Revolution in the starting eleven

Iker Casillas will not be the only change made by Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday in the Champions League. Against FC Copenhagen, the Real Madrid manager is contemplating shuffling his cards in every department.

Luka Modric, who did not get to start against Atlético de Madrid, will be one of the two central midfielders alongside Illarramendi, while Khedira will be rested.

On the right wing Gareth Bale might appear. He did take part in the derby and is recovering fitness following the injury which stopped him from starting against Getafe. Di María could be the one to lose out.

Morata, meanwhile, will replace the out-of-form Benzema up front.

The Bernabéu names and shames

Three Real Madrid players are falling out of favour with fans (Arbeloa, Khedira and Coentrao), whilst another has already fallen. That is Karim Benzema, with whom the fans have finally lost their patience. With five seasons under his belt, the Frenchman has yet to fulfil his talent, while his attitude leaves a lot to be desired.

Arbeloa, Khedira and Coentrao’s situation is not as serious, although the Bernabéu faithful has taken aim at them too. Nobody is reproaching their commitment, just their inaccuracy on the ball.

The presence of these players is generating so much bad blood at the Bernabéu that the club’s directors have recommended to Ancelotti that he should protect them in an attempt to cool things down. "We have to defuse the tension," is the message coming out of some offices at the club.

Spending lots of money is not synonymous with having a good team

García Remon believes that Real Madrid has a lot of uncertainy.On Radio MARCA, ex Real Madrid manager Mariano García Remón has been analysing Ancelotti's first 100 days in charge of the team. "The assessment cannot be positive. Not because of the results, but for the impression that is being given. You aren't seeing a compact side, with clear ideas, The picture during these 100 days has not been a good one. Real Madrid seems to show doubts and concerns".


García Remón believes that above all, Real Madrid ought to improve in midfield. "Spending a lot of money is not synonymous with having a good team. And that is going to be a millstone round Ancelotti's neck. The first thing that needs to be defined is the midfield. What marks out your style, whether you are going to play short passing or go on the counter attack, is the midfield, and so that is where you must start to build the team.

García Remón sees the return of Xabi Alonso as soon as possible as the key factor in Real Madrid recovering form. "Real Madrid has signed Illarramendi but the team is really missing Xabi Alonso. He is the one player we all want to see back right away".

He also said that last season's squad was greatly superior to this season's. "Mourinho ruined a fine squad, always looking for quarrels and disputes where there was no need. It was a long time since I'd seen a squad as good as last season's. All positions were well covered and yet this season there have been impulse signings, not ones that were needed".

Casillas heads the change

Carlo Ancelotti knows that Real Madrid needs a change, and Iker Casillas will once again be first-choice goalkeeper at the ground which has now been his home for fifteen seasons. The Santiago Bernabéu stadium will once more be able to see Casillas defending his goal in the match against FC Copenhagen.


Casillas has recovered from his collision with Sergio Ramos in the Galatasaray match in the first round of Champions League games, and he will play.

The last time he started at the Santiago Bernabéu was on 15th January, in a Spanish Cup quarter-final match against Valencia. One week later he injured his left hand at the Mestalla, and lost his place to Diego López.

Bernabéu goal an open door

Real Madrid is in difficulty. No longer is the Santiago Bernabéu impregnable. The home defeat to Atlético de Madrid demonstrates that the team no longer has a fortress for a stadium, where the home side can rule supreme and where the home goal is reinforced for protection.

The opposition is right now enjoying more opportunities than ever before to score against Real Madrid at home, and Real Madrid has conceded at least one goal in each of the last eleven games played at the Santiago Bernabéu; and in all of these games the goalkeeper was Diego López, even though he played well.

It is the second-worst run of home games in Real Madrid's history. The only one any worse was when Madrid conceded a goal in 14 games in a row at home, between the 34th game of the 1998-99 season and the 22nd of the 1999-2000 season.

Until now this season, in spite of conceding goals, Real Madrid has managed to fight back and win or at the very least draw the matches, but now defeat to Atlético de Madrid has changed all that.

Simeone's boys at Atlético de Madrid were the first to walk away from the Santiago Bernabéu with three league points since Barcelona beat Mourinho's Real Madrid 3-1 in December 2011, since which time Real Madrid had gone 34 games without losing at home.

Real has conceded one goal per game played. And there is another problem which is that the conceded goal tends to be the first goal of the game, which makes the team have to chase after any victory. This has happened in four of the seven games played up to now.

Bale eager to repay Real Madrid support

Gareth Bale says he is eager to improve at Real Madrid in order to repay the support from the Blancos faithful following his home debut on Sunday.

The €100 million Welshman came on as a second-half substitute in his side's 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, and while he acknowledges the "fantastic" reception he received, Bale is desperate to help his side get back to winning ways quickly.


"Playing at the Bernabeu was a fantastic experience, but the important thing would have been winning," he was quoted as saying by the club's official website.

"It was a difficult match because they were well organised defensively and after the goal it was tough because of how they play. In the second half we kept trying, without success.

"I went on in the second half and I felt good but I have to improve. It was a fantastic experience and I have to play better every day to pay back that affection.

"We try to win every match and now we don’t feel good, but we have to think about the next match that we have on Wednesday [against Copenhagen]. Personally, I will be looking to play well and keep improving. I will prepare in the right way and try to help the team get the three points."

Madrid's clash with the Danish champions kicks off at 20:45CET on Wednesday.

Carlo pays the price for Özil fallout

Carlo Ancelotti is carrying the can for the departure of Mezut Özil to Arsenal. Firstly, he unsettled the player by substituting him after 60 minutes in the first two league games, while against Athletic de Bilbao, he put him on the bench right from the start.

Since then, the manager has been keen to play down the significance of Özil's move to the Premier League, which was sealed in the very final hours of the transfer window. Football matters apart, in the dressing room, Özil's departure has not been well received, as he was much loved and respected by his teammates.

Bernabéu baying for Benzema's blood

Karim Benzema started the league season well, scoring against both Betis and Granada in the first two games. But since then, nothing. It is true that he provided two fine assists against Athletic de Bilbao, but goals are not coming his way, and the situation is so bad that he has even been on the receiving end of whistling from the Bernabéu fans.

During the Madrid derby he had hardly any opportunities to fire on Courtois' goal. Just two chances, in which he did at least look dangerous. Against Levante he will have to improve his shooting.

Cristiano Ronaldo asks forgiveness for fan in USA

Cristiano Ronaldo is trying to come to the aid of a fan of his from the United States who, during Real Madrid's recent tour of America, ran onto the pitch and hugged him. The fan now stands accused of two offences which are considered quite serious in the US.

One of these offences is trespass, and the other is disorderly conduct. So Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to send a letter to the District Attorney in Miami in order to intercede for his fan.


