Real Madrid

Although tradition sees Real Madrid as the absolute master of European football for decades, a taboo unknown to many hinders its race towards the.

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Gareth Bale could start for Real Madrid in the side's Champions League quarter-final clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight.

Bale is rumoured to be preparing to retire after the World Cup in December and he’s likely to sign a short-term deal with a club this summer to maintain his fitness for the competition, should Wales make it. Bale was sensational in Wales’ 2-1 win against Austria in the international break, where he scored twice in Cardiff. But Bale didn’t feature against Celta Vigo on the weekend, with the Sun claiming that he was rested ahead of his return to England.

PETE JENSON IN SPAIN: Whoever is on the bench and regardless of which big signing is made in the summer, Hazard does not feature in the planned starting XI.

He needed to have the sort of personality that some of those who have played alongside him say he never really possessed. His idol Zidane was coach and played him when he could. And Hazard has done nowhere near enough in his first three seasons to convince anyone to change the system to a 4-2-3-1 to accommodate him. So the plan is to send him somewhere where he can play every week, star in Qatar, and then find a new club. He might struggle a bit in pre-seasons but he has to be given time.' He has only ever managed one full 90 minutes in the league since then. He wanted to arrive sooner and Real Madrid tried to sign him after the 2018 World Cup but Chelsea did not want to lose him. There are still various doubts about what the team will look like at the start of next season with Kylian Mbappe's arrival in some doubt and Carlo Ancelotti not necessarily in charge even if he wins the league. He had long harboured dreams of playing for the team coached by his hero. In a Sport/Foot Magazine interview in his first year he said: 'Playing in my backyard I always pretended to be Real Madrid. Zidane was my idol. Hazard tweeted an apology at the time: 'I have read many opinions about me, and it was not my intention to offend Real Madrid supporters. As Diario AS reported last week the club are now considering loaning him out next season.

Real Madrid are flying high in La Liga and are in with a chance of winning the Champions League under Carlo Ancelotti in what could be a very successful ...

In fact, Real's competition in La Liga has allowed them to command such a position of power. According to BBC Sport, his success in the Champions League is likely the only way he can stave off that reality. The title is basically wrapped up as Real wrestle back control of the league after losing out to local rivals Atletico Madrid last season by two points.

Chelsea battle Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight, hoping to quickly get over their stunning defeat by Brentford.

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Thomas Tuchel's side however will have last season's Champions League semi-final in mind, having drawn in the Spanish capital before securing a 2-0 victory ...

But on the pitch he remains his steely self, although more doubts have emerged about his management this term following the failure to get the best out of Romelu Lukaku. Nevertheless, he remains one of the best thinkers in the game and therefore among the best managers currently operating. But a recent slight tailing off from Vinicius - whose early season brilliance was always going to be difficult to maintain throughout the entire campaign - means he has only netted four since the turn of the year. No doubt injuries and lack of consistent playing time have more than played their part, but with six goals and four assists this season he is still capable of making an impact, as his goal in Madrid last season showed. He took his tally of goals to 34 goals for the season at the weekend – his best ever return at the club - and the Barcelona game showed just what happens when he is not there. With 11 goals this season and a better understanding of the role he needs to play under Tuchel, Havertz will be a threat to the Madrid backline. Mason Mount (Chelsea) - Named by former Chelsea captain John Terry as his preferred option to be Azpilicueta's successor as skipper, Mount has still made his mark despite what some may consider a subdued season compared to the last. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) - He admitted nobody wanted Chelsea at this stage and with the way Barcelona ran him ragged not too long ago, it is no surprise why the German came out and said what he did. Casemiro (Real Madrid) - Perhaps the most Jekyll and Hyde player for Madrid, he combines misplaced passes and inaccurate shooting with almost unrivalled defensive solidity and big-game presence. Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea) - Talk around the German this season has been all about his future with the player currently set to walk away on a free transfer, with Real Madrid among the clubs vying for his signature. Eder Militao (Real Madrid) - Only Courtois (3,720 minutes) has wracked up more playing time than the Brazilian centre-back (3,619 minutes) for the club this season, showing his importance to Ancelotti's side. Injuries and a tendency to play with the handbrake on have seen him fail to hit the heights of his first four years at the club. Reece James (Chelsea) - Perhaps along with Antonio Rudiger's goal, the return of the full-back against Brentford following a muscular injury was the only positive to come out of the game.