Bale spoke to Beckham and Owen ahead of Real Madrid move

Gareth Bale has revealed he contacted David Beckham and Michael Owen for advice when completing his world-record move to Real Madrid.

The Wales international was involved in a protracted transfer saga this summer, with Los Blancoseventually spending a reported €100 million to lure him away from Tottenham.

And Bale has revealed that he spoke to the likes of Beckham and Owen, who both previously played for Real Madrid, as well as Steve McManaman and Jonathan Woodgate ahead of his move.

Asked if he had spoken to the former Madrid players, he told reporters: "All of them. David Beckham texted to wish me good luck and stuff. It was very nice and I appreciated it.

"He trained at Tottenham with me for a while, so I know him quite well anyway and it’s nice of him just to give a text and a call.

"I know Jonathan Woodgate from my time at Tottenham, so I speak to him now and again. I met Steve McManaman when I did an interview and we spoke for a bit.

"They have been in this situation as well. They give good words of advice, I take it on board and it’s helping me a lot out here."

The 24-year-old has also insisted that he has never discussed his transfer fee with current team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. 

"The amount that was paid is not ­something I think about. I just want to concentrate on the football," he said.

"The transfer fee or the money paid is nothing to do with me. I just want to be the best player I can be. There is no rivalry with Cristiano, nothing has been said about the fee at all. We get on very well and since day one he’s been amazing to me. He’s helped me a lot on and off the pitch.

"Cristiano has just given me encouragement in every game, given me confidence and he’s helped me along with his ­experiences when he first came. He’s been brilliant."

Victory all that matters for Barcelona

Andreas Iniesta insists victory over Granada was all that mattered despite the Spaniard scoring his first league goal of the season in Barcelona's 4-0 win.

Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez and Pedro all scored in the rout on Saturday for a much-changed Barca side, who had Lionel Messi, Victor Valdes, Xavi and Jordi Alba among those out through injury.

And Spain international Iniesta stressed it was vital to continue winning ways despite the Blaugrana's injury problems. 

"We have to win our games. They are all the same. There is no room to relax or time for mistakes. The team did well," the 29-year-old told reporters after the match. 

"The team that came together has done enough in the end. The schedule is as it is and we have to be careful to be at our best.

"When we get to April or May then hopefully we will all be available so as to make the team stronger.

"The important thing today is not that I have scored [a first League goal of the season], but that we have left with a good feeling."

Barcelona 4-0 Granada

Barcelona cruised to victory against Granada without Lionel Messi to extend their winning run to five league games.

First-half penalties from Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas had Barca on cruise control before Lucas Alcaraz's men were reduced to 10 men following Manuel Iturra's second yellow card early in the second half.The Blaugrana took advantage of the extra man when Alexis Sanchez struck in the 71st minute and Pedro completed the rout a minute from time at Camp Nou, making light work of Messi's enforced absence.

Barca's victory was their fifth in succession and their 13th in 14 overall in La Liga, while the setback for Granada came as a blow after winning three of their past four matches.

Barcelona made six changes from the 4-1 win over Betis a fortnight ago with Messi (hamstring) and Valdes (calf) among a host of absentees for Martino, while Granada showed three alterations from their 3-1 win over Malaga.

The hosts went close in the 14th minute as Roberto reacted smartly to parry Neymar's free-kick from the left.

But Barca did not have to wait long for the breakthrough as six minutes later Fabregas was brought down in the box by Dimitri Foulquier and Iniesta stepped up to plant the subsequent spot-kick into the bottom right-hand corner.

Granada almost responded in spectacular fashion four minutes later, Piti driving forward and unleashing a thunderous effort from 25 yards that cannoned off the crossbar and behind to safety.

Jose Pinto, called in as replacement for Valdes, held Piti's 25-yard free-kick on the half-hour mark, before Barca doubled their lead five minutes before the break, again from the penalty spot.

Fran Rico brought down Iniesta as he prepared to shoot and this time Fabregas took responsibility, burying his spot-kick high into the top left-hand corner.

Five minutes into the second half, Pedro wasted a glorious chance to put the result beyond doubt, blazing the ball over from 10 yards with the goal gaping after Roberto had palmed a low cross into his path.