Ronald Gjoka, a fan originally from Albania, ran onto the pitch during the game between Real Madrid and Chelsea on 7th August at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Gjoka got through the security controls and ran onto the pitch, enfolding his idol in an embrace. Now, the young Albanian could have problems in terms of his immigration process and could be expelled from the US and made to go back to Albania.

And so Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to get involved in the matter and try to get his fan pardoned. This is Cristiano Ronaldo's letter to the Miami DA:

"I understand your position and the importance of enforcing rules and law. However, I respectfully request that you and your office reconsider this decision and dismiss the two criminal charges this young man faces. It is my understanding that he now recognises his error and the importance of security. I do not want to see him face criminal penalties for his error"

Another unimpressive Ancelotti display

When Diego Costa scored in the 11th minute it marked the third time this season in which Real Madrid had conceded the first goal of the game in a home match. It also marked the beginning of a flawed display by Carlo Ancelotti’s side who failed to impress yet again.


Real were fortunate to win midweek at Elche thanks to an atrocious refereeing error, but against a higher quality team like Atlético their flaws were exposed, much like an excellent Villarreal team did to them two weeks ago in their 2-2 draw at El Madrigal.

The Italian received his first true critique Saturday night from the Bernabéu faithful who ruthlessly whistled his substituting out of Isco instead of the ineffective Karim Benzema.
Despite the defeat, Ancelotti noted in his post-match press conference that he’s fully aware of what is ailing his side and that he will remain faithful to his tactics.

"We must have better attitude and concentration, clearer ideas of play," Ancelotti said. "Our play is slow, when the ball gets forward we have no space to play in. We are trying to play more with ball on the ground. We won’t change because of two bad games. The players can play this system."

Real fans can only hope that improvement comes soon before Barcelona and Atlético get to be too far away in the table.

Costa kills off Real

Opportunistic attacking and an absolutely suffocating defense earned Atlético Madrid a 1-0 derby win over Real Madrid Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabéu. It was the first league win for Atlético over their city rivals since 1999 when the legendary Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's brace paced Atlético to a 3-1 win.

The victory also continues Atlético's perfect start to the league season with seven wins out of seven matches.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti elected to field a starting XI in a 4-2-3-1 with a bit more muscle to it as Asier Illarramendi was added to the defensive midfield along with Sami Khedira. Behind them was a back four of Fabio Coentrão, Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Álvaro Arbelo, while Diego López once again was in goal. Isco anchored the attacking midfield with Ángel Di María and Cristiano Ronaldo out on the flanks while Karim Benzema started up top at striker. After battling an injury for the better part of a week, high-priced new arrival Gareth Bale started on the bench.

As for Atlético manager Diego Simeone, he rolled out a traditional 4-4-2 formation with Thibaut Courtois in goal, a back line of Filipe Luís, Godín, Copa del Rey hero João Miranda and Juanfran. In midfield ‘El Cholo’ slotted Koke, Tiago, Gabi and Arda Turan while David Villa and Diego Costa started as strikers.

It was all Real in the early going until the 11th minute when a poor giveaway in midfield from Di María led to Costa slotting past López to give the guests the lead. Filipe Luís toe-poked the ball away from the Argentine which rolled to Koke who fed Costa and the Brazilian did the rest to tally his eighth goal of the season. It was also the third time this season in which Real conceded the opening goal at home, a troubling tendency for fans of Los Blancos.

The home side's best chance of the first 45 minutes came on a header that Benzema sent wide in the 27th minute after a Di María cross. Atlético had several chances to double the margin each coming on corner kicks. Tiago was left unmarked on a 29th minute corner but missed the target badly. A better chance for the Colchoneros arose in the 42nd but López was brilliant in saving a Godín header. Costa's follow-up was also blocked by the Real netminder who then gave the Atlético goal-scorer a nudge with his foot that Costa took exception to, leading to an exchange words which only ratcheted up the intensity inside the Bernabéu.


Bale made his long-awaited Bernabéu debut to start the second half as Di María gave way to the Welshman. Also departing was Illarramendi who was replaced by Luka Modric.

The former Tottenham man made his first impact on the match in the 62nd minute when he was taken down just outside the Atlético area after a driving run. However, the resulting free kick from Ronaldo flew way over the crossbar. Eleven minutes later, the piercing sound of whistles deafened the Bernabéu when Ancelotti elected to make his final substitution by introducing Álvaro Morata for Isco. It was a wildly unpopular decision as the home fans likely would have preferred to have seen the largely anonymous Benzema leave the pitch instead of the playmaking Isco.

Atlético came an inch away from putting Real to bed for good but Koke's left-footed effort rang off the crossbar, giving life to the hosts. Morata almost took advantage but the Spain Under-21's half-volley was saved by Courtois. The youngster had another golden opportunity in the 90th but his stabbing effort smacked the side netting.

As the final whistle sounded, the 100 or so Atlético fans inside the Bernabéu celebrated from a distance with Simeone’s players who will assuredly be the toast of Neptune into the early hours.

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Match of the Weekend

With his Real Madrid side misfiring and city rivals Atletico flying high, world record signing Gareth Bale may be in for a baptism of fire when he makes his home debut in Saturday's Madrid derby at the Bernabeu.
The £86 million Wales winger was due to play his first match at Real's giant arena last weekend against Getafe but tweaked a thigh muscle in the warm-up and was hastily withdrawn from the starting line-up.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti rested Bale for Wednesday's 2-1 win at promoted Elche, when Real needed a controversial Cristiano Ronaldo penalty deep into stoppage time to secure victory, but told reporters the 24-year-old would be back to face Atletico.

Instead of taking to the field against one of the league's weakest teams, however, Bale will be up against a fired-up side who have won all six of their matches and top the table on a perfect 18 points with champions Barcelona.
Diego Simeone's Atletico will also be buoyed by last season's memorable 2-1 Copa del Rey final victory against Real in the same stadium, the first victory for the club against their bitter city rivals in any competition in 14 years.
Atletico's triumph was particularly sweet for their long-suffering fans as it left Real without major silverware and helped hasten the departure of coach Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho's successor Ancelotti has yet to get the best from his hugely expensive squad and the Italian delivered some blunt criticism after Wednesday's unconvincing display at Elche, a club whose entire squad is worth less than half the fee Real paid Tottenham Hotspur for Bale.
"I am not happy," Ancelotti told a news conference after Elche snatched a 91st-minute equaliser only for Ronaldo, who had put Real ahead with a free kick in the 51st minute, to net the winner in the 96th. "We suffered a lot, especially at the end. The team did not control the match after Ronaldo's goal.
"The important thing is the result but it's not enough, we have to play better. Playing like that we will not win the derby ... above all we have to play with more intensity and personality."
Intensity and personality are exactly what former Argentina captain Simeone, a combative midfielder for clubs including Atletico, Sevilla, Inter Milan and Lazio, has instilled in his squad since he took over in late 2011.
None has benefited more from the Argentine's guidance than Brazilian Diego Costa, who has started the season with a bang and tops the La Liga scoring chart alongside Barca's World Player of the Year Lionel Messi on seven goals.
A burly forward who likes to rattle opponents with an aggressive playing style, Costa netted the equaliser in last season's cup final and his battle with Real's central defenders Sergio Ramos and Pepe will be one of the most intriguing aspects of Saturday's game.
"We are working, taking each game at a time, and the only thing that concerns us is doing things well at Atletico Madrid," Simeone told a news conference after Tuesday's 2-1 La Liga win at home to Osasuna.
"We are on a positive run, the fans are happy.
"Each day the responsibility is growing and the demands even more and that's why we have to rest properly and train hard."
Barca's Argentine coach Gerardo Martino is likely to continue his policy of alternating rest days for key squad members when the champions play at promoted Almeria on Saturday. In-form Spain playmaker Cesc Fabregas is likely to start after sitting out Tuesday's 4-1 success at home to Real Sociedad.
Reuters
Opta head-to-head stats

