Real Madrid

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane discussed Eden Hazard's struggles after his side's 0-0 draw with city rivals Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday but backed him to succeed at the club.

Hazard is without a goal for Los Blancos and failed to make an impact during the Madrid derby. Per Goal's Daniel Lewis, Zidane said: "He lacks little things. We have to stick with him. He's done a good job, but we haven't had many chances. We have to highlight everyone's work. We'd like him to score because it'll release him, but there are no problems, we're sure it'll come."

The Belgian arrived from Chelsea in the summer for an initial €100 million fee, which could rise to €168 million with add-ons.

He was substituted in the 77th minute on Saturday, failing to muster a shot on goal during his time on the pitch. Covering Futbol and Managing Madrid's Kiyan Sobhani observed his struggles:

Not really working for Hazard so far - he's not tracking Trippier so regularly able to get the ball in space on break, but not made much of it yet.

— Covering Futbol (@coveringfutbol) September 28, 2019

Hazard has been painful to watch tonight. Atrocious performance so far.

— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) September 28, 2019

The start of the 28-year-old's career at the Santiago Bernabeu has been far from ideal, as a hamstring injury affected his pre-season preparations and kept him out of Real's first three games.

Given he's at a new club, enjoying a strong pre-season was perhaps even more important than usual, so the fact that he didn't will have made settling in even more difficult than usual.

Despite Hazard's ineffectual performance, Real had twice as many shots on goal as Atletico and more possession, per BBC Sport.

Zidane added:

"We deserved much more, but what I have to do is congratulate the players since we have been supportive again and we kept a clean sheet.

"It's not just intensity, but what's important is our strength. We saw a strong Madrid because we didn't concede a chance. We lacked in creativity but we're happy with what we did."

The draw was Madrid's third in seven La Liga matches this season. However, Real are top of the table and the only unbeaten team in the Spanish top flight, having already played two of their most difficult away fixtures at Sevilla and Atletico.

It is an ominous sign for their rivals that they have done so with Hazard either absent or struggling. If the winger can begin to have the kind of impact he made at Chelsea, he will take Madrid to another level.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has confirmed Rodrygo Goes will not be involved in Saturday's huge La Liga showdown with Atletico Madrid.

The youngster made his debut for Los Blancos on Wednesday and scored within two minutes of coming onto the field. Naturally, his performance has prompted plenty of excitement among Madridistas about what he will be able to offer in the future.

However, Rodrygo will not take to the field at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday, with Zidane confirming the Brazilian will instead join up with the Castilla setup, per Dom Farrell of Goal:

"We know what we're doing with Rodrygo and today he trained with Castilla, tomorrow he's going to play with Castilla.

"He's a first-team player and I'm very happy with what happened the other day. But we and he knows we're going to go bit by bit with him. We had already taken the decision (over him playing for Castilla this weekend) and for the next game we will see."

Rodrygo's transfer from Santos was confirmed in 2018, although he only moved to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer.

He replaced Vinicius Jr. in the 2-0 league win over Osasuna and was able to get secure the game with this fantastic goal:

😎 Just on the pitch a few seconds and what a cool finish this is from 18-year-old Rodrygo to make it 2-0!

⚪ What a night for Real Madrid's young Brazilians! pic.twitter.com/yYDmN4QfeC

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 25, 2019

Afterwards, the 18-year-old tried to play down some of the hype that was set to inevitably gather in the coming days:

🗣️ "I don't want any comparisons with Ronaldo [Nazário] being made because he's one of the game's all-time best and one of my country's best."

🇧🇷 Goalscorer on his Real Madrid debut! Rodrygo 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/qXNjqgoj5I

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 26, 2019

Zidane turned to Rodrygo against Osasuna instead of Eden Hazard, who was on the bench for the duration of the game.

So far, the Belgium international has only started one La Liga match following his transfer from Chelsea, as he's struggled with injury issues. Zidane was asked about his inactivity against Osasuna and backed the player to excel.