But the Barca winger would continue to frustate the visitors and his run was abruptly halted by Iturra just after the hour mark, which earned the midfielder a second yellow having already been booked in the first half.

Despite being reduced to 10 Granada's Allan Nyom should have halved the deficit moments before Barca's third, drilling the ball straight at Pinto from close range.

And it was to prove costly as the hosts broke at speed with Neymar sliding a pass for Alexis to finish with minimum fuss.

In the final minute, Fabregas countered down the left and squared for Pedro, who slid in to convert from eight yards to cap another impressive Barcelona performance.

I'll be back to normal soon

Barcelona's Lionel Messi is confident that he will be back firing on all cylinders upon his return from a thigh injury that is set to keep him sidelined until 2014.

The Argentine superstar was ruled out for the rest of 2013 with a hamstring tear – his fourth muscular injury of the calendar year – but pledged to remain calm throughout the process, despite itching to get back to action.

“I’m calm because I know this is a normal injury but it’s hard to be out of the field until January,” he said to the Perros de la Calle programme on Metro. “However, I know that I’ll return and I’ll play as usual.”

With the World Cup less than eight months away, Messi talked up Argentina’s chances of taking the spoils in Brazil, where he feels that the team is due for a reversal in fortunes after disappointments in their last few outings in major international tournaments.

“The candidates [for the 2014 World Cup] are always the same: Germany, Brazil, Spain, France, despite the play-off, and Argentina too, obviously,” he continued.

“Argentina are always a candidate, despite how it reaches the World Cup and moreover now with the makeup of the team. We have time until the World Cup begins and I think we’ll improve and we’ll grow up as a team.”

“We’ve played the Copa America [2011] and World Cups [2006, 2010] without reaching the objectives we wanted to, and qualification for South Africa [in 2010] was really hard for us.

“However, this World Cup qualification has been really different and we’ve qualified before the end of the competition. That brought people close to the team.”

I want to retire at Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo insists he has no intention of leaving Real Madrid, admitting that he is considering finishing his career at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 28-year-old attacker was briefly linked with a return to Manchester United earlier this year, after stating that he was not happy in the Spanish capital, but eventually opted to sign a new deal with Los Blancos until June 2018.

Ronaldo does not regret that decision one bit, explaining that he is not in the least bit interested in leaving Madrid.

"Right now, I feel as though I want to finish my career here because I'm very happy," the Portugal international told Cope.

"I love living in Madrid, playing at the best club in the world and I can't ask for more. When things are good, when you're settled and motivated to do well, you worry less about the future. 

"I feel loved here. This is my fifth season at Real. It's hard to reach the people at the Bernabeu to start with.

"The truth is that I didn't feel as though I had found my place on the field in the first few years. But then I realised that maybe it was me who was wrong. 

"Now I'm 100 per cent happy. It's like a dream every time I go to the Bernabeu, the people really love me. I want to stay here for many years to come and see out my contract, there's no other club like Real."

Ronaldo has made over 200 official appearances for Madrid since joining them from United in the summer of 2009.

Dani Alves ruled out for up to 10 days with injury (24hfootball.info)

Barcelona have confirmed defender Dani Alves will be sidelined for up to 10 days with a leg injury.

The Brazil international, who has been on international duty in North America and Canada in the past week, underwent tests on Thursday after complaining of a problem in his right leg.

Barca have since revealed the 30-year-old has sustained a minor problem in his lower hamstring which will rule him out of the upcoming clashes with Granada and Ajax.

"Tests conducted this Thursday morning confirmed Dani Alves has a small hamstring injury in the soleus of the right leg. The time of recovery will be approximately 7-10 days," a statement on the club's official website confirmed.

"As such, Alves will miss the matches with Granada and Ajax in Amsterdam."

Alves joins a growing list of injury problems at Camp Nou, with Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Victor Valdes, Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique all currently sidelined.

Spain star Xavi and attacking youngster Cristian Tello are also doubtful for Saturday's game with Granada.

Ronaldo slightly ahead of the rest, admits Dani Alves (24hfootball.info)

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has admitted that Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo has been in better form than Ballon d'Or rivals Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery, but feels the Portugal star's lack of silverware this year could cost him the prize.

The 28-year-old has been in sensational form in 2013-14 so far, netting 24 times in 17 appearances for los Blancos, while four stunning goals in the World Cup play-off against Sweden saw his Portugal side claim a 4-2 aggregate win.

