Real Madrid daily round-up: Sergio Ramos, Zidane, Gerrard…
Club captain Ramos celebrates 11 years at the club, Zidane's selection headache, Steven Gerrard and more.
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- Coverage match of the World Cup 2018 qualifier Spain-Israel.
Sergio Ramos, 11 years at Real Madrid
Club captain Sergio Ramos yesterday celebrated his 11th year as Real Madrid player and used the occasion to reiterate his commitment to the club: “I hope can retire here,” he said. Ramos signed from Sevilla in 2005 for a fee of €27 million, a Spanish record for a teenager, and has since gone on to make almost 500 appearances for the club.
Morning training
The squad trained at Valdebebas this morning at 11.00 CEST ahead of tomorrow’s league match with Osasuna. Zinedine Zidane is scheduled to give his pre-match press conference following the session.
Marcelo or Nacho?
With Cristiano set to play, Zidane’s only real selection headache is whether to play Marcelo at left-back or whether to rest the Brazilian for the Champions League in midweek after his long journey back from South America. If he does opt to rest Marcelo, Nacho is the likely replacement. Pepe is set to come back into the starting XI while Kovacic could come into the side for Casemiro who, like Marcelo, was away on international duty with Brazil this week.
Real Madrid-Sporting: a high-risk fixture
Spanish authorities have deemed the Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday as a ‘high-risk’ fixture. The return fixture will take place on the 22nd November at the Estadio José Alvalade in Lisbon.
Gerrard on Zidane: “I wanted to be like him”
Over in California, former Liverpool captain and current LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard spoke with a young fan at a promotional club event this week and praised the influence that Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane had on his career: “He was the best; I wanted to be like him.”
