Tag: real madrid

Bayern Munich to face PSG, Real Madrid vs Liverpool in Champions League last eight | Football News – Times of India

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Holders Bayern Munich will face the team they beat in last year’s Champions League final in this season’s quarter-finals after being paired with Paris St Germain in Friday’s draw.
In the other standout tie of the last eight 13-time champions Real Madrid face six-time winners Liverpool in a repeat of the 2018 final won by the Spanish club.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City, seeking their first Champions League title, will play Borussia Dortmund with the winners to face Bayern or PSG in the semi-finals.
There is also the prospect of an all English semi-final after Chelsea were drawn to play Porto with the prize for the winners a clash with Real Madrid or Liverpool.
The Qatari owners of PSG have invested fortunes into trying to conquer the Champions League and came tantalisingly close last season when they reached the final only for Bayern’s Kingsley Coman to break their hearts with the only goal in Lisbon.
Since then manager Thomas Tuchel has gone and been replaced by Mauricio Pochettino who took Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 Champions League final where they lost to Liverpool.
Pochettino now faces a daunting task if he is to deliver the prize the Parisian club desire so badly.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern reached the quarter-final for a record 19th time by cruising past Lazio 6-2 on aggregate and will provide a formidable barrier.
Liverpool’s Premier League title defence crumbled long ago but if anything can rouse the Anfield club it is a clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Juergen Klopp’s side are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League, 25 points behind Manchester City, and with no guarantee of a top-four finish they might need to win a seventh European crown just to get back in the competition.
Chelsea, unbeaten in 13 games since Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard, may feel they have got the easier option in Porto who they have beaten in five of their eight previous meetings.
Yet while Chelsea’s clinical defeat of Atletico Madrid in the last 16 was impressive, so was the way Porto knocked out Juventus in a thriller and the Portuguese side will take that belief into their clash with the London club.
Should Chelsea and Liverpool both progress it would be the fourth time they have met in the Champions League semis.
Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners have made winning the Champions League the priority in their masterplan and will feel this could be their year.
After a sluggish start to the season Pep Guardiola’s side have dominated the Premier League and with that title virtually in the bag will be able to focus on Europe.
They sealed a fourth successive quarter-final berth with a 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Moenchengladbach and have not conceded a goal in the competition for 11 hours 35 minutes.

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Real Madrid make light work of Atalanta to reach Champions League quarterfinals | Football News – Times of India

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MADRID: Real Madrid easily overcame Atalanta 3-1 at home in their Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday to stroll into the quarterfinals 4-1 on aggregate.
Karim Benzema scored a sixth goal in five games to put the 13-times European champions in charge after 34 minutes following a poor kick out by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello which was intercepted by Luka Modric.
Captain Sergio Ramos put Real further at ease when he converted a penalty on the hour, although the Italian side managed to get one goal back thanks to a free kick from Luis Muriel in the 83rd.
But any hope they had of making a recovery was quickly dashed a minute later by a low strike from Real substitute Marco Asensio.
Real, who were knocked out in the last 16 by Manchester City last term and Ajax Amsterdam the season before, reached the last eight for the first time since 2018.

Zinedine Zidane’s side will be the only Spanish team left in Europe’s elite club competition unless city rivals Atletico Madrid overturn a 1-0 deficit at Chelsea on Wednesday.
“The most important thing was to get through as we hadn’t done that the last two years,” said Modric.
“We have to take each game as it comes and see how far we get but tonight we showed that there’s a lot of hunger still in this team and I hope we can go very far.”
The draw for the rest of the competition is on Friday.

HIGH PRESSING
Atalanta had pulled off away wins over European giants Liverpool and Ajax in the group stage and nearly got off to an ideal start when Robin Gosens met a Muriel cross in the third minute but was thwarted by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Serie A side continued to harass Real with their high pressing but the hosts slowly managed to pass their way out of trouble thanks to the experienced heads of midfield duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
Real found the breakthrough on the night thanks to some high pressing of their own which saw Modric stick out a leg to block Sportiello’s poor kick and then square the ball to Benzema, who calmly stroked it into the net.
“This was a very demanding game,” added Modric. “Atalanta are a very physical team and press you all over the pitch without stopping. I think we played well from the start and we’re very happy to make it to the quarter-finals.”

