Cristiano Ronaldo – TvSportOnline

Varane: Real Madrid can’t give up on La Liga

Zinedine Zidane’s men suffered their fifth defeat of the season as they were beaten 1-0 by Espanyol

Raphael Varane says Real Madrid must not give up on their La Liga campaign despite a damaging defeat to Espanyol on Tuesday.

Gerard Moreno’s stoppage-time strike inflicted a fifth league defeat of the season on the reigning champions, leaving them 14 points behind leaders Barcelona, having played a game more.

The Champions League represents Madrid’s best chance to end the campaign with another trophy, with the holders taking a 3-1 first-leg lead to France on March 6 in their last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain.

But Varane insists they must keep pushing for better results in the top flight, even though their title defence appears to be at an end.

“We performed better in the first half than we did in the second,” the France international said. “We always have to give our best when we pull this shirt on.

“We can’t give up on La Liga; we have to show the same drive. We’re not looking at the points, we have to focus on the games and try to win them because that’s what this badge demands of us. You can never write us off.

“We always want to win and this won’t have any effect on the PSG game. Regardless of whether Neymar plays or not, it’ll be tough because they’ll come out all guns blazing. We’re ready for it and will continue with our preparations.”

Fellow centre-back Nacho Fernandez felt Madrid paid the price for a poor showing in the second half at RCDE Stadium and admits it has been a domestic campaign to forget.

“I don’t think that we deserved to lose, but it wasn’t one of our best performances,” he said. “We did well in the first half and were disciplined, but in the second half our performance levels dropped off and we weren’t as dominant.

“It’s not normal. We’re used to winning titles. We’re still involved in a special competition, in the Champions League, and have to prepare for it and go in to it full of confidence.”

Source: www.goal.com

Ronaldo: I want three more Ballon d’Or awards but would be happy if I retired now

The Real Madrid star remains at the pinnacle of the world game and has achieved everything he wants, but he is sure he can keep going for a bit longer

Cristiano Ronaldo says he has achieved all of his dreams in football, but would like to win the Ballon d’Or another three times before he retires.

The Real Madrid star was named the best player on the planet for the fifth time in 2017, pulling level with Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo already has four Champions League and Club World Cup trophies to add to his Premier League and La Liga winners’ medals accrued in his sensational periods at Manchester United and Madrid.

And while the 32-year-old feels he would be perfectly happy in life if he were to retire from the game immediately, he believes he can still achieve a great deal more before he does call time on his career.

“I never dreamed of winning the Ballon d’Or five times,” he told Desimpedidos. “If I had to finish my career now, I would be super happy… [but] if I won another Ballon d’Or, two or three more times I’d be delighted with life.

“Even if I don’t win, I’ve already won five… but I still have the confidence and the strength to compete for the prize… it depends on the titles we win this year.

“Everything I dreamed of, I achieved.”

After guiding his national team to Euro 2016 glory last season, Ronaldo is preparing to lead out Portugal in their World Cup campaign in Russia this summer.

Although he feels his side are not looked upon as favourites to win the title, Ronaldo still has hope heading into the tournament.

“We are not the favourites, we have to be honest,” he added.

“There are teams with more names, like Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina… but in football everything is possible.

“We are going to try to advance from the group stage, then we’ll see. The main objective is the first phase.”

Source: www.goal.com

Man Utd-linked Bale still important to Real Madrid, says Zidane

The Welsh winger has long been linked with a Bernabeu exit, with Jose Mourinho’s side having previously been interested in signing him

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane insists Gareth Bale remains a valued member of his squad despite admitting to doubts over the forward’s durability.

Wales star Bale has only started one of Madrid’s last four competitive fixtures as speculation continues to surround his long-term future, with Manchester United often linked with signing him.

The 28-year-old, who has battled persistent calf and thigh problems this season, did complete 73 minutes in last weekend’s win at Real Betis, before being relegated back to the bench for the midweek trip to Leganes.

However, Zidane insists the former Tottenham man still has a part to play.

“He is an important player. He will always be an important player,” Zidane told reporters on Friday.

“He is training hard, working hard like the rest of my players.

“I want to see Gareth at 100 per cent. I do not want him to get injured again.

