Bale gets fruitful run-out

Gareth Bale made his comeback after three weeks out injured and was given the playing time promised to him by Carlo Ancelotti, coming on in the 75th minute in place of Álvaro Morata. The Welshman had been warming up since the first half and lined up on the wing, as did Di María, with Cristiano left as the lone frontman.
Bale showed glimpses of his talent and he forced the penalty which led to Real's second (2-0), when match official Ayza Gámez pointed to the spot for Weligton's non-existent foul on the Welshman. As former international referee Andújar Oliver noted, the Welshman lost his balance but was not impeded, meaning no penalty should have been given.
Ancelotti now plans to give Bale some playing time against Juventus to see if he is fit and ready to start against Barcelona in next weekend's 'Clásico' at the Camp Nou.

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Ancelotti: "The match was very good, we were aggressive and compact"

 

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media following the win against Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid’s coach was pleased with the three points and was happy with his players’ performance: "The match was good, I liked the team's attitude. We defended well, we were more aggressive and compact and had lots of chances to score. The match was very good. I hope to see the same intensity in the upcoming matches". 

Real Madrid clearly dominated the match against Malaga and could have scored more goals. Ancelotti highlighted the defensive performance: "We worked more defensively, everyone was focused on defending, we pressed well and recovered possession quickly. That was the difference compared to other matches, we did not give them chances and we were well positioned on the field". The Whites now have two important matches against Juventus and Barcelona. "Today I am happy, we have to keep going and keep improving, but the team has done well today, the week has started well" said Ancelotti.

The Italian mentioned several players by name. He first spoke about Bale’s position and his chances of  playing in the upcoming matches: "He started on the left because we had Di Maria on and Cristiano was working hard, but Cristiano was not going to change position. Then, when Jese went on, they changed wings. Bale has no problems and is another option. We will see now that we have three days of training before the next match".

About Illarra, he said: "He has improved, he had a very good match, he has worked hard the last 15 days and improved his fitness". He also highlighted Morata and Carvajal: "I do not know if they will start the next match, they had a good match, especially the attitude they showed. Morata was very dangerous and worked hard in attack and defence". He also explained Benzema’s niggles: "He had a problem, a blow to the calf, was not fit to play and hopefully we can get him back for Wednesday". Then he referred to Varane’s absence: "We hope that he is available on Wednesday, he trained in the morning and was fine".

When asked about Cristiano Ronaldo, who apologised to the supporters, he said: "He was not happy because he wanted to score, he had chances and I said that the today it was just not his day, but he showed a cool mind in scoring the penalty because when it is not your day, it is not difficult to miss a penalty". Regarding Isco, he said: "He surprised everyone with his start to the season. He did not have an exceptional match today, maybe he is not in optimal form, but I have confidence, he is a great player and helps the team".

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VIDEO: Di Maria & Ronaldo fire Real Madrid past Malaga

Gareth Bale got his first taste of being on a winning side at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid moved to within two points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with a 2-0 win over Malaga on Saturday.
After Angel di Maria's intended cross had found the back of the net to give Madrid the lead just after half-time, the Welshman was introduced for the final 13 minutes on his return from a thigh injury.
And it was Bale who was brought down by Weligton in stoppage time to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to seal the three points from the penalty spot.
It was a much improved all round performance from Madrid, who were only denied a far more comfortable margin of victory due to a series of wonderful saves by Malaga keeper Willy Caballero.
Despite his return to fitness, Bale was left on the bench by Carlo Ancelotti due to his lack of match practice. An injury to Karim Benzema also gave Alvaro Morata his chance to start and the Spanish under-21 international was highly involved in the first period as Madrid did everything but score.
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Ronaldo saw a curling effort come off the top of the bar after just seven minutes and then ought to have opened the scoring when he skewed wide with just Caballero to beat.
Morata headed straight at the Malaga keeper from Di Maria's cross and Caballero was again called into action by Ronaldo as the pressure continued to build.
The opener did finally arrive less than 60 seconds after the interval in somewhat fortuitous circumstances as Ronaldo just failed to get on the end of Di Maria's cross but the ball sailed into the far corner in any case.
Malaga could easily have been level on the hour mark as Mounir El Hamdaoui got the by-line and his cut-back somehow fell between three Malaga players in the middle waiting to apply the final touch.
Morata saw a glancing header flash between Ronaldo and the far post from Isco's corner and the Portuguese saw a free-kick clawed away by Caballero as the hosts looked to put the game to bed.
Ronaldo was denied again by Caballero when it seemed easier to score four minutes later and the Argentine produced his best save yet seconds afterwards to turn Jese Rodriguez's sweetly struck effort behind.
However, he was powerless to stop Ronaldo's perfect penalty deep into stoppage time after Bale had induced a reckless challenge from Weligton inside the area.

