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Cristiano Ronaldo has moved swiftly to deny reports he refers to Leo Messi in insulting and unflattering terms inside the Real Madrid dressing room.

Catalan journalist Guillem Balague claims in a newly-published book that the Portuguese star is cold and distant with the Barcelona forward and refers to him in somewhat offensive terms when behind the closed doors of the changing room.

Having seen the claims, Ronaldo immediately denied it, saying he has the utmost respect for all professional footballers, including the Barcelona and Argentina forward. He added that he would be taking legal action.

“News is circulating that I allegedly made offending remarks regarding Lionel Messi,” the 29-year-old wrote on his official Facebook page.

He added: “This is absolutely false and I have assured my lawyer takes action to sue those responsible. I have the utmost respect for all my professional colleagues, and Messi is obviously no exception.”

Ronaldo and Messi are both in the running for the Ballon d’Or award, with the Portuguese the favourite to win it for the second year in a row. He played a key role in his side’s success in the Copa del Rey and Champions League last season. Messi, meanwhile, helped his national side to the World Cup final and picked up the award for the best player of the tournament.

 

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German World Cup winner Christoph Kramer will not be leaving the Bundesliga for Real Madrid anytime soon, his agent has said.

The 23-year-old is currently in his second season on  loan with Borussia Mönchengladbach from parent club Bayer Leverkussen. Some reports in the press in both Germany and Spain have linked the player with a move to the 10-time Champions League winners, perhaps on the back of Toni Kroos slotting in so well at the Santiago Bernabeu since he arrived from Germany in the summer.

But speaking to German sports paper Bild, Kramer’s agent René Von Bruch said the player is going nowhere soon.

“Christoph is concentrated on Gladbach at the moment and from the summer, he has a contract with Leverkeusen (once his loan spell finishes). Real Madrid is not an option,” he stated.

Kramer hit the headlines this week after scoring a spectacular own goal while playing against Borussia Dortmund. Under no pressure, he lobbed is own keeper from some 45 metres out.

He was also unfortunate in the World Cup final having to be taken off in the first half suffering concussion. He had stepped in for the injured Sami Khedira, but after a clash of heads with an Argentinean defender, he asked the referee “Is this the final?” prompting the match official to inform German player Bastian Schweinsteiger his team mate could do with replacing.

 

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Former Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster has said Los Blancos midfielder and compatriot Toni Kroos is the complete footballer and has been a major revelation since switching to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 24-year-old central midfielder, already a Champions League and World Cup winner, has not looked out of place in the Real Madrid team and has formed a superb understanding with Luka Modric.

He netted his first goal for the club at the weekend in the 5-1 win over Rayo Vallecano, a brilliant curling effort past the despairing visiting goalkeeper.

Speaking in the press about Kroos, Schuster described him as an intelligent play who knows how to dictate the pace of a game.

“Kroos is everything I was expecting because he is an intelligent player. That’s a very important attribute in this game. He has it all as a player but I still think that his ideal position is a bit more advanced, at least that’s where I like him because he can exploit all conditions,” he said.

And he added: “You have to adapt the needs of your players to the team. Kroos is adapting fast because of his quality and intelligence. He’s got a good understanding with Modrić, who is another like him who could play more advanced.

“Because Kroos is often so far back, it’s difficult for him to use some of his qualities, like making the final pass or shooting. German players have always been good long-range shooters… we like having a shot.”

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Ex-Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed incumbent Florentino Perez didn’t want to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United because he thought he was too expensive.

The 29-year-old joined Los Blancos in a world record deal in 2009 and has been nothing short of a phenomenon ever since. He has netted 274 goals in 264 games for the side, and has helped them win the coveted Champions League, as well as La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercopa and the European Super Cup.

But speaking to Sky Sport’s Revista de La Liga, Calderon said he has started negotiations with the Red Devils prior to being replaced as president and that when Perez took over, he wanted to end the talks.

“When Florentino became president and came to the club, he wanted to break. He thought it was very expensive,” Calderon said. And he added:“He knew he was a good player but thought he wasn’t worth that amount of money. That was a problem he had at the beginning with Cristiano, who knew that.”

Calderon also revealed he had been working on a deal for two years and that it was disappointing he couldn’t bring Ronaldo to the Santiago Bernabeu during his tenure.