Lopez: It's hard to define Ronaldo's quality

Diego Lopez believes it is "hard to define" how important Cristiano Ronaldo is to Real Madrid after he signed a new contract at the club.
The Portuguese sensation signed a three-year extension to his deal at Santiago Bernabeu earlier this month to make him the highest-paid player in world football, and Lopez feels the news of his renewal was warmly welcomed by team-mates and supporters alike.

"It's difficult to define a player of Cristiano's stature," Lopez told Bwin's official website.
"He's the best and we are hugely fortunate to have him at the club, now and for many years to come. [His renewal] is the best news for all madrisistas and for all of us."
Real Madrid face Atletico in a hugely-important derby clash on Saturday.
It is first encounter since Diego Simeone's men beat their neighbours to lift the Copa del Rey in May, and Lopez admits he is relishing the prospect of another battle with their cross-city rivals.
"It's a game with a huge rivalry attached and we're looking forward to it. They're matches where you see plenty of spirit and passion. It's a game where you fight to give your best and come away with three points," he continued.
"Real Madrid always have to win, and we cannot allow ourselves to slip up in any game, especially in our own stadium. Every game is unique for me but I always try to approach them in the same way.
"We're up against a very dangerous team. They have a very strong group, they're united and they know how to play well. We have to exploit their little deficiencies and impose our own quality on them.
"I hope we win, but above all, I hope it's a good game."
Finally, the Spanish goalkeeper revealed his admiration for coach Carlo Ancelotti and believes the team is beginning to adapt to the Italian's methods.
"The main thing I've noticed has been the professionalism of the group [since Ancelotti's arrival]," added the 31-year-old. "He has enormous talent, and what we're learning from him, his way of organising the group ... little by little the team is adapting to what he wants."

Irina Shayk with sexi photos,Ronaldo angry

Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo was not very happy when he saw that his attractive girlfriend Irina nail on Instagram honored its admirers with photos posing naked.


Russian model recently painted the "American fashion magazine," but despite its image found on the cover of this magazine decided to delighted fans through social networks.

The Killers-for the derby on top form

One was born in Madeira, 1,500 kilometres from Madrid, the other in Lagarto, Brazil, almost 7,000 kilometres away. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa will be the men to look out for in the coming Madrilenian derby. Both are their clubs' top scorers.


Two goal-machines with two different ways of doing their business, but both as deadly as each other's. Ronaldo is a precise placer of the ball, a James Bond, shooting from a distance and then sauntering away. Costa uses a dagger. He likes to get close up and go in hard, leaving blood sweat and tears behind him. Two ways of getting the job done, in this derby of derbies.

CR7 is out for revenge. The neighbours walked away with the Cup, while he was sent off for an early shower. He has scored nine times in the last five games, and is saving Ancelotti's Real Madrid from its own poor game, making goals into points – as he did against Elche.

Diego Costa is having the time of his life. A lad that has never had it easy, having been loaned out on various occasions, he is now back, seen by many as the Spanish league's star revelation. And so he should be – thanks to him, Atlético is having a spectacular start to the year, making the Calderón faithful forget all about Falcao.

Costa has scored seven goals, the same as Messi, and has eclipsed Villa's arrival with his explosive gameplay. Moreover, he gives the impression of being a man possessed, arriving at El Bernabéu after having scored three goals just this last week.

Albácar: "Pepe is blind"-said the Elche captain

Edu Albácar, Elche's left-back and captain, is still affected by the controversial penalty given in the previous day's game against Real Madrid: "Absolute daylight robbery. I just don't get how anyone can call that a penalty. I´m sure Muñiz slept peacefully", he quipped while talking on 'Deportes Cope'.


The player can't understand the referee's behaviour: "I went to speak to the referee as the team captain, but with the cockiness that he was showing, it was impossible to say anything to him."

All this strikes Albácar as suspicious: "You get the feeling that when Real Madrid can't beat you through its game, it beats you by other ways".

Putting the referee on ice, according to the player, is well justified: "Muñiz should have been disciplined some time ago".

To make things even clearer: "You realise that Real Madrid is given a lot. You see what happened in this match and it seems that this league smells bad. If there was no penalty, but it's given...well, what can you think? It's so obvious that there was no penalty. You're bound to get suspicious."

Just after the game had ended, and on hearing that Pepe had assured that it had indeed been a penalty, Albácar had no qualms in saying, "Pepe is blind".

The worst thing was the result

There will be no talk of referees today. We have already talked about that at length, it being on the front cover of our daily. No. We are going to talk about football or, to be more precise, the lack of it being played by Real Madrid. As Ancelotti has already put in Schuster-like terms, it will not win the derby at this rate.


Ancelotti also said in his pre-match press conference that coaches need to adapt to the players that they have. However, it does not look like he is doing a very good job of it.

In years gone by, one of Madrid's trademarks was a defensive line high up the pitch and a team which pressured its opponent in its own half. This year, the team has been spread out significantly. It has lost 20 metres, which causes big problems for its only two central midfielders. The formation is very similar to Pellegrini's 4-2-4, which allows the opposition to take control of the midfield in numbers with incredible ease. With the defensive line sitting back, the defenders are unable to help out when applying pressure or playing the ball out. They also fail to make interceptions, which allows for quick attacks to be put together – the breakneck counterattacks which are undoubtedly the team's best offensive weapon. This static side is slow and predictable.

That is why the worst thing about yesterday was the result. Not because it was unfair, which it was, but because the win cloaks the real problem deep down at Real Madrid: its style of play is nonexistent and it has jettisoned the most valuable of the good habits which it picked up under José Mourinho.

Ronaldo's 27th league scalp

Only not scoring again Dinamo Zagreb in Champions League.

Once again Ronaldo has come to Real Madrid's rescue. The Portuguese scored through a direct free kick and a penalty in extra time, and has now racked up six goals so far this season. Moreover, he has added Elche's scalp to his previous 26 in the Liga BBVA.