"Listen, we know the quality of player we have and we know that he's going to deliver," he said. "He did it the other day in Seville. I'm sure everyone expects a lot from him; he knows that. We're supporting him; he's with us. Game-by-game I'm sure he's going to be the player that we want him to be here in this Real Madrid team."

Per WhoScored.com, while Zidane was pleased with Hazard's display on Sunday, the winger was profligate in possession:

Eden Hazard: Was dispossessed 7 times in Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Sevilla, a record in a LaLiga match this season

For more match stats -- https://t.co/B1xaaCHTLl pic.twitter.com/UyRF0CFQMF

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) September 23, 2019

It's games like Saturday's away to a rival that Madrid would have bought Hazard for, and the player himself will be desperate to shine on what promises to be an atmospheric stage. In the recent 3-0 loss away at Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, he failed to make his mark.

The fact Rodrygo isn't in the squad will disappoint some Madrid supporters, as he lit up the Bernabeu on debut. However, with Hazard poised to start and Vinicius the man likely to provide an alternative option on the left flank, allowing the youngster to get minutes with the reserve side appears to be a sensible decision from Zidane.

Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez has backed team-mates Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo Goes to become "stars" in the team. 

The teenage pair each scored as Real beat Osasuna 2-0 in La Liga on Wednesday.

Vazquez told Movistar (h/t Goal's Tom Webber): "We are very happy for the two signings made by the club. They will calmly evolve and improve. They have the attributes to be two stars."

Vinicius, who arrived from Flamengo in 2018 for €46 million, was one of the few highlights at the Santiago Bernabeu last season.

The 19-year-old racked up three goals and 12 assists, despite a knee injury keeping him out for nine games in the final months of the season.

The winger appeared to be whistled by some in the crowd on Wednesday but opened the scoring with a superb effort in the 37th minute:

⚽ Vinícius Júnior curls one into the top corner to give Real Madrid the lead!

⭐ It's the first goal of the season for the young Brazilian star, and look at what it means to him! pic.twitter.com/7inBbhtzZr

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 25, 2019

Managing Madrid's Kiyan Sobhani was pleased for the youngster:

Vinicius is still in his head a bit. At first it was just whistles, then the crowd starting jeering him before he even received the ball. You could tell that cuts through to him. Needed that goal badly.

— Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 25, 2019

On Vinicius, Vazquez said he and his team-mates "are very happy for him. He is an incredible guy who works really hard. Today he helped the team with the goal and we are happy."

With 20 minutes remaining, Rodrygo replaced Vinicius on the left wing for his debut, following his arrival from Santos in the summer for €45 million.

It took the 18-year-old fewer than two minutes to double Real's lead:

😎 Just on the pitch a few seconds and what a cool finish this is from 18-year-old Rodrygo to make it 2-0!

⚪ What a night for Real Madrid's young Brazilians! pic.twitter.com/yYDmN4QfeC

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 25, 2019

OptaJose offered insight into the two players' performances:

14 - Vinícius Júnior attempted 14 dribbles against Osasuna, the most by a player in a LaLiga game this season and his best tally in a match for Real Madrid in all comps. Faith. pic.twitter.com/EKZQFHooqD

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 25, 2019

1 - Rodrygo Goes is the fastest player to score his first LaLiga goal for Real Madrid (93 seconds) since Ronaldo Nazário in 2002 (62). Impact. pic.twitter.com/EknwWdo0oi

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 25, 2019

Real have found themselves in need of inspiration in the final third since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo last year.

Eden Hazard's arrival will help in that regard, but the Belgian is still getting up and running after an injury kept him out for the early weeks of the season.

It's still early days for Vinicius and particularly Rodrygo, but the pair are at the beginning of an exciting path in the Spanish capital—their considerable transfer fees could be seen as bargains a few years down the line.

Real Madrid youngster Rodrygo Goes said he doesn't want to be compared with fellow Brazilian Ronaldo after netting on his debut for the club. 

