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Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane has made it clear that he wishes to remain in charge of Real Madrid past the end of this season, responding to the constant speculation that has been present all through the 2017/18 campaign.

The Los Blancos boss has admitted that he is not in control of his own future, and if the higher ups want to replace him then there is not much he can do.

Sections of the Santiago Bernabeu support were calling for the Frenchman to be replaced earlier this season, but these fans have become a minority in the last few months, as Real have won 9 of their last 10 matches in all competitions. 2018 has gone pretty well for everyone involved with Real Madrid.

Even though things have improved majorly recently, Zidane knows that he will need to keep getting results if he is to continue in his role next season and silence the critics.

Speaking to the official Real Madrid website:

“I would like to continue at Real Madrid next season. I like football and what I do, and I would like to continue. But we already know what football is like,”

“My idea is to continue as long as possible. Here everyone depends on results. It’s a club with high demands and I know where I am.”

This season has not entirely gone to plan, mainly due to the bad start to the season. The title race is all but over as Los Blancos sit 15 points behind the leaders Barcelona.

The main target now is yet another Champions League title, which would be a third successive European success. Since Zidane took over the first team, Real Madrid have won 1 La Liga, 1 Supercopa de Espana, 2 Champions Leagues, 2 UEFA Super Cups and 2 FIFA Club World Cups.

A trip to Las Palmas is on the cards this weekend before the crucial first leg of the Champions League semi final.

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benzema-LasPalmas-GI

Las Palmas v Real Madrid will kick off at 5:30pm UK time on Saturday. Real Madrid will be looking to close the gap on 2nd place in La Liga with a win here, and Los Blancos go into the match as massive favourites to claim the win.

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Las Palmas v Real Madrid Preview

Las Palmas will not have been wanting to see this fixture considering their position in the La Liga table. It is a crucial game for them as they look to avoid relegation. There are a few injury problems for the hosts on Saturday, with Emmanuel Emenike and Pedro Bigas out.

Zinedine Zidane is likely to go for a similar starting 11 to the one he listed for the 6-3 victory against Girona at the Santiago Bernabeu before the international break. One change that could be made is the return of Sergio Ramos, who was left out of the squad for the last game. Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio have been in great form recently and should keep their places.

Las Palmas v Real Madrid Predicted Lineups

Las Palmas (4-2-3-1): Chichizola; Macedo, Garcia, Navarro, Aguirregaray; Castellano, Gomez; Halilovic, Aquilani, Momo; Calleri

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Vazquez, Kroos, Casemiro, Asensio; Ronaldo, Benzema

Las Palmas v Real Madrid Betting Tips

  • Las Palmas have won 2, drawn 4 and lost 4 games out of the last 10.
  • Real Madrid have won 9, drawn 0 and lost 1 game out of the last 10.
  • In the last 10 games, Las Palmas have scored an average of 0.7 goals and have conceded an average of 1.2 goals.
  • In the last 10 games, Real Madrid have scored an average of 3.3 goals and have conceded an average of 1.4 goals.
  • There have been over 2.5 goals in 4 of the last 10 Las Palmas games.
  • There have been over 2.5 goals in 9 of the last 10 Real Madrid games.

Las Palmas v Real Madrid Prediction

The hosts Las Palmas are in big trouble towards the bottom of the La Liga table. They are marooned in the bottom three, 6 points off Levante and safety. Their last match was a disappointing 1-1 draw against fellow relegation strugglers Deportivo La Coruna.

Real Madrid are looking to close the gap on city rivals Atletico Madrid, who currently sit four points above Los Blancos in 2nd place. A repeat of the 6-3 win against Girona in the last match would be welcome, as Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in that one.

There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 10 of Real Madrid‘s last 11 games in La Liga and there is expected to be goals in this one too. Real Madrid are on a good run, having won 7 of their last 8 matches in La Liga. Another win is expected here.

Free Betting Tips

Match Prediction

Real Madrid win 1/4 at Bet365.

Over/Under Prediction

Over 2.5 goals 2/7 at Bet365.