“We have got many games coming up and… I am sure Gareth will have an important part to play.

“Hopefully he will not get injured but you have got to be in tip top shape if you want to play every game.”

Los Blancos are on a six-game unbeaten run in LaLiga heading into Saturday’s visit from Alaves, scoring 26 goals in the process.

And Zidane praised his players for turning around their form after a terrible start to their title defence.

“I am proud of the team. Even when things have not quite gone to plan we have shown strong character,” he said.

“It is an impressive tally to have scored 26 goals in six games. We want to maintain this good run of form.”

Source: www.goal.com

Real Madrid Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Leganes

Everything you need to know ahead of Los Blancos’ Primera Division clash at Butarque on Wednesday night…

Real Madrid visit nearby Leganes in La Liga on Wednesday in a match that sees Los Blancos make up the game in hand still pending since their participation in the Club World Cup in December.

During their trip to Abu Dhabi, Zinedine Zidane’s side missed one round of the competition and, having featured in the Champions League against PSG last week, they will play the oustanding fixture at Butarque on Wednesday.

Real are 17 points adrift of league leaders Barcelona, but a win or even a draw in this match will see the defending champions move above Valencia and up to third place in the table.

The fixture is also an opportunity for some revenge after Leganes surprisingly knocked Zidane’s side out of the Copa del Rey in January, when Madrid won 1-0 away but lost the return 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to exit on away goals.

REAL MADRID INJURIES

Defender Jesus Vallejo is still sidelined with a muscle problem and midfielder Toni Kroos is also out after picking up a knee injury against PSG that could make him doubtful for the trip to Paris in the Champions League on March 6th.

Marcelo also misses out after limping off in the weekend win at Betis, while Luka Modric is sidelined with a hamstring problem and both of those players will also be doubtful for the game at the Parc des Princes.

REAL MADRID SUSPENSIONS

Dani Carvajal was suspended for the Champions League clash against PSG, but he returned at Betis on Sunday and Zidane has no players banned for the game away to Leganes.

REAL MADRID POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP

With Marcelo out, Theo Hernandez will start at left-back for Real Madrid against Leganes, while Zidane could opt to start Kiko Casilla in goal in order to give Keylor Navas a rest.

In midfield, Isco is in line for a start after featuring mainly from the bench in recent weeks. The absence of both Modric and Kroos means Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez could both feature again on the wings.

In attack, Karim Benzema should return to the line-up after coming on and scoring at Betis on Sunday, while Zidane hinted he may rest Cristiano Ronaldo when he addressed the media on Tuesday. If the Portuguese sits out, Gareth Bale is likely to start in his place.

LEGANES TEAM NEWS

Leganes are down in 13th place in La Liga, 11 points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their game against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

After kocking out Los Blancos, the capital club saw their Copa del Rey run end at the hands of Sevilla in the semi-finals and have since lost their last two games in the Primera Division: 1-0 at home to Eibar and 3-0 at Girona.

Winger Alexander Szymanowski is sidelined, while central midfielder Darko Brasanac is doubtful.

Source: www.goal.com

‘Ronaldo scores with his knee or his belly’ – Heynckes notes Real Madrid fortune against PSG

European experience, the influence of the home crowd and a little luck helped Zinedine Zidane’s side to a notable scalp, says Bayern’s ex-Blancos boss

Jupp Heynckes felt Paris Saint-Germain were the better team against Real Madrid but paid the price for a lack of Champions League pedigree.

Late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo – who earlier equalised from the penalty spot– and Marcelo gave Zinedine Zidane’s side a 3-1 lead from the Santiago Bernabeu leg of the eagerly awaited last-16 tie.

Bayern Munich head coach Heynckes was among the keen midweek observers and, speaking at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg, the former Madrid boss praised PSG’s approach.

Asked whether the match proved Ronaldo to be superior to PSG superstar Neymar, Heynckes replied: “I think that’s a bit superficial. It’s interesting to hear sometimes when you watch TV and listen to experts who summarise games. Usually they talk about the winner.

“My opinion is different. I thought Paris played well for 83 minutes. I think they had a very good tactical plan and were the better team

“However, they were unable to extend that performance for a further 10 minutes.

