The wheel will have come full circle for Galatasaray forward Didier Drogba when he takes to the pitch for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Real Madrid.
Gareth Bale will have to find his place within a star-studded Madrid line-up quickly because the world's most expensive player is sure to be compared constantly with his new team mate Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Neymar.
Thousands of Real Madrid fans flocked to the Bernabeu to welcome Gareth Bale on Monday after the nine-times European champions sealed the purchase of the Wales winger from Tottenham Hotspur for what the London club said is a world record fee.
In-form playmaker Isco struck twice and Cristiano Ronaldo netted his first goal of the campaign to give Luka Modric-inspired Real Madrid a 3-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.
Former Brazilian great Ronaldinho feels that Lionel Messi has been the perfect senior to Neymar at Barcelona, exactly the role played by him when the Argentine stalwart joined the first team of the Catalan giants more than a decade ago. "I think so. When Messi came in, he was a young kid and there was so much potential in him. I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him and we did share a great rapport on the field and off it too.
Gerardo Martino enjoyed his competitive debut with Barcelona more than Carlos Ancelotti's with Real Madrid as the La Liga champions stormed to a 7-0 rout of Levante in their season opener at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were handed two-match bans in the King's Cup after they were sent off in last week's final at the Bernabeu, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday.
Rafa Benitez has been sacked as coach of Real Madrid, according to reports in the Spanish press. Sunday night's 2-2 draw with Valencia has proved to be the final straw for president Florentino Perez with the club likely to confirm the news soon. France legend Zinedine Zidane - the coach of Real Madrid's second team, Castilla - is expected to take over.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo could find Wednesday's Champions League clash against his old club Manchester United "too emotional", former team mate Gary Neville believes.
Cesc Fabregas struck what may prove a priceless away goal as holders Barcelona drew 1-1 at depleted arch-rivals Real Madrid in an entertaining and closely fought King's Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez angrily denied a report in Marca sports daily on Thursday that said there was a rift between coach Jose Mourinho and club captains Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has pleaded with Real Madrid fans to get off Jose Mourinho's back and to support the team after a couple of jittery home performances where their coach has been whistled by sections of the Bernabeu.
An estimated 10,000 Napoli supporters, including the team's most famous player Diego Maradona, are expected to make the trip to the Spanish capital for the first competitive meeting with Real Madrid since the 1987.
Upset by referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea's decision to dismiss him, Ronaldo shoved the official, which landed him in further hot water.
Images from soccer matches played across different leagues in Europe on Sunday
Atletico Madrid stunned city rivals Real to win their 10th King's Cup. Miranda's extra-time header secured a 2-1 comeback win in an action-packed and ill-tempered clash at the Bernabeu on Friday in which Real coach Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were both sent off.
Real coach Zinedine Zidane left out Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in a largely second-string side but not even the injection of youth could breathe life into his team until Asensio's late goal ended a run of three games without a win.
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 firepower combined with the cultural pressure on Manchester United to go on the attack left Jose Mourinho in confident mood for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie after being held 1-1 at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed he was equal to the biggest of occasions with a superb header for Real Madrid against former club Manchester United as their Champions League last-16 first-leg showdown ended 1-1 on Wednesday.
Since Real Madrid last played Manchester United, getting a 6-5 aggregate win in the 2002-03 Champions League quarter-finals, the Spanish side have given their English rivals a thorough drubbing in the financial arena.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho ran the rule over Manchester United on Sunday before declaring that Wednesday's Champions League clash between the sides was "the match the world is waiting for".
Borussia Dortmund held on by their fingernails to clinch a place in the Champions League final on Tuesday with a 4-3 aggregate win despite losing 2-0 after conceding late goals in a nerve-shredding finish at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid are hoping the fit-again Cristiano Ronaldo can lead them into the Champions League final although strike partner Karim Benzema remains a doubt for Wednesday's return match with Manchester City.
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been named in the Premier League club's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States despite reported interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have no intention of making a quick profit on striker Alvaro Morata after the Champions League winners opted to take him back to the Bernabeu from Juventus last month, the Spanish side's manager Zinedine Zidane has said. Real sold Morata to Juventus two seasons ago but included a buy-back clause in his contract, which they exercised in July after the forward scored 27 goals in 93 games in Italy and three for Spain during the European Championship.
The numbers behind Saturday's La Liga "Clasico" between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu stadium (1600 GMT).
Stuttering La Liga leaders Barcelona suffered their second defeat by Real Madrid in five days when they went down 2-1 at the Bernabeu in Saturday's 'Clasico'.
Barcelona need to be more efficient in front of goal and iron out defensive lapses if they are to beat Real Madrid in the King's Cup last four, assistant coach Jordi Roura and midfielder Cesc Fabregas said on Monday.
Atletico Madrid were again put firmly in their place by Real Madrid in the city derby last weekend but they have not lost their sense of humour as the fallout from the game continues to make headlines in Spain.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will confront the home fans who whistled him at their midweek King's Cup match by walking out alone onto the Bernabeu pitch 40 minutes before Saturday's La Liga match with Atletico Madrid.
PSG coach Unai Emery said he wanted to be optimistic that his 222-million euro ($273 million) signing would be available to face Real as the French league leaders bid to overcome a 3-1 deficit to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
Real Madrid survived an early red card for Sergio Ramos to see off city rivals Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at the Bernabeu on Sunday, matching the wins of La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid over the weekend.
Spain's oft-maligned King's Cup takes on added significance for Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid after a weekend which saw the champions slip 11 points behind the La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo warmed up in style for Wednesday's Champions League showdown with former club Manchester United by claiming a hat-trick and an assist as Real Madrid crushed Sevilla 4-1 in La Liga on Saturday.
Barcelona's Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves has complained of racist abuse following Wednesday's King's Cup semi-final first leg at Real Madrid and said Spain was a 'lost war' when it came to tackling the issue.
Newly-crowned champions Real Madrid beat Mallorca 4-1 to break the 100-point barrier on the final day of La Liga season as Villarreal sensationally slipped through the relegation trapdoor.
Lionel Messi hit four goals for leaders Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick for Real Madrid as the two teams warmed up for their midweek King's Cup semi-final clash with crushing La Liga victories on Sunday.
