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Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez has admitted he is eying a first-team spot at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The centre back was a surprise inclusion in the side on Tuesday night as Los Blancos routed Basel 5-1 in their group opener in the Champions League.

And speaking to journalists after the game, the Spaniard revealed he wants to secure a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting 11 and will be working hard to achieve that.

“I try to make the most of all the opportunities the manager gives me. I work hard day after day to earn my place. The fans can do what they like, we players concentrate on playing. The players and the supporters need to be united and I’m sure that bit by bit we will be,” he said.

Speaking about the game itself, Nacho told reporters he was delighted to help the team put recent La Liga setbacks behind them and begin the defence of their European title strongly.

“It was an important day for us and it could not have gone any better. I think we maintained a good tempo throughout the match and played it how we wanted to. I am delighted and also for the goal, which was helped into the net. It was a nice bit of play with James and it ended the best way possible”.

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Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has agreed a contract extension with Los Blancos until 2020, the Spanish club have announced.

The Frenchman arrived to Madrid in 2011, just 18-years-old, and has won five titles for Real since then: one Champions League, one European Super Cup, one La Liga, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Supercopa.

This announcement has ended speculation on Varane joining Chelsea, as the youngster had attracted interest from former boss Jose Mourinho.

The 21-year-old confessed he is delighted with his new contract: “I’m really happy that I’m staying here. I thought about continuing with this club and with this contract I am now able to do that. I feel great and everyone has treated me very well, almost as if I were a youth academy player. It is a great honour and I am very fortunate to be able to wear this jersey”.

“This contract shows the confidence the club has in me and I want to continue growing. I have progressed a lot since I came here as an 18-year-old but I want to keep growing with this great club. I am more mature now and I have learned a lot,” the player added.

Varane has made 74 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring four goals.

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Real Madrid duo James Rodriguez and Cristiano Ronaldo are forming a lethal partnership on the field, according to the Colombian.

Both players were on the scoresheet on Tuesday night as Los Blancos demolished Basel 5-1 in their opening Champions League group match.

In a show of the firepower that Carlo Ancelotti has at his disposal this season, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema also found the back of the net, while one of the five goals was scored by a Basel defender putting into his own net.

Speaking after the game, 22-year-old Rodriguez told reporters he was happy with his performance and pleased with his understanding with Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo.

“I had a good game. Everything came off for us and as a team we did everything well. We hope to continue playing like this and keep scoring goals. This match will give us confidence for what’s ahead,” he stated.

And he added: “I also had a good game against Atlético but I think I was better today. I think Cristiano Ronaldo and I have always had a good relationship, we always talk to one and other and he’s a great person. As for the group, we are mentally strong.”

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has said he is not bothered about recent comments made by Jorge Valdano.

In his new book released this week, Valdano said he had never heard anything from Mourinho worth remembering and that the Portuguese is perfect for today’s headline-seeking days as he has a massive ego.

He also discussed Mourinho’s failure to land the Champions League trophy in his three years at the club – the top priority for Madrid. And to further insult the Chelsea boss, who has failed to win a trophy of any kind in two years, Valdano said his achievements in the game paled in comparison to arch-rival Pep Guardiola.

The pair worked together briefly when Mourinho was in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu. But in a bid to win more control at the club and have the ultimate power, Mourinho persuaded Florentino Perez to sack Valdano, who was the director general at the club.

Mourinho was asked at a press conference why Valdano would make such comments about him, to which he said the main reason was to sell books. And he told reporters he wasn’t bothered about the episode.

“Because he needs to make money and sell books. I have no problems with that. I accept it. It’s fair. No, I wasn’t bothered,” Mourinho said.

 

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Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has said he was pleased to get his name back on the scoresheet in the Champions League win over Basel on Tuesday night.

The striker notched just his third goal in 19 appearances for Los Blancos with fans and pundits starting to get impatient with the 27-year-old.

Speaking to journalists after the game, the forward said he was happy to score, but the most important when playing for Los Blancos is to win, and to play well as a team.

“I’m very happy that I scored, but the win was the most important thing. I think it was a really good match, and with a lot of goals too. It has been a slightly difficult week, but getting the win and scoring five goals stands us in good stead,” he stated.

The win also gives the players a confidence boost following a poor start in La Liga. Los Blancos have lost two of their opening three matches.  Benzema told reporters the player now need to push on.

“We’ve made a very good start to the Champions League. First match, first victory and it was important to win at home. This victory is good for everyone. Scoring is important, but playing with my team-mates is more important.”

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Former Real Madrid midfielder Michel has said the criticism aimed at Los Blancos in recent weeks has been over the top.

Los Blancos have made a slow start to the campaign, losing two of their three opening La Liga games as well as missing out on the Spanish Supercopa to Atletico de Madrid. They did win the European Supercopa in August though.

Many pundits have said the sales of Xabi Alonso and Angel di Maria have hurt the side and left it weaker than the squad that won the Champions League and Copa del Rey last season.  New signings Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez are also taking time to find their feet at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But Michel, who played 404 times for Los Blancos and now manages Greek side Olympiacos, told Marca the criticism has been too harsh and the team and manager Carlo Ancelotti need time.