“Of course, Ronaldo has extraordinary skills. Sometimes he is a bit lucky and scores with his knee or belly or what have you.”

Heynckes, whose side return to Champions League action against Besiktas next week, feels the influence of Madrid’s tradition of success on such occasions, when weighted against PSG’s relative inexperience, should not be underplayed.

“It was a victory based on willpower but, of course, that’s nothing new in front of the Bernabeu crowd,” he added.

“They always believe in winning and that’s what happened in this game.

“Paris, I think, were punished for their lack of experience and lack of tradition in the Champions League. Madrid just have that. That was the difference in the end”

Source: www.goal.com

Bye bye BBC? Zidane’s Madrid moving away from the deadly trio

The presence of the trident was not needed in Wednesday’s gripping late win over PSG, and the days of BBC dependence are long gone

Real Madrid’s last-gasp victory over Paris Saint-Germain was another sign that times have changed at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Merengues’ formerly all-conquering ‘BBC’ front line has lost its privileged place in the club’s eyes, and is no longer needed to deliver goals or wins even in Madrid’s biggest clashes.

Wednesday’s 3-1 triumph might just prove a turning point for Zinedine Zidane’s men, under heavy pressure having underachieved for much of the current domestic season. The result itself, obtained through two Cristiano Ronaldo strikes and a late third courtesy of Marcelo, is huge, but perhaps even more important for the Champions League holders was the manner of victory.

PSG have been in formidable form over the course of 2017-18, and looked more likely to snatch three points for large spells of the last-16 encounter. Madrid, however, pulled away in the final minutes with two hammer blows, courtesy of two switches ordered by Zidane on the sidelines. Most notably, at no point on Wednesday were all three members of the BBC on the pitch, with Gareth Bale left on the bench and only flung into the action as a substitute for Karim Benzema in the ultimately decisive last 20 minutes of the game.

Without that trio from the off, Zidane shuffled his tactics. Madrid lined up with a midfield diamond similar to the set-up that failed spectacularly against Barcelona in the Clasico meeting earlier this season, making room for Isco as the link between fellow playmakers Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and Ronaldo and Benzema in the final third.

Having seen Mateo Kovacic try and fail to mark Lionel Messi out of the game in December, the coach deemed it unnecessary to pay similar attention to PSG’s ace in the hole Neymar. His faith was vindicated by a storming performance from Nacho on the right, as the Brazilian gave Madrid plenty of frights but fell short of stamping his authority on the game in front of a hostile Bernabeu crowd.

Later, with PSG flagging after an intense start to the second half, the introductions of Bale and Marco Asensio gave the home team devastating pace out wide, which they used to full effect. Both of the side’s late goals originated in a burst to the byline and low cross from the latter, as full-back Yuri Berchiche was left panting and cursing his fresh, lightning-quick new adversary.

Ronaldo was logically lauded as the hero of the evening, with a first-half penalty and a neat, unorthodox finish with his knee to tap home an awkward deflection taking him to 101 Champions League goals in Madrid colours. Bale and Benzema, however, were only afforded marginal roles in the game, begging the question: Is this the end of the BBC?

At least publicly Zidane has never doubted his star-studded trio. “The BBC is non-negotiable for me,” the coach fired on one occasion, as the more excitable sectors of the Spanish press linked Bale and Benzema with imminent exits from the club. But actions speak louder than words. Leaving Bale on the bench, and bringing him on only when his colleague could give no more, shows that Madrid are no longer dependent on the trident’s unique talents to prosper in decisive moments.

That might not be good news for two-thirds of the attack – Cristiano, of course, is on another level entirely thanks to his almost unreal knack of finding the net in European competition – but it is testament to the strength of Zidane’s squad, on the mend after a horrific end to such a memorable 2017.

Even with all three members of the BBC fit and ready Zizou can just as easily turn to Asensio, or Isco, giving Madrid an unpredictability that ultimately proved too much for PSG on Wednesday.

Source: www.goal.com

Champions League top scorers: Ronaldo out in front of Neymar & Kane

As Europe’s elite battle it out for team glory, individual players are engaged in a fight to come out on top as the best goalscorer

The 2017-18 Champions League has returned for the knock-out stage and the race to see who will finish as the tournament’s top goalscorer is back on.