While he admits Ronaldo has excelled as an individual this year, Alves believes Madrid's trophyless campaign in 2012-13 puts him at a disadvantage in the Ballon d'Or race.

"Cristiano is in a very, very rich vein of form. This year, I think he's slightly ahead of the rest," the Brazilian defender was quoted as saying by AS.

"He's playing very well and he's scoring goals and that increases his chances. It's true that he hasn't won any trophies, but he has been in very good form.

"My bets are Messi and Ribery. If it isn't Messi, I'd give it to Ribery simply because he has won everything and he has led Bayern Munich to success on all fronts. To be in for the Ballon d'Or I think that you have to win some sort of team silverware."

Iniesta 'close' to contract renewal

Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta claims midfielder Andres Iniesta is close to signing a contract extension.

The 29-year-old Spain international has been locked in contract negotiations with the club ever since he reportedly rejected terms offered earlier in the autumn.

Iniesta's reluctance to sign a new contract has subsequently led to heightened speculation regarding the player's future, with reported interest from the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City. 

However, the midfielder himself made it clear he intends to sign a new deal following the 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid in October, and former goalkeeper Zubizarreta is adamant the former Uefa Best Player award winner could put pen to paper before Christmas.

"We're close [to agreeing a new contract with Iniesta], yes," Zubizaretta told Radio Catalunya.

"I think he could sign before Christmas." 

Iniesta, who is currently on international duty, currently has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2015.

Khedira faces six months out

Real Madrid will possibly have to make do without the services of Sami Khedira for the rest of the season as the midfielder has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The 26-year-old picked up the injury in Germany's 1-1 draw with Italy on Friday after a collision with Azzurristar Andrea Pirlo and was promptly forced to leave the pitch after 67 minutes.

Khedira visited the hospital for further examination and a series of tests have now revealed that he has suffered a torn ACL.

"Sami will have to undergo surgery. We hope that he will be healthy again at the start of the World Cup," Germany doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt told the official DFB website. 

No exact details have been given about the length of Khedira's absence, but the midfielder is expected to be out of action for at least six months.

"This is a huge blow for Sami and the rest of the team. He's a real fighter, though, and always remains optimistic. That will help him," Germany coach Joachim Low commented.

"I am optimistic that he will be ready in time for the World Cup in Brazil."

No-one better than Barcelona

Xavi says that no other side in Europe is playing at the same level as Barcelona right now.

Gerardo Martino's men currently sit atop of the Liga table with 37 points from 13 games and their influential playmaker claims that even though the Catalans are not quite at their brilliant best, they are still a cut above all of their rivals.

"Perhaps now we are not at the level of a '10', but we are still remarkably high. We can still reach excellence, but we are doing fine," Xavi told Mundo Deportivo.

"We have to work to reach that level again. But the question we should ask is - what team is playing better than Barca? No one is.  

"We are in good form, we have improved and are progressing without drama and understand that there are discussions around the club and that is this club's requirement."

The Spain international then went on to discuss Lionel Messi's fitness problems and insisted that the Argentine will bounce back from his muscular problems.

"He is a very tough guy, mentally strong and he will return," Xavi declared. "He has had four or five years playing everything, remaining decisive in all the games, scoring two or three goals in many of them.  

"He is the best in the world but the body says enough and so he must stop. The most important thing is that he recovers well.  

"For us, he is the No.1 and we need him a lot. In January, he will return and prove to be the best."

Messi has been ruled out of action for the remainder of the year with a hamstring tear.

Ronaldo makes life easy for me

Gareth Bale credits Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo with helping him belatedly settle at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Wales international scored on his first appearance for Los Blancos following his world-record move from Tottenham this summer, but his first couple of months in Spain were blighted by fitness problems.

However, Bale has now netted three goals and five assists in his last four games in all competitions and the 24-year-old says that the Ronaldo has played a key role in allowing him to find his best form by taking on the burden of carrying Madrid while he was trying to find his feet.

“When you play with the best player in the world, it does make life easier,” the former Spurs star told theFootball Association of Wales’ YouTube channel. 

“And to be playing with him and the rest of the team is massive for me and I’m enjoying every minute of it.

