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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is set to miss his side’s crunch games against Liverpool and Barcelona this week through injury.

The Welshman missed out on Los Blancos’ win over Levante at the weekend, a 5-0 stroll as they wracked up their fifth successive league win. Carlo Ancelotti had said that the forward missed out simply because he wanted to give him a rest.

But it was revealed on Monday that the 25-year-old has a gluteal problem and that he could be out for a couple of weeks. It would mean Bale misses the game against Liverpool at Anfield as well as the match against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu. He could also miss the Copa del Rey tie at Cornella and the league match versus Granada, while there could also be some doubt in his participation against Liverpool in a couple of weeks time.

The news will come as a blow for Ancelotti, who will have to make do without the famous BBC attacking trio of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo. It could be the opportunity that someone like Isco has wanted though, as the playmaker should be able to get the playing time he was wanted for so long to prove himself at the club.

 

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Real Madrid boss has told reporters that he is not interested in signing Raheem Sterling.

The 19-year-old has become a key player for both Liverpool and England, with his pace and trickery causing plenty of problems for defenders.

His form for his club has lead to reports of a move to a bigger club abroad, with the likes or Real Madrid and PSG rumoured to be interested in his services. Indeed, Realmadridnews.com broke a story a few months ago reporting on the club’s interest in the youngster.

It appears that Los Blancos’ interest in Sterling has dwindled though following the signings of James Rodriguez and Javier Hernandez in the summer to add to an attacking talent that already includes the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Isco.

Speaking to journalists ahead of his side’s clash with Liverpool this week, boss Ancelotti praised the Liverpool player, but said his wasn’t interested in bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“To think of another striker for the Real Madrid attack is really extremely difficult. It’s clear that Sterling is not in our plans,” he said.

And he added: “Sterling is a player of great quality, certainly one of the best in Europe – but we already have extraordinary talent here.”

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Real Madrid are not thinking of next week’s Clasico fixture against Barcelona yet, according to Marcelo.

The left back helped his side to a 5-0 win over Levante on Saturday afternoon, the fifth consecutive league win for Los Blancos. And buoyed by such a rampant scoreline, the players could be forgiven for thinking ahead to the clash next weekend with their fierce rivals.

But Marcelo told reporters any thoughts of that game will wait until Thursday as Real play Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday in a key game in their group. Having won their first two matches, a win over the Anfield side would ensure Real have one foot in the knock-out stages already.

The Brazilian was keen to praise his fellow defenders for a clean sheet against Levante, saying: “Whether it’s an easy game or a hard game is down to us. We defended well and helped to get the goals.”

He then switched his attention to the two games that Real play this week, telling journalists: “The match against Barcelona is a Clásico, we all want to play in it and help our team. Now we have a few days to rest, then we have a game on Wednesday and then we’ll think about Barcelona.”

 

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Real Madrid forward Javier Hernandez has hailed the win over Levante on Saturday but urged his team mates to keep working hard.

Los Blancos won 5-0 at Cuitat de Valencia, with the Mexican getting his third goal for the club. Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Isco also found the net in another straightforward win for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Chicharito, who is spending the season on loan at the club from Manchester United, said although the team played very well, there is no such thing as a perfect match and they players will work hard during the week to improve aspects of their game.

He also urged his team to keep their eye on their long-term goal of catching those above them and winning the league.

“We put in a great performance, but not a perfect one; we have to keep on working. We know that anything can happen in football and there will be some games we win by the odd goal and others we win by more,” he told reporters.

And he added: “The coach always demands a good attitude from us, and balance between attack and defence. The most important thing is to keep picking up the points because we want to win La Liga, and working during the week is always better after a good result.”

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Former Real Madrid right back Michel Salgado he questioned the club’s decision to sell Xabi Alonso in the summer.

The veteran midfielder left the club in a 10-million-euro switch to Bayern Munich having played a key role in Real’s success in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League last season.

Since signing for the Bavarian outfit, Alonso has taken the Bundesliga by storm and settled into the heart of midfield in Pep Guardiola’s side.  And Salgado believes Alonso was the one player who was impossible to replace in Ancelotti’s side.

Talking to journalists, he said: “After Claude Makelele left we had massive problems replacing him and we struggled. And I think it’s the same with Xabi Alonso. He is the one player who is almost impossible to replace. He kept the right balance in the side. He hassled for the ball and could play from the deep positions. And even though Toni Kroos is a great player he is not perfect for that role as he likes to play much further forward.”

Salgado, who spent a decade at the Santiago Bernabeu and is one of the all time greats, went on to add that he has confidence in the side’s ability to continue to win silverware and that the team is getter better as the weeks go by.

“You can see that the balance isn’t quite there but the side is improving each week,” Salgado added. “[Karim] Benzema is just a special talent and what can you say about Ronaldo. There is no doubt he is the best player in the world.”

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Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated for the BBVA Best Striker Award for last season, it has been announced.

The 29-year-old is joined by former Atletico de Madrid striker Diego Costa, now at Chelsea, and Real Sociedad’s Carlos Vela on the three-man shortlist.

