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Portugal legend Eusebio has claimed his goalscoring record for his nation is better than that of Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 28-year-old Madrid star took his international tally to 41 last month with his hat trick against Northern Ireland in a World Cup Qualifier. He lies second in the all time list of top scorers for Portugal, just four behind Pauleta, and one ahead of Eusebio.

And the 71-year-old national hero stated to RTP that he did not like comparing eras, but if he had to choose whose record was better, it would be his own one. Former Real Madrid winger Luis Figo also agreed with Eusebio.

Eusebio stated: “It saddens me because you can’t make that comparison. It’s a mistake.
I played around 60 games to score my 41 goals. Now, after all these years, someone else has scored that many goals, but obviously that happens today because it’s easier to play against some opponents. I never played against Lichtenstein or Azerbaijan.”

And on the same debate, Figo said: “I don’t think Eusebio can be compared with anyone, for me he is king. It is very subjective to distinguish who is the best between Eusebio, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Diego Maradona or whoever because everyone has their own opinion.”

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Karim Benzema has responded to those who criticized him for his perceived lack attitude, claiming those reproaches are unfair and insisting he does run enough.

Benzema has not scored in five games for Madrid and a section of the fans have jeered him, urging Carlo Ancelotti to replace him for youngster Alvaro Morata. Morover, the 25-year-old last scored for the French national team on June 2012.

The striker spoke about this matter after France training session today. “It troubles me not to be able to help the team more and score more goals. It’s the longest barren spell of my career. It won’t last ten years. I think it will be over soon. As soon as I score one, I think many more will follow,” Benzema stated.

“I’m a forward so it’s up to me to track back first. That’s important. But you can’t ask a striker to run as much as a right-back. I’m not going to run all the way back to goal. There was an article recently that showed I run ten kilometres a match. I move a lot. In any case, it’s not a problem of attitude,” he claimed.

“People can judge me on goals because I have the number nine on my back. But I don’t just have scoring in mind, I want the team to win. Things are a bit more difficult than in previous years, but that’s part of a career at the highest level,” he added.

Benzema is likely to lose the starting striker spot in the next game of France against Australia to Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud. At Real Madrid, Caro Ancelotti has backed him and doesn’t seem keen on sitting him on the bench, at least for now.

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Alvaro Morata is one of the hot topics surrounding Real Madrid at the moment. His magnificent start to the season has convinced many Madridistas to ask Carlo Ancelotti for more opportunities for the young striker.

However, his great state of shape is not limited to his club, as with the Spanish national team he has had a number of brilliant performances lately. In fact, he is about to break an important record: becoming Spain’s Under-21 all-time top goal scorer.

Benfica’s forward and Real Madrid homegrown player Rodrigo is the current record holder. The striker has found the back of the net 15 times in 15 appearances for the Under-21 national team.

Morata has scored, for now, nine goals in only seven matches –more than one per game. The 20-year-old is only six goals away from the record and with more than one year ahead to beat it.

With the current break for international matches, Real Madrid’s striker has the chance to get closer to Rodrigo’s mark, and thus keep on making merit to earn a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting eleven.

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Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso may be fit for the match against Malaga on October 19, according to the doctor who operated on him in the summer.

The 31-year-old defensive midfielder has yet to make an appearance for Los Blancos this season after sustaining a foot injury in August. But he is nearing the final stages of his recovery and could be ready for a first team return after the international break.

Speaking to Spanish daily Marca, Mariano de Prado said he was optimistic Alonso would be fit. He said: “We looked over the player last Thursday and everything looking normal. He is progressing well and has not had any setbacks so far.”

He added: “He is in the last phase of recovery. He is able to further enhance his work and use the usual footwear for practicing. With boots he is ready to make changes in pace and to have contact with the ball.

“There is a possibility that he can make the Malaga game, but at the moment it is still an estimation. It is not to be ruled out, but it is not good to force thinking with an objective. If he arrives at that time in a natural way, comfortable with the workload, then perfect.”

Alonso is in the final year of his deal and has been linked with a move away from the club he joined in 2009. Although Los Blancos were though to be keen to offer him a new deal, Alonso may wait to see what his options are in January when he is free to talk to other clubs about a possible free transfer. Juventus, Bayern Munich and Liverpool are all reported to be interested in his signature.

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Spain’s most sold sports newspaper, Marca, claims today that Carlo Ancelotti has asked Real Madrid youngsters Morata, Jese Rodriguez and Casemiro to be patient.

None of them has made it in a starting line-up so far this season, and Marca states the reason is “Ancelotti doesn’t want them to be under pressure”. “He’s decided to go step by step with their progress”, Marca reports.

Meanwhile, As brings to their front page the issue of Real Madrid’s debt for the second consecutive day. The Madrid daily publishes an interview with Spanish economist Gay de Liebana, who claims that “if Real’s debt keeps growing, the club will have to become a public limited company.”

The second most sold Spanish sports paper also publishes an interview with former Los Blancos defender Roberto Carlos. The Brazilian speaks about Vicente del Bosque’s dismissal back in 2003. “He was like my father. I didn’t want him to leave,” Roberto Carlos confessed.

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Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has said Gareth Bale’s rapport with Cristiano Ronaldo will be key in whether the Welshman is a success at Real Madrid.

In his new autobiography, the now QPR manager, who used to manage Bale at White Hart Lane during the duo’s time at the north London club, said how he gets on with the world’s highest paid football will be essential. Following the 24-year-old’s 91 million euro transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu, there has been some speculation that Ronaldo was unhappy he was no longer the centre of attention.