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Real Madrid ease past Malaga on Bale return

Gareth Bale got his first taste of being on a winning side at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid moved to within two points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with a 2-0 win over Malaga on Saturday.
After Angel di Maria's intended cross had found the back of the net to give Madrid the lead just after half-time, the Welshman was introduced for the final 13 minutes on his return from a thigh injury.
And it was Bale who was brought down by Weligton in stoppage time to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to seal the three points from the penalty spot.
It was a much improved all round performance from Madrid, who were only denied a far more comfortable margin of victory due to a series of wonderful saves by Malaga keeper Willy Caballero.
Despite his return to fitness, Bale was left on the bench by Carlo Ancelotti due to his lack of match practice.
An injury to Karim Benzema also gave Alvaro Morata his chance to start and the Spanish under-21 international was highly involved in the first period as Madrid did everything but score.
Ronaldo saw a curling effort come off the top of the bar after just seven minutes and then ought to have opened the scoring when he skewed wide with just Caballero to beat.
Morata headed straight at the Malaga keeper from Di Maria's cross and Caballero was again called into action by Ronaldo as the pressure continued to build.
The opener did finally arrive less than 60 seconds after the interval in somewhat fortuitous circumstances as Ronaldo just failed to get on the end of Di Maria's cross but the ball sailed into the far corner in any case.
Isco should have doubled the advantage moments later against his old club, but Caballero got down well to parry his effort to safety.
Malaga could easily have been level on the hour mark as Mounir El Hamdaoui got the by-line and his cut-back somehow fell between three Malaga players in the middle waiting to apply the final touch.
Morata saw a glancing header flash between Ronaldo and the far post from Isco's corner and the Portuguese saw a free-kick clawed away by Caballero as the hosts looked to put the game to bed.
And the hosts were nearly made to pay for their profligacy when substitute Bobley Anderson's fierce effort flew inches past Diego Lopez's left hand post with 13 minutes remaining.
Ronaldo was denied again by Caballero when it seemed easier to score four minutes later and the Argentine produced his best save yet seconds afterwards to turn Jese Rodriguez's sweetly struck effort behind.
However, he was powerless to stop Ronaldo's perfect penalty deep into stoppage time after Bale had induced a reckless challenge from Weligton inside the area.

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Di María: "We have to keep on growing as a team"

Real Madrid’s Ángel di María expressed his satisfaction at claiming all three points against Málaga after his goal helped to seal a 2-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday.

Di María, who hit the game’s opening goal, said: “We came up against a goalkeeper in good form, but we won and we’re doing well. We have to keep growing as a team. I think we’re working more and more every day and we’re happy with the win.”

Discussing keeper Willy Caballero’s outstanding display in the Málaga goal, Di María added: “I think Caballero deserves an Argentina call-up. I hope he gets

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Benzema missing with injury

 

Karim Benzema and Fabio Coentrao were missing from the Real Madrid squad to face Málaga this afternoon as they had not recovered from their ailments, but it is hoped that they will both be fit to play against Juventus on Wednesday.

Benzema failed a fitness test, having not recovered sufficiently from an injury to his calf muscle, while Coentrao spent the night in hospital because of a wisdom tooth issue.

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Result: Second-half goals give Real Madrid win

The home side were held to a goalless first half, despite creating the majority of the chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo had two good chances early on, before Alvaro Morata saw his effort kept out by the fingertips of Wilfredo Caballero.

The visitors created a strong attacking move just before the half-time whistle, but Eliseu's strike from close range went wide.