Result

Real Madrid to win 3-0 9/1 at Bet365.

  • Disclaimer: Odds correct at time of publishing

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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 26: Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal during the International Friendly match between Portugal v Netherlands at Stade de Geneve on March 26, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo is very used to breaking all kinds of goal scoring records, and it seems like he may break another one at some point this year. He has now scored 81 international goals for his country Portugal, which has taken him to within just 3 goals of the all-time European record.

That record is currently held by the legendary Ferenc Puskas, who scored an amazing 84 goals in 89 matches. So far in his career, Ronaldo has struck 81 times in 148 international matches. Some of the players Ronaldo has already surpassed include:

Sándor Kocsis (Hungary) – 75 in 68
Miroslav Klose (Germany) – 71 in 137
Gerd Müller (West Germany) – 68 in 62
Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland) – 68 in 146
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden) – 62 in 116
Imre Schlosser (Hungary) – 59 in 68
David Villa (Spain) – 59 in 98
Jan Koller (Czech Republic) – 55 in 91
Joachim Streich (East Germany) – 55 in 102
Wayne Rooney (England) – 53 in 119

Looking In-Depth

It is interesting to look at how Ronaldo has got these goals. 39 of the strikes have come in home matches in his native Portugal, 30 have come in away matches and 12 at major tournaments.

His country have a very good record when he has scored as well, as in the 56 matches he has struck, Portugal have won 47, drawn 4 and lost 5. On the international stage, CR7 has scored 4 hat-tricks, 14 braces and a quadruple on one occasion.

There are a few international sides that Ronaldo really enjoys playing against, scoring 5 times against Sweden, Armenia, Latvia and Andorra. Just below this are the 4 goals each against the Netherlands, the Faroe Islands and Estonia.

The Portuguese superstar has scored against 34 different teams overall, but interestingly he has never grabbed a goal against France, Germany, Italy, England or Spain. He will have the chance to get his first against Spain in the group stages of the World Cup.

After the international break, Ronaldo will return to club action with Real Madrid as Los Blancos travel to Las Palmas on Saturday.

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A lot has been said about the upcoming summer transfer window and the fact that Real Madrid are going to have to be busy. With that said, Los Blancos president Florentino Perez is reported to be keen on signing up to seven players in the event that a move for Neymar does not materialise.

A big turnover in talent is expected, with some big names potentially set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu. At this moment in time, boss Zinedine Zidane is expected to stay at the club but as is football, things could change if the last few months of the season do not go well.

It is not a very well kept secret that Neymar is the main target for the summer. The Brazil international only joined current club Paris Saint Germain in the summer but sources suggest he already wants to leave and join Real Madrid. It goes without saying that if the move was to happen it would be for a large fee.

Seven Additions?

If the Neymar transfer does not happen, you can still expect plenty of signings to walk through the door at the Bernabeu. Spanish publication Don Balon suggests that Florentino Perez wants to strengthen Los Blancos all over the pitch, not just in the forward line.

A goalkeeper is a must, with David De Gea and Thibaut Courtois the main targets. Real are also apparently interested in right back Alvaro Odriozola from Real Sociedad and Neymar’s teammate for club and country, Marquinhos.

A new central striker is being looked at too, with Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane among that targets for this position. Regarding other attacking players, if Neymar does not sign on the dotted line, the main targets are said to be Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah or Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Again, both players would command a huge fee.

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Real Madrid's German midfielder Toni Kroos celebrates after scoringduring the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on February 10, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

The latest reports in the British press suggest that Manchester United are looking at a move for Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos when the transfer window reopens this summer.

The suggestions have even gone as far to say that Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho has identified Kroos as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba, who’s future at Old Trafford is now majorly in doubt.

The French superstar has had a recent fallout with Mourinho and that has caused the ex-Real Madrid boss to leave him out of the last few starting 11’s. It has perhaps caused a rift in the dressing room and the fans can’t be too happy, as Pogba came in as an £89m signing from Juventus a few years ago.

