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Alvaro Morata

Alvaro Morata says Real Madrid didn’t treat him well during his time at the club and he is much happier playing in Italy with Juventus.

The young forward grew up in the Madrid youth teams and was a usual squad player when he stepped up into the first team. But with the likes of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez ahead of him at the pecking order, the striker decided to leave the Santiago Bernabeu last summer and switch to Seria A.

Speaking to the media while with the Spain squad for this week’s international matches, Morata said he’s happy in Turin and feels he deserved better treatment while plying his trade in the Spanish capital.

“I’m really happy and comfortable at Juventus and couldn’t even begin to think about Madrid or any other team,” he confessed to Onda Cero.

“Right now there is only Juve and La Roja in my head, although I’d like Madrid to win La Liga and Juventus the Champions League. I still don’t understand how at Madrid I went from playing well to sitting in the stands. I didn’t ask to be in the starting line-up and just wanted to be treated better.

“If you train well you should play in matches but that’s in the past. I can still get so much better in Italy. I didn’t speak much to [Madrid boss] Carlo Ancelotti. He said hello in the morning and gave me instructions before games, but the truth is that I didn’t have a lot to do with him.”

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Gareth Bale’s Wales team mate Joe Allen has said the Real Madrid man is unfazed by the criticism he has been facing at club level in recent weeks.

The 25-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur player, who has 12 goals to his name this season, has been criticised by fans and the media alike in Spain this season for being too selfish and not passing enough to his team mates or being to lazy in his defensive duties.

Following the loss to Barcelona at the weekend, footage emerged of two hooligans waiting at the club’s training ground for the players to arrive back in the Spanish capital. When Bale drove through the gates in his Bentley, the trouble makers hurled insults at him and tried to attack his car.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday as the Wales players prepare for two games this week, Liverpool midfielder Allen stated: “He’s the same as usual. He’s a world-class player who shows that in every minute in every session.It is great to have him here and I doubt the Israelis will be looking forward to facing him.

“I don’t get the impression that he is someone who is fazed by these sorts of things. It comes with the territory at a club like that and I doubt it has too much influence on him.”

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Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has said he has enjoyed an extended run in the first team this season and it’s helped him finally fulfill his potential.

The 21-year-old has spent much of his time at the club playing understudy to Pepe and Sergio Ramos and reports have suggest that he was growing tired of a lack of first team action.

But injuries to the two established centre backs have seen the Frenchman make 34 appearances this term, something that he says has allowed him to develop as a player.

Speaking to La Voix du Nord, the former Lens man, who was signed by Jose Mourinho on the recommendation of Zinedine Zidane, said: “I feel progress this season, including going through difficult times. This is where we learn the most.”

He added: “I turned a corner mentally. I can progress in a lot of areas, but what I would like is to impose my mark in the team. t’s a goal that I try to move forward. When you are at Real, it’s a challenge every day. I’m like that, I need these high goals to keep moving forward.”

The defender has been linked with a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu, with Chelsea believed to be interested in him having identified him as the long-term successor to John Terry.

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Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has admitted he wouldn’t have any doubts in signing for Real Madrid should Los Blancos make him an offer this summer.

In an interview with Czech newspaper Idnes, the 32-year-old has confessed he doesn’t want to spend another season sitting on the bench at Chelsea: “I don’t know what Chelsea plans for next season are. It seems like Courtois and I are working fine as the goalkeepers pair, but that can only work for a season. I don’t want to spend another year like this.”

Thibaut Courtois has become the guaranteed starter at the London-based side, leaving very few minutes of play for Cech. Thus, the Czech Republic international will seek for a way out this summer and he will surely have plenty of offers.

Cech was first linked with a Real Madrid move for the first time at the end of 2013, and last Christmas his agent confirmed they had been in talks with Los Blancos.

Asked about a possible move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Cech confessed he’s open to it: “When Premier League season is over I will sit with Mourinho to look at all the pros and cons. We’ll what’s better for me, and if I leave, we’ll have to take every offer into consideration, but I couldn’t turn down one from Real Madrid.”

Yesterday, we reported at Realmadridnews.com that Iker Casillas is set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu next June, so Los Blancos will need to seek for another goalkeeper. David de Gea is Florentino Perez’s first option, but Cech will also be among the candidates.

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Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has confessed he will leave the club at the end of the season after five years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Germany international’s contract will expire in June, and neither the club nor the footballer have made any move towards signing a new deal.

Khedira has become the number five option for the midfield pair, behind Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Asier Illarramendi and Lucas Silva, and he’s ready to sign for a club where he can become a regular starter again.

In an interview with German magazine Kicker, Khedira admitted he has decided to leave: “It is not a decision against Real Madrid, I just want to look for new challenges in my career and keep growing as a player.”

Schalke 04, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Arsenal are among the teams that have shown an interest in signing the 27-year-old. However, Khedira explained nothing is closed: “I have no agreements with anyone nor a preference for any team.”

Khedira helped Real Madrid conquer La Liga, the tenth Champions League and the Copa del Rey, among other titles. “I had a great time at a great team. I will do anything I can to keep helping the team in the next few weeks,” he admitted.

