'We aren't playing well and we can't blame the coach, as the players are the ones who have to perform on the pitch'
Real Madrid crashed out of the King's Cup quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate after being held to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday in another major setback for the stuttering European champions.
The former Paris St Germain manager will be presented on Wednesday and will replace Jose Mourinho who left at the end of last season to join Chelsea.
Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has passed a medical and will sign a five-year contract with Real Madrid, the Primera Liga club said on their website (www.realmadrid.com) on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice but had to leave the pitch with his face covered in blood as Real Madrid eased their domestic crisis by hammering Liga strugglers Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 at home on Sunday to reclaim fourth place in the standing
Zidane is currently in charge of Real's B team Castilla, and has for some time been linked with the manager's post.
Espanyol have agreed a deal for goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to join Real Madrid, the Catalan club said on Friday.
Premier League champions Manchester City were drawn on Thursday with Juventus, Wydad AC and Al Ain in Group G for next year's FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric urged Neymar to join him at the Champions League winners after swapping shirts with the forward following Sunday's international friendly between Brazil and Croatia.
Real Madrid remained the world's richest soccer club and English clubs were hit by the declining value of the pound, according to an annual survey by accountancy firm Deloitte released on Thursday. Manchester United and Barcelona held their respective second and third positions in the latest "Football Money League" report on the world's 20 biggest soccer clubs ranked by revenue.
Real Madrid have decided midfielder Lassana Diarra will play in the Champions League knockout stages and not striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar, UEFA said on Monday following Sunday's deadline for registrations. The Spanish champions were forced to choose between the two new signings because of UEFA rules that state only one player can be registered who has already played in a UEFA competition with another club this season.
Newly-crowned European club football champions Real Madrid took their Champions League celebrations on to the streets of Madrid.
Raul, Fabio Cannavaro, Ruud van Nistelrooy and fellow Galacticos descending in India to weave magic on carpet does not sound daydreaming anymore with Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon Ramos writing to Sports Minister M S Gill, seeking a passage to India. Gill has reacted by promptly writing to his cabinet colleague and All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, seeking to discuss the next course of action.
Barcelona were gifted their 19th Primera Liga title without kicking a ball on Saturday when second-placed Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at Villarreal. Robert Pires, Cani and Joan Capdevila scored for the hosts, delivering Barca's second piece of silverware in a week after the Catalans overcame Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the King's Cup final on Wednesday. Barca can make it a treble by defeating Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome on May 27.
The Spanish giants are all set to break the world transfer record with an 80 million ($157 million) bid for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo. Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster admitted that they will pay whatever it takes to bring Ronaldo to Madrid.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Tuesday
Real Madrid are finding it hard to negotiate the sale of the five or six players they need to offload to raise cash to fund more purchases, director general Jorge Valdano said on Thursday.
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.
A stunning bicycle kick from Antonio Sanabria and a second-half header from Omar Alderete gave Paraguay a well earned 2-1 home win over Argentina.
Real Madrid have signed Spain right-back Alvaro Odriozola from Real Sociedad on a contract until 2024, the European champions said on Thursday.
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.
Zidane calls on Madrid fans to create best atmosphere ever against Bayern
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo insists he is focused on being the perfect team member at Saudi side Al Nassr rather than collecting more individual accolades in the twilight of his career.
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 UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
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.
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.
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.
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.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
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 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.
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'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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