Real Madrid XI: A player-by-player guide to Zinedine Zidane's side for el clásico

It's the biggest football match on the planet, and it's this Saturday.

El clásico pits two of the world's finest, most-successful clubs head-to-head and this weekend's fixture is laden with storylines to unpick and things to watch out for.

But first and foremost it's going to be about the three points on the line and the eleven players on the field as Real Madrid look to extend their lead atop La Liga.

Zinedine Zidane has some tough line-up decisions to make if he's to counter Barcelona's threat, but he has fewer injuries than his counterpart, Luis Enrique. but who will Zizou choose? lets takes a look:

Keylor Navas

The Costa Rican impressed everyone at World Cup 2014, and when he’s been given the opportunity at Real Madrid he has similarly dazzled.

So close to leaving the club on deadline day last summer, Navas was one of Madrid's best players as they won the Champions League under Zinedine Zidane.

He will need to be at his best to keep the Barca frontline at bay.

Dani Carvajal

The Spain full-back has fought off €30million worth of competition, so if he’s fully fit you’d always expect him to edge out Danilo with the Brazilian having experienced an up-and-down first season in La Liga last year.

Carvajal will have a hell of a task in keeping Neymar quiet down that side, as the Barca man has been in sensational form recently.

But he’s locked him down before and this is going to be one of the key battles that decides this game.

Sergio Ramos

The Real Madrid skipper has struggled for form for the last 18 months and has increasingly been exposed by pace, with Mohamed Salah running riot against him in the Champions League knockout stages last season.

He needs to adapt his game to rediscover the form that made him one of the world's best at the position, though nobody can question his will to win.

Expect him to be really up for this game, but whether that will be enough to subdue Messi and co. is another question entirely.

Raphael Varane

The Frenchman has utterly frightening pace for a defender and that will be ideal when faced with a forward line like this.

Pepe's experience will be missed, especially when it comes to dealing with Luis Suarez's off-the-ball provocations.

Marcelo

Prone to leaving space in behind, Marcelo is a player often targeted by top-class opposition.

Roma and Paris Saint-Germain tried as much in the Champions League with some success last year, but despite an injury you’d have to say that the Brazilian remains the club's best option at left-back.

If Nacho were to start there instead then it would send a very negative message, and it would be a shock if Zidane benched Marcelo.

Casemiro

The midfielder has been excellent since breaking into the team as Rafa Benitez's (much-maligned) defensive shield.

Zinedine Zidane kept him in the team after taking over and the Brazilian suddenly became acceptable, so much so that when his long-term injury was announced earlier this season there was serious consternation.

Casemiro has no like-for-like backup in the squad and Madrid have had to improvise to get by without him. His return from injury will be huge.

Luka Modrić

Real Madrid’s metronome and one of their most important players.

The Croat has been sensational over the last two seasons and still doesn't get the plaudits he deserves.

If they're to have a chance of winning this game, it will be because Modric has taken over the midfield.

Mateo Kovacic

Learning from his idol, the young Croatian midfielder looked almost certain to return to Italy on loan after a first season in Spain that saw him get little gametime and make little impact.

Having take advantage of injuries in midfield, Kovacic's energy in the centre of the park has helped to keep Madrid's momentum going even when shorthanded.

Lucas Vazquez

The young Spaniard broke into the team under Rafa Benitez after demonstrating work-rate and defensive awareness on the flank.

While Marco Asensio's rise has threatened Vazquez's playing time, the 25-year-old is a far more reliable performer and will play a key role in tracking Barcelona's full-backs at the Nou Camp.

Hidden beneath all that is that Vazquez is a danger in attack as well.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese lit up this fixture in the spring with a sensational late winner and, if he can repeat that, he could virtually put the league title to bed before Christmas.

That would be quite a way to celebrate his monster new deal.

Karim Benzema

Alvaro Morata has probably outplayed him but Benzema's long-standing chemistry with Ronaldo has saved his spot in the starting XI.