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James Rodriguez has provided Real Madrid fans with a boost by revealing his is close to being ready to make a comeback.

The Colombian midfielder broke a toe in the 2-1 win over Sevilla in February and has been working on an individual training plan to return to fitness as soon as possible. And it appears that he is nearing a return to first team football after joining training on Tuesday morning with the players not involved in this week’s international matches.

Afterwards, the 23-year-old took to social media site Twitter to confirm his return to training. He wrote: “Each day I’m getting closer – super motivated.”

James had enjoyed an excellent season until he picked up his injury. He joined the club from Monaco in July after excelling at the World Cup in Brazil. He finished as the tournament’s top scorer and grabbed the goal of the tournament too for his wonder effort against Uruguay in the last-16.

James has scored 12 goals in 33 appearance for the club. He also picked up two trophies in his first few months as a Los Blancos player, winning both the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

Carlo Ancelotti will be pleased to have him back as Real aim to retain their Champions League and hope to overhaul a four point deficit in La Liga and beat Barcelona to the title.

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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has said he could never play for Real Madrid even though they are a great club.

In an interview with El Larguero, the central defender said he was aware of rumours that Los Blancos were watching him while he was a youngster at Manchester United. And he told the programme that while it is flattering to be linked with such a big club, he only ever wanted to return to the Camp Nou.

“Could I have joined Real Madrid in the past? In the end you can never say never but I’m very much a Cule and couldn’t have worn a Madrid shirt,” Pique said.

He added: “Real Madrid is a great club and it’s the dream of many players to play there, but to me playing for Barcelona is the best. There were some comments made about me signing for Madrid but [at the time] I was happy at United.”

He also went on to speak about the Clasico last weekend, and admitted the result could have gone either way as it was an open game.

“In the opening 45 minutes we struggled but in the second half, after Luis Suarez scored, it helped us do enough to win the game. Real Madrid have spent years looking to play on the counter-attack and in the second half it was end-to-end,” Pique commented.

“In these kind of matches the defenders are the heroes or the villains and we played a good game. I’m happy for the team.”

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Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas is set to leave Real Madrid this summer after 25 years at the club. There have been rumours of an exit since Keylor Navas arrived to the Santiago Bernabeu during the pre-season, and sources from the Santiago Bernabeu have confirmed the goalkeeper is expected to move out.

The Spanish press has reported Los Blancos directors have already told the 33-year-old they’re not interested in keeping him. Casillas has also been planning a future outside Spain during the last few months, so there will be no obstacles for his exit.

The club is ready to pay him the 20 million euros of his remaining two years of contract. Thus, the keeper would leave for free and will be able to negotiate with any other club.

The Spaniard confessed a few months ago he would like to play in the Major League Soccer. However, there are a few European clubs that could offer him an interesting deal. One of them is Paris Saint-Germain. The French side have already shown an interest in signing Casillas and they would offer a higher salary than any USA club. Casillas was also an Arsenal target for months, but the Gunners seem to have lost interest.

The Los Blancos captain has played 16 seasons at Real Madrid first team, playing 713 games and conceding 736 goals. He has won five La Liga titles, four Spanish Supercopas, two Spanish Cups, three Champions Leagues and two European Supercups.

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Atletico de Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez has said nobody wanted to be drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League as they are a formidable side in European competition.

Los Blancos and their cross city rivals face each other for the seventh and eighth times this season in April with Carlo Ancelotti’s men looking to get their first win over the Vicente Calderon side and progress to the semi-finals.

They have lost both La Liga matches and also drew and lost one match apiece in the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey.

But despite having the upper hand on Real this campaign, Suarez told El Partido de la 12 that the 10-time Champions League winners are a force to be reckoned with.

“Madrid are a great team and they are on an upward path at the moment. Nobody wanted to come across them but it’s a very good tie. We’ll be going all out to win both games because neither of us will want a draw,” he said.

He continued: “There will be a lot of intensity. It’s a derby in the best club competition in the world and there is a great rivalry between us at the moment. I recommend that everybody watches it.

“For us the past and the final [against Real Madrid in Lisbon] does not count. It’s just a memory that’s there. It hurt a lot but we learnt from it. We are fighting, and will continue fighting, to be among the best in Europe.”

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Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says the players raise their game in the Champions League and are looking forward to their tie with Atletico de Madrid.

Los Blancos face their cross-city rivals in the quarter-finals next month in a repeat of last year’s final, which Real won 4-1 to secure the 10th Champions League crown.

But since that famous night in Lisbon, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have failed to beat Los Rojiblancos in six attempts this year. They lost both encounters in La Liga, as well as a draw and a loss each in the two legged Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey ties.

In Europe this season, Real breezed through the group stages winning all six games. But having defeated Schalke 2-0 in the first leg of their last 16 tie, they almost blew it at the Santiago Bernabeu, going down 4-3 and clinging on by their fingernails for the last seven or eight frantic minutes.

But speaking in an interview with Marca, Benzema said the Real players love playing in European competition and raise their game in the Champions League.

He stated: “It’s going to be tough, it always is, but Real Madrid always raise their game in the Champions League. We’re thrilled to be playing in Europe.”

 

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