Real Madrid News

COMMENT
By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Editor

Three – and quite easy. Cristiano Ronaldo began the fightback as Real Madrid surprisingly fell behind at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, heading home a second after Angel Di Maria had made it 2-1 and rounding off the scoring late on with another spot kick to ensure a storming success for Jose Mourinho’s men.

A week before the Clasico, Madrid look ready – and so does Ronaldo.

Mourinho’s men may be eight points adrift of their eternal enemies in the race for La Liga, but they approach next weekend’s Clasico clash very much on the ascendancy. And their Portuguese forward was in buoyant mood, saying: “We have won at Camp Nou before.”

Indeed, last season’s 2-1 win in April all but ensured that the title would be heading back to the Bernabeu and not remaining in Catalunya for a fourth straight season. And Madrid also got the better of Barca over two legs in the Spanish Supercopa at the start of the current campaign.

Perhaps even more importantly for Madrid, they appear to have confined their recent problems to the past: Sergio Ramos started again after he was left out against Manchester City (albeit at right-back), Kaka returned from his period in the wilderness to play the second half, and a recently riled Ronaldo ruled the roost with three goals in an ultimately impressive victory.

Things did not start as planned for Madrid as Riki waltzed past Raphael Varane as if he wasn’t there to slot home the opener. But Ronaldo converted from the spot after Manuel Pablo upended Di Maria and the Argentine added the second himself following a wonderful pass by Luka Modric – included in the Xabi Alonso role instead of the benched Basque.

Alonso was of course being rested ahead of the Champions League clash against Ajax and the Clasico next weekend, but emerged from the sidelines to set up Pepe for 4-1, after Ronaldo rose to head home the third. And the former Manchester United forward completed the rout late on with another penalty after Evaldo had handled.

Camp Nou will represent an altogether different test, particularly given Barca’s unflappable form so far in La Liga, but on this evidence Real look ready. And perhaps just as importantly for Mourinho’s men, so too does Ronaldo.
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Sergio Ramos has insisted that La Liga will not be decided even if Real Madrid lose the upcoming league match away against Barcelona.

The reigning champions currently sit sixth in the league table, trailing their arch-rivals by eight points, but Ramos believes that they have what it takes to get back in the title race in the remainder of the 2012-13 campaign.

“Even if we lose the Clasico, the league will not be decided just yet,” Sergio Ramos was quoted as saying by AS.

“Obviously, 11 points would be a lot. However, there have been bigger gaps in the past that were still overturned.

“We have to focus on the Champions League [game versus Ajax] now. After that, there will be time to think about the game at Camp Nou.”

The former Sevilla defender featured at right-back in Madrid’s 5-1 win over Deportivo on Sunday, but he made it clear that he prefers to play at centre-back.

“I think I played on the right because the coach wanted to rest our right-back. I prefer the position of centre-back. I feel very comfortable in the centre of the pitch. It will not be a problem for me, though, if the coach wants to play me at right-back more often.”

Real Madrid lock horns with Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday evening.

Cristiano Ronaldo has stressed Real Madrid cannot lose another point this season on the back of the club’s 5-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna.

The 27-year-old scored a hat-trick – including two penalties – after Los Blancos’ went a goal behind in Sunday evening’s clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Jose Mourinho’s men face Barcelona next Sunday and Ronaldo is pleased the side could record a victory in the lead-up to the big clash.

“We went a bit lethargic [early] in the game,” the former Manchester United man admitted to reporters after the match. “But after the Deportivo goal we woke up and we got a good comeback.

“Our team is good and we know we cannot lose more points. We have achieved an important victory [tonight].”

On the topic of squad rotation, Ronaldo insists he is not bothered by Mourinho’s alterations because of the length of their campaign.

He said: “We have to accept the decisions of the coach because he knows to do best for the team. The season is very long and you have to make changes.”

With a clash at Camp Nou next up, the Portugal international admitted it would be tough to get all three points but remains positive that Madrid can get something from the match.

“We know it will be very difficult and complicated,” Ronaldo continued. “We have to stay focused and confident that we will play a good game.”

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has insisted his club would make more on the stock exchange than Manchester United.

The Red Devils floated shares in New York this summer with mixed results, as the Glazer family embarked on a new venture to help deal with the club’s sizeable debt.

“If we ran into the stock exchange, we would worth more than Manchester United, I can assure that,” he claimed.

Perez then explained to an assembly of Madrid’s elector partners this weekend why he believed the voting system within the club is broken and in need of a drastic overhaul.

“In 2009 I came back because of a situation that I do not like to remember,” he said. “Here, someone says to vote by show of hands is not democratic. Sorry, but what is more democratic?

“What is not democratic is to sneak electors who are not [worthy]. We must protect the club. We are many.

“Some people are willing to cheat. With a club like Madrid – which boasts an image of fair play – what kind of image do we offer when some members do not participate?

“Voting is direct, free and secret. At what cost? We’ll arbitrate change so Real Madrid covers [the cost]; we’ll put legal representatives in all provinces; and we’ll finish with the ghost of postal voting.”

Perez is currently in his second term as the club’s supremo, after replacing Ramon Calderon in 2009.