That may not last for too much longer but bagging a vital goal in the clásico is likely to buy him some time.

Missing out

James Rodriguez will likely have to settle for a place on the bench, as will Isco - but with the Spaniard having a chance of starting if Casemiro isn't fit. The defensive back-up is Nacho , while Danilo's inconsistent displays will likely see him benched.

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat trick answered Real Madrid's biggest question

On Saturday, Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics yet again, as the 31-year-old Portuguese superstar netted a hat trick to lead Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over rival Athletico 
 Madrid and give Real a clear line of sight to its first La Liga title in half a decade.

Ronaldo’s performance, however, meant far more than the three goals and the three points that put Real Madrid in the driver’s seat for the La Liga crown. Following a salary bump and a hefty contract extension worth a reported $187 million that keeps the forward at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2021, questions have come up over how Ronaldo will fit into the squad going forward considering his decreasing ability to take players one-on-one.

Against Atletico, Real and Ronaldo answered those questions.

Ronaldo started ahead of Karim Benzema at striker and made the most of his chances as the tip of Real’s spear. Similar to the role he played for Portugal in the 2016 European Championships, which Portugal won, Ronaldo continued the transformation from a free-roaming No. 7 darting on the wings and cheating on the inside to a constrained No. 9 causing havoc inside the box and putting pressure on opposing center backs.

For Ronaldo to remain relevant at Real Madrid for five more years, this positional shift became necessary. The former Manchester United and Sporting Lisbon winger could not continue to be an asset out wide as he dove deeper into his 30s. In front of goal, Ronaldo is one of the greatest finishers of all time and a credible threat to score at all times. After all, he is already the top scorer in Real Madrid history, and his scoring rate is higher than the greats that came before him (i.e. Raul Gonzalez, Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas).

Of course, questions over how Benzema and Alvaro Morata fit into Real Madrid’s setup if Ronaldo is now a full-time forward will come fast and hard. But one has a tough time arguing against three goals that pushed Madrid nine points clear of Atletico Madrid and four points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Hence, Benzema and Morata will need to adapt to Ronaldo more than the Portuguese will need to adapt to them. Ronaldo remains the biggest star at the club, on the pitch and off it.

With Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, Morata and Toni Kroos among the first-team regulars not available for Real Madrid on Saturday, Ronaldo displayed that special winning quality that makes him the first name on the team sheet in the Spanish capital. Though Isco may have deserved Man of the Match honors for his inspired midfield play, Ronaldo secured all three goals.

He has a habit of doing that. It’s football, not rocket science, and Ronaldo knows how to find the back of the net with greater frequency than, arguably, any other human being that has ever lived. And yes, that includes Lionel Messi.

Unlike Messi, who has transitioned deeper into the midfield as he has grown older, Ronaldo has moved further forward with every passing year. It only makes sense that to get the most out of an aging attacker, the emphasis would be to put him in positions where he can apply that expensive final touch, rather than ask him to create chances. Also, Ronaldo’s superior height and heading ability make for a far more natural transition to out-and-out striker than Messi’s passing and vision make sense to move the Argentine deeper into midfield.

Also assisting Ronaldo’s transition is the emergence, arrival and settling of Gareth Bale with Los Blancos. In the past couple seasons, the Welshman has assumed a great deal of Ronaldo’s responsibility on the wings and in the midfield and, frankly, covered for his diminishing ability to run at opponents.

With Bale playing a prominent role a season ago, Real Madrid galloped to a Champions League title and gave Barcelona a proper scare for the league title. In the 2016 Champions League final, Benzema came off the pitch in the second half and Ronaldo proceeded to play as the line-leading forward for the remainder of the game.

As rumors of Bale’s ascendancy balkanizing the locker room grew, the chances of Ronaldo’s sale and move away from Madrid seemed imminent – until Ronaldo signed the monstrous new contract in November. Now, the idea that both superstars can coexist for the foreseeable future is more than an intangible idea; it is a plan with clear blueprints that have not only been drawn out but also tested and approved.

