Gareth Bale would not pick any Atletico Madrid player over one of his teammates, the Real Madrid forward said, as the two Spanish sides prepare to square off in Saturday's Champions League final. Atletico's defence conceded just 18 goals last season in the league, fewer per game than any other team in Europe's top five leagues. But when Bale was asked to create an ideal 11 from both teams, he said he would pick Real Madrid players every time. Asked by radio station Cadena Cope if he would pick Atletico's Jan Oblak, who equalled the La Liga record for the fewest goals in a season, or Real's Keylor Navas, Bale said, "Keylor, 100 percent." Asked which side had the best midfield and defence, he added: "Real Madrid, everyone Real Madrid."
Liverpool came into Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid on a wave of confidence but Zinedine Zidane's side showed exactly why they are the masters of Europe's top club competition in their 3-1 win.
Real Madrid's 5-0 thrashing of Granada on Saturday equalled a Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten in all competitions. Reuters Sport takes a look at the factors behind their run.
A first-half double from Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid cement their position at the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win at home to Leganes on Sunday. Reeling from a chaotic midweek 3-3 draw at Legia Warsaw in the Champions League, Real got off to a slow start against neighbours Leganes, but Bale put them in charge in the 37th minute. The Wales international, who netted a sensational half volley against Legia, raced onto a through ball from Isco that split the visiting defence and rounded goalkeeper Jon Serantes to tuck the ball inside the near post from a tight angle.
Real Madrid made it two wins in two La Liga outings this season when Karim Benzema's scuffed 10th-minute strike secured an uninspiring 1-0 win at Granada on Monday.
Spanish media has reported that Solari, 42, is to be relieved of his duties
Barcelona blew the La Liga title race wide open when Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a 4-3 comeback win for the champions at 10-man Real Madrid in an action-packed 'Clasico' on Sunday.
Karim Benzema scored twice after the interval with a penalty and a header from a corner to give Santiago Solari's side a 3-1 lead, after Raphael Varane struck in the 34th minute to cancel out Anuar Tuhami's goal for Valladolid five minutes earlier.
Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his apology to teammates for his controversial remark that the club would be at the top of La Liga if every player was on his level.
Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 2-1 home defeat by Leganes on Wednesday to exit the King's Cup at the quarter-final stage on away goals.
Gareth Bale again came to Real Madrid's rescue by heading home the winner in a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday that keeps their title hopes alive.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo faces a race against time to be fit for the Champions League semi-final second leg with Manchester City on May 4.
The 33-year-old Messi, who signed his last contract in 2017, has become more outspoken against the club's hierarchy in the last year and radio station Cadena Ser said last Thursday he is unhappy with how Barca is being run and wants to leave in 2021.
Santiago Solari got off to the perfect start as Real Madrid's interim coach when his side thrashed Melilla 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo netted a first-half penalty as injury-depleted Real Madrid recovered from their derby defeat by Atletico Madrid at the weekend with a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday.
Benzema, who has scored 30 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid this season, has not played for France since 2015 after a blackmailing scandal over which he faces a trial in October.
New coach Julen Lopetegui has been tasked with rebuilding the side following the Portugal forward's departure and the early signs are good, with Real already looking more of a unit than a collection of individuals.
Real Madrid opened a two-point lead over Villarreal at the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo set a club scoring record in a 3-0 stroll at home to Levante on Saturday.
Giampaolo Pazzini struck an 89th-minute equaliser on his Levante debut to earn his side a deserved 2-2 draw against struggling giants Real Madrid on Saturday.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo ended his early-season drought in emphatic style when he hit five goals in a 6-0 romp at Espanyol on Saturday to become the club's record scorer in La Liga.
Real Madrid brushed off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to beat Espanyol 2-0 away and maintain their 100 per cent start to the league season while matching the La Liga record of 16 consecutive victories.
Real are third in the league standings with 54 points after 28 games, two behind second-placed Atletico Madrid who visit Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday and nine points behind leaders Barcelona who play at Real Betis on Sunday.
The Catalans have kept five clean sheets in their last six games, which bodes well for their title run in.
Cristiano Ronaldo kept up his rich La Liga scoring form as Real Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 on Saturday to move up to fourth.
The hard-fought win took Zinedine Zidane's side on to 77 points after 34 games, seven clear of second-placed Barca who visit in-form Villarreal later on Sunday.
World champions France had eight players, one less than former holders Spain, in international players' association FIFPro's 55-name shortlist for its World XI of 2018 award.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Images from Saturday's La Liga action.
The FIFA 2022 World Cup will kick-off in Qatar on Sunday, November 20. Here is a list of the 26-man squads playing in the quadrennial global football extravaganza.
Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the five best matches of the final round.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
And what an exciting week it has been, with players returning to packed stadiums, some memorable individual and team performances and a medical incident which had the world on edge.
Barcelona's fourth defeat of the season left them seventh in the standings on 14 points after 10 games, 12 points behind leaders Atletico.
Images from La Liga matches played on Saturday.
Real Madrid trimmed Barcelona's lead at the top of La Liga to one point when they recovered from conceding an early goal to secure a stirring 3-1 comeback win in the 'Clasico' on Saturday.
Images from Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the very best players from what has been an outstanding tournament.
Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title for the first time since 2014
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale will return to action for Real Madrid's La Liga game with Villarreal on Wednesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said.
Real Madrid have moved to broaden their options in attack by agreeing to sign Mexico striker Javier Hernandez on loan from Manchester United for the 2014-15 season.
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