Carlo Ancelotti's men took the lead at the start of the second half, as Angel di Maria fired a cross in towards Ronaldo, but his delivery ended up in the back of the net.

The home side looked like adding to their score, but a series of saves from the Malaga keeper ensured that the visitors remained just a goal down until the final moments of the match.

Gareth Bale came off the bench for the last 15 minutes as Real looked to close out the win, but it was Ronaldo who sealed the victory, winning a penalty in stoppage time, converting from the spot.

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Real Madrid Vs Málaga, Liga BBVA 2013-2014 Match Recap:

Real Madrid got back to action after International duty. Unluckily enough for Ancelotti, Benzema had to miss the game after receiving a knock during Friday's training session. Morata started on his place and Bale stayed on the bench.

The game didn't start very well for Madrid, as Málaga had a couple of good chances during the first five minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo shook things up when he hit the crossbar in the seventh minute after a good pass by Morata. Ronaldo tried to beat Caballero and so he did, but his shot was too high.

After that, a free-kick surprisingly took by Di María was saved by Willy Caballero, and a good 3 to 2 counterattacking chance was blown up by Cristiano Ronaldo. Everything that happened on that play was perfect, but Ronaldo's shot went wide and what should have been a goal ended up being another missed chance.

Morata's defensive pressure helped Real Madrid's midfield a lot, but his accuracy could have been better. His first header was saved by Caballero, and while his second one ended up on the back of the net, the referee rightfully disallowed the goal. His third chance of the game was saved by Caballero -again-. The Argentinian goalkeeper is probably Málaga's best player, and he showed why today.

Asier Illarramendi played as the team's defensive midfielder with Khedira and Isco escorting him. And Illarra was Real Madrid's best player for the first 30 minutes alongside Morata. Illarramendi makes things much easier for his teammates, and he should be the team's defensive midfield even with Modric on the lineup. That way, the Croatian player could focus a little bit more on what he does best: playmaking.

The first half concluded with some worrying signs and Eliseu missing a good scoring chance for Schuster's team. Madrid couldn't create a lot due to a poor first half by Isco.

Gareth Bale started his warm-up routine before the referee whistled the end of the first half, but Ancelotti didn't make any substitutions in the 45thminute.

Di María scored Real Madrid's first goal after Cristiano Ronaldo and Willy Caballero failed at touching his cross. It was a lucky goal, but one that Real Madrid certainly deserved after a brilliant first half by Willy Caballero.

Real Madrid kept controlling the tempo and the possession of the ball after Di María's goal. Isco had a good scoring chance but Caballero saved his team again. It's true that he should and could have done a lot more on Di María's goal, but the Argentinian keeper played a brilliant game.

The team should have scored another goal to secure the lead, but luck wasn't on Madrid's side. Málaga even had a couple of good counterattacks dismantled by Real Madrid's defense, but it could be argued that Ancelotti's team should've played a bit smarter considering they had the lead already.

Ancelotti decided to change Isco and introduce Luka Modric in the 73rdminute. That was Real's first substitution. Shortly after, Gareth Bale joined the match after spending these 15 days recovering from his thigh injury. The Bernabéu gave Morata a standing ovation even though his contribution wasn't as great as it could have been. His attitude was great though, and that's something the Bernabéu always wants to see.

The Welsh player played on the left wing for the first time since he joined Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo moved to the striker position and Di María stayed on the right wing for most of the time.

Schuster tried to go for the equalizer, but Málaga were not making things hard for Diego López. Jesé then joined the game replacing Di María, who helped the team a lot as well. His commitment is always remarkable.

Jesé and Marcelo combined for a really beautiful play, but Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't capitalize when he had all the odds. Caballero still left his mark on the game, saving both Cristiano's chance and a good turnaround shot by Jesé. He still got time for two more, one against Cristiano Ronaldo and another one on Marcelo. Caballero prevented Real Madrid from winning big this Saturday.

The referee called a penalty on Gareth Bale just in the last minute of regulation. Cristiano Ronaldo converted and Real Madrid finally managed to secure the win.

Onto Juventus and Barcelona. Tougher times ahead.