Kroos A Key Target

Due to Mourinho being disappointed with Pogba’s attitude, he will be looking to bring in a player that he feels like he can trust to dominate the midfield area, both in Premier League and European action. This has led to the speculation that the side from the red half of Manchester could make a bid for Toni Kroos.

Though he has suffered a couple of injuries this season, Kroos is undoubtedly one of the best central midfielders in world football and if he was to leave the Santiago Bernabeu it would be a disappointment for many Los Blancos fans.

The German international has made 28 appearances in the white of Real Madrid this season, scoring four goals and creating another six goals for others. The report from The Mirror says that in order to lure Kroos away from Madrid, Man United would have to pay in the region of £100m.

The potential sale of Pogba may raise the funds for this, but the key thing is a big club would have to be interested in signing the Frenchman first, who would cost a massive fee himself.

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Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid for a while now, though his international manager Ryan Giggs has perhaps surprising said that he has encouraged Bale to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The reason this is surprising is due to the fact that the team most often linked with a move for Bale has been Manchester United, the club that Giggs represented for 24 years, reaching legendary status at Old Trafford.

The main reason why Bale is constantly linked with a move away from Madrid is due to the fact that he was been troubled with injuries in the last couple of seasons, as well as the fact that he is no longer a guaranteed starter. Zinedine Zidane has often decided to use Bale from the bench, rather than give him a place in the starting 11.

Stay Put, Says Giggs

Ryan Giggs has only recently taken the role as Wales international manager and his latest comments will probably come as a surprise to current Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, as well as many Red Devils fans.

When asked about Bale’s possible future, Giggs said;

“It’s Real Madrid – there are only a handful of clubs who have got that aura,”

“Of course you would want to stay there. What’s Gareth won, three Champions League titles?

“The proof is in that. When you are at clubs like that, you are always going to win things. Gareth has the ability to score every type of goal and there are similarities with Cristiano Ronaldo. They both started out as wingers and they are now goalscorers.”

These comments came after Bale became Wales’ record scorer with a hat-trick against China in a 6-0 success. It was his first ever international hat-trick and took his scoring exploits for his country to 29 goals in 69 matches.

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Zinedine Zidane

We are coming towards the business end of the season now and there are some extremely important games coming up.

There is an international break at the moment and many of the Real Madrid players are off with their national team, but when they are back in Madrid we can all start looking ahead to the rest of the matches.

Saturday 31st March – Las Palmas v Real Madrid – La Liga

Tuesday 3rd April – Juventus v Real Madrid – Champions League

Sunday 8th April – Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid – La Liga

Wednesday 11th April – Real Madrid v Juventus – Champions League

Sunday 15th April – Malaga v Real Madrid – La Liga

Wednesday 18th April – Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao – La Liga

Sunday 29th April – Real Madrid v Leganes – La Liga

Sunday 6th May – Barcelona v Real Madrid – La Liga

Wednesday 9th May – Sevilla v Real Madrid – La Liga

Sunday 13th May – Real Madrid v Celta Vigo – La Liga

Sunday 20th May – Villarreal v Real Madrid – La Liga

We may have to wait a while for the next game against Las Palmas, but there will be plenty of anticipation for that match to kick off. The last 9 matches of the La Liga season will be absolutely crucial in claiming a solid league position.

Los Blancos are currently 3rd in La Liga but will be targeting 2nd place. City rivals Atletico Madrid currently hold 2nd, 4 points clear of Real. A win against them at the Santiago Bernabeu would certainly put Zinedine Zidane’s side in a good position.

Another crucial match will of course be El Clasico against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on 6th May. Though the league is important, it could be argued that the Champions League will be the priority. A tough tie against Juventus is imminent, with a place in the semi final at stake.

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Reports suggest that Jose Mourinho is interested in taking Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane to Old Trafford this summer. Mourinho has been a long-term admirer of the French international and will look to make a move in the next transfer window.

The player is rated at around £50million and it would be difficult for any club to pry him away from the Santiago Bernabeu, as he is a key part of the starting 11 at the moment. A solid partnership has been built up with club captain Sergio Ramos and many Real Madrid fans would be really disappointed if that was broken up.