The 18-year-old was brought off the bench in Wednesday's La Liga showdown with Osasuna and helped to make the game safe for his side with the second goal in a 2-0 win. It took Rodrygo just 93 seconds to score for Madrid; Ronaldo needed only 62 seconds against Alaves on his first appearance in 2002.

After the game, Rodrygo was made aware of the similarities between his own debut and that of the former striker but was keen to play down any comparison, per Dejan Kalinic of Goal:

"I don't want any comparisons with Ronaldo being made because he's one of the game's all-time best and one of my country's best. As for the goal—I controlled it well and knew that from there on in things would work out. I have to always show that I'm capable of playing here."

After Athletic Bilbao were held to a draw by Leganes on Wednesday, Los Blancos' win took them to the summit of the La Liga table.

Madrid toiled in the opening exchanges of the game before another of their Brazilian youngsters, Vinicius Jr., opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rodrygo replaced his compatriot in the 71st minute and within seconds he was celebrating his first goal for the club, running on to a pinpoint long pass from Casemiro and finishing coolly:

😎 Just on the pitch a few seconds and what a cool finish this is from 18-year-old Rodrygo to make it 2-0!

⚪ What a night for Real Madrid's young Brazilians! pic.twitter.com/yYDmN4QfeC

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 25, 2019

Per OptaJose, no new Madrid player has made as instant an impact as Rodrygo since Ronaldo:

1 - Rodrygo Goes is the fastest player to score his first LaLiga goal for Real Madrid (93 seconds) since Ronaldo Nazário in 2002 (62). Impact. pic.twitter.com/EknwWdo0oi

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 25, 2019

The forward hailed the influence of manager Zinedine Zidane in his early months at the club:

"The gaffer knows what he's doing, and he's been talking to me every day to tell me to keep working hard. I'm at Real Madrid and I don't care whether I play for Castilla, under Raul, or for the first team. Madrid are always going to have great players, so all of this prestige is to be expected. 

"I'm so happy. Zidane transmits a real calmness and a lot of trust, and I think that's why things went so well.

"I'm speechless, I've been dreaming of this moment since I joined Real Madrid."

Rodrygo arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu as part of a major recruitment drive. It was confirmed in June 2018 that a deal had been reached with Santos to bring the forward to the Spanish capital, with the transfer worth a potential €45 million (£39.9 million).

With Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic coming in during the transfer window to join the likes of Vinicius, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Isco, it wasn't clear how many opportunities the Brazil youth international would get this season. However, he's shown he can make an impact at the highest level.

Ted Knutson of StatsBomb was impressed by the manner in which Rodrygo took his goal:

https://twitter.com/mixedknuts/status/1176969354866548736

Per The Spanish Football Podcast, there appear to be high hopes in Brazil about what Rodrygo can go on to accomplish:

Remember hearing ex-Barça/Brazil player Edmilson talk about Rodrygo Goes this summer... said he was "much better, ten times better" than Vinicius. Probably an exaggeration, but still...

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) September 25, 2019

Ronaldo enjoyed a five-year spell at Real Madrid between 2002 and 2007, scoring an impressive 104 goals in 177 games. The striker won two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey in his time at the club.

While Rodrygo would be delighted to match the scoring rate of the man known as El Fenomeno, with so much of his career to go, he will be hoping to earn silverware at Madrid. The signs are he can assist in the club's challenge for major prizes this season.

Real Madrid moved to the top of La Liga after beating Osasuna 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

Vinicius Junior opened the scoring before substitute Rodrygo found the net less than a minute after coming off the bench, to help a much-changed Real team follow Sunday's impressive 1-0 win away to Sevilla with another positive result.

Gareth Bale was rested, while Eden Hazard and Karim Benzema were left on the bench, leaving Vinicius and summer signing Luka Jovic to start up top.

Zinedine Zidane's team have now won three in a row in the Spanish top flight to take early control of the title race.