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Willy prevents rout as improved Real Madrid beat Málaga

'Los Blancos' dominated but came up against an inspired Caballero in the Málaga goal. Di María opened the scoring before Cristiano converted a debatable penalty.

Real Madrid kept in touch with La Liga pacesetters Barcelona and Atlético Madrid with a 2-0 win over Málaga at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Carlo Ancelotti handed Álvaro Morata a start in place of the injured Karim Benzema, and the youngster saw a first-half goal ruled out for offside before being denied by a great save from Málaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

After a goalless first half, Argentina international Ángel di María opened the scoring as his cross-cum-shot eluded the head of Cristiano Ronaldo and crept past Caballero at the far post.

Cristiano and Jesé then had chances to extend the home side’s lead, but came up against an in-form Caballero in the visitors’ goal.

‘Los Blancos’ sealed the three points when Weligton was harshly adjudged to have brought down substitute Gareth Bale, and Cristiano scored from the spot.

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If Iker leaves, fans see him joining Barça!

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Fans think that Iker Casillas would end up at Real Madrid’s arch-enemy, FC Barcelona, should the keeper finally leave Real. At least that is what came out of an online poll undertaken by MARCA.com, in which more than 45% of those surveyed chose the Catalan side as Iker’s likeliest destination should he choose to leave his current club.

More than 26,000 online readers took part in the poll, in which at least 11,000 saw Barcelona as Casillas’ most likely destination, followed by Arsenal with 31% (8,000) of the votes and Manchester City, with 12% (3,000).

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Best images from the match

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga





Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.





Angel di Maria during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.





Iker Casillas gestures from the bench before the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.





Gareth Bale looks on from the bench before the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.





Alvaro Morata vies with Malaga's Brazilian defender Weligton during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.





Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to kick a ball near Malaga's Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid vs Malaga.

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La Sexta channel publishes photos of Alonso is in the final stage of his recovery.

La Sexta channel published pictures of Xabi Alonso, a final exercise workouts solo for his recovery from injury, the midfielder after he became aware of the presence of the cameras he a good pace in the heating exercises

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The expected composition of the match between Real Madrid and Malaga from the newspapers the marca and as

MARCA

AS

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Real Madrid Given Massive Boost As Explosive Attacker Is Declared Fit

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says record signing Gareth Bale is fit and ready to play in Los Blancos’ game against Malaga on Saturday after recovering from muscular problems.

The Welshman has not played for Real since their 1-0 loss to rivals Atletico Madrid last month but Ancelotti says that Bale will feature at some point in their next La Liga fixture.

“Bale’s available for tomorrow’s game and will get playing time. It’s important for him to be part of the team and to play again,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“I’m surprised about the reports about Bale’s back injury, they’re simply not true. He doesn’t have a back problem, just look at the last few seasons.

“He would not have been able to play so many games if he had a slipped disc. I know about disc protrusions, I had three and they never caused a problem.

Bale has featured three times and scored once for Real since his move from Tottenham which made him the most expensive footballer of all time, overtaking fellow team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Real ready to move mountains

Having shaken off the FIFA Virus, there is a determined mood at the Bernabéu base camp. Barça has a sizeable head-start on the climb up the Everest that is the Liga BBVA, but now is the time for Real Madrid to begin the slog towards the summit. A failure to scale the heights is not an option.

The visit of Málaga kicks off a gruelling week in which 'Los Blancos', who stumbled in their first real test in the derby, subsequently host Juventus at the Bernabéu. All this in the lead-up to a potentially title-deciding - sorry Atlético fans - trip to the Camp Nou in the Clásico.

The international break has given the Real fans some respite after a run of three poor performancesagainst Elche, Atleti and Levante. However, if Carlo Ancelotti's side is lacklustre on the ball again in the first half against Málaga, boos are guaranteed to ring around the Bernabéu, with the supporters fast running out of patience.

Ancelotti is expected to tinker with his line-up yet again, despite having been unable to work with any outfield players except Illarramendi, Casemiro and Nacho for the best part of two weeks. He will put out a 4-3-3 formation, with two attack-minded full-backs in Carvajal and Marcelo. Ramos and Pepe will start at centre-back, as Varane still needs some fine-tuning.

