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James Rodriguez has criticised referee Carlos Clos Gomez for his performance in the match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Los Rojiblancos won 2-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie at the Vicente Calderon, leaving Los Blancos with a mountain to climb next week at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real felt the awarding of a penalty on the hour mark, converted by Raul Garcia to give the hosts the lead was particularly hard. And speaking to reporters after the game, James said he was angry with some of the decisions.

“He was very hesitant. Always hesitating over this or that. And if he was in doubt, he always went in favour of Atletico. The referee always try to make fair decisions but in the end he got it a little wrong,” Marca quoted him as saying.

He added that despite the result, the players would be focused on putting things right in the return match on Tuesday.

“That is football, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You always have to have a winning mentality. We put pressure on them and tried to score. It was an unfair result,” he commented.

And he added: “It is hard because they are strong at the back and play with intensity, but we have faith in our ability to make a comeback and we have a good opportunity at the Bernabeu.

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Respected Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague has said Real Madrid players are tired and some of them need a rest having played so much football in recent months.

Los Blancos lost 2-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie with Atletico de Madrid on Wednesday evening, their second loss in a week having been beaten at Valencia in La Liga on Sunday. If the friendly against AC Milan in Dubai counts too, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have lost three games in a row.

It is in stark contract to the 22-match winning run that put Los Blancos in a great position in La Liga and the Champions League and left the squad brimming with confidence about winning more silverware this season.

But speaking on Sky Sports, Balague said Italian boss Ancelotti needs to rotate his players more to keep them fresh for the latter stages of the season. He also added that the team’s poor results have also coincided with a dip in form for key players such as Gareth Bale.

“I saw a stat which said that as a team Real Madrid ran less in their defeat to Valencia last week than they had at any other point of the season,” he stated.

“So we are talking of a Real Madrid side that physically seems a little affected. They are also creating less in football terms and there is less connection between the midfield and attack. Added to that there are players out of form. Gareth Bale is perhaps one of them and Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t been at his best for three or four weeks.

“It’s also now only one goal Madrid have scored in the last two games, which suggests they are not efficient going forward either,” he concluded.

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FA Cup holders Arsenal are preparing a bid for Real Madrid midfielder Isco, according to reports in the UK press.

The Daily Telegraph, picking up the story from some of the tabloid papers, said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is prepared to spend up to 75 million euros on the Spain international at the end of the season.

It would seem somewhat a surprising move should it happen as the Premier League side, the only side go a season unbeaten in the league in the modern era in England, are well stocked with attacking midfielders but lack in other areas, particularly central defence.

Isco joined Real Madrid from Malaga in the summer of 2013, and despite a good start to life in the Spanish capital, his season waned as he found himself either on the bench or victim to Carlo Ancelotti’s preference for a 4-3-3 line-up.

This term, he has filled in well while Gareth Bale has been injured, and he’s also stepped in for the injured Luka Modric in recent weeks. However, he has still only completed seven La Liga matches this season.

Should Real look to offload Isco in the summer, Premier League champions Manchester City would be interested as Manuel Pellegrini has long been keen to link up with him again having worked together at Malaga.

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Norwegian 16-year-old pearl Martin Odegaard has trained this week with Real Madrid’s first team, confirming the rumours that he has signed for Los Blancos, although the club has not make it official yet.

The young playmaker arrived this week in Madrid to resume negotiations with the Santiago Bernabeu side. He met with Los Merengues directors, prior to visiting the training ground in Valdebebas and complete a training with Real Madrid Castilla under Zinedine Zidane coaching. He was also present at the Vicente Calderon to see the Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid.

Negotiations seem to have come to a good end, since Odegaard joined the first team players yesterday in their training session.

Sources from the club have revealed Los Blancos stars were amazed by Odegaards talent. Real have not shared the images of the training session, and they won’t until the transfer is official.

Odegaard is arguably the biggest Under-17 prospect in Europe, and many European giants have tried to sign him since he turned 16 years old in December. The Norway international was very close to signing for Bayern Munich, but he has finally decided to join Los Merengues. Apparently, the possibility of learning directly from Zidane has been crucial.

