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Madrid sports newspaper As claims that Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as sports director will not be as simple as expected, since the Frenchman “doesn’t want to commit”.

“Zidane doesn’t want to become sports director and he’s got one subject to pass to get the coach license”, As states.

As also highlights the match preview today’s game between Spain and The Netherlands in the Under-21 Eurocup with Real Madrid youngster Alvaro Morata “pushing the team forward”.

The other main Madrid sports paper, Marca, puts the focus on Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract renewal. The most sold Spanish newspaper claims that Florentino Perez wants to extend the Portuguese deal until 2018.

“He has been four years dressed in white and Los Blancos president wants him to set an era at Real Madrid

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Luis Suarez has hinted in an interview with a Uruguayan television channel that he would like to move to Real Madrid because he would like to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 26-year-old Liverpool forward has been linked with a move away from Anfield after revealing last month that he has struggled to deal with the press scrutiny in England – who he believes have been unfair in him in his time with the Reds.

The forward has been embroiled in a number of controversies in his time in the Premier League, including being found guilty of making a racist comment to Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, and biting Chelsea defender Branoslav Ivanovic.

Speaking back in his homeland, Suarez said he’d like to play alongside Ronaldo.

He is quoted as saying:  “Of course I would like to play with Cristiano Ronaldo – he’s a great player. You never know, but it’s complicated.”

Liverpool have stated their intention to keep hold of the player, although manager Brendan Rogers has stated every player has a prices – and Real would have to expect to pay upwards of 50 million euros to secure his signature.

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Gareth Bale & Emma Rhys-Jones

Handsome, familiar and great footballer. Gareth Bale has everything, even a pretty girlfriend. Emma Rhys-Jones has been in his sweetheart since they were both teenagers. Unlike many football players nowadays, Gareth Bale avoids scandals and still goes out with his high school girlfriend.

Bale has a tidy lifestyle away from the field. And on match days, he dedicates all his goals to his partner and their daughter. Little Alba Violet Bale was born in October 2012, at University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff.

The Welshman has become, according to the latest rumours, Real Madrid’s most desired player to lead the club’s new project. Sources have told that before making a decision on whether going after him or not, Real commissioned a report about his life outside football.

Tottenham’s midfielder has always stood out for his passion for football and his athletic fitness. He has always kept away from nightlife and personal scandals that British red tops love and that have caused more than one promising player to throw his career down the drain.

Bale’s priorities are his family and sport. Born in Cardiff, his father was a caretaker in a school. He is the nephew of former Cardiff City player Chris Pike. Sources said his strong family links could be the main obstacle for him to leave Britain and move to Madrid.

But you never know. We might see him soon buying a luxury house in Madrid’s exclusive residential area La Finca.

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FC Barcelona have shown an interest in paying the buy-out clause of Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane and signing the young French international, according to Spanish television channel TV3.

The Catalonian sports programme ‘Esport Club’ claimed the Azulgrana were willing to pay the 30 million euros clause in order to bring Varane to Barcelona, but the player refused to sign for Real’s big rivals.

According to TV3, Varane responded the Catalonian club that he has a debt with Real Madrid for trusting him and now that he is a world class defender he wants to pay it back.

Varane signed for Real Madrid in 2011 having been spotted by Zinedine Zidane and has grown to be one of the most promising centre-backs in the world. One of Florentino Perez’s next tasks will be giving the Frenchman a better contract in order to avoid this kind of conflict.

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Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has undergone successful knee surgery to correct a long-standing problem, the club has confirmed.

The French forward, who scored 11 goals in 30 La Liga appearances in the season just finished, went under the knife in Lyon on Monday. He had played for France in a friendly against Brazil on Sunday.

Real Madrid said the decision was made to carry out the operation straight afterwards to allow the 25-year-old to recover and be fully fit again in time for pre-season training in July.

A statement on the Real Madrid website said: “Karim Benzema attended the Santy-Lyon Orthopaedic Centre on Monday afternoon, where he underwent a CAT scan on a ganglion on his right knee.

“The procedure was performed by Dr Sonnery-Cottet under the supervision of Sanitas Medical Services Real Madrid.”

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Spain’s win over Haiti in Miami on Saturday not only marked the return of Iker Casillas 136 days after he last took to the field in a starting line up, but also saw the 32-year-old keeper become the most capped stopper in the world.