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Changing Places

For the first time this season, when the announcer at the Bernabéu calls out the Real Madrid line-up over the p.a system, he will pronounce the words "Wearing number 21, Morata" and a roar of happiness will fill the stadium from the fans who have been waiting to see him as a starter.

But this doesn't mean that ten matches down the line, Benzema is out of the picture altogether. The Frenchman didn't train with the rest of his teammates due to injury. Karim will have to undergo medical checks but Ancelotti will no doubt reserve him for bigger things such as the match against Juventus and the trip to the Camp Nou.

Although the real reason behind the swap is to allow Benzema to rest, nobody can deny that Morata deserves this opportunity. His willingness and dedication have had a profound effect on the terraces at the Bernabéu.

More importantly, he is on a roll. His goal against Levante gave him wings and this continued with the Under 21 squad where he scored two more goals. He is definitely the player to watch in Lopetegui's team and he is determined it won't be any different in Ancelotti's.

For Morata, 2013 will be an unforgettable year. As well as joining Real Madrid's first-team and being included in the starting XI, Álvaro has revealed himself to be an amazing striker both for Castilla and the Under-21s whom he guided to the European Championship in Israel.

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Know thy Enemy

Ancelotti is totally convinced that Isco should be the player to lead Real Madrid in their finest hour. The Italian boss has confirmed he will be a starter against Málaga and is likely to repeat against Juventus too.

This is a crucial week for Real Madrid and with Bale not really being an option (he will be on the bench, saving his energy for the Camp Nou), Carletto is putting all his faith in his most creative player. However, he will have to win his right to a place in the 'Clásico' in the next two matches.

So Isco is in charge again, this time against his former teammates. His superb performances in the Liga and Champions League last season earned him a whopping €30 million transfer fee, an amount too good for Málaga to refuse. But the attacking midfielder hasn't been daunted by any of this and picked up the gauntlet from day one at Real Madrid.

If we overlook his poor physical form in the last three matches (Elche, Atlético and Levante), there is no doubt he is performing at the expected level.

Isco's stats make him the team's most important player together with Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the player with the second highest number of minutes played in the league (655) and the second highest scorer with four goals. He is only beaten by ronaldo with 720 minutes and 7 goals.

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A very different Real Madrid

In an interview with MARCA, Bernd Schuster claimed that there are cracks in the current Real Madrid squad. There are very few things about his colleagues that upset Carlo Ancelotti and he has had no choice but to admit that his team has given their rivals reasons to feel confident.

"Bernd Schuster may be right to say that we have not been very strong, but I think that he will see a very different Real Madrid against Málaga. We will be better in this match. The players already know what went wrong in the previous games", claimed the Italian boss.

Ancelotti doesn't feel his future at the club is under fire: "I don't think there is anything at stake. I talk to the president every day and he knows very well that I am not happy because we can play better. But he shows me daily trust and serenity."

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Pull the shutters down, Diego

So far this season, Real Madrid has only managed to keep clean sheets on two occasions. One was a league match in Granada with Diego López in goal. The other was at the Bernabéu against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League.

Diego will be back in goal again at the Bernabéu for the match against Málaga and this time he will face a challenge: not to let any balls into the back of the net. A feat he seems to be finding increasingly difficult. The goalie has conceded goals in every home league match since the game against Rayo Vallecano on 17th February.

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Pique: Ronaldo is a machine

Gerard Pique says he admires the work ethic and ambition of Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Barcelona defender believes the Portugal international's drive and determination is why he is considered one of the best players in the world.

Ahead of their Clasico encounter next Saturday, Pique admits it is hard not to like Ronaldo for his hard work and endeavour.

He is quoted by Marca as saying: “[Cristiano Ronaldo] has not changed; he is a player that I have always admired because he is a hard worker that always wants more and more. 

“He is a real machine and very ambitious. He never ever stops trying to improve. 

“Some say he is the best but he still wants to get better, and for that reason I admire him.”

Pique also commented on the longstanding rivalry between Barca and los Blancos, claiming they have surpassed Madrid since the turn of the century, with the help of their youth academy which has produced most of their first-team stars.