“It was obviously a little bit of a slow start, with not having a pre-season and getting a few nagging injuries, but that’s out of the way now and I feel I’ve settled in very well.

“Everybody at the club has been very helpful, the players have been great with me. 

“I’m starting to play my football on the pitch now and enjoying the whole of the life in Madrid.”

As Bale begins to adjust to life in La Liga, he has begun taking Spanish lessons in order to aid his assimilation but he joked that it could be some time before he achieves fluency.

“It’s coming along," he explained. "I’m learning slowly. The main thing is to get my head down into my football first and all the rest will come after.

“I’ve started a few lessons and learning a few words - but I think it’s going to take a bit of time.”

I will never forget Barcelona debut

Lionel Messi has nothing but fond memories of his Barcelona debut as he is set to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of his first appearance for the Catalans.

The prolific attacker made his first-team debut in the friendly game against Porto on November 16, 2003, and he has stressed that it was a dream come true for him to join up with the senior side at the tender age of 16.

"November 16 2003 is a very important date for me, because that’s when I was able to make my childhood dream come true," Messi told Barca TV.

"It was a very happy day for me. I’d fought hard to make that moment happen and it was really special.

"I remember that we were training with the Juvenil A team and, when it finished, [academy co-ordinator] Josep Colomer talked to me about a few things and then told me that I would be travelling with the first team. 

"He told me that I should just go and enjoy the game and the experience, but when I came back I should concentrate on the Juvenil A team."

Messi has since gone on to develop into Barcelona's undisputed star player, yet he has stressed that his success has not changed him.

"I think that I continue to be the same person. I see things in the same way, though I have grown and learnt how to value things."

The Argentina international, 26, is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and is set to be out of action for the remainder of 2013.

Coaching Ronaldo my career highlight

Jose Mourinho says coaching Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid remains the highlight of his coaching career so far.

The pair spent three years together at Santiago Bernabeu, with Ronaldo scoring an astonishing 168 goals in 164 games in that time.

And although they reportedly didn't always see eye to eye at los Blancos, the current Chelsea boss was full of praise for the 28-year-old forward.

"Coaching him was the highlight of my career," Mourinho told France Football.

"He's the most professional player I've ever met.

"A coach and player may have their differences at a given time, but it ends there. I don't have any problem.

"Being at a club with Cristiano Ronaldo is the best thing to have happened to me.

"Why? Because if I let him pass ahead of me he would be mobbed immediately, and I would be free to pass by in no hurry.”

Ronaldo has already scored 24 goals in 17 games this term in all competitions and is one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or.

Barcelona will miss Messi magic

Xavi Hernandez has admitted that being without Lionel Messi is a massive blow for Barcelona's Liga title chances.

The Argentina international suffered a hamstring injury in the Blaugrana's 4-1 defeat of Real Betis on Sunday and could be out of action until after the winter break.

The reigning champions still head the Primera Division table by three points from Atletico Madrid, but Xavi suspects that they will need their star man back as soon as possible.

"Everybody knows the importance of Leo to this team," the 33-year-old told Mundo Deportivo.

"Leo makes the difference and there is no player in the world capable of doing what he does.

"But he will be ok: he will be back and it will be great to have him playing again."

Gerardo Martino's side have eight games to play in three different competitions over the next six weeks before the Spanish season embarks on its winter break from December 22.

Messi was rushed back, claims former Barcelona medic

Barcelona's former chief medic, Jordi Ardevol, believes that Lionel Messi's latest injury setback is the result of the attacker's failure to take sufficient time out to recover from last season's thigh problems.

On Tuesday, the Blaugrana confirmed that their star forward would be out of action for up to two months with a hamstring tear sustained in last weekend's win over Betis.

It is the third time that Messi has been sidelined this season and Ardevol believes that his current problems are directly related to the thigh injuries which troubled him during the closing stages of last term.

"After a player is injured, there is a period in which the head stays with the injury and that until the injury is completely recovered and the sensations are normal, you have to disengage the brain from the muscle somehow," the doctor told Esports Cope.

"The focus is on playing again and there is a period in which the player does not take it out of his head.

"During the break, after the injury late last season, I believe that Leo should have had a more specific plan.

"The feeling is that he was never entirely clear, there have been some intermittent periods of activity and mentally the counter was not put back to '0'."