The World Cup winner made his 144th appearance for Spain, moving him one ahead of Thomas Ravelli, who made 143 appearances in goal for Sweden.

Ravelli, who spent most of his playing days at Oster and IFK Gotenburg, featured for his national side in the 1990 World Cup, Euro 92, and the 1994 World Cup in the USA, where he helped his side finish third in the tournament.

Casillas made his senior international debut on 3 June 2000 against Sweden, just two weeks after his 19th birthday. He was initially an undertstudy to Santiago Canizares at the World Cup in 2002 but when the Valencia keeper suffered an injury and had to withdraw, he became Spain’s number one.

He has since helped his national side win its first ever World Cup, against Holland in South Africa 2010, and two European Championships, in 2008 and 2012.

San Iker, as his if fondly know in Spain, features 16th in the list of most capped footballers of all time, but has some way to go to overtake Ahmed Hassan, who played 184 times for Eygpt.

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Madrid sports daily Marca highlights in its front page an interview with Karim Benzema in which the forward admits that Real Madrid players “need to switch off” this summer.

“I’m not worried about the competition for the striker position. The arrival of Zinedine Zidane will be magnificent for me and for the club”, the French international said.

Marca also emphasizes the words of Jose Mourinho during his official presentation as new Chelsea manager: “I am the one who ended Barcelona’s hegemony”.

As claims that Los Blancos are “pushing harder for Edison Cavani”, while the Uruguayan admitted he is “talking with a number of clubs”.

The second most sold Madrid sports paper also brings to its front page a story about Alvaro Morata earning a spot in Spain’s Under-21 starting eleven thanks to his winning goals against Russia and Germany coming from the bench. “Morata, a heroe in 44 minutes”, As titles.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Jesus Fernandez could be on his way to the Premier League with Aston Villa, according to reports.

English radio station talkSport said Villa boss Paul Lambert is on the search for a new stopper in a bid to improve his side’s defensive record.

The Villans struggled in the league last season and were involved in a relegation dogfight until near the end of the campaign.

Veteran keeper Shay Given is believed to be keen on a move away from Villa Park after losing his place to American stopper Brad Guzan.

Fernandez, 25, is way down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Iker Casillas, Diego Lopez and Antonio Adan all ahead of him and may look to move elsewhere to establish himself.

The keeper has made two appearances for Los Blancos.

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Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro for a fee of around six million euros.

The 21-year-old put pen to paper on a four-year deal after impressing coaches at the Santiago Bernabeu during a six-month loan spell.

The youngster initially signed on a temporary basis from Sao Paolo in December and went straight into the Castilla side – Real Madrid’s reserve and youth team.

In total, Casemiro made 15 appearances for Los Blancos this season, including one for the senior side against Real Betis.

He becomes Madrid’s second summer signing following the capture of right-back Daniel Carvajal.

A statement on the club’s website said: “Real Madrid C.F. have used their purchase option to buy Carlos Henrique ‘Casemiro’ and as a result he will be a first team player at the club for the next four seasons.”

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Napoli forward Edison Cavani confessed in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is ‘not sure that Spanish football is adequate’ for him, when asked about his possible transfer to Real Madrid.

“Everybody knows that La Liga is marvellous and there are more spaces for strikers, but I don’t know where I will end up”, he said.

The Uruguayan international spoke about his current situation at Napoli after Rafael Benitez has become the new manager: “I don’t know if Benitez’s arrival will affect my future. I have a running contract with Napoli, but at the same time I speak with other clubs”.

“At the moment I’m a Napoli player and I am focussed on the World Cup qualifying matches and the Confederations Cup. After that, I will think about what to do. Napoli has made me grow, but I want to grow even more”, he admitted.

‘It would be a pleassure to be coached by Mourinho or Pellegrini’

Cavani also confessed he would be keen on a Premier League move when asked about the interest of Chelsea and Manchester City: “I don’t know if Chelsea have made an offer for me but I know that working for a coach like Pellegrini or Mourinho would be a great pleasure”.

“It would certainly be a great honour to join one of the illustrious teams that are looking at me because I’ve dreamed about doing that since I was a child. However, at the moment I am only focused on Uruguay”, he concluded.

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