CR7 has sent the ball into the back of the net against 27 different clubs since he first donned the Real shirt, and it is clear that his speciality is those recently risen from the second division.

He has faced 44 different rivals with 'Los Blancos', and has scored against them all except in the Champions League against Dinamo Zagreb.

Before the Elche game, the last goal that he had scored for the Madrilenian club was on 8th May, 2013 against Málaga in the Santiago Bernabéu. Of the 211 goals he has scored to date, 20 have been from free kicks.

Casemiro delighted with Cristiano Ronaldo guidance

The former Sao Paulo star is in awe of the Portugal star and says he is very happy with his progress at Madrid this season.
The Brazilian midfielder joined Madrid from Sao Paulo in January 2013 and he has made it clear that Ronaldo's support has helped him adapt to his new surroundings in the past few months.

"He’s one of my best mates at the club. He loves Brazil and he gets on very well with the Brazilians. He’s a ten-out-of-ten guy, and he’s always been there to help me out," the 21-year-old told UOL.

"Not to mention the fact that he’s an example to everyone. He is always early for training and gives everything for his club."

Casemiro then went on to stress that he's very happy with life at Madrid and is keen to make a name for himself at the Spanish giants.

"I’m very happy. This is my first year in Spain and I’m enjoying some great experiences, playing frequently and learning every day.

"However, I keep my feet on the ground and I know that I need to keep on working every day to win the confidence of everyone at the club."

The midfielder has made three appearances in La Liga so far this term.

Arbeloa & Pique in Twitter Clasico

The Barcelona defender claimed he had been watching a "funny film" after Real overcame Elche thanks to a contentious penalty - but his Spain team-mate later hit back on Twitter...

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique and Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa were involved in a curious online exchange after Carlo Ancelotti's side controversially beat Elche in La Liga on Wednesday night.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave Madrid the lead with a free kick following what looked like a fairly harmless challenge and after Richmond Boakye had levelled in the 92nd minute, the Portuguese handed his side a last-gasp win from the penalty spot as he converted a highly contentious spot kick deep into added time.
Home fans thought the final whistle should have been blown by then (even though Elche scored in added time), while the penalty award (for an alleged foul by Carlos Sanchez on Pepe) was another dubious decision. Referee Cesar Muniz Fernandez had also earlier failed to send off Sergio Ramos for a cynical body-check on Ferran Corominas when the Madrid defender had already been booked.

"I'm watching a comedy film on Canal + Liga," Pique tweeted after the final whistle. "It's always good this time of night."

But later, Arbeloa hit back as he wrote: "Very happy with the three points! [And] I'm glad some people have swapped theatre for cinema, that's always good!"

Elche's dramatic defeat on Wednesday means the promoted side remain in the bottom three after six rounds of matches and coach Fran Escriba was furious with referee Muniz Fernandez.

"I don't plan to talk about the referee," he told reporters after the game. "I say it sincerely. If I start to analyse the second yellow card [not given] for Ramos, the penalty at the end or the excessive time added on, I believe it is not worth talking about that gentleman (Muniz Fernandez). Even if I complain, I have nothing to gain."

Meanwhile, midfielder Carlos Sanchez was indignant at the decision to award a penalty for his challenge on Pepe in the fourth minute of added time. "He [Pepe] tugged me and pulled me to the ground," the Colombian complained. And his team-mate Edu Albacar added: "The feeling we have is that we were robbed..."

Pepe, however, claimed the spot kick award was justified. "The Elche player grabbed me and pushed me to the ground," the defender said. But Edu Albacar refuted that version. "Pepe is blind..." he added.

Madrid boss Ancelotti was more calm, but called for improvement if his side are to have a chance of beating Atletico in the capital's derby clash on Saturday. "It is better to talk on the pitch than off it," he explained. "But if we play like we did tonight, we won't win the derby."

Real remain two points behind Barcelona and Atleti (both with six wins apiece) after six rounds of the Primera Division.

Ancelotti unhappy despite win over Elche

Carlo Ancelotti did not mince words. The Madrid boss did not hide his disappointment after the display from his side. Not even victory was consolation for Ancelotti.

"I am not happy, we needed to play differently and we have suffered a lot. It's clear that I'm not happy about the game, the best thing is the result, but that's not enough, we have to play better."

Ancelotti added that, "Elche was aggressive, very compact and deserved the draw," said Carlo who did not want to delve into the match's controversial moments and took the word of Pepe on the penalty call. "From the bench it is difficult to talk about those plays, I don’t like to talk about refereeing decisions in general. I spoke with Pepe and he told me that it was a clear penalty."

Ancelotti also responded to Piqué, who had noted on social media that the Madrid match was like watching a comedy film: "He should think about playing and not talking, it's better being on the field than not on it," the Italian replied, who then continued to be critical of his team: "Playing like this tonight, we are not going to win the derby, that's clear, and I think everyone understands that. We need to play better, with more intensity and more personality."

"I don’t like to talk about the opponent, they played a good game, with a good defensive organization. We are going to play many times against opponents like that and we’ll need to find solutions. We are not finding solutions inside the lines, we play very horizontal and that makes things easy for the opposing defense."

Scrutiny grows for Muñiz Fernández

Accusations of favoritism has been a staple of Spanish football for years, with Real Madrid and Barcelona long considered the beneficiaries of controversial decisions made by referees.

Wednesday night's match between Elche and Madrid at the Martínez Valero Stadium will do nothing to quell that talk. If anything, it will only increase it after referee Muñiz Fernández awarded Real Madrid a dubious 95th minute penalty which was converted into the winning goal.

A tangle in the Elche area between Carlos Sánchez and Pepe saw both players fall to the ground. After hesitating momentarily, Fernández pointed to the spot to indicate the foul. Replays showed a 50/50 struggle between the two players in the box on the corner kick, a scene that plays out in just about every football match on the planet, yet hardly ever produces a whistle for such a transgression. In fact, if anything, a foul could have, or perhaps should have, been whistled on Pepe as the Portuguese defender clearly was holding the arm of Elche's Colombian midfielder while falling to the ground.

This all came on the heels of a first half decision by Fernández to not send off Sergio Ramos with a second yellow. Ramos had received a ninth minute yellow for a foul, and warranted a second for his takedown of Coro, but incredibly Fernández only signaled for a foul in favor of Elche. Although Coro’s progress was clearly impeded on the Elche counterattack, no sanction was issued to the Madrid center back who finished out the match.

This is not the first time that Fernández has been the subject of controversy this season. It was Fernández who refereed the Barcelona-Sevilla match that ended with a last-second win for Barcelona when perhaps full-time should have been whistled for previously, and also in that same match saw a Sevilla goal disallowed that should have stood.