Ronaldo enjoyed another hugely successful campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 31 goals in 30 La Liga games. In total, he scored 50 goals for the side – reaching that figure for the fourth consecutive season. He set a new record in the Champions League, scoring 17 goals in the campaign as Los Blancos went all the way and secured their 10th European Cup title – the much coveted Decima.

Despite his goalscoring heroics, Ronaldo couldn’t help the team lift La Liga, as Diego Costa helped fire Atletico to their first league title in 18 years. Towards the end of the campaign, the Portuguese was also hampered by various injuries, including a knee problem and a hamstring strain.

Ronaldo becomes the fourth Los Blancos player to be nominated for a BBVA Best Player award. New goalkeeper Keylor Navas is up for the best goalie award for his fine season at Levante. Sergio Ramos is up for the best defender award, while Luka Modric is on the shortlist for the best midfielder.

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Monday’s Madrid papers go for two different angles today wit Real Madrid facing a huge week in which they take on Liverpool in the Champions League followed by Barcelona in the Clasico next Saturday.

Marca goes with the headline ‘I’m not available for anyone’, referring to the Clasico. Much of Spain, and indeed football fans across the world, will come to a stop as the two titans go head-to-head once more. Luis Suarez could make his debut, while Leo Messi is looking to break the all-time goalscoring record in La Liga, adding extra spice to the occasion.

AS focuses on the Liverpool game on Wednesday and has a quote from Reds boss Brendan Rodgers as its headline. The Northern Irishman spoke to reporters after watching his side win against QPR on Sunday that he’s not seen a team like Madrid for a while in terms of attacking talent.

Los Blancos head to Anfield scoring four goals a game in La Liga. In all competitions, they have an average of 3.07 goals per match, so the Liverpool defenders will have to be on the guard and expect a busy night.

Finally in some transfer news, reports in the UK suggest Manchester United want to sign Sami Khedira, and are keen to win the battle for his signature between them, Arsenal and Chelsea.

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Real Madrid midfielder Isco has said he’s happy to see Carlo Ancelotti keep his word and give him the chance to play.

In an interview earlier this month the manager said he thinks the former Malaga man, who signed for Real in a 30-million-euro deal in August 2013, has the ability and skill to start every game. He added the reason Isco didn’t see as much first team football as he’d like is that the competition for places in the squad at the moment is so strong.

The 22-year-old played in the 5-0 over Levante and scored a brilliant goal. Speaking to journalists after the match, he said he was happy to see the boss stick to his work and give him the chance to show what he can do.

He stated: “I’m very happy about the goal and team’s work, as it is always difficult after the international break. The team put it to them from the first minute and we got a good result in a very difficult ground. We are on a roll and ready for the stretch of the season coming up.

“I’m still young, I have a lot of things to improve on, and that comes with minutes on the pitch. I’m happy with the chance the boss has given me and I hope to be an important player for the rest of the season. Now we have a very difficult and important match at Anfield. The team are doing very well at the moment and we hope to continue that way.”

 

 

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Real Madrid’s director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueno has said the club will give all they can to defend the Copa del Rey title they won last season.

The draw for the first round was made on Friday and paired Los Blancos with Catalan minnows, Cornellà. Should Carlo Ancelotti’s team get past them, they could face city rivals Atletico de Madrid in the last-16 should Los Colchoneros also qualify.

And speaking about a potential draw with the team they defeated in the Champions League final last season, but lost to in this season’s Spanish Supercopa, Butragueno said Los Blancos would give their all to be successful in the competition once again.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the Real legend said: “We will approach this encounter with plenty of excitement and respect. We hope to play well in the tie and get through it. We will be trying to defend the title as best we can”.

He added: “The Copa del Rey is a competition that always throws up a lot of surprises. We have to think about the first encounter and if we get through that then we can focus on the next challenge. There will be very tough games on the road to the final”.

“The aim is to win and prepare ourselves in the best possible way. As long as we are in the competition, the aim is always to win it. Real Madrid always plays to win.”

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Carlo Ancelotti has hailed his team’s work rate after they dispatched Levante 5-0 on Saturday evening.

A brace from Cristiano Ronaldo, along with strikes by James Rodriguez, Isco and Javier Hernandez, saw ensured Madrid scored five goals in a league games for the third time in just eight La Liga fixtures so far this season. The have netted 30 times in the league and at this rate are set to smash the record for the number of goals in a season.

Speaking after the game, Ancelotti told reporters at his press conference that the players have to work hard to score goals and nobody realizes how hard the team works to create the opportunities for the forwards.

“It was a difficult game to prepare and we did well, showing discipline and focus. Now we have time to recover and prepare well for the match on Wednesday. We’re on a good run and the team is doing really well,” the boss said.

And he added: “Goals don’t come without effort, fight and focus. They all understood that and we come into this moment of the season in good physical and mental shape. All the players have shown that we have a very competitive squad.”

He also had special words of praise for Ronaldo, who scored his 15th league goal of the season already. Asked whether the 29-year-old could keep going at that rate, the Italian said: “I think it’s impossible to do more than he’s doing. He has to keep this form up, and we’re all going to help him to keep going as he is.”

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