For 36 minutes it looked as though Real's second-string forward line would be unable to break the hosts down. Jovic shot high when meeting a free kick in the 18th minute, while winger Lucas Vazquez struggled to get involved at all.

Another chance fell the way of Jovic after a slew of errors among the Osasuna defence. Yet the former Eintracht Frankfurt marksman still couldn't find his range.

Panic in the Osasuna area! 😯#RealMadridOsasuna pic.twitter.com/WOfSMx8A2P

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) September 25, 2019

It was left to Vinicius to justify Zidane's team selection by applying the finishing touch to Toni Kroos' pass nine minutes before the break. Vinicius had made a rocky start and even incurred the wrath of some of the home supporters, but the Brazilian eventually won the crowd over with an industrious display in sharp contrast to Jovic's subdued performance.

Big cheers now for Vinicius who hurdles his way down wing and tries to tee up Jovic who doesnt get there in time [and has hardly had a kick so far]

— Covering Futbol (@coveringfutbol) September 25, 2019

The misfiring striker thought he had finally set his sights 13 minutes after the restart. Jovic found the net with a precise shot into the bottom corner, showcasing the talent as a finisher that encouraged Real to spend an initial €65 million to bring him to the Spanish capital, only for VAR to rule it out.

While Jovic was struggling, it was Vinicius who made way for Rodrygo on 71 minutes. The decision seemed like a harsh one for the player who had done more than any other to inspire Los Merengues in the final third.

14 - Vinícius Júnior attempted 14 dribbles against Osasuna, the most by a player in a LaLiga game this season and his best tally in a match for Real Madrid in all comps. Faith. pic.twitter.com/EKZQFHooqD

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 25, 2019

Even so, it proved to be an inspired change by Zidane when the 18-year-old newcomer finished from Casemiro's pass less than a minute later.

😎 Just on the pitch a few seconds and what a cool finish this is from 18-year-old Rodrygo to make it 2-0!

⚪ What a night for Real Madrid's young Brazilians! pic.twitter.com/yYDmN4QfeC

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 25, 2019

Real were unable to add to the tally during the match's final stages, but Zidane at least enjoyed a timely reminder about the strength in depth of his squad. Going top despite not always impressing underlines that strength and offers a warning to Atletico Madrid and Barcelona Zidane's team must be taken seriously as contenders this season.

   

What's Next?

Real face Atleti in the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday, while Osasuna travel to Levante the next day.

Jorge Valdano has hailed the return of James Rodriguez to Real Madrid after a two-year loan spell at Bayern Munich. 

The former Madrid coach and sporting director said the Colombia international has returned from the Bundesliga champions a "more mature" individual and remains a "world-class player."

Speaking to Onda Cero (h/t Marca), Valdano added the forward should be a valuable asset for manager Zinedine Zidane.

"James is a world-class player, and if he is able to commit himself like he has, we have a player who is going to give another leap in quality to the squad. He is more mature and has learned along the way. I am convinced that he will be able to take advantage of this second chance and he will perform at his level."

The former Monaco star has found his way back into the Real team after his stint in Bavaria. He has impressed during three La Liga starts in the opening weeks of the campaign, providing an assist for Karim Benzema in the 3-2 victory over Levante.

James appears to have greatly improved his fitness and work rate, and his defensive capabilities have expanded since last wearing the Madrid shirt in 2016-17. The arrival of Eden Hazard from Chelsea may have been the end for James in the Spanish capital, but the creative players could now form an irresistible forward line with Benzema and Gareth Bale.

Injury has hampered the start of Hazard's Los Blancos career, and the return of James has allowed Zidane to vary his options. Despite a crushing 3-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in their UEFA Champions League opener, Real have maintained their position in La Liga and sit third before Wednesday's visit of Osasuna.

The rebuilding will need to continue in January and next summer, but Real have a strong squad that can compete this term.