It remains to be seen if there will be any further examination of Fernández's decisions and if he could be facing any type of suspension, but for now the conspiracy theories of referees favoring Spain's big two clubs will continue to rage on.

Real Madrid beat Elche with a Ronaldo goal from the penalty spot on 96 minute

Contentious Ronaldo penalty steals the points in the sixth minute of stoppage time after manic finish.

After a goalless first half at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, it did not take Madrid long to find the lead as Elche became the 27th different La Liga side which Ronaldo has scored against.

Elche thought they had rescued a point in stoppage time when Richmond Boakye equalised, but Ronaldo buried an even later penalty to give Real a fortuitous win.

The hosts went into the match as La Liga’s only winless team this season and coach Fran Escriba made three changes to the side which lost to Osasuna last time out.

Miroslav Stevanovic, Fidel Chaves and Richmond Boakye sat out, with Manu Del Moral, Carles Gil and Javi Marquez taking their places.

Real Madrid hammered Getafe 4-1 at the weekend and their team on Wednesday included three alterations. Nacho, Daniel Carvajal and Asier Illarramendi were replaced by Fabio Coentrao, Ramos and Luka Modric.

The hosts went into the match as underdogs but began the encounter impressively and only failed to take an early lead thanks to an excellent save from Diego Lopez as he tipped Lomban’s header wide.

Valencia loanee Gil looked lively and produced a lovely chip to the back post for Javi Marquez, but again Lopez rescued the Real defence with a smart save.

Ancelotti’s side grew into the contest after the 20th minute and Ramos should have opened the scoring, but the unmarked defender could only head Cristiano Ronaldo’s free kick at Manu Herrera.

Although Elche continued to look promising going forward, Madrid should have ended the first half in the lead, but Herrera made another important stop, this time parrying Angel Di Maria’s low effort from the left.

Madrid wasted their chances in the first half, but seven minutes into the second period Ronaldo broke the deadlock as his powerful free kick took a deflection off the wall and squeezed past Herrera.

The hosts were enraged soon later when the referee failed to give them a penalty for Sami Khedira’s tackle on Damian Suarez, but the Uruguayan was correctly given a yellow card for diving.

The final 15 minutes saw Elche press for an equaliser and after Ramos missed another headed chance, substitute Boakye flicked a cross past Lopez at the front post as a draw looked certain.

However, the referee made a controversial call to penalise Carlos Sanchez for a tug on Pepe in the penalty area, and Ronaldo fired home from 12 yards to secure the three points in dramatic fashion.

Bolt offers to help Bale improve his sprinting

"I know I could make him an even better player than he already is," says Usain Bolt. The fastest man of all time believes that Gareth Bale could be even quicker and is willing to lend a hand.

"I have a lot of respect for Real Madrid, and if they and Gareth want my help, I am happy to fly in and take a private training session with Gareth. I hear that he has been clocking speeds close to me, but it is about technique as well," said the Jamaican athlete. In his opinion, the player could increase the speed of his runs down the flank with some valuable pointers from the Jamaican superstar.


Bale hit 40 km/h in the famous move on his debut against Villarreal. That is just over 3 km/h slower than what Bolt is capable of.

"It is not just about how fast you can accelerate - but also when you have the football at your feet about balance while you are sprinting as well. I helped Ronaldo with his sprinting in a training session - and look what he has gone on to achieve since then," he said in comments picked up by the Daily Mail.

New Ronaldo house - Miracle of architecture (PHOTO)

Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo recently continued contract with Real Madrid until 2018 and became the highest-paid football in the world.He quickly decided to renew with a new car and house. According to media , Ronaldo on the outskirts of Madrid will build a new house, which is a miracle of architecture. The house is on three floors, with each floor gym, extravagant pool and is surrounded by the trees.

Bale trains in secret

Real Madrid held its last Valdebebas training session on Tuesday prior to travelling to Elche to play at the Martínez Valero stadium. As is the norm in the run-up to a competitive match, the media were allowed in to watch the first 15 minutes of the session directed by Carlo Ancelotti, during which the players carry out typical warm up and kick around exercises.

At 11:00 in the morning, the blinds of the media centre went up so that the journalists gathered there could watch the activity on fields 1 and 2 of the Valdebebas.
The 'Blancos' squad was divided into two groups, but Gareth Bale was not in either. Once the 15 minutes was up, a member of Real Madrid's press office requested, as usual, for the cameras to be packed up and brought back inside the media centre. Thus far, business as usual.
The surprise came when, amid the commotion of the press leaving the observation balcony, Bale walked out onto the pitch, accompanied by a member of the coaching team. On seeing that some journalists were still there, Bale, confused, went back inside the building on the instruction of one of Carletto's assistants.
Then, at the press conference later, Carlo matter-of-factly confirmed that Bale had been doing "individual work" out on the pitch. The club, it seems, is going to great lengths to keep its players away from the supporters.

 Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehman believes Mesut Ozil is a better signing than Gareth Bale.

Former Arsenal legend Jens Lehman believes that Mesut Ozil could turn out to be a better signing for Arsenal than Gareth Bale for Real Madrid.But the former German international is under the impression that Arsene Wenger's side seriously overpaid for the emerging star, despite the attacker having the most assists in Europe over the past few seasons.

Ozil completed his £42million switch to the Gunners following Real Madrid's signing of former Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, for a world record fee of £87million.But, former keeper Lehman has condemned both transfer fees, though he insists that Arsenal have completed the better signing.

Speaking to German website Spox, Lehman said: "In all honesty, Arsenal paid too much for Ozil, but that's because Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid for so much more money. Nobody is worth that much."

And the keeper - who made over 150 appearances for Arsenal - believes that there isn't much difference between the two players, despite there being a £35million difference in price.

"The Ozil deal was much better. I don't see a £35million difference between the two players. That's how that market works when a club like Real Madrid loses the plot.

"Arsenal are profiting from Ozil's level of game and performance and his success is not a surprise to me.

"Wenger did not fail, and, given time, he demonstrated a great success in the market," he added. 

 

Wake up!!! Ancelotti concerned with team's focus

More than being worried about the team's style, if they should keep possession or rather play on the counter, Ancelotti is concerned about the team taking time to get into the games.




Ancelotti has given his players grief for the first time. Lafita's goal in the fourth minute, which gave Getafe a one goal lead, is something that cannot be allowed to happen by a team hoping to win the league, or any other competition for that matter. It's a matter of attention and intensity. This is the message the technical staff has passed on to the players in an attempt to correct what seems to have been the team's Achilles heel so far.

The manager himself revealed his concern: "We've spoken with the players and they agree that we need to start the game with greater intensity, because we've always been having problems early doors. Then the team improves. We spoke about making a better start against Getafe, but we were unlucky enough to concede that goal".

The answer is simple. The players need to get it into their minds that they have to play at full intensity right from the first whistle. And Di María is a good example for the other players to follow when it comes to this. The Argentine never lets his guard down. He's fired up all the time, he always works his socks off wherever the ball is and he pesters the opposition.