While his shirt may read No. 7 to continue his “CR7” marketing campaigns, Cristiano Ronaldo, for the next five years, will be Real Madrid’s No. 9.

Football

People often ask me Why do you love this game so much ?
Well coz it's love is unconditional just like  dogs ...
She doesn't demand anything just like your mom...
You can hit her hard and take your frustration off just like your sister ...
It gives you pleasure just like your girlfriend (or boyfriend in some cases :p)...
It is fun just like your best friend...
It is easy and tough at the same time just like your dad ...
It is cheap just like our Talk...
Call it Football, call it Soccer, call it Fußball . It's all the same....
#ItIsNotJustAGameItsOurLife 

James Rodriguez Looks Every Bit Cristiano Ronaldo's Successor at Real Madrid

James Rodriguez Looks Every Bit
Cristiano Ronaldo's Successor at
Real Madrid

It was a celebration we'd seen often, James Rodriguez
jogging toward the corner flag, elbow tucked in, finger formed
like pistol pointing at the crowd. On previous occasions we'd
seen the celebration performed with verve, but this time it
was somewhat muted, coming in the middle of Real Madrid 's
mauling of Getafe in a game of little-to-no consequence on
the season's final day.
Yet, in this exhibition-like 90 minutes, the act preceding
Rodriguez's celebration had stood out, leaving behind it a
vivid image that felt like a forerunner for a future Real Madrid
will soon face.
In the moments earlier the Colombian had stood over a free-
kick, lining it up as though he was preparing to be the decoy.
This was Cristiano Ronaldo territory after all. Ronaldo's
domain. His area of authority. But Ronaldo then did the
unexpected, pausing and clearing the way for Rodriguez.
Appreciative, the 23-year-old curled it over the wall and past
Jordi Codina with astonishing ease. Goal. Celebration.
Two team-mates, separated by seven years but connected by
the Galactico tag, embraced.
At the time it felt symbolic, and with each day that passes it
continues to do so. Ronaldo will soon need a successor at
Real Madrid, someone to pass the torch to, someone to
whom he can hand over the keys to the kingdom. Coming off
a 61-goal season, the Portuguese isn't ready to do so just yet.
But when he is , when the time comes, Rodriguez is waiting,
primed to take them.
Overblown? Maybe. But consider the whole package; there's
something to it.

At Real Madrid there must be a headline act—something or
someone who can take Real's show of glamour to a place
nearly all others can't. The headline act must be a cocktail of
star power, worldwide appeal, good looks, marketing potential
and a penchant for the spectacular. Rodriguez is, and has, all
of those things. And he blends them together with an alluring
silkiness.
He's an archetypal Real Madrid star.
If you were to put together a showreel of the Colombian's
2014-15 season, it would be as eye-catching as nearly any in
Europe. There was his lashed volley from an absurd angle
at Los Carmenes against Granada; his swerving, long-range
thump at the Riazor against Deportivo La Coruna; his
outrageous, first-time blast at the Bernabeu against Almeria;
his dual one-two special at home against Malaga.
Naturally, the World Cup sensation's reel couldn't match the
sheer volume of Ronaldo's, the dazzling feet of Lionel Messi 's
or the tenacious power of Luis Suarez's. But maybe only Messi
could put together a more breathtaking visual package. On
highlights alone, Rodriguez had nearly every player on the
continent covered, accounting for practically half of Real
Madrid's most memorable strikes on his own.
What's more, he did it in just his first season at one of
Europe's behemoths. At 23. Following extreme scrutiny.
Burdened by a £63 million price tag.