Having turned 16, Odegaard is now legally allowed to sign a professional contract with a new club. He currently plays at Norwegian side Stromsgodset, where he grew up.

The talented midfielder has also made his debut for Norway national team, and he even broke a record, becoming the youngest player to play in the European Championship qualifying.

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Real Madrid midfielder Isco has said the team will give their all to overcome the 2-0 deficit they face in next week’s second leg Copa del Rey tie against Atletico de Madrid.

Los Blancos were beaten by Diego Simeone’s men at the Vicente Calderon in what was their second defeat in a matter of days having lost to Valencia in La Liga at the weekend.

But rather than be downbeat about the situation, playmaker Isco said the team was determined to put things right.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Isco said: “The result makes it an uphill climb but it will be a different game at the Bernabeu. There are 90 minutes left to play and we will try to turn the result around in the second leg with the help of our supporters. We can do it.

He added that the players would have a renewed focus in the return leg and that people forget too easily that they won 22 games in a row prior to two straight defeates.

“Atletico rely on dead ball situations and they punished us that way again. We have to try and be focused in the return leg. It is worth remembering that before the run of 22 straight wins we also suffered two defeats in a row. The team is in good form and we have to keep working.”

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Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos has left top Premier League clubs on high alert after claiming he prefers the English league following Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss on the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie with Atletico de Madrid.

The 28-year-old gave away the spot kick at the Vicente Calderon, which was converted by Raul Garcia after he was adjudged to have been fouled by the Spain international.

But Ramos wasn’t impressed and told AS afterwards that while he wouldn’t get into particular incidents, the more he watches the Premier League, the more he prefers it, suggesting the penalty wouldn’t have been given in England.

“I’m not going to talk about controversial issues and certainly not that incident. The only thing I will say is that, with every passing day, I prefer the English Premier League,” he said.

And he added: “What am I talking about? Obviously not about the ball-boys … the style of play, refereeing. People enjoy watching that competition. When one loses, it’s easy to focus on the refereeing decisions.”

Looking ahead to the second leg, the defender admitted Real have a mountain to climb, but will do all they can to progress to the next round.

“Real Madrid as an institution obliges us to do our best to try and overcome this tie. Our focus is initially on Saturday’s game against Espanyol and then on the return leg.”

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Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will not rejoin Manchester United, according to Red Devils winger Angel di Maria.

The 29-year-old Los Blancos forward enjoyed a hugely successful six-year spell in the north-west of England prior to arriving in the Spanish capital in 2009 for a 95-million-euro fee.

Ronaldo has never hidden his love of the Premier League side and he still remains an icon by the Old Trafford favourite. Reports in the past have suggested the two-time Ballon d’Or winner, the favourite for the award again next week, would be keen to end his career back at the club.

But speaking to Radio America, di Maria, who made the journey from the Santiago Bernabeu to Old Trafford last summer, said Ronaldo is having a good time in Madrid and sees his future in Spain.

“I don’t think he is coming back to Manchester. It’s hard to quit Real Madrid,” he stated.

And he added: “Maybe, but I think he’s having a great time and I don’t see that he wants to change.”

Ronaldo and di Maria had a brilliant understanding when they played together and were both key in helping the club to success in the Champions League and Copa del Rey last season. Di Maria was sold for 75 million euros after the arrival of James Rodriguez at Real Madrid.

 

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Real Madrid blog

Sami Khedira’s contract will expire on June 31st and he is now free to negotiate a new deal with any other club. Although he was expected to sign for Bayern Munich, Xabi Alonso’s arrival to the German side could have closed that door, and the player seems now willing to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Los Blancos directors had already planned the future of Real Madrid without the Germany international, and now they are discussing whether they should offer Khedira a contract extension or part ways with him.

Khedira has been a key player for Los Merengues in the last few years. Yet, injury problems and the arrival of new players have reduced the midfielder’s minutes of action. With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric consolidated as Carlo Ancelotti’s favourites for that position, Khedira is no longer a guaranteed starter.