Consequently, Ardevol feels that Barcelona should this time make sure that Messi is fully fit before he sets foot back on a football field.

“He should not come back until he is 100 per cent recovered,” the medic declared. “That is what I would do, although it is very easy to say this when you are on the outside.

“However, there are many factors that influence things - the desire to play as soon as possible, the team’s needs, the pressure in the environment both sporting and commercially, with the World Cup in sight.

“There are many things at the club to manage so as to make it very complicated.

“His recovery to full form? You have to put the counter at ‘0’. With a necessary rest period and with a specific training programme required. Start from ‘0’ so as to return to optimal conditions.”

Messi injured early in Betis clash

Lionel Messi was withdrawn early in Barcelona's visit to Betis on Sunday as his recent injury woes continued.

The Argentine, 26, started in the central role for Gerardo Martino's men in the trip to the bottom-of-the-table Liga side but only lasted 21 minutes - the shortest he has ever featured for the club after being picked in the starting line-up.

Andres Iniesta was brought on in Messi's place, with the four-time Ballon d'Or hobbling off the pitch with no confirmation yet regarding how long the attacker will be out for.

It is also uncertain as to what the injury is, with suggestions varying from a knock to a muscular problem, which follow on from his fitness issues in October.

Messi broke Gerd Muller's record for goals scored in a calendar year in the fixture last season but has now gone five Liga games without a goal.

He is now a major doubt for Argentina's friendlies in the upcoming international window against Ecuador and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Real Madrid 5-1 Real Sociedad

Another hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid put Real Sociedad to the sword with a 5-1 thrashing at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

The away side started the match brightly, but Ronaldo gave Real an early lead as he fired home following Karim Benzema's pin-point left-wing delivery, before the Portuguese returned the favour for his French team-mate for the second soon after.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti stated before the match that he would not rotate Ronaldo - who has now scored nine goals in his last four games - while he is in such a rich vein of form, and the former Manchester United man repaid that faith by slotting in a penalty for his 161st La Liga goal and Real's third of the game on 26 minutes.

World-record signing Gareth Bale set up Sami Khedira for the fourth goal before the break, and although Antoine Griezmann scored in a fifth successive match for Sociedad after the break, Ronaldo ensured he would leave with the match ball by burying a 76th minute free-kick to seal his 19th La Liga hat-trick.

Ancelotti made three changes to the side that won 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano in their last league match, with the most notable switch seeing Alvaro Arbeloa replacing the suspended Sergio Ramos, while the visitors made four alterations from their 5-0 win over Osasuna.

Ronaldo struck the crossbar early on, but in the eighth minute he would not be denied as Benzema floated a clever cross to him at the far post where he smashed ball past the helpless Claudio Bravo.

It did not take the hosts long to double their lead as Ronaldo returned the favour for Benzema, laying the ball off for the France international to fire low past Bravo in the 18th minute.

Sociedad looked in danger of getting humiliated by this point, and things went from bad to worse when Markel Bergara conceded a penalty for handball on 26 minutes, allowing the irrepressibleRonaldo to net his second of the game.

The hosts continued to run riot thereafter and got their fourth nine minutes before the break as Bale passed to Khedira on the edge of the area and the German blasted past Bravo.

The second half started at a significantly slower tempo as Real had already all but secured the three points, while the visitors looked determined to keep the score as respectable as possible.

Jagoba Arrasate's men were clearly aggrieved not be awarded a penalty on the hour mark as Diego Lopez tripped Griezmann but, just a minute later, the Frenchman latched on to Carlos Vela's lofted pass and cleverly looped the ball over the goalkeeper to pull one back.

The lively Griezmann was in again shortly after, but after bursting behind the Madrid defence he could only poke a close-range effort just past Lopez’s right-hand post.

Ronaldo killed off any slim hopes of a late comeback as he drove in his 16th league goal of the season from a set-piece 16 minutes from time, moving Real on to 31 points, two behind Atletico Madrid and three adrift of leaders Barcelona. 

Ozil left because he feared competition

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has hit back at Mesut Ozil in the wake of the Arsenal midfielder's comments that the Italian was one of the main reasons behind his decision to leave the Liga giants during the summer.

The Germany international recently stated that he left Madrid because he felt Ancelotti did not believe in him.