“It was a tough moment. In the time that we were negotiating that contract I spoke to (former United chief executive) David Gill about selling the player but he said ‘no’. They said ‘we are not selling Cristiano, we don’t want him to go’ which is normal. But the player wanted to leave. We were negotiating for two years,” he revealed.

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Real Madrid’s history is filled with brilliant goals scored by some of the best football players ever. Some of these goals bring special memories to fans, and have remained down the ages in their minds. At Realmadridnews.com we have selected the five most unforgettable goals of Los Blancos. Check them out:

Fernando Serena vs FK Partizan (1966)
Real Madrid won their first European crown of the post-Alfredo Di Stefano era in 1966. The Argentinian had lead Los Blancos to five straight titles between 1955 and 1960, but after his move to Espanyol it seemed as if the Spaniards would have to wait many years to rule in Europe again. Yet, in 1966 Miguel Munoz’ men reached the European Cup final. It was a hard-fought game against FK Partizan Heysel Stadium in Brussels. Velibor Vasovic gave the Serbians the lead, but Amancio Amaro leveled. Spanish midfielder Fernando Serena would score the winner with a superb strike from 25 metres into the top corner. Serena wrote his name into Real Madrid’s history books thanks to that goal.

Pedja Mijatovic vs Juventus (1998)
On May 20th 1998, Real Madrid ended a 32-year drought in the Champions League, conquering the long-awaited Septima – their seventh European Cup title. Los Blancos beat Juventus 1-0 in the final, thanks to an unforgettable goal from Pedja Mijatovic, who scored the most important strike of his career. It might not be the most spectacular of all, and many claim it was an offside, but that it will remain forever as one of the most important goals in Madrid’s history.

Raul Gonzalez vs Vasco da Gama (1998)
If Los Blancos had to wait 32 years to lift the European Cup title again, their Intercontinental Cup drought was even longer: 38 years. The Santiago Bernabeu club had won this trophy for the only time in 1960, in the first edition of the tournament. And they wouldn’t get their second until 1998, thanks to one of the most beautiful goals in the club’s history. The scoreboard showed a 1-1 draw with only seven minutes from time, when Raul Gonzalez picked a 40-metres pass from Clarence Seedorf, turned inside two defenders and coolly slotted past the keeper. The Spaniard made a name for himself with that goal.

Zinedine Zidane vs Bayer Leverkusen (2002)
Zinedine Zidane chose another Champions League final as the scene to perform one of the most beautiful volleys of all time. Los Merengues lifted their ninth European Cup thanks to this superb goal by the Frenchman, who slammed home a waist-high, left-footed volley off a lob pass from Roberto Carlos. In every ranking of the greatest goals of all time, Zidane’s is always among the top.

Sergio Ramos vs Atletico Madrid (2014)
It’s only been a few months since Sergio Ramos scored that crucial goal in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid, but it has already earned a privileged position in Real Madrid’s history. Los Merengues were about to lose against their city rivals. It was the 93rd minute when Ramos rose above all to take the game to extra time with a brilliant header. With Atletico’s players exhausted from their previous effort, Madrid went on to win 4-1 and lifted their so celebrated Decima – their tenth Champions League. This was probably the greatest last-minute goal in Real’s history.

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Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos will not be adding to the Spanish contingent already at Bayern Munich, according to Mathias Sammer.

The former midfielder and now sporting director of the Bavarian club told Sky Sports News that any talk of the German champions bidding for the Los Blancos star was absolute rubbish.

Some reports in Spain have suggested Bayern boss Pep Guardiola is interested in taking the 27-year-old to the Allianz Arena to add to the likes of Javi Martinez, Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Thiago Alcantara already at the club.

The defender, who scored in the 5-1 win over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, his 50th goal for Madrid, has a long-term contract that expires in three years time. The 10-time Champions League winners are already keen to tie him down to a new deal.

And according to Sammer, Bayern won’t be pursuing the defender any time soon.

“If the rumours from Spain were true this club would consist of four teams,” Sammer said.

And he added: “Ramos has a long contract [to summer 2017] and is a piece of the club, so what is said about him and us is pure speculation.”