New arrival Luka Jovic is yet to make an impact since signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, and after a spell out injured, the striker could become a major contributor after netting 27 goals in the Bundesliga and Europe last season.

James is the perfect No. 10 to provide for either Jovic or Benzema, and the current campaign could be one of the 28-year-old's most important.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has praised the influence of resurgent winger Gareth Bale, who is enjoying top form at the Santiago Bernabeu after it looked as though he could leave in the summer.

Bale, 30, was linked with a move away from Madrid for much of the transfer window but has come back to start five of their six matches this season, missing a 3-2 win over Levante due to suspension.

Zidane spoke at a press conference ahead of Wednesday's Liga clash at home to Osasuna and lavished praise upon Bale, who won't be involved in the fixture:

"Bale's really focused, same as the rest. He wants to do great, he's in a good moment. He's an important player and he knows he's a great player.

"He helps when we attack and when we defend, as he did in the last game. When everyone is committed, we can do great things."

There was speculation Bale's days in the capital were numbered after Zidane returned in March. It was long rumoured the manager did not favour Bale, and his comments during pre-season—hoping for an "imminent" separation between the two parties—appeared to confirm as much at the time, via the Guardian:

AS reported Bale will be rested for the midweek clash against Osasuna—one of three teams in La Liga yet to lose this term—and Rodrygo Goes will take his spot.

Bale was sent off in the same game that he scored his only two goals of the season so far, marking a mixed contribution in Real's 2-2 draw away to Villarreal at the beginning of September:

Gareth Bale struck two equalisers at the Estadio de la Ceramica! ⚽⚽

📺 Highlights #VillarrealRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/m5FqLs3FdP

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) September 1, 2019

The Wales international may not have had such a consistent run on the wings had Spain star Marco Asensio not ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and external meniscus of his left knee in July.

James Rodriguez is another player to have benefited from his team-mate's absence in that sense, while Lucas Vazquez is another option out wide.

Bale has been the clear standout among those contributors, however, despite missing one match through suspension. Only Karim Benzema (five goals, one assist) has accumulated more than his three direct goal contributions for Real this season.

Agence France-Presse's Tom Allnutt highlighted Zidane's impression of Bale appears to be improving, at least in public:

Not for the first time this season, Zidane picks out Bale (and James) for praise unprompted. Bale's clearance at the back post in injury-time, perhaps the kind of thing Zidane used to think Bale didn't have in him.

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) September 22, 2019

Zidane presumably feels confident enough about Real's chances of beating Osasuna at home that he doesn't feel a need to play Bale, who is well on the road to restoring his Real renown.  

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has said the club could sort his future "in five minutes" if they wanted to amid recent speculation regarding the defender's future. 

The centre-back currently has a contract at the Santiago Bernabeu until the end of the 2020-21 campaign. However, in May, Los Blancos president Florentino Perez said the 33-year-old wanted to move to the Chinese Super League.

Speaking to Onda Cero (h/t Football Espana), Ramos was asked about the exit talk and the possibility of a new contract in the Spanish capital.

"There is no Ramos case," he said. "I'm contracted to Real Madrid and I have one and a half years left on my contract. If they [Madrid] want to sort it out, in five minutes it can be done."

Although Ramos is not the force he once was at the back for Madrid, he remains a key part of Zinedine Zidane's team.

On Sunday in the 1-0 win over Sevilla, Madrid were much more secure in their defensive play with Ramos in the side. By contrast, when the skipper was missing for the UEFA Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, Los Blancos struggled at the back, losing 3-0.