First and foremost, the team's foundations need to be balanced and with more solidity. Without this, all the skill in the world is worth nothing. And giving yourself an uphill struggle at the start of the game can bog down even the best players around. The take-home message for the players is to wake up!

Fun and games in Madrid before the visit to Elche

There was a good atmosphere during Real Madrid's final training session before travelling to Elche on Wednesday, where it will play the team from Alicante at the Martínez Valero stadium (10:00 pm, Spanish time). Casillas was seen training normally, whilst Isco, Cristiano & Co. enjoyed themselves with some games to test their coordination which the coaching staff had prepared for them.

Illarra returns to Elche as a star

The last time that Asier Illaramendi set foot in the Martínez Valero, in Elche, he was 20 years old, he still lived at home and he had long hair. He left the stadium with a shirt signed by his teammates and words dedicated to him by Iñigo Sarasola when the game finished. "People should remember this name", the defender said back in the dressing room. He wasn't wrong.

Today, three years on from that 19th June 2010, Illara returns to the stadium that first saw him don the Real Sociedad shirt. He never imagined that he'd return with a different shirt, but destiny had a surprise in store for him. Today, he returns to Elche as Real Madrid's most expensive Spanish signing and one of the pillars of the 'Blancos' new project.

Sociedad didn't have the best of days for that last match of the 2009-10 season, but Asier remembers every last detail of that day perfectly.

Although they lost 4-1, promotion had already been assured, so the manager, which was Martín Lasarte at the time, awarded the two stars of the team's youth academy – who normally trained with the first team – with some playing time.

Illara started and played 67 minutes, but wasn't completely happy with his performance. He's so demanding of himself that a debut with a bad result didn't go down well. The loss meant more to him than finally achieving his dream of playing for the first team.

The player from Mutriku was subbed for the day's other debut performer, one of his friends from the b-team, Alex Albistegi, but his career has taken quite a different course from Asier's, which is already becoming quite brilliant.

Pressure is the name of Elche's game

An unassuming Elche, newly promoted to la Liga BBVA, will undoubtedly be another team looking to play its socks off against Real Madrid. It will attempt to pile on the pressure right from the off - its best weapon to take Carlo Ancelotti's team by surprise.

This tie is a big event for Elche, with no less than 24 years having gone by since the last top division Elche-Real Madrid. Playing for Elche then were César Quesada, the club's current doctor, Cartagena, Cepeda, Bracum, Robi, Claudio ... and for 'Los Blancos', Schuster, Augustín, Camacho and Tendillo.

The club has spent many campaigns dreaming of a game like tonight's. It has overcome numerous difficulties. Its demise has been a spectre that has repeatedly haunted the team.

The Alicante club was crowned last season's Liga Adelante champion and is now competing among the best.

And as a bonus, after five games of playing more or less direct rivals in the battle to avoid relegation, today it faces the giant that is Real Madrid. There is a world of difference between the two clubs, but Elche is convinced that it can pull off a miracle.

On the 19 occasions the two sides have met, Real Madrid has won seven times, Elche six, and the remainder of the games ended in a draw.

Anceloti jokes about the star and his assistant coach

"Zidane says Isco is not on a par with him… not yet".Carlo Ancelotti showed his lighter side when asked about the comparisons between Isco and Zidane: "I don't think that it's a bad thing for Isco to be compared to Zidane. He still hasn't played many games for Madrid, but he's very close to Zidane in terms of skill and quality."


The manager revealed that he had actually asked the same question of Real Madrid's assistant coach: "You'll have to ask Zidane. I asked him, and Zidane says that he's not there yet, but he might come close in the future," he said cheerfully.

Casillas and Varane return to the squad

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has named 20 players for this Wednesday's game against Elche. Notably, Iker Casillas and Raphael Varane make their return to the squad. Marcelo, Xabi Alonso and Gareth Bale are still out.

The Real Madrid squad consists of the following players:

Casillas, Diego López and Jesús (goalkeepers).

Varane, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Coentrão, Carvajal, Arbeloa and Nacho (defenders).

Khedira, Casemiro, Modric, Di María, Isco and Illarra (midfielders).

Ronaldo, Benzema, Jesé and Morata (forwards)

Benzema: "I'm more disappointed than anyone"

Benzema left the Santiago Bernabéu pitch crestfallen. And not because of the whistles from the crowd. Not even the words of consolation which came from teammates and friends alike gave him solace. "It's okay, you played a good match", the Frenchman was told. But the striker's answer was always the same. "No, I should have scored".

That is the hub of the matter for Benzema. He will not let the whistles get him down, he is prepared for that kind of pressure, but he knows that, as a forward, he should have successfully converted some of the clear opportunities he had. Summing it up perfectly to another teammate, he said: "I understand why the crowd is angry, but I'm more disappointed than anyone that I didn't score".

He was surprised by the whistles in the first few minutes because that was when he was moving around, running and putting the pressure on most. The player has been advised to be more expressive and communicative on the pitch, and put more passion into his game, because the talent is already there. And that was what he did, as soon as the ball was in play, which is the reason the first reproaches took him by surprise, seeming unfair to him. He knows, however, that the fans are entitled to express themselves as they wish.

Real's number nine is very grateful to his teammates, who came to his defence, to the part of the crowd that supported him and applauded him as he went off. The support displayed by Zidane and Ancelotti when he got back to the bench was a big comfort to him. As was that of his idol, Ronaldo Nazario: "Karim is doing a good job. He is playing alongside Cristiano, who always steals the limelight".

Arbeloa appealed to fans to clap Benzema

Every chance missed by Karim Benzema on Sunday was greeted with groans and jeers. This footage from 'La Sexta' shows Álvaro Arbeloa bucking the striker up on the pitch and encouraging the fans to get behind him. Ángel di María later came out in support of the Frenchman in the mixed zone.

FLORENTINO RULES OUT NEW WINTER SIGNINGS

Real shields Benzema!!!

The judgement passed by the Bernabéu on Benzema only holds ground on the terraces. The doubts expressed by a faction of the fans have not permeated into either the boardroom or the coaching staff offices, where the French player has the club's full backing.

Florentino Pérez dispelled any concerns the forward could have regarding competition for his spot on the opening of the winter market. There will be no signings, so the pressure will remain the same: that which Benzema puts on himself in addition to the ambition of up-and-coming academy players Jesse and Morata and the possibility that Cristiano plays further up the field, although the Portuguese player prefers to be out on the wing.

Support for the French player is demonstrated in every game. Ancelotti has no doubt who his number '9' is. Never before, since joining Real Madrid over four seasons ago, has Benzema made the starting eleven seven times running, as he looks set to do on Wednesday at the Martínez Valero in Elche.