When Ronaldo first made the switch to the Spanish capital
from Manchester United in 2009, the Ballon d'Or winner
totalled 33 goals and seven assists in his opening season,
playing as the focal point of the club's attack. After joining
from Monaco, Rodriguez tallied 17 and 16, respectively, his
total contribution similar while operating as one third of a
midfield three.
"The 3-in-1 James," Marca dubbed him, rejoicing in the way
he "runs, scores and assists." On that occasion, the Madrid-
based daily pictured Rodriguez in silvery-white armour, a
purple cape on his back, a Superman logo splashed across his
chest and a glow emanating from his outline.
"The Colombian cat arrived in a jungle with an overpopulation
of midfielders and took no time to let roar," Marca added, and
at other points labelled him "St. James," "James the
jellifier," "James—the great Whites' hope" and most
significantly, "King James," playing on the nickname of
another worldwide phenomenon.

Marca , of course, has never been shy to anoint a star, but the
regularity with which it did so last season was notable.
The 3-in-1 James: The Real Madrid nº10's
adaptation to his new team in his first season
couldn't have been better.

The Real Madrid nº10s adaptation to his new team in
his first season couldnt have been better.
View on web
It's easy to see why, too. Aside from the output, there's both
an industry and efficiency to Rodriguez's game that lends him
perfectly to a football world that's becoming more analytical
and data-driven by the week. Such qualities will also make
him a hit at the hypercritical Bernabeu.
Whereas Gareth Bale has become a polarising figure in
Chamartin because of a questionable defensive contribution,
Rodriguez's willingness to put in a shift, as the saying goes,
has endeared him to a fanbase very much accustomed to
over-indulged footballing icons.
Prepared to track back, tackle, harass and scrap, Rodriguez's
two-way commitment is indicative of that which is becoming
increasing necessary for the game's leading players at a time
when performances can be stripped to their bare bones by
almost anyone owning a computer and a web browser.
Take this for example: According to WhoScored.com , Bale
was significantly out-tackled by Rodriguez (26 to 40) in less
minutes in La Liga last season, and needed almost double the
shots (103 to 53) to score exactly the same number of goals
(13).

That bodes well for Rodriguez as a new-age star, his
efficiency already having a profound effect on the Real Madrid
outfit he's still only new to.
Yet, what's most tantalising about Rodriguez's potential is the
possibilities, the options, he will give to a team, a manager
and a club in the coming years.
When he arrived in Madrid, he was exclusively a No. 10, a
gifted technician who liked to sit behind the striker and
manipulate a game with his dazzling left boot. Twelve months
down the line, he's still that but also so much more. In
2014-15 he played on the left and the right; in central midfield
and attacking midfield and as a wide forward. He was a
roaring success in all of them; all that's left to show is an
ability to play as a false nine and he's mastered the set. Thus,
what Real Madrid are getting bundled with Rodriguez's
precocious individual flair is systematic versatility as the
Colombian gradually shifts toward the team's most prominent
role.
That shift may be 12 months from completion. It could be 24.
It could be more. What's clear is that it will need Ronaldo to
step aside to allow it do so, and Ronaldo still has so much to
offer Real Madrid.
But when the Portuguese is ready to hand over the keys to
the kingdom, Rodriguez looks every bit his natural successor,
the player ready to carry forward the Real Madrid star cocktail
and give it a modern twist.

Cristiano Ronaldo's evolution to a no. 9; Real Madrid's priority to adapt new CR7

Cristiano Ronaldo  walked steadily toward the sideline, a 16-year-old standing there waiting to replace him after the fourth official's board had displayed a No. 7. As he approached the touchline, those in the stands of the Santiago Bernabeu rose to their feet, clapping, chanting.

It was a rapturous applause. In the hour prior, Ronaldo's goals had guided Real Madrid through a bizarre period againstGetafe. The hosts had led, 1-0, thanks to the Portuguese's soaring header, but they quickly trailed, 2-1, the ever-lingering self-destructive nature of Real Madrid's defence exaggerated by the lack of sting in the contest. 

A peculiar embarrassment this could have been, but Ronaldo's response was both swift and lethal: two goals in three minutes; the first an exquisite free-kick from 25 yards, the second a well-taken penalty after Carlos Vigaray had brought down Javier Hernandez.