Real’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr should have added to their lead after a superb move involving left back Ferland Mendy but after doing the hard part to coast past Atalanta’s defence he missed the target from close range.
He made amends by bursting into the area and drawing a foul in the box by Rafael Toloi, allowing Ramos to blast the spot kick beyond the outstretched Sportiello and effectively end the tie as a contest, scoring his 101st goal for the club.
“We came out onto the pitch with the ambition to win the game, to dominate the ball and control the play and we did that and had chances to score even more goals,” said Ramos. “There’s still a long way to go this season but this is the right path.”



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Real Madrid closer to full strength for Champions League game against Atalanta | Football News – Times of India

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MADRID: Real Madrid is seeing some of its tops players get back in shape at a crucial time of the season, and coach Zinedine Zidane will have the squad closer to full strength on Tuesday when it defends its first-leg win over Atalanta in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Eden Hazard who have missed several matches recently because of injuries, including the first game against Atalanta are all expected to be available for the second leg at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
Madrid had nearly 10 players sidelined not long ago, but little by little they have been coming back to action to help the club as it enters the final stretch of the season while still in contention in the Champions League and the Spanish league.
Benzema returned two matches ago and Ramos played in a 2-1 win over Elche in the Spanish league on Saturday. Hazard also played a few minutes against Elche, and Marcelo is set to return to the squad on Tuesday after more than a month out injured.
Ramos and Hazard were out for nearly two months. Ramos played from the start at the Di Stefano, while Hazard came off the bench near the end of the match in which Madrid won with two goals by Benzema, who had missed three consecutive games.
There is still some doubt about Hazard for Tuesday’s game as he did not start Monday’s practice session with the rest of the group.
The return of those players gives Zidane greater flexibility tactically, as he has been experimenting with different setups recently and could take advantage of having more options available. He has been favoring a 3-5-2 scheme that he used against Elche and is likely to try it again.
The return of Marcelo may make it easier for him to use that formation as the Brazilian can play well helping the attack. The 3-5-2 scheme backfired for Zidane a few weeks ago when he switched from a 4-3-3 formation halfway through a league match against Real Sociedad, when left back Ferland Mendy struggled and Madrid ended drawing 1-1 at home.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini has almost a full squad available, though defender Remo Freuler is suspended following his red card in the first leg. Madrid will be without the suspended Casemiro because of an accumulation of yellow cards.
Atalanta has won all its European matches away from home this season, including a 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. It has won three of its four games in Serie A since the first-leg loss to Madrid.
Atalanta is looking to make it to the Champions League quarter-finals for the second straight season. Madrid hasn’t made it out of the last 16 in the last two seasons.

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Pele congratulates hat-trick hero Ronaldo for breaking his record | Football News – Times of India

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MILAN: Pele on Sunday congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo for ‘breaking his record’ of goals scored in official matches.
Portuguese star Ronaldo hit a hat-trick for Juventus in a 3-1 Serie A win over Cagliari to bring his total to 770 goals.

The 36-year-old took to Instagram to tell his 270 million followers he could now claim the record, having matched Pele’s 767 on March 2.
“I’m filled with joy and pride as I acknowledge the goal that puts me on top of the World’s goal scoring list, overcoming Pele’s record, something that I could never have dreamed of while growing up as a child from Madeira,” Ronaldo wrote.

Brazilian great Pele, 80, wrote on Instagram to his 5.8 million followers: “Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches.
“I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone.
“My only regret is not being able to give you a hug today.”
“Cristiano life is a solo flight. Each makes his own journey. And what a beautiful journey you are having!”

Pele — the only player in history to win three World Cups — has claimed to have scored 1,283 goals in total, including in unofficial matches.
Ronaldo’s goals include 668 for club sides — five with Sporting Lisbon, 118 for Manchester United, 450 for Real Madrid and 95 for Juventus. He has also scored 120 for Portugal.
Some media however put Czech Josef Bican on 805 goals, ahead of both Ronaldo and Pele.
Former Brazilian striker Romario also claims to have scored 1,000 career goals including unofficial matches. Other sources attribute 772 to him.