He has had starter status for six consecutive games on two previous occasions, once in the 2010-11 season - Depor, Malaga, Racing, Hercules, Lyon in the Champions League, and Atlético - and secondly in the 2011-12 campaign - the last four league games against Barça, Sevilla, Granada and Mallorca, plus the Champions League semi-finals against Bayern.

Higuaín's departure has released him from a battle, now being the best placed to play every game, having always had to compete with the Argentine during his first few years. He also competed with Raúl, Van Nistelrooy and Adebayor, the reason he has never before enjoyed the level of continuity he now has.

Cristiano Ronaldo on a roll

Cristiano Ronaldo is really building up a head of steam. Having drawn a blank in the opening two league games of the season – in August – he has now scored in every match in September, including two hat-tricks and a brace.


The Portuguese star was at the double on Sunday against Getafe, firing home a penalty – his first of the season – before grabbing a second with an ingenious backheel flick. This capped off a magical week, coming hot on the heels of the hat-trick he had notched against Galatasaray in Istanbul five days earlier.

The week before, on 6th September, Ronaldo had recorded his first treble of the campaign in a lightning 15-minute period for Portugal in the 4-2 away win over Northern Ireland in 2014 World Cup qualifying.

Before that, the forward had celebrated the advent of September in style by breaking his duck for the season during the 3-1 defeat of Athletic on the first day of the month. The following weekend, he was at it again, scoring in the 2-2 draw in Villarreal.

With his brace against Getafe this past weekend, Cristiano can point to being the fifth top goalscorer in Real Madrid history, having surpassed Mexico legend Hugo Sánchez. With 10 strikes in seven competitive fixtures this season, the Portuguese superstar can also once again lay claim to a strike rate better than a goal a game.

Don't cry for me, Hugo Sánchez

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace against Getafe, and now with 209 goals, has shot past Hugo Sánchez, who was until now Real Madrid's fifth highest ever goal-scorer. CR7 has achieved this remarkable feat in just 205 games.

After having passed Hugo, the Portuguese marksman's next man to beat is Ferenc Puskas. The Hungarian hung up his boots after having scored 237 goals for 'Los Blancos'. If Ronaldo keeps up the pace he has enjoyed up to now, he should cruise past this number this season.

After that, the three most prolific goal-scorers in Real Madrid's history are Santillana with 290 goals, Di Stefano with 307, and then the legendary Raúl, with 323.

Ronaldo: Casillas is in a difficult situation

The Blancos legend says the goalkeeper has a tough competitor in Diego Lopez, and backs his fellow countryman Neymar to become a success at the Camp Nou

Former Brazil star Ronaldo says Iker Casillas is in a difficult situation as Real Madrid have another quality goalkeeper in Diego Lopez.

The 32-year-old has not made a single appearance in La Liga this season and was injured a few minutes into his first game in eight months against Galatasaray last week.

And Ronaldo believes opting for Lopez instead of Casillas is not a hard choice to make for the coach, considering the shot-stoppers' respective quality.

"Casillas is in a difficult situation," he told AS.


"He has not had a competitor like this to date, but he is one of the best goalkeepers in history.

"I had Diego also training with me and he is very good. So [coach Carlo] Ancelotti does not have any trouble choosing."

Ronaldo went on to back compatriot Neymar to shine at Barcelona, but believes he will need time to adapt to life in La Liga.

"I believe that good players always understand each other. Neymar will have difficulties at first but then do well playing in Europe with great players.

"He spent his last year in Brazil without evolving. Though football is harder in Europe and the competition will make him better."

Finally, Ronaldo has voiced his belief that Madrid, Barca, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will battle it out for the Champions League crown this season.

"Madrid have a good chance of winning it, but also the Germans, who played very well last year," he mused.

"Madrid and Barca are always favorites. I believe it will be between the Germans, Barca and Madrid."

Ancelotti expects derby return for Bale

The Italian is hopeful the Welshman will be fit to face Atletico Madrid on Saturday, but praised Isco and Angel di Maria in the former Tottenham man's absence

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is confident that Gareth Bale will be match fit in time for the derby against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

The world-record signing was in line to make his home debut for Madrid in their 4-1 win over Getafe on Sunday, but was forced to withdraw from the side after feeling discomfort in his leg during the warm-up.

"Bale had a small problem when he was warming up. It's not an injury. He just didn't feel comfortable," Ancelotti explained to reporters.

"He was disappointed because he was very excited to play.


"I don't know if he can play on Wednesday [against Elche] because it's difficult for a player to be ready in three days, but I think he will be ready for Saturday's match.

"We are working to improve Bale's fitness because he didn't have a good pre-season."

The Welshman underwent further examination on Monday to determine the extent of the knock, with the club confirming a minor muscle problem in his left thigh.

"After the tests carried out today on Gareth Bale at the Sanitas La Moraleja hospital, fatigue in the left thigh muscle was found. It will be treated," a statement on the Madrid website reads.

Ancelotti then went on to speak about Isco and Angel di Maria, praising the former’s overall talent and the latter’s excellent work ethic after their impressive displays in Sunday's win.

"Isco arrived here with a lot of personality. It's difficult to play here but he is very talented," he added.

"Di Maria is a unique player. He works a lot for the team, he defends and assists the strikers too."

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and one apiece for Pepe and Isco saw Ancelotti's side claim all three points at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, moving them back to within two of Barcelona at the top of La Liga after five games.

Real Madrid fans have a new hero

Ancelotti: "Isco has a great personality at 21 years old"

Carlo Ancelotti was more than happy with the performance of Isco after the Real Madrid-Getafe game: "Everyone can talk about Isco's talent, but for me the strange thing about his case is the great personality he has shown since arriving, at just 21 years of age. And that's no easy thing to have, especially in this stadium".

The Italian manager was pleased with his team's performance: "It was a good game. Clearly, we had some bad luck at the beginning. We started off losing, but I think that the team reacted well to it".

"The idea of our style of play is clear – we have a combined movement of the ball around the pitch, although at times we have to pull back. Little by little, we will improve", he assured.

Real's golden boys

There were two movers and shakers in the Real Madrid line up against Getafe, Isco and Cristiano both playing decisive roles in their team's comfortable victory.
Isco made mischief when he appeared in the box and Ronaldo proved his worth yet again as a skilled marksman. He put away two goals, overtaking the legendary Hugo Sánchez in the 'Los Blancos' top goalscorers ranking.

Isco made an impact every time he got close to the goal area. He scored the third and the crowd went wild for their young idol. His connection with Benzema and Ronaldo is perfect. The Portuguese player ended the game with a wonderful back-heel which found the back of the net.

Bitter controversy surrounding Benzema

The third player in the spotlight during Real-Getafe was none other than Benzema, as is often the case at the Bernabéu, with the crowd turning against the French player. They whistled him during the opening moments of the match and the harrying did not let up.