Ramos guaranteed himself legendary status at the Santiago Bernabeu last season when he headed in the equaliser in the Champions League final in stoppage time to take the game into extra time, a game Los Blancos eventually won 4-1 over Atletico de Madrid.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said he wants to seize every chance he gets in the first team having played against Rayo Vallecano at the weekend.

The Costa Rican keeper stepped in for club captain Iker Casillas as Los Blancos ran out 5-1 winners. The summer signing was largely untroubled by Madrid’s local neighbours at the Santiago Bernabeu, but will be disappointed by the way he conceded the goal – his pass to James Rodriguez put the Colombian in trouble and he lost possession allowing Rayo to attack.

The former Levante mas has had to make do with appearances in the Copa del Rey this season as boss Carlo Ancelotti has preferred Casillas in goal in La Liga and the Champions League.

Speaking to the club website, Navas said he was keen to impress at every opportunity he gets and is working hard in training to stay in his manager’s thoughts.

“There are very good players here who make any play into a goal. That is reassuring and means we will get points. It’s important that the team is 100% in every area,” he said.

And he added: “I felt good in goal, calm. I’m getting up to speed. I have to seize every minute I’m given. The season is long and I won’t give up, so I train at 100%. Hopefully I make the most of matches with the national team and return to Madrid with the same desire.”

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Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has dismissed talk of leaving the west London side for Real Madrid saying he is happy at the Blues.

Los Blancos have been linked with the Belgium star in the past and this week it was suggested in some sections of the press that the 10-time Champions League winners would be willing to offload Gareth Bale to Manchester United in order fund a move for the 23-year-old.

Should Madrid make a bid for the star, it is though French champions PSG would also act on their interest in Hazard.

But the Belgian, who has five goals and two assists to his name this season, told Canal+ that he’s not interested in a move away from Stamford Bridge anytime soon.

“I made the choice to join Chelsea because I knew I was going to play. This is my third year here. I don’t know if I’m the main asset of the team, but I can take pleasure by playing in this team,” he stated.

And he went on: “I have no nostalgia when I watch Ligue 1, I think about the future not the past. Paris [Saint-Germain] have huge players, but Chelsea have more experience and more players in certain positions. And we also have a better experience in the Champions League.

“I never said that if I left Chelsea it will only be for Real Madrid. The only club that makes me dream is Chelsea.”

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Real Madrid assistant boss Paul Clement has said the great run of form currently enjoyed by the side is down to good defending as much as it is the strikers.

Los Blancos have won their last 13 games in all competitions, including two wins over Liverpool in the Champions League and seeing off Barcelona in the Clasico two weeks ago.

Since the start of the run, the Champions League and Copa del Rey holders have netted 52 goals and conceded just 18.

And speaking to journalists after helping mastermind yet anther win, this time over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, the Englishman said credit has to go to the defenders and how well they have done their job.

“Sometimes it’s hard to believe the streak we’re having because it’s an impressive run. Sometimes it’s hard to believe the streak we’re having because it’s an impressive run. It (our good form) starts from behind. We are defending very well & that helps the team to score goals,” he said.

He assistant manager, who worked alongside Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and PSG before they arrived in the Spanish capital, added that he hopes now the players avoid injury as the league season stops for an international break. “Now we have to wait a bit & cross our fingers because of the international matches. Hopefully all players return home healthy,” he commented.

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is believed to be open to selling midfielder Ramires in the January transfer window – something that could prompt Real Madrid to make their move.

Los Blancos have held an long-term interest in the box-to-box midfielder but have always been turned down in their advances to date. With the future of Sami Khedira unclear, boss Carlo Ancelotti could look to reinforce his midfield options when the window opens.

Ramires has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, starting just three of his side’s 16 games in all competitions so far this season. Former Los Blancos boss prefers Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas in the centre of midfield, leaving Ramires to battle it out with the likes of Oscar, Eden Hazard, Willian, and Andre Schurrle for a place in the first team.

The 27-year-old has a contact at the west London side until 2017, so Chelsea could seek to sell the Brazilian for a fee of around 25 million euros before his value begins to drop.

Ramies joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2010 and has made 198 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, scoring 28 times. He has lifted both the FA Cup and Champions League in his time at the club. At international level, he has represented Brazil 51 times.

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