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La Liga: Real Madrid overcome Elche 2-1 with late Benzema double | Football News – Times of India

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MADRID: Karim Benzema saved Real Madrid for the second week running on Saturday, his two goals dragging his team to a 2-1 win over struggling Elche in La Liga.
After Benzema’s late equaliser salvaged a draw against Atletico Madrid last weekend, the Frenchman came up trumps again, a brilliant shot flying in off the post in the 91st minute to snatch a crucial home victory at Valdebebas.
Real Madrid move five points behind Atletico in La Liga although Diego Simeone’s team can restore their advantage to eight by beating Getafe later on Saturday.
Barcelona, who are six points back, face bottom club Huesca on Monday.
Benzema recovered from injury just in time to play Atletico and his three goals since have earned his team four points in seven days, while also denying Atletico a crucial win.
After heading in the equaliser against Elche, Benzema delivered a special winner, catching the ball in the air with a superb shot that found the far corner.
“It was a beautiful goal and it won us three points, so I’m happier than ever,” he said.
Sergio Ramos returned from a knee injury to make his first appearance since January, although the defender came off shortly after an hour, meaning his availability for Tuesday’s Champions League game at home to Atalanta is perhaps not guaranteed.
Eden Hazard, who has also been out since January, came off the bench in the second half and could play in midweek, when Madrid will start with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric were rested, perhaps with that game in mind, but both were needed by Zidane before the end.
Madrid were the better team in the first half but there was hardly a chance to show for it, the only real opening falling to Benzema at the back post as Fede Valverde released Vinicius Junior down the right but his cross bounced awkwardly for Benzema, who shot wide.
Both sides wanted penalties early in the second half, with Elche’s Ivan Marcone fortunate to be awarded a free-kick when he looked more culpable in a tangle with Ramos.
Then Ramos escaped punishment for a challenge on Guido Carrillo.
Shortly after, Elche took the lead. Ramos shielded his eyes as if struggling with the sun and the corner found Dani Calvo, who climbed above Raphael Varane to head in off the crossbar.
Ramos, Isco and Fede Valverde made way for Modric, Kroos and Rodrygo, and 10 minutes later Madrid were level. Modric collected a short corner and swung a cross into the back post, where Benzema nodded in.
There were 17 minutes left to find a winner but it came in injury-time. Benzema scooped the ball up to Rodrygo on the edge of the area. He cushioned it back to the striker, who caught the ball in the air with a brilliant shot that flew in off the far post.

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Ronaldo warns ‘true champions never break’ after European flop | Football News – Times of India

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MILAN: Cristiano Ronaldo warned that “true champions never break” as he turned his focus to Juventus‘s Serie A match at Cagliari on Sunday after their early Champions League elimination.
“True champions never break! Our focus is already in Cagliari, in the Serie A struggle, in the Italian Cup final and in everything that we can still achieve this season,” Ronaldo said on Instagram, the first time he has spoken since Juventus crashed out of the last 16 to Porto.
“More important than the number of falls you take in life, is how fast and how strong you get back on your feet.”
Ronaldo’s future at Juventus is in the spotlight after a third Champions League failure since he was signed for 100 million euros ($117 million) in the summer of 2018 from Real Madrid.

“It’s true that the past belongs in museums (I should say!), but fortunately, football has memory… and so do I,” the 36-year-old continued.
Ronaldo is the record scorer in the competition with 134 goals, and has lifted the trophy five times with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
But the Portuguese forward failed to score in either leg of a knockout round for the first time in 16 years.

He added: “History can’t be deleted, it’s written every single day with resilience, team spirit, persistence and lots of hard work. And those who don’t understand this, will never achieve glory and success.”
Juventus are third in Serie A — 10 points behind leaders Inter Milan — but with a game in hand as they target a 10th consecutive league title.
They are also through to the Italian Cup final.
“Ronaldo is fine, it’s normal that he is disappointed the other night like the whole team,” said coach Andrea Pirlo before Sunday’s game in Sardinia.
“Ronaldo trained well, he recovered to play tomorrow.
“It is normal for there to be rumours after the elimination because he is the most important figure in the world of football together with (Lionel) Messi and always makes people talk about him, but let’s remember that he has always done well, scoring over 90 goals in 100 games.
“It may happen that he doesn’t score in a match and it happens to the others too, but with him it makes more noise.”
Pirlo added: “We trained together and went back to work. We will face a Cagliari team that has recently changed its coach and has immediately achieved excellent results.
“So it will be an important match and it will take great pride and team spirit for us to play a good match.”

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