However, the former PSG boss has insisted that the 25-year-old opted to move on due to the stiff competition for places instead.

"Ozil wasn't comfortable. I knew he'd been speaking with another club because he wanted to leave,  Ancelotti told Onda Cero.

"Mesut understood that he had competition, that he wouldn't be able to play every game, and 'I'm off' was his answer.

"I prefer to have [Angel] Di Maria for the team's balance. Di Maria is better than Ozil for group dynamics."

Ancelotti then went on to voice his opinion that Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to win the Fifa Ballon d'Or following his fine performances this year.

"It's simple. For me the best player right now is Cristiano," he continued.

"He's the top scorer in the league, the top scorer in the Champions League and if we talk about technical quality he is the best.

"He has a great professionalism and seriousness, before and after training. That is the key to be at his level. He has not missed a minute [of training], nor does he want to."

Ancelotti also believes Gareth Bale - who joined Madrid in a world-record €100million deal in September - has what it takes to emulate Ronaldo as he's approaching peak fitness.

"Bale can follow in Ronaldo's footsteps," he said.

"Many players had great problems in Madrid when they first joined. I am told the Bernabeu even whistled [Zinedine] Zidane initially."

Bale has scored four goals in nine appearances for Real Madrid so far.

Barca philosophy is untouchable

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has asserted that the club's philosophy is "untouchable" - irrespective of Gerardo Martino's influence on their style of play.

The reigning Liga champions have gone unbeaten since the Argentine coach took over from Tito Vilanova in the summer and, though the Catalans' tactics have been noticeably tweaked to allow for a more direct approach, the Blaugrana's vice-captain dismissed suggestions that they are a different breed of team this season.

"The team's philosophy is untouchable and non-negotiable," Xavi, 33, told reporters on Friday. "That was Martino's message to us on his first day.

"There are no internal debates going on. We know how we’re playing and the ideas are set.

"We have a clear philosophy: to play attractive football, on the attack and achieve our targets. We have never thought of changing our style."

Barca sit top of La Liga and have reached the Champions League knock-out phase with two group games to spare, but Xavi is insistent that they can be even better and is relishing the pressure placed upon the players by their trophy-hungry supporters.

"We know what the demands are," the World Cup winner stated. "We want to recover the excellence of other years, but it’s sometimes hard. But the dynamic is the same and there’s room for improvement.

"What do we need to improve? Sometimes we should be the protagonists more, extend our possession. We have to find our mistakes and correct them.

"We accept the criticism, but our style hasn’t changed. We go out to get the ball in their half, that’s not playing on the counterattack. We try to be the protagonists.

"There are times when we feel really good, playing great football, like in the first half against Milan. But we have to play like that for the full 90 minutes.

"Such big demands are a challenge that we relish."

Juventus 2 - 2 Real Madrid

Juventus and Real Madrid have played equal ( 2-2 ) to match valid for the fourth lap the group stage of the Champions League . Although there was no winner , the show did not fail in the face of two giants of European football .
T-shirts black and white players were dominant in every part of the field in the first faction to control the flow and pace of the game .

Bianconeri created numerous occasions in the first half , but did not show their effective completion . In some cases protection and Iker Casillas guest proved decisive .

However , the involvement of local players has paid off with the wrong intervention to the detriment of Pogbas Varanese who was punished with penalties . Arturo Vidal had to lead the Lady ( 42 ' ) .

As for guests , offensive stage was silent during the first faction , but there were strikes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale .

The locals went terribly wrong the second half with an error of Caceres , who Benzemas enabled him to grab the ball and follow the one who does not forgive - Cristiano Ronaldo ( 52 ' ) .

A few minutes later Xabi Alonso stadium shook with a powerful shot that crashed into the pole .

The reversal came from Gareth Bale . After a counterattack Los Blancos , Welshman did well to score the lead ( 60 ' ) .

However , the Bianconeri returned quickly to level the score through Llorentes Fernando , who scored thanks to Martin Caceres cross ( 65 ' ) .

In the minutes following the pace of the game dropped . Bianconeri tried to snatch full points , while waiting to punish kings . However , no other goals were scored .

After four lap , Real Madrid counts 10 points while battling for second place Galatasaray , Copenhagen ( with four points) and Juventus has three points at the end of the group .