Last term was a challenging one for Ramos, although it's clear his reputation in world football is still high. The Madrid star was named in the FIFPro Team of the Year on Monday at FIFA's The Best awards:

Not a bad starting XI 💪

Introducing the FIFA @FIFPro Men's @World11 🤩

🇧🇷@Alissonbecker
🇳🇱@mdeligt_04
🇧🇷@MarceloM12
🇪🇸@SergioRamos
🇳🇱@VirgilvDijk
🇳🇱@DeJongFrenkie21
🇧🇪@hazardeden10
🇭🇷@lukamodric10
🇵🇹@Cristiano
🇫🇷@KMbappe
🇦🇷#LeoMessi#TheBest | #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/hq9aHh0d6R

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) September 23, 2019

Per Kieran Canning of Agence France-Presse, Ramos wasn't the only Madrid player to make it into the XI despite a campaign to forget for the team:

There has always been a Madrid/Barca bias to FIFA XI due to name recognition but this year's is hilarious. Ramos, Marcelo (who was dropped for a kid) & Modric had horrendous seasons, Hazard play well for 3 months + EL final & probably doesn't get in if he doesn't sign for Madrid

— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) September 23, 2019

Given his age, it's not a huge shock to see Ramos has less-than two seasons to run on his contract at the Bernabeu.

The defender will be one of the club's top earners and given his influence is slowly dwindling on the field, from a footballing perspective there may be some hesitancy about giving the defender another lucrative extension.

Still, Ramos is a footballer whose influence has always transcended his defensive abilities. The Spain international is a terrific leader and has been a pillar in the team's most recent successes, most notably the three Champions League titles they won in a row between 2016 and 2018.

Ramos recently spoke about how important he believes the armband is at Madrid:

🎬🌟 Get to know our captain @SergioRamos like you've never seen him before, on and off the pitch, with @primevideosport's new documentary series #ElCorazóndeSergioRamos! pic.twitter.com/1x6QcV3JKL

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 20, 2019

BT Sport looked back at some of his best moments since joining Madrid from Sevilla in 2005:

Sergio Ramos turns 33 today 🎉

👑 604 matches
⚽️ 84 goals
📒 202 yellow cards
📕 25 red cards
🏆 20 trophies

A true Real Madrid legend... pic.twitter.com/eIAwaWGyJM

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 30, 2019

Madrid will need to start thinking about life after Ramos soon. In Raphael Varane and Nacho, they have two other strong centre-backs, while summer signing Eder Militao is also expected to develop into an excellent defender.

At this stage, there's still plenty Ramos can offer this team at the highest level. However, if he were to agree a contract extension, Madrid surely couldn't promise he'd be a guaranteed starter for its duration.

Zinedine Zidane has acknowledged the precarious position he is in at Real Madrid even after their recent 1-0 win against Sevilla, but he made it clear he does not think about his future in the job. 

Following Real's chastening 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League last week, there was speculation Zidane could be in trouble just six months on from his return to the Santiago Bernabeu as manager:

⚪️ #RMCF lost 3-0 to #PSG in the #UCL last night 😬

How do you rate Zinedine Zidane's second coming at @realmadrid?

Will he last the season? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vUfABwiDJf

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) September 19, 2019

However, after Karim Benzema's goal helped Real to a 1-0 victory at Sevilla, moving Los Blancos level on points with La Liga leaders Athletic Club, the outlook is quite different for the Frenchman:

Fair play to Real Madrid. Unrecognisable from Wednesday night, serious and focused. Reprieve for Zidane. Beat Osasuna well at home on Wednesday and the picture will be transformed in a week.

— Andy West (@andywest01) September 22, 2019

Speaking ahead of Real's home league clash with Osasuna on Wednesday, Zidane summed up the situation he finds himself in, per Marca:

"When we lose, I'm out, and when we win, I'm in. I don't think about it, it's like that. We have to think about matches, and I'm only interested in that."

Real have been boosted by the fact that neither of their main title rivals, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, have made fast starts to the new campaign.

The Blaugrana's 2-0 defeat to Granada at the weekend means have made their worst start to a league campaign in 25 years:

—Fewest points after five La Liga games since 1994-95
—Winless in their first three away La Liga matches for the first time since 1994-95
—Winless in seven straight away matches for the first time since 2001

Has anyone seen Barcelona? 👻 pic.twitter.com/c73LjrAXT2

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 21, 2019

Atleti, meanwhile, won three on the bounce to start the season, but they have dropped five points in their last two matches and failed to score in either.