Order restored. 

Another hat-trick it was, Ronaldo's eighth of the season. His eighth. But it had also been more than that—it had been an emphatic signing off to an extraordinary personal season. Sixty-one goals in total, 48 of them in La Liga. Another Pichichi. Another Golden Shoe. His career tally in white now at 313. 

As such, the reception that met Ronaldo upon his exit wasn't your typical one. Fans can get to their feet for almost anyone, but this was different. It was a thank you, the Bernabeu essentially saying: weknow. 

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

It was also a rare opportunity for the Real Madrid faithful. Prior to Saturday, it had been 168 days since the Ballon d'Orwinner had been substituted at home, following a hat-trick against Celta Vigo on December 6. The time before that? Last April. Chances to express a special appreciation for Ronaldo at the Bernabeucome only biannually. 

Yet as the staggeringly prolific forward left the pitch on Saturday evening, there seemed to be a silent, universal question: Is this guy's historic talent being wasted?

Of Ronaldo's 313 goals for Real Madrid, 225 have come in La Liga. More extraordinary is that they've come in just 200 appearances. And yet, somehow, those galactic numbers have translated to just a single league title. 

"Real Madrid have failed Ronaldo," said Graham Hunter, a renowned journalist covering Spanish football, on Sky Sports'Revista de la Liga. Days later, Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff told De Telegraaf, viaGoal: "It's ridiculous that they [Real Madrid] have only won the league once in seven years." In itself, it's troubling. And in relation to Ronaldo, time is running out for Real Madrid to rectify it. 

When he switched the northwest of England for the Spanish capital, the Portuguese was 24, a barnstorming winger with outrageous physical gifts. But in 2015, that's not who he is. Now 30, he's older, wiser. Less spectacular, of course, but more efficient. He's evolved. 

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

In 2014-15, Ronaldo's evolution has seen him play considerably closer to goal. Charges down the left flank have been replaced with subtle movements within the box; long-distance strikes have become close, one-touch finishes; what were once bullet headers are now acts of a softer precision.

In some quarters, a degree of criticism has met the changes—something that's both utterly ridiculous and painfully short-sighted. Ronaldo is different now, yes, but different isn't worse. In fact, in this case, different might even be more effective. It's so easy to forget how difficult scoring is, let alone doing it 61 times. 

Ronaldo is now inescapably a No. 9. The world's finest No. 9, too. But might it be that one of the major factors contributing to an ultimately barren season for Real Madrid has been the club's failure to adapt to that transformation? 

In 2013-14, Real's triumphant 4-3-3 system under Carlo Ancelotti was a sight to behold. Of course, centrally, it was underpinned by Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria. But nonetheless, it was still a system defined by its front three, one of its keys the "bombing on" of Ronaldo andGareth Bale either side of KarimBenzema. 

Ronaldo's evolution this season, however, has drastically affected that dynamic. Closer to goal, away from the wing, Ronaldo no longer "bombs on." He essentially partners Benzema up top, but the system hasn't adapted accordingly. It's remained roughly a 4-3-3—sometimes a hybrid 4-4-2—but one that's become lopsided and slightly dysfunctional. 

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Most of the time, Real Madrid's sheer level of talent has made that redundant. But not in the bigger games. Not against Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Valencia orJuventus. Evidently, the system needs work; the focal point is still the same guy, but that guy has changed. 

As such, Real Madrid are now facing a period in which the team's evolution must match that of Ronaldo. It will be the job of a new manager—Marca reports thatAncelotti's expected departure will soon be confirmed—to craft a system that caters for who the Portuguese is now, rather than for who he once was. The same goes for the club's transfer activity. New faces must be complementary to the new Ronaldo. 

Time is of the essence here, too. For LosBlancos still possess one of football's two most devastating weapons: a pillar that an entire club can be built around but are in danger of letting his phenomenal achievements amount to little collectively. Ronaldo has given Real Madrid everything, but it hasn't exactly been a two-way street.  