“Barcelona have always been behind Real Madrid, but in the last 10 or 15 years we have turned the situation around," he continued.

“We are talking about a Real Madrid that has dominated football for 90 years and that has always been ahead of us.

“We have brought through a great crop of youngsters at the club and this has helped us to compete. 

“Real Madrid go one year without winning a title and they spend €160 million on three players: [Asier] Illarramendi, Isco and [Gareth] Bale. Barcelona can sign Neymar for €60 or €70 million but not three players. 

“The day we do not have La Masia, things won’t be the same.”

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Real Madrid must sign Falcao instead of Suarez

According to rumours, Real Madrid are looking for a striker to sign in the January transfer window.

Karim Benzema, who never enjoyed the faith of either Jose Mourinho or Carlo Ancelotti, seems to be on his way out of the Bernabeu and already Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is looking towards his direction in order to add some depth to his squad's attacking line.

Real Madrid are interested in Liverpool's Luis Suarez and AS Monaco's Radamel Falcao - but who is the best solution for Los Blancos?

Suarez relies on his speed and technique and he likes going away from the box and trying to create dangerous situations for himself and his teammates.

On the other hand the Colombian spends much more time inside the box and tries to be in the right position to score any ball that comes to him. In other words Suarez is closer to the False Nine-type, while Falcao fits better in a formation with a classic striker at the top.

Real Madrid's squad is full of players that can create situations for strikers to score. Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Angel Di Maria, Luka Modric, Xabi Alonso and Isco are all more than capable of providing many assists to the striker of the formation.

They just need a striker that can score and Falcao has already proved that he can do the job.

Suarez can also score but I believe that he will have to limit his moves and dribbles and he will be forced to spend more time in the box and let his teammates come to him, a situation that could be rather discomforting for him and his style.

Falcao, on the other hand, will flourish even more and he will lead Real Madrid to a series of trophies if he is chosen by the Spanish giants.

In addition to this we must highlight the fact that the Colombian has playing experience in La Liga from his two seasons at Atletico Madrid, while Suarez has not yet played in Spain, meaning he will need more time to adjust to Real Madrid and Spanish football in general. 

In conclusion, I believe Radamel Falcao is the new "special one" for Los Blancos.

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Realmadrid LIFE: A look ahead to Wednesday's Champions League clash with...

In this week's edition of Realmadrid LIFE presented by Rhiannon Jones, Laso's men tip off the Liga Endesa in style, while Ancelotti's hope to continue their fantastic Champions League form. 

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Ancelotti: "There is nothing wrong with Bale; he is ready to play tomorrow"

Carlo Ancelotti gave a press conference ahead of Real Madrid's Saturday clash with Málaga. 

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Real Madrid Training ahead of Malaga Liga Match

Real Madrid perform an interesting handball exercise in today's training session.

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THE MATCH: Real Madrid-Málaga La Liga Preview

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Sergio Ramos adds voice to bone marrow appeal

Real Madrid vice-captain Sergio Ramos has joined a mass campaign to promote bone marrow donation in Spain. The movement is inspired by four-month-old baby Mateo, one of so many children who rely on the generosity of donors for a transplant and a fighting chance to survive.

The Spain international has made a public appeal encouraging people to donate, recording a video with the following message: "This is Mateo. He's fourth months old and has a big smile. He'll probably want to play football one day, but he has leukaemia and urgently needs a bone marrow transplant to live, just like millions of others like him around the world".

"Becoming a bone marrow transplant couldn't be easier and with a small gesture, you can save the life of Mateos all around the world. All it takes is a blood test and to stand by your commitment over time. Then, after a fairly simple donation process, you will have the privilege of saving a life".

"Mateo deserves the chance to grow up, go to school and play with his brother: in short, to live. So please ask yourself one simple question: what if you were the compatible donor he needs?".

"You can find out more at www.medulaparamateo.com. Your help could save a lot of lives".

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Bale, sights set on Camp Nou

Gareth Bale is back. Three weeks after the derby, the Welsh international is back on form and preparing for the 'Clásico' at the Camp Nou. Ancelotti will give him minutes against Málaga and Juventus to see if he is ready for the Barça clash on Saturday.