“I couldn’t ever lose touch with what’s going on at Real Madrid and I think the criticism has been over the top. I don’t think they played that badly in the derby. They had a good first half and could and should have gone into the break ahead. The crux of the issue is whether they messed up or Koke, Tiago and Arda got it right. You can’t blame Real for their opponents performing well,” he stated.

He also defended Ancelotti and added the Italian has had to work under difficult and demanding owners and bosses at every club he’s been at.

“I don’t think Carlo Ancelotti is being treated fairly. This is a coach who has won the Champions League three times and has taken charge of over a hundred games in the competition. He’s worked under a mixed bag of tough bosses like Silvio Berlusconi, Roman Abramovich and Florentino Pérez and keeps winning,” he commented.

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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has said more British players should pluck up the courage to test themselves in a new league abroad.

While the debate in England for years has been how foreign players have impacted on the national side and slowed the progress of UK-born players, bale is just one of a handful of Brits plying their trade abroad.

The 25-year-old joined Los Blancos last season in a 91-million-move from Tottenham Hotspur and says the switch has made him a better person.

Bale, who scored in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, told the Independent newspaper: “I think the most important thing is you feel it’s the right move.

“If you feel you’re going to play then I would encourage a British player to go abroad. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it – the new culture, the new life. I felt like I wanted to challenge myself. It’s down to the player himself whether he can kick on.”

Although he didn’t speak Spanish when he joined, Bale said it didn’t take too long to adapt because of the support offered by familiar faces such as Xabi Alonso, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, who had all played in the Premier League and made the switch to the Spanish capital themselves.

“For me, it was quite easy,” Bale stated. “I went in the first day and the ones I knew – like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka, Xabi Alonso – all gave me advice. The team’s very good like that. We all respect each other as players and as people, so whoever comes in will be made to feel very welcome.”

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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has said he was delighted with the way his team responded to recent setbacks by beating Basel 5-1 in the Champions League group match at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Los Blancos began their defence of their European title in rampant fashion with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez all getting on the scoresheet.

And speaking to the press after the game, the Italian boss said he was pleased with what he has seen.  “It was an easy game. We began really well in the opening 30 minutes, we pressed them high up the pitch and we were very fast in attack. We scored and tried to control the game,” he stated.

Referring to recent setbacks in La Liga, especially the loss at home to Atletico de Madrid at the weekend, he said: “The team’s reaction today was good. We played with intensity, we pressured them high up the pitch and moved quickly up front. Obviously not all the problems have been solved, but I liked the team’s reaction.”

Ancelotto revealed to journalists that even he had nerves before the game. “Everyone gets nervous, including the players. It’s normal. When you lose the derby it is normal to be nervous. I am not used to losing two games on the bounce with Real Madrid. It is good not to get used to that.”

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Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman could be lined up by Real Madrid as the man to fill the holding midfielder role at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to reports.

Los Blancos have looked short of midfield options this season following the sale of Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich and Sami Khedira’s injury that will rule him out for almost two months.

Toni Kroos was asked to play the holding role at the weekend against Atletico de Madrid but looked uncomfortable, so Los Blancos may need to dip into the transfer market in January to sort out the problem.

Asier Illarramendi will be asked to fill the holding midfielder role in the coming weeks while Khedira works on his fitness but he does not appear to have the long-term confidence of boss Carlo Ancelotti, who shelled out 30 million euros for him from Real Sociedad just over a year ago.

And according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Carlo Ancelotti wants to raid Seria A side Roma for Strootman, who missed his country’s World Cup campaign due to injury, to become the specialist defensive midfielder at the club.

He could face competition from Premier League side Manchester United though as the Red Devils, managed by Louis Van Gaal, have long been linked with a move for Strootman.

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Real Madrid put their domestic form behind them and began their defence of the Champions Trophy in style, seeing off Swiss outfit Basel 5-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Almost four months on from winning La Decima, Los Blancos showed glimpses of their best attacking football as Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez all scored in seven devastating minutes in the first half to blow Basel out of the water.

The scoring had actually got underway even earlier, on the 15 minute mark, with Marek Suchy putting the ball past his own keeper to give the holders a helping hand to the delight of the home crowd.

The three goals towards the end of the first half ended the game as a contest. First, Luka Modric sent Bale free and the Welshman rounded the keeper to finish off with aplomb. A minute later, the former Tottenham pair combined again and Bale sent in a low cross from Ronaldo to tap in to get his Champions League goalscoring underway for the new campaign.

Shortly after that, Rodriguez had a simple finish after Karim Benzema’s shot had been deflected.

The second half turned more into a training exercise and Carlo Ancelotti’s men took the foot off the pedal. Basel grabbed a goal for the fans to celebrate when Gonzalez show low past Casillas. Ten minutes from time, Benzema scored a superb goal after a beautiful combination with Ronaldo.

Real’s Champions League campaign is up and running. Now it’s time to improve in La Liga.

 

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