Manchester United have actually tried to sign Raphael Varane before, way back in 2011 when Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge. On that occasion Real Madrid won the race to sign the Frenchman and The Red Devils moved on to other targets.

Mourinho’s Second Attempt

Mourinho actually attempted to sign Varane himself back in 2014 when he was Chelsea boss, but Real Madrid did not want to sell. The latest suggestions are that Man United have now launched an attempt to sign Varane.

The player just signed a new bumper deal at Real Madrid in September, with the contract due to run until the summer of 2022. It is expected that Los Blancos would look to reject any bids for one of their key defenders, unless the fee was too good to turn down.

The reports suggest that Man United would be willing to pay around £40m, with Real instead looking for a fee of £50m. He is clearly a valuable player as he is still only 24 years old, plus he will be going to the World Cup with France in the summer.

If Varane was to leave, you can be sure that Florentino Perez and Zinedine Zidane will have identified some potential replacements.

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Kepa-Arrizabalaga-GI

Kepa Arrizabalaga was linked with a move to Real Madrid for a long time, and many thought a move was going to happen in the January transfer window. However, that move did not happen and instead the player decided to sign a new long-term contract with Athletic Bilbao.

The keeper has explained his decision to stay with Athletic, with an overriding reason being the opportunity to make the Spanish World Cup squad. Kepa was recently named in Julen Lopetegui’s 24-man squad for the friendlies against Germany and Argentina.

Real Madrid missing out on signing the 23-year-old was a bit disappointing, as he is one of the most promising young goalkeepers in Europe. If Los Blancos go back in for Kepa in the future they will have to pay big money, as the player’s new contract has an €80 million release clause.

Explaining His Decision

Speaking about the decision to stay at Athletic, Kepa had this to say:

“There were offers and I need time to think, to decide.

“It was a life choice that I had to make on where I wanted my football and sporting career to continue. Once I had it clear in my mind, I made my decision.

“I’m very happy with the path I’ve chosen. I’ve signed a long-term contract. I’ve got this season and a further seven years left. I’m enjoying myself.”

It would seem as if the main reason for not making the move to the Santiago Bernabeu was his international future. Perhaps the youngster believed that it would be tough to get games at Real, with current goalkeeper Keylor Navas fully established as the number one for Zinedine Zidane.

Los Blancos are expected to go back in for a goalkeeper in the summer transfer window, with David De Gea and Thibaut Courtois the players strongly linked. It remains to be seen who will end up joining the club.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Yet Another Award

Cristiano Ronaldo is having an excellent 2018 so far, and this has been added to with yet another individual award. This time, he has won the Quinas de Oro award which is given to the best Portuguese player from the last year.

This is the second year in a row that the Real Madrid forward has won the award. The players that were also up for the prize included Bernardo Silva of Manchester City and goalkeeper Rui Patricio of Sporting CP. The vote saw Portuguese coaches, players and fans choose the best player of the year.

The award was first given out in 2015 in order to mark the Portuguese Federation’s 100th anniversary, when Cristiano was given the honour of being named the best Portuguese player in history.

Ronaldo collected the prize at the Portuguese football gala, which was held on Monday at Lisbon’s Pavilhão Carlos Lopes. For his efforts in 2017, this award is added to the Ballon d’Or and The Best awards among many others. Throughout the year, Ronaldo scored 53 goals, 42 of which were for Real Madrid.

Individual and Club Trophies

As well as his individual awards, Ronaldo also added plenty of club honours throughout the year too. This included La Liga, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

Speaking about the individual honour, Ronaldo had this to say:

“It was an unforgettable year on a personal and individual level, and a historic year for Real Madrid

Having scored 17 goals in his last eight games, he has started 2018 in amazing form too. This included four goals against Girona at the weekend, and with form like this it would be a major surprise if he doesn’t win the Quinas de Oro award again at the end of this year. Former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho was also honoured at Monday’s event.

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