Real's Italian boss has made it clear that he considers him fit to play after just 20 days pre-season training at Valdebebas: "I want to give him minutes tomorrow because he needs to play and be with the team," Ancelotti said.

"The only problem is that Bale has not had a pre-season", said Ancelotti

Bale has been training at the same rate as his teammates this week, after all the interest generated by MARCA's report last Saturday that he had a slipped disc which didn’t prevent him from playing.

As far as Ancelotti is concerned, "the only problem is that Bale has not had a pre-season". After having to delay his debut at the Bernabéu because of the thigh injury he sustained in the warm-up against Getafe, the Welsh star made a hasty return in the derby against Atlético de Madrid. He played the second 45 minutes before deciding to stop.

Now Real Madrid is facing its very own Mount Everest and it will be Gareth Bale's turn to help his team on to victory. No doubt he will get some minutes against Málaga and if all goes according to plan, many more minutes against Juventus in Champions League and the 'Clásico' at the Camp Nou will follow. It's time for the most expensive signing in football history to prove he is worth his price tag.

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Real Madrid's afterburner

Games against Madrid are more than 90 minutes long - too long for almost all the teams 'Los Blancos' have faced this campaign. No less than six have suffered when Real turns on its last ditch 'afterburner' this season.

Madrid has scored an impressive 8 of its 27 goals (29.62%) in the last 10 minutes of its matches. The most recent example of this is still fresh in the memory: the two goals against Levante (minutes 90 and 95) that secured a win for Madrid over Valencia. The controversial goal at the Martínez Valero stadium against Elche, courtesy of a penalty converted by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 96', is another that immediately comes to mind.

Madrid started leaving all the work to the end early on, however. In the first game of the season, Isco headed in the winning ball against Betis in the 86th minute. There was no struggle against Galatasaray, but the Turks were subjected to a 'Los Blancos' crushing finale nonetheless, with two goals served up from Benzema in the 81st minute and Cristiano in the 90th. In the Getafe game, Ronaldo scored the 4-1 in the 93rd minute, and against Copenhagen, it was Di María who completed his brace just before the final whistle (91').

Real has put away a total of eight goals in the race to the finish, of which four (against Betis, Elche and the two against Levante) have added seven points to the 'Los Blancos' season tally. A haul without which, at this point in October, La Liga would already be out of reach, in addition to making Madrid the most dangerous sharp-shooting finishers of all.

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Schuster to Casillas: "There's more to life than Madrid"

When Bernd Schuster talks about leaving one major club for another, he speaks from experience, having played for Spain's three big boys. The German's message to Iker Casillas, therefore, was no surprise: "There's more to life than Real Madrid".

Speaking at a press conference, Schuster claimed that Casillas "is being very level-headed about it all". "It's the toughest thing that can happen to a player who has won everything. But football never leaves you out in the lurch; there's always a solution. Iker is at an age at which he can still move on and play for a big club", he continued.

When repeatedly quizzed on whether he was encouraging Casillas to seek pastures new, Schuster didn't bite his tongue: "Of course, that's what I said. There are other places, there are other top clubs he can play for; where there's a will, there's a way. I understand it's a wrench because it's his lifelong club, but when one door closes in football, another one opens - just look at Raúl or Valdés. That's football for you: there is a place for everyone".

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Fans would understand if Casillas wanted out

Iker Casillas has been open and honest. He wants to play everything and is not content only being Real Madrid's goalkeeper for Champions League and Copa del Rey matches. The Spanish player intends to keep fighting for his position every chance he gets at the Valdebebas training ground, but has said that "if the situation does not change in the next three months, maybe I'll look at leaving". This is something that the fans would understand.

The MARCA.com online readers are fairly emphatic on the matter. The large majority, more than 82% of those casting a vote on the question we posed, would also head for the exit in Casillas's shoes if Diego López continues as the starting goalkeeper every weekend.

There are few who think Iker would be wrong to leave the only club he has ever played for. Right now, he is keeping his options open. We will have to wait and see what happens over the next three months, whether Ancelotti has a change of heart or not.

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