Moreover, the German is not even the third option for Ancelotti. With Modric injured, the Italian has preferred to try Isco in that role, and even Asier Illarramendi has often paired with Kroos leaving Khedira on the bench.

Against Valencia last Sunday, when Los Blancos were losing the battle in midfield, Ancelotti turned to Khedira in order to recover the balance between attack and defence. The 27-year-old did well and the team improved having him on the field, and Ancelotti picked him to display a more balanced starting eleven against Atletico.

That is surely a role Khedira can still play for Madrid. He’s a man who can add an extra defensive strength when needed, especially in away games, while also contributing in attack. Every time he enters the box he surprises the opposite defence and causes confusion. That is something Illarramendi still lacks.

Nevertheless, Real Madrid sports directors are focussed on creating a midfield line for the future, and it seems like Khedira won’t be part of it. Los Blancos are working hard to sign Cruzeiro’s midfielder Lucas Silva, who would play a similar role. Illarramendi, for whom the club paid 38 million euros, is also considered as a crucial player for the future. And Los Merengues are also closely following the progression of Casemiro, who is set to return from his loan at Porto.

Thus, it seems like Madrid should let Khedira go after five seasons. The player should also look for a team where he can get the minutes of play he deserves. He is still 27 and has a lot to offer. He has given the Santiago Bernabeu great moments, but it looks like those times will not come back. Many European giants will surely be eager to welcome him.

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Carlo Ancelotti has claimed there is no crisis at Real Madrid despite having lost their last three games against AC Milan, Valencia and Atletico Madrid.

“It is exaggerated to talk about crisis. We’re not happy about losing these last two matches, and we have to get back to winning soon. This is just the away leg, and anything can happen at home,” the Italian told the journalists in the press conference.

Speaking about the keys of the defeat, Ancelotti explained it was “a problem of the whole team.” “We didn’t have chances because Atletico defend very well and work hard together,” he argued.

“We will have our chances in the second leg. Atletico have a huge advantage, but we are going to try. We’re going to give our best to use the few chances we have,” Ancelotti said.

Asked about Sami Khedira’s performance, Los Blancos boss confessed he was pleased with the Germany international: “He has played well, organized and without making mistakes. I liked his performance. He will start getting fit as he plays more matches.”

Ancelotti also explained that he decided to bench Cristiano Ronaldo because the Portuguese “was a bit tired and it was a risk for him to play the whole game.”

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Real Madrid lost their third consecutive game as they suffered a painful defeat against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the last-16 round of the Copa del Rey.

Diego Simeone men put a foot in the next round thanks to goals from Raul Garcia and Jose Gimenez. The reigning champions of the tournament controlled possession during the whole match, but Atletico’s defence was extremely solid and Los Blancos were unable to threaten Jan Oblak.

Things could have been very different had the referee conceded a goal Gareth Bale scored before the 15-minute mark. The Welshman converted a free kick from James Rodriguez, but he was flagged offside.

Both sides played with high intensity, although the referee seemed more permissive with the hosts, as they were not shown a single yellow card in the first half despite their constant fouls. On the other hand Real players received three bookings in the first 45 minutes.

After Bale’s disallowed goal, Los Merengues barely threatened Oblak, and Atletico had the best chance before the break as Raul Garcia picked up a loose ball inside the box but his shot was blocked by Marcelo.

Real kept trying in the second half and they were close to taking the lead with a great effort from Bale, who received a cross from Marcelo, but the Welshman placed his strike wide off the post.

In the next play, Atletico were awarded a penalty as Sergio Ramos brought Garcia down. The Spanish midfielder finished expertly to make it 1-0 for the hosts.

Los Blancos efforts became more desperate after the goal, while Simeone men were comfortable defending with 11 men in their half of the field.

They ended up doubling their lead thanks to a Gabi corner that Gimenez headed superbly into the top corner.

It was a cruel result for Real after dominating the whole game. Atletico refused to have the ball, but they didn’t make a single mistake and Los Blancos made two. The Copa del Rey seems now a lost title for Carlo Ancelotti men, as they will need to score at least three goals in the second leg to beat Atletico.

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