The negative reaction was so great that many of the supporters felt it was too much. Whether it was out of compassion or not is hard to tell but there was applause from a significant proportion of the stadium for Benzema on two headers that failed to hit the mark.
The Bernabéu refuses to tolerate him; tough to see as it is clearly taking its toll on Benzema, who looked destroyed as he went off the field and headed for the bench. Perhaps it was not the best decision by Ancelotti. The player needs the full support of his coach in such circumstances. It is an issue that poses a huge problem for Real Madrid.

 

Bernabéu parties without Bale

REAL MADRID 4 - GETAFE 1

ISCO, CR7 AND DI MARÍA MAKE UP FOR FRUSTRATED DEBUT

On the day that the Bernabéu was denied the long-awaited debut of Gareth Bale, Real Madrid made up for it by giving the fans a footballing spectacle, with a comeback headed by Ronaldo, Isco and Di María. Getafe went one up on the 5th minute with a goal from Lafita, but Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo (2) and Isco soon put paid to their neighbours' hopes of coming away the winners.

Initially, all eyes were on the Welsh wizard, but ended up fully focused on a spectacular Isco. The man from Malaga scored a scorcher of a goal, making it 3-1 with 30 minutes still to go. The player was the best in a Real Madrid that prefers "three passes instead of thirty", that continues without finding its style of play, but that has the customary awesome firepower to bring home the three points at the end of the day.

Ancelotti's men found their way to the goalmouth in the least orthodox way possible: a rebound from the goal-line that Pepe duly pushed back into the back of the net. The referee gave the half-time whistle with Real Madrid a goal ahead, thanks to a penalty expertly converted by Ronaldo.

After the break, Real Madrid played a tighter game, and improved on its playing in of the ball – thanks to an agile Isco that makes everything look easy, now with the always demanding Bernabéu at his feet.

Modric, who came on for Illarramendi, improved the Blancos' game, especially in the counter-attacks. Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a nice little flick of his heel in extra time. All in all, quite a party.

Bale errs on the side of caution.HE FELT SOME DISCOMFORT, THE EXTENT OF PROBLEM TO BE DETERMINED ON MONDAY

Gareth Bale followed Carlo Ancelotti's instructions to the letter. The coach was resting Ramos, Modric and Isco to distribute the workload and the Welshman asked not to play after feeling some discomfort during the warm up.

Gareth was down for the starting eleven, but on noticing a muscular twinge in one of his legs, he decided not to force it. As the Italian already had three key players on the bench, the logical solution was to declare him unfit and give his spot to another player.

With a run of matches every three days coming up, it was pointless to risk it. The medical team now need to identify the British player's complaint and assess whether he can play on Wednesday in Elche and, more importantly, in next Saturday's Bernabéu game against Atlético.

If it is confirmed, as seems likely, that Gareth Bale's injury is nothing serious and that his withdrawal from the line up was merely a precaution, his home debut will take place in the all-important derby clash.

Ancelotti made an on-the-spot decision, putting Isco into the starting eleven and adding Varane to the bench as a reserve.

Pepe served as Real Madrid's captain against Getafe, with Ramos on the reserves bench and Casillas out injured.

We must play with great intensity from the start against Getafe"

Carlo Ancelotti appeared before the media on the eve of the League match against Getafe. The Italian manager analysed the game at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium: “We have a clear style of play in mind and I am pleased with my team but against Getafe we have to play with a lot of intensity from the start” At the start of the last few games, we haven't played with a lot of intensity and tomorrow gives us the opportunity to go out and play with a lot of intensity from the start. We particularly have to improve that aspect of our play".


When asked about the style of play of his team, he was unequivocal: “We are trying to play in a different way, but the most important thing is to have a clear style of play, which is what we have. We need to improve this style, which is about dictating play and manoeuvring the ball efficiently. That means we have to find a quick offensive solution. Possession can help the opponents to get into position and defend better. These are top class players and they have a lot of experience and character. We have to have greater spontaneity and quicker interchange in our play. We have to utilise the quality of our players in the game. We have to find a positive offensive solution and we have players who specialise in counter-attacking play and making the most of space. We have to maintain that quality. The speed of Cristiano Ronaldo can turn possession into a counter-attack. I am Italian and I think that counter-attacking is a good solution".

In reference to Cristiano Ronaldo and what he brings to the team, he said: “I do not like to have control over the private lives of player and I am not the right person to speak about his intimacy. He is a fantastic professional and he is very much focused at training both before and after. He is a fine example for the rest and especially for the young players. He has a loft of quality and professionalism". And, about the player to take free-kicks, he confirmed: “Cristiano Ronaldo has a lot of quality and skill. Bale can take the odd free-kick here and there and so too can Di María. Cristiano will be the main man and the others are behind him in the pecking order”.

About the team that will start the game against Getafe, Ancelotti said: “I will decide tomorrow because I have players who have played a lot and we have to be wary of injuries. That means that those who are available will have a greater chance of playing". And when questioned about the pressure that comes with managing players of the stature of those that make up the Real Madrid squad, he said: “There is less pressure because knowing that I can call on such good players means that I have more chance of doing a good job. That's why there's less pressure".

The Italian manager also spoke about the recoveries of Varane, Coentrão and Ramos. "He is still unavailable. He started training with the team this week. He is in good shape and next week he will be available and he could play. We have worked with him to prevent problems and protect him from future problems. When he starts to play, he will be ready to play the 90 minutes" he said about the Frenchman. About the Portuguese, he stated: “When he came from international duty, he had this niggle. He is feeling fine, motivated and happy. He could play on Wednesday against Elche". And about the Spaniard, he indicated: “After the game in Istanbul, he was feeling tired and we preferred to put him through a recovery programme and have him in the gym. He doesn't have any particular problems and he will be in the squad. I don't think he will play, although he is available".

Gareth Bale set for home Real Madrid debut

Gareth Bale is expected to make his home debut for Real Madrid when the Spanish giants host Getafe on Sunday.

The world's most expensive player, 24, made a goalscoring debut in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Villarreal.

But the Welshman, who signed from Tottenham in an £85m deal, dropped to the bench for Tuesday's Champions League win at Galatasaray.

Team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo is set for his first Bernabeu appearance since agreeing a new five-year contract.

The Portuguese forward scored a hat-trick as Los Blancos thrashed Turkish champions Galatasaray in the 6-1 victory in Istanbul.

Now Real are aiming to return to winning ways in La Liga after dropping points for the first time this season in the stalemate at Villarreal.

New coach Carlo Ancelotti, who replaced Chelsea-bound Jose Mourinho in the summer, says he is pleased with his team's start to the season but warned they must begin with "more intensity" against neighbours Getafe.

"At the start of the last few games, we haven't played with a lot of intensity," said the Italian. "Sunday gives us the opportunity to go out and play with a lot of intensity from the start. We particularly have to improve that aspect of our play."