Cristiano Ronaldo was last season’s top scorer with 12 goals as Real Madrid clinched their second Champions League title in a row and he narrowly edged out long-time rival Lionel Messi, who scored 11.

The likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani, Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski and the precocious Kylian Mbappe were also among the contenders last term.

Ronaldo currently leads the way with nine goals in six games, while Tottenham star Harry Kane is up into second place after taking his tally to seven with a goal against Juventus. In joint-third place are Paris Saint-Germain duo Neymar and Edinson Cavani, Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder on six goals.

Interestingly, Messi is some way off the pace, scoring a relatively paltry three goals in six matches, so he will have to find his scoring boots in the knock-out stage if he is to stand a chance of taking the crown from his Real Madrid rival.

Champions League 2017-18 top goalscorers:

*Correct as of games played on February 14, 2018

Pos	Player	Club	Goals
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	11
=2	Roberto Firmino	Liverpool	7
=2	Harry Kane	Tottenham	7
=4	Neymar	PSG	6
=4	Edinson Cavani	PSG	6
=4	Wissam Ben Yedder	Sevilla	6
=4	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	6
=4	Sadio Mane	Liverpool	6
=9	Philippe Coutinho	Liverpool	5
=9	Vincent Aboubakar	Porto	5
=11	Kylian Mbappe	PSG	4
=11	Cenk Tosun	Besiktas	4
=11	Raheem Sterling	Manchester City	4
=11	Sergio Aguero	Manchester City	4
=11	Gonzalo Higuain	Juventus	4
=11	Dimitri Oberlin	Basel	4
=11	Anderson Talisca	Besiktas	4
=11	Romelu Lukaku	Manchester United	4
=11	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Borussia Dortmund	4

Ronaldo makes Champions League history with 100th Real Madrid goal

The striker converted a penalty to hit the century mark with Los Blancos in the competition, the first player to do so

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached the century mark in goals scored in the Champions League with Real Madrid, becoming the first player ever to accomplish that feat with a single team.

Ronaldo stepped up in the final minutes of the first half to convert a penalty against Paris Saint-Germain after Tony Kroos was pulled down in the area.

That leveled the score at 1-1 in the Champions League last-16 first leg match at the Santiago Bernabeu, canceling out Adrien Rabiot’s 33rd minute goal for the visitors.

And that spot-kick saw Ronaldo become the only player in history to score 100 goals with the same club in the Champions League, adding to the 15 he had scored with Manchester United prior to his arrival in the Spanish capital.

However, Ronaldo may not be alone in that feat for long.

Barcelona star and rival Lionel Messi stands at 97 goals in the Champions League, with Barca squaring off against Chelsea on Feb. 20 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

The goal also continued another impressive streak for Ronaldo as he now has scored at least 10 goals in seven consecutive Champions League seasons.

No other player has reached that mark in more than two consecutive seasons.

The Madrid star added a second for Los Blancos to make it 2-1 in the 84th, running his Champions League tally to 101 with the Spanish giants, while an 87th minute strike from Marcelo handed the home side a commanding 3-1 lead, which they will carry to Paris for the second leg on March 6.

It’s also a reminder that while Ronaldo has struggled at times this season, he has remained a dominant figure in Europe’s premier competition. He has scored 11 times in seven Champions League games this campaign, compared to 11 goals in 18 La Liga matches.

Ronaldo & Real show why they’re champions to leave PSG project in peril

The champions came out on top at the Bernabeu and proved they can never be written off in this competition as their rivals flattered to deceive again

Real Madrid’s season is still alive. Zinedine Zidane’s side came from a goal down to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the teams’ last-16 tie on Wednesday to show why they have such a special affinity with the Champions League.

Los Blancos have won the European Cup 12 times and six of those trophies arrived before PSG were founded in 1970. The next six have come in more recent times, including back-to-back victories in the past two seasons. And sometimes, history has an impact in these ties.

Despite Madrid’s poor form, which had seen them fall out of contention in La Liga and eliminated from the Copa del Rey, there was always the feeling they could produce when it mattered most – even against PSG’s formidable forward line that came into this game rated as the best in Europe.

