of Los Blancos with 10 games remaining and are now clear favourites to win La Liga.

Jeremy Matieu gave the hosts the lead before Cristiano Ronaldo equalised for the Champions League holders. Summer signing Luis Suarez showed why Barca were so keen to bring him in from Liverpool when he drilled in the hosts’ second 10 minutes after the break.

Speaking after the game, Ancelotti said he felt Real played the better of the two teams in the first hour and deserved more from the game. He added that despite the loss, the team will fight until the end of the campaign for both the league and Champions League titles.

“Two really high-level teams came up against each other. For the first hour we were the better side and we played well. We did well until the second goal. Then it turned much more complicated. We’ll take a first half of the match away with us in which we did very well; we showed good control of the play, and were efficient up front and solid at the back,” he stated.

And he told reporters: “In the end we suffered a slight lack of cool heads in our efforts to equalise. We played too many long balls without a clear idea. It was a good hour, and 30 minutes that weren’t so good. We have to continue with this idea because the team has improved a lot. It’s difficult to say whether the best team won.

“The league isn’t over. Barcelona have a lead, as we did before. Anything can happen in football. It’s more difficult, but we’re not going to prioritise the Champions League. The priority is La Liga and the Champions League.”

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Luka Modric has rued Real Madrid’s wasteful finishing and said they should have been out of sight in the first half against Barcelona.

Los Blancos fell to a 2-1 defeat at the Camp Now, a loss that complicates their chances of winning La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s men now find themselves four points behind Los Cules with 10 games to go.

Jeremy Matieu headed the hosts in front before Cristiano Ronaldo equalised. But former Liverpool man Luis Suarez scored a second for Barca on 56 minutes to secure the three points.

For much of the first half though, Real dominated, and had numerous chances to take the lead. And speaking to journalists afterwards, Modric said Real should have been more ruthless in front of goal.

“We played very well up until the second goal. We were a lot better than Barcelona and we could have scored two or three goals in the first half. Up until they got their second goal, we played very well in defence and attack and we could have scored more goals,” he stated.

And he told reporters: “Then we weren’t the same side as in the first half. In the next few games we have to play like we did in the first hour. Nothing has finished yet, there is a lot to play for and we will fight until the end.”

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Barcelona increased their lead in La Liga to four points after beating Real Madrid 2-1 with goals from Jeremy Mathieu and Luis Suarez.

Carlo Ancelotti men played an impressive first 60 minutes and deserved to score more than one goal, but they made two defensive mistakes that allowed Barca to take the lead and play very comfortably during the last half-hour.

Luis Enrique men struggled to control possession from the start, with Real’s midfielders exerting a high pressure on Javier Mascherano, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic.

Los Merengues were dangerous in attack and they had the first chance as Karim Benzema picked up the ball inside the box and assisted Ronaldo, who fired a shot straight at the crossbar.

The hosts barely threatened Iker Casillas in the first half, but they scored in their first chance. In the 19th minute, Leo Messi sent a precise cross from a free kick and Mathieu headed the ball into the back of the net.

Despite the goal, Los Merengues kept controlling the game. Marcelo and Benzema were a nightmare for the Azulgranas’ defence. The Brazilian had a good chance to level after dribbling three opponents, but his right-foot shot was blocked by a defender.

The goal finally arrived in a superb collective play. Luka Modric sent the ball forward to Benzema, who produced a back-heel into Ronaldo. The Portuguese poked his effort into the bottom corner.

Los Blancos could have taken the lead before half-time. Gareth Bale scored after receiving a pass from Ronaldo, but the goal was disallow for offside. Minutes later, he caught a loose ball inside the box and sent a shor-range effort wide off the post.

Barca were completely out of the game until Luis Suarez received a long pass from Dani Alves, run faster than Pepe and beat Casillas with a precise shot.

That was a big blow for Los Blancos. Ancelotti men seemed completely demotivated after that, and Barcelona started having one chance after another.

Neymar was close to scoring as he danced into the final third before attempting to place one into the top corner, but his effort cleared the crossbar. The Brazilian missed another great opportunity five minutes later as he received a pass from Messi and fired wide of the near post.

Jordi Alba and Messi also came close to making it 3-1, but Casillas made two brilliant saves that kept Los Merengues hopes of levelling alive until the last minute. However, the visitors were exhausted and they couldn’t savage a point.

Madrid were at least able to keep the goal-average in their favour since they had won 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. If both teams earn the same points at the end of the season, Los Blancos will lift the title.

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