Ronaldo, from the player he was when he arrived, from the player he was just last season, has evolved. To fully harness it, Real Madrid will need to do the same.

El Clásico

                                        El Clásico

 Real Madrid against Barcelona is never just an ordinary game of football, and the dazzling array of plots and subplots means this weekend's meeting at the Bernabeu is surrounded by more anticipation than ever.              

In a continuation of their absurd and hysterical arms race, Real Madrid and Barcelona both bought some of the biggest attacking stars in world football this summer. But because we've already had the pleasure of watching quite a bit of James Rodriguez in a white shirt, the spotlight in this edition of El Clásico is on one man in blaugrana: Luis Suarez. 

The global television audience for Saturday's game will be colossal, with estimates placing the number of worldwide viewers between 400 and 500 million.

Although it is a source of considerable irritation for British fans who will be unable to watch the first 15 minutes because of broadcasting regulations, La Liga's authorities have done their best to boost the audience by scheduling kick-off for 6pm local time (17:00 BST). 

Ronaldo Vs Messi: Lionel Messi's left-footed strike in Saturday's 3-0         victory over Eibartook him to the milestone of 250 career goals in La Liga, leaving the Barcelona man just one behind the record held by 1940s Athletic Bilbao star Telmo Zarra.

The tantalising prospect of Messi breaking the all-time Spanish goalscoring record against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu has not, as you would expect, gone unnoticed in Spain. 

22 - Ronaldo in a league of his own 

Even by his own outrageously high standards, Real's Ronaldo has enjoyed a purple patch in the opening two months of the season, with a La Liga goals-per-game sequence of 1-1-3-4-1-3-2.

With 15 strikes to his name, Ronaldo has registered more goals in the opening eight rounds of the season than any other player in La Liga history, a feat all the more remarkable for the fact that he missed one of those games - a 4-2 defeat against Real Sociedad.

Perhaps the craziest statistic to provide some perspective to the Portugal star's hot streak is that he has scored more league goals this season than 81 of the 98 teams in Europe's five major leagues, including Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal.

And Ronaldo's three hat-tricks this term have taken his career La Liga tally of trebles to 22, putting him joint level at the top of the pile with Zarra and Alfredo Di Stefano.

Ronaldo breaking the all-time hat-trick record and Messi setting a new all-time goalscoring record in the same game? With these two extraordinary players, anything is possible.

"Cristiano ronaldo in his best of form, Is there anyone who is gonna stop this goal machine? I hope not."

500 - Can you hear them?

Will Barca's 500 fanatical fans be celebrating at the Bernabeu on Saturday night?

Barcelona will face a decidedly hostile atmosphere inside the Bernabeu, with only 500 of their supporters tucked away in a corner high inside the grand old stadium.

The small allocation made available to the visitors is nothing unusual because Spanish football simply does not have a culture of fans travelling to away games.

Projected lineups

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Iker Casillas; Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Dani Carvajal; Isco,Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, James Rodriguez; Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema

Barcelona (4-3-3): Claudio Bravo; Jordi Alba, Jeremy Mathieu, Gerard Pique, Dani Alves; Javier Mascherano, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta; Neymar, Lionel Messi, Pedro Rodriguez

Suarez could make a start in the first game he's eligible for, but since he's yet to play in a match, it's hard to pick him to start. Because Busquets is hurt, Javier Mascherano will move up the pitch in his absence. Both teams have goalkeeper dilemmas, but it's tough to pick against the two who have been first choice in the league this season.

 Prediction

At their best, Madrid have looked unstoppable at this season. And at their worst, they've looked like a team that can be easily carved up by average sides. Their attacking talent (and Barcelona's questionable defense) leaves open the possibility that they could score six goals in this game.

"Ronaldo and Messi are, if anything, better than last season. It is so hard to call but I would go for Real to edge it this time. It will be full of absolutely everything - quality, intensity and lots of incident. It is becoming an unmissable event."