“I am disconcerted by Real Madrid,” the club’s former player Jorge Valdano said in the lead-up to this match. “I will find it even more difficult to understand if they brush aside PSG, but it wouldn’t surprise me either.”

And ultimately, that is exactly what happened. In truth, it can always happen in the Champions League. Why? Because in these huge one-off games when their future is at stake, and in their competition of choice, Madrid’s players work harder. They give more.

It is for that reason that Madrid have won the Champions League three times over the past four seasons, but more often than not lacked the consistency to claim La Liga (one title since 2012) week in, week out over nine or 10 months.

Madrid were in trouble. Not just before the game, but also in it as PSG took the lead through Adrien Rabiot. Then, the match and probably the tie was there for the taking and there was a chance for Unai Emery’s side to make it 2-0.

Real were all over the place, but they soon settled and were able to get back into the game through a somewhat soft penalty. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to score it and it was his 100th goal for the club in the Champions League – an absolutely astonishing feat.

After that, it looked like it would finish all square as the second half became more and more cagey. A draw would not have been a particularly great result for Madrid, though, with a tough trip to Paris ahead on March 6. So, in the last few minutes, Zidane’s side went for it – and they received their reward.

Zidane was stubborn, first by picking the out-of-sorts Karim Benzema and then by leaving him on the pitch for so long. But he eventually opted for Gareth Bale plus the extra energy of Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio, and those substitutions made all the difference.

Ronaldo was in the right place at the right time to knee home a second goal he knew little about with seven minutes left, before Marcelo’s deflected shot made it 3-1 right before the end. It was not the perfect result, but given the circumstances of the night, it was a dream scenario for Real.

There was an element of luck about all three goals, while some of the decisions went their way on the night too (including the penalty and a Sergio Ramos handball the referee failed to spot).

But Madrid had earned that good fortune. PSG had appeared content to stick with what they had, failing again on the big occasion just as they had against Barcelona last season, throwing away the 4-0 lead they had earned exactly a year earlier on February 14, 2017.

“We have to be optimistic ahead of the second leg, and play again as we did today, when we created a lot of chances,” Emery said, putting a brave face on a defeat which could and should have been a better result for side.

It will be a long way back now, however, even at the Parc des Princes, and perhaps Sergio Ramos summed it up best. “You can never take Real Madrid as dead,” he said.

In the Champions League, that has been proven over and again and, as PSG’s project looks on the brink, Los Blancos seem set for the quarter-finals. And despite the pre-match form guide, nobody should really be surprised at all.

Ronaldo v Neymar? It’s Real Madrid v PSG! – Zidane

The two superstars may be dominating the headlines but the French manager is insistent that the collectives should be focused upon

Zinedine Zidane has played down the ‘Ronaldo v Neymar’ billing being given to the Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, insisting the tie will be more than just an individual battle.

An encounter between the world’s most expensive player and the world’s best adds an extra layer of intrigue to what is already a mouth-watering match on paper.

Rumours linking former Barcelona star Neymar with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu only serve to increase the anticipation ahead of the tie, which begins with the first leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

But Madrid coach Zidane is reluctant join in with that excitement, instead stressing the importance of the team effort, and not just those marquee players.

“We talk about two great players but tomorrow it’s Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain, not Neymar v Cristiano,” he told a news conference.

“We can talk about a player like Cristiano, who has done amazing things in the game and won five Ballons d’Or, but everyone can see Neymar’s quality on the pitch.

“He’s a quality player but we don’t want to see a duel between Cristiano and Neymar, we want to see Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain.”

Zidane has come under pressure during a disappointing domestic campaign for Madrid, which sees them sit 17 points adrift of LaLiga leaders Barcelona having been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Leganes in the quarter-finals.

But the former France international, whose future will be in serious doubt if Madrid cannot overcome PSG, rejected claims this week’s clash had the feel of a final.

“All the games are important for me and the future doesn’t bother me too much at the moment,” he added.

“It’s not a final for me. It’s a Champions League match.

“We’ve got two legs and what we have to do is go out and play well. The rest I’m not too worried about.

“We’ve got no pressure. We’re happy to play these games.

“People want to see a good game and you’d have to ask PSG if they’re feeling any pressure.”

Source: www.goal.com