An early goal from Gonzalo Higuain earned Juande Ramos his first Spanish Primera Liga win as Real Madrid coach when the champions beat Valencia 1-0 on Saturday. Ramos, who replaced Bernd Schuster last week, watched Argentine striker Higuain score after only three minutes and Dutch winger Arjen Robben run riot but it needed several saves from Iker Casillas to make sure of victory for the home team.
Teenager Curtis Jones grabbed a 58th-minute winner as an injury-hit Liverpool qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam at Anfield on Tuesday.
Real Madrid and AC Milan led a procession of six teams into the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday while big-spending Manchester City failed again on the European stage to further dent English soccer's standing.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Tuesday
Liverpool's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun is a serious doubt for their UEFA Champions League tie with Real Madrid on Tuesday after tearing a hamstring in training at the weekend. Benayoun scored the only goal when Liverpool beat Real 1-0 in Madrid in the first leg of the last 16 tie last month, but faces an anxious wait to see if he can play any part at Anfield after colliding with a team mate in training.
Man City to face Spurs in League Cup
Barcelona will go to the international break on top of the standings on a perfect 12 points from four games, five ahead second-placed Villarreal and seven clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid
Renato scored a late winner for Sevilla at the Bernabeu as they survived a spirited fightback from champions Real Madrid to win 4-3 in the Spanish Primera Liga on Sunday. Adriano Correia gave Sevilla a third-minute lead and although Raul pulled one back in the 19th minute, Ndri Romaric and Frederic Kanoute had the visitors 3-1 up at halftime.
The Bernabeu faithful have never taken Gareth Bale to their hearts with injury problems and a perceived lack of integration into the side often used as sticks to beat him with.
Zidane calls on Madrid fans to create best atmosphere ever against Bayern
Real Madrid's poor run of form continued on Saturday when the Spanish Primera Liga champions lost 1-0 at struggling Real Valladolid and missed the chance to take over from Barcelona at the top of the table. Valladolid were thrashed 6-0 by Barca at the Nou Camp last weekend but shocked a sluggish-looking Real by taking the lead shortly after the break.
Real Madrid have signed Spain right-back Alvaro Odriozola from Real Sociedad on a contract until 2024, the European champions said on Thursday.
'The football world is not ready to accept a player who fights against the system.'
Ancelotti still hoping Real can claim top-eight finish in Champions League
Robert Lewandowski and substitute Pablo Torre each scored twice to help leaders Barcelona thrash visitors Sevilla 5-1 in LaLiga on Sunday in a confidence boost for Hansi Flick's side ahead of key clashes against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Ronaldo had won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 while he was playing for Manchester United and still holds the record of the last Premier League player to claim the top prize. Messi won his first in 2009 and was nominated for 16 years.
Newcomers BATE Borisov got away lightly with a 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in their Champions League debut in Group H on Wednesday. Sergio Ramos gave the nine-times European champions an early lead and they threatened an avalanche of goals but BATE held firm until early in the second half. Ruud van Nistelrooy doubled the advantage with his 54th goal in the competition.
Real Madrid survived red cards for Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria, and an injury to Iker Casillas, to draw 1-1 in Valencia, and qualify for the King's Cup semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.
Italy striker Balotelli has scored only once in nine appearances since signing from AC Milan for 16 million pounds and has often cut a frustrated figure during a series of low-key displays.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
Mesut Ozil netted a superb double to fire Real Madrid to a 3-2 comeback win at Real Valladolid on Saturday and lift Jose Mourinho's side within two points of second-placed Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
Forwards Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani have been ruled out for Paris St Germain's opening Champions League group stage match against Real Madrid on Wednesday, the French Ligue 1 champions said.
The historic rivals will meet again twice in August in the Spanish Super Cup and this International Champions Cup match set the entertainment bar high, with Barcelona maintaining their 100 per cent record in pre-season.
Holders Real Madrid came from a goal down to snatch a precious 2-1 victory at wasteful Bayern Munich on Wednesday and carry a considerable advantage into their Champions League semi-final second leg in Spain.
Exactly four months after succeeding Rafael Benitez and inheriting a Real Madrid side on the brink of institutional crisis, Zinedine Zidane completed the team's revival by guiding them past Manchester City to the Champions League final.
Rodri won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, beating Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham.
Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Real Madrid this summer, after reportedly being miffed over club president Florentino Perez's growing closeness with teammate Gareth Bale.
Real Madrid lost 1-0 against Deportivo Coruna in La Liga as they failed to break their jinx at the Riazor.
Skipper Raul struck twice as Real Madrid got the better of old foes Bayern Munich with a 3-2 win at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League first knockout round tie on Tuesday.
Roma knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League and reached the quarter-finals, where they were joined by Chelsea and Schalke 04.
Real Madrid lost 1-0 at home to Real Mallorca in the King's Cup last-16 and went out of the tournament 3-1 on aggregate.
Rafa Benitez kicked off his tenure as Real Madrid boss with a frustrating 7-6 penalty shootout loss to AS Roma in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Real Madrid charged seven points clear at the top of the Primera Liga after a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao.
Real Madrid hit four goals in a devastating first-half spell as they beat Valencia 5-1 in the La Liga.
Lionel Messi's double strike helped Barcelona scrape a 3-2 victory over Real Sociedad on Saturday to keep the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid, who needed a brace from Isco to beat Sporting Gijon by the same scoreline.
Real Madrid scored two late goals to secure a 3-1 home win over Deportivo Coruna in the Spanish Primera Liga.
Zinedine Zidane is the right man for the job of Real Madrid coach, former team-mate David Beckham said on Monday after the Spanish club sacked Rafa Benitez and replaced him with the French World Cup winner. "Does it get any better than this??," the former England captain, who played with Zidane at Real after joining from Manchester United in 2003, declared on Instagram.
Serbian midfielder Dusan Tadic said Zinedine Zidane had helped inspire what he described as the game of his life in Ajax Amsterdam's 4-1 drubbing of Champions League holders Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Real Madrid's teenage Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes sent them top of La Liga as both scored in a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Wednesday.
The Brazilian midfielder is likely to take up his usual position in the holding role in front of the back four.
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