Zidane, though, said every team will suffer in a season as Barca are at the moment:

"What is happening at Barcelona, the same thing will happen to Atletico. What we must do is take maximum points, and the best way to do that is to give our best and my players are the best."

In the last 11 years, Real have won only two La Liga titles, one under Jose Mourinho in 2011-12, and one under Zidane in 2016-17.

Early signs that Los Blancos would be able to pick up another title in 2019-20 were not good as they appeared to be lacking in midfield and weak at the back—their clean sheet against Sevilla was their first in months:

Thibaut Courtois hasn't kept a clean sheet for Real Madrid since the start of February 🤚 pic.twitter.com/lCRosOuwNq

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 18, 2019

Those issues are still apparent, but if Real can string a few wins together, they could quickly become title front-runners this term, especially with a trip to Atleti awaiting on Saturday. 

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has said he'd have followed a different career if he cared about winning individual awards.

Ramos was named in FIFPro's World XI for the 10th time on Monday at FIFA's The Best awards:

An honour to be selected for the #FifproWorldXI for the tenth time. La Décima is always #TheBest. 😉 😉 Thank you @realmadrid , @World11 and fellow pros. Onwards!#FIFAFootballAwards https://t.co/TdQG8RvuNb

— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) September 23, 2019

Although he celebrated the achievement on social media, he said after the ceremony, per Goal's Joe Wright:

"I'd prefer to not come here and for Real Madrid to win titles. If I'd wanted to win individual titles, then I'd have dedicated myself to tennis.

"When the team wins, we always win. It wasn't a good season last year, but it's a good sign that Real Madrid have players in the XI."

Ramos was named in the team alongside Real Madrid team-mates Marcelo, Luka Modric and Eden Hazard, who joined from Chelsea in the summer:

This XI, though 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QK520lUme8

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 23, 2019

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe and Liverpool.com's Joel Rabinowitz offered the following:

Marcelo and Ramos

Footballers don’t watch football#TheBestAwards

— Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) September 23, 2019

Aside from the fact Real Madrid were atrocious last season, Ramos hasn't even played right-back in years.

— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) September 23, 2019

Kieran Canning of the Agence France-Presse suggested their inclusion was purely based on the club they play for:

There has always been a Madrid/Barca bias to FIFA XI due to name recognition but this year's is hilarious. Ramos, Marcelo (who was dropped for a kid) & Modric had horrendous seasons, Hazard play well for 3 months + EL final & probably doesn't get in if he doesn't sign for Madrid

— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) September 23, 2019

Soccer Laduma's David Kappel added further insight:

Highlight of Marcelo's season, getting dropped for Reguilon because he was 7kg overweight.

Highlight of Ramos' season, getting a yellow card and missing Real's UCL knockout, while being filmed in the stands for his documentary.

Highlight of Modric's season, losing 6-1 to Spain.

— David Kappel (@kappilinho) September 23, 2019

Real had a highly disappointing 2018-19 season, with Ramos, Modric and Marcelo all guilty of having poor campaigns. Los Blancos were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Ajax in the round of 16, while in La Liga they lost 12 games and finished third, 19 points behind Barcelona.

Ramos and Marcelo were part of a defence that conceded 46 goals in the Spanish top flight, Real's worst tally since 2008-09.

On the Brazilian's inclusion, Ramos said: "He's one of the best in the world. Everyone is free to comment. It's hard to please everyone."

Marcelo's place in the World XI is particularly tenuous, though. He was dropped for Sergio Reguilon for a significant portion of last season, which limited him to just 21 starts in La Liga. Santiago Solari, who managed the team between October and March, evidently felt he could not trust the 31-year-old.

Marcelo was an unused substitute in both legs of the knockout tie with Ajax, Real's home clashes with Barcelona in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and their trip to Atletico Madrid during Solari's tenure.