Just Real Madrid News

Real Madrid were once again reminded of the importance of Cristiano Ronaldo to the team yesterday. The 28-year old Portuguese international gave the fans at the Bernabeu something to smile about after the third Champions League semi-final exit in as many seasons.

Ronaldo put on yet another master class which he topped with two great headed goals, taking him onto 199 goals for Real Madrid from just 196 games. His goal helped Madrid to beat a very good Valladolid team by 4-3, a result which means that Barcelona can not seal the Spanish Primera Liga title with a win against Real Betis today.  ......Read more...

Angel Di Maria received possibly the stupidest red card I have ever seen, to spoil what was looking like a great result for Real Madrid. Jose Mourinho knows he will not catch Barcelona to win La Liga, but there is still the small matter of overtaking Atletico Madrid for second place, and building momentum, so he will be pleased with the win.

Mourinho rested some key players for the trip to bottom-of-the-table Deportivo, but must still have been surprised at how much his team struggled. Deportivo sensed that the Madrid team was thinking about tomorrow’s Copa Del Rey second leg Clasico, and they very nearly took advantage. The striker Riki was a real thorn in the side throughout, and he gave Depor a deserved lead before half time, beating Lopez at the near post.  ......Read more...

Gonzalo Higuain has not been scoring as many goals for Real Madrid this season, but he has had injury problems and the whole team struggled in the early part of the season. His tally of eight league goals from 16 games is still pretty respectable, and he will be hoping to get his first Champions league goal of the season tomorrow when Manchester United come to the Bernabeu.  ......Read more...

The bookmakers have Barcelona as the favourites to beat Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey semi-final. Over two legs, the Catalan club are 2/5 on to go through to the final, and even to win at the Bernabeu tonight they are 6/5 to win, whereas Real Madrid are 2/1, even though they are the home side.

The French striker Karim Benzema disagrees with this, believing that in Clasico matches, anything can happen. He insists that the team are united, ready and have the talent to upset the odds and beat the Catalans at the Bernabeu tonight. The stadium will be full of raucous Madrid fans and the players know that this is one of the most important games of the season.  ......Read more...

Real Madrid were firing on all cylinders yesterday, and any arguments between the players and the coach were forgotten as Madrid showed what they can do away to Valencia. Valencia were a little unfortunate not to get any goals, as they did have a few chances and could possibly have had a penalty, but Ronaldo could also have had a penalty and Madrid could have scored more than the five they did.  ......Read more...

Jose Mourinho will not care one bit that Real Madrid were not at their best last night against Valencia in the Copa Del Rey. Valencia will complain about a couple of tight offside decisions that went against them, but they still had plenty of chances to score a vital away goal and they did not take them.

Iker Casillas made a few crucial saves to keep an important clean sheet for his team, which should be enough to see us through to the semi-final of the Spanish cup. Madrid certainly rode their luck, and Benzema took his rare chance well to put Madrid ahead. Luka Modric had a golden opportuntity before then to take the lead, but he somehow put his shot wide of the post.  ......Read more...

Real Madrid have had plenty of problems with injuries this season, especially in defence, but it is disciplinary issues which are causing Jose Mourinho problems this weekend. Two of the most important players for the Spanish champions are unavailable for the trip to Pamplona to play Osasuna.

Christiano Ronaldo has been the most influential player by far for Los Blancos this season, but he received his fifth yellow card of the season against Real Sociedad last weekend so is suspended for today’s match. At least Mourinho has his two other strikers, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, available after the Argentinean has recovered from his hamstring problem.  ......Read more...

There will be just one of the regular first choice defenders on the pitch when Real Madrid attempt to get the Primera Liga campaign back on track against Real Sociedad today. Alvaro Arbeloa is the only one who is not injured or suspended for this vital game, and he will probably play out of his normal position.

Because both left backs, Marcelo and Coentrao are not fit to play, Arbeloa will play in that position. Essien may be called upon to fill in at right back, as he has done for Mourinho before. Pepe and Albiol are also injured, while Ramos is suspended, so the youngster Varane and the veteran Carvalho will be the central defenders.  ......Read more...

Jose Mourinho did not have the best end to 2012, finishing the year third in the Primera Liga table and trailing main rivals Barcelona by 16 points. Not only that but the Spanish media was full of stories about arguments in the dressing room and Mourinho had been involved in a bust up with prominent journalist. Having finished second in the champions league group, we got a nasty knockout draw against Manchester United.  ......Read more...

Jose Mourinho got a great boost today as his Real Madrid prepare to host Espanyol, hoping to cut the gap to the Primera Liga leaders Barcelona to eight points. It had looked like Mourinho would be without his two main strikers again, and was struggling with the decision whether to play Christiano Ronaldo down the middle again or give a start to the young reserve striker Alvaro Morata.

The French international, Karim Benzema, injured his ankle in the midweek cup game at Celta Vigo, and it was announced that only a miracle would allow him to play today. Mourinho must have been praying hard, then, as Benzema is in the squad and will probably start. The Argentinean front man Gonzalo Higuain is still a long term injury absence from Madrid.  ......Read more...