Redknapp also said Bale will need to adjust quickly to Spanish life, and adapt to the culture – although is is lucky to be able to rely on Paul Clement and Carlo Ancelotti to help him settle in the Spanish capital. Former Spurs team mate Luka Modric is also at the club and will be an important factor in helping Bale feel at home.

“If Ronaldo feels threatened by Gareth’s arrival, Madrid could be a lonely place so he will need to lean a lot on [Real Madrid coach Carlo] Ancelotti, who speaks good English, and Paul Clement, Carlo’s assistant, who is English,” Redknapp wrote.

He went on: “His relationship with Ronaldo is the key to it all, because if the football is going well then all the added stresses are a minor irritation and nothing more. If the football is a struggle the other aggravations appear 10 times worse.”

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Real Madrid are disappointing most of their fans with their wobbly start to the season. But their game is not the only aspect that has failed so far. On the statistics side, the Madridistas are also struggling.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side is the team that have taken most shots on target among all La Liga clubs so far this season. Yet, Los Blancos effectiveness is very poor compared to other years.

Despite their unconvincing game, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have managed to take 166 shots in eight matches, an average of 21 attempts per game. However, they have only scored 17 goals, a very poor percentage compared to that of other seasons.

In fact, at this stage two years ago, Jose Mourinho’s men had scored 28 goals. This season, Barcelona, with 152 shots -14 less than Real- have scored 11 more goals than Los Merengues.

Cristiano Ronaldo is by far the player who takes more strikes, with a total 62, eight per game. Leo Messi is the second, with only 34 shots so far this season. Karim Benzema is fifth with 24 attempts.

The Portuguese is the team’s top scorer with seven goals, averaging 0.9 per game. Only Messi (8) and Diego Costa (10) are beating him at the moment. Isco has found the back of the net four times in the league, while Benzema has netted only two in eight appearances.

Real Madrid’s goal record would be even worse if it wasn’t for the four penalties they have been awarded. The good luck with referees’ performances is one of the few facets that have favoured Real.

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Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president

The head of a group of Real Madrid fans has claimed club president Florentino Perez does not fully grasp the amount of debt Los Blancos are in, leaving the club in a dangerous situation.

Carlos Mendoza, the president of the ‘Asociacion por los Valores del Madridismo’, said suggestions the club are just 90 million euros in debt are wide of the mark, and that the figure is closer to 540 million euros – a figure quoted in today’s edition of AS, which carries the interview.

According to Mendoza, 90 million euros would represent net debt, or the debt only owed to banks. But Los Blancos also owe millions to players, clubs, sporting associations, public administration, suppliers. Having studied the financial situation at the club, Mendoza said plans for a stadium renovation are worrying, given the financial climate.

“We have studied the accounts and the budget and we have detected things which are not explained by the president – things which worry us for the future. Even with that debt, he wants to take on the redevelopment of the Bernabeu, which he says will cost 400 million euros” he stated.

And he added: “And then he says he does not know how it will be financed, that he will use ingenious methods… If there is uncertainty, then to plunge into this 400 million euros Bernabeu project does not seem the most prudent.”

The most recent Forbes list put Real Madrid as the world’s richest club, and while Mendoza accepted Perez is skilled in the marketing sector and able to boost the club’s income, the expenditure is the worrying factor.

“We have the highest revenues, but also the highest outgoings. And revenues have been growing by 12 percent a year for the last decade, but in the last year only grew by 1 percent, while the costs are exploding,” he is quoted as saying.

 

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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has been name Welsh Player of the Year at an awards ceremony.

It is the third time the 24-year-old has won the award, bringing him level with Mark Hughes, who also played in Spain during his career – at La Liga rivals Barcelona.  The award for Bale comes at the end of a huge 12 months for the star, whose outstanding form lead to a 91 million euro move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

He scored 31 goals in 53 appearances for club and country last season, making him one of the top players in Europe. Although a number of the continent’s leading clubs coveted him, Bale said he always wanted to join the nine-time European Cup winners.

As well as the Welsh Player of the Year Award, Bale also picked up the Fans’ Player of the Year gong too, and international boss Chris Coleman said he would only get better in the Spanish capital.

“Gareth’s definitely one of the best players I’ve seen. I’ve had the fortune of being up close and personal with him in training and he’s a player that can take your breath away,” he said.

“In two or three seconds, he will do something that nobody else can do. He’s a special player. He’s serious about Wales, he’s a Cardiff boy and patriotic and what he does for Welsh football is raise the interest in football for our country. He’s brought that for us.

“He’s a great player – and I still think he’s getting better because of his age. He’ll only get better working under a manager like Carlo Ancelotti and playing for Real Madrid with players like Cristiano Ronaldo.”

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Spanish sports newspaper As publishes today an exclusive interview with Carlos Mendoza, a Real Madrid Assembly’s delegate who was banned from speaking in the last stakeholders meeting.

Mendoza claims “Real has a 541-million-euros debt” which is “twice the amount Florentino Perez received from Lorenzo Sanz”.

“We are the club with the highest income worldwide, but also the club with more expenses. In the last year revenue has only increased by one per cent, while expenses have picked up,” Mendoza told As.

He states that Perez “had to sell Ozil to compensate for the transfer’s outlay”. “Starting a 400-million-euros remodelling of Santiago Bernabeu is not prudent”, he concluded.

Meanwhile, Marca publishes an interview with former Real Madrid Castilla’s manager Michel Gonzalez, who coached Jese Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata.

Michel claims “Both are first-level players and will have a long career at Real Madrid”. “It is very difficult to arrive to the first team, playing only 20 minutes and always leave your personal mark”, he added.

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