Benzema: I won't go 10 years without scoring

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says he is not too much concerned about his current goal drought for France, claiming "it will not last 10 years".

Diego Costa: "I do not want to create problems with anyone in Brazil,"

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa says he hopes his decision to play international football for Spain rather than Brazil will not cause problems in his homeland.

Di Maria: Ancelotti believes in me

Angel Di Maria has voiced his satisfaction with life at Real Madrid and is pleased with head coach Carlo Ancelotti's faith in him.

The Argentina international's future at the club was seemingly in doubt following the arrival of Gareth Bale from Tottenham this summer, but Di Maria has impressed with a string of fine performances in the opening months of the 2013-14 campaign.

"Things are going really well for me at Madrid," Di Maria was quoted as saying by AS.

"I have Ancelotti's trust and I had a great pre-season. I am feeling very well at Madrid.  

"Thing can always change, but everything's going fine at the moment."

Di Maria, 25, has made 10 appearances in all competitions so far, scoring two goals, while setting up five more.

Neymar Snubbed Chelsea and Man City to join Barcelona - Rosell

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has revealed Neymar rejected offers from Chelsea, Manchester City,Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in order to join the Spanish champions.

'Bale must stand up to Ronaldo' - Redknapp

Gareth Bale will have to stand up to Cristiano Ronaldo if he is to survive and thrive at Real Madrid, according to former manager Harry Redknapp.

Bale, who first broke into the Tottenham team under the current QPR boss, eclipsed Ronaldo's transfer record by making an €100 million move to Real Madrid this summer.

And Redknapp believes Santiago Bernabeu's biggest superstar presents the biggest obstacle to the Welshman making a success of his time in Spain.

"His biggest test will be to step out of the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo with confidence. That won’t be easy," the QPR boss wrote in his new autobiography, serialised in the Daily Mail.

"Ronaldo is a huge star at Madrid and will probably want to take nine out of 10 free-kicks - at least. Gareth will have to assert himself and that will require a strong mind.

"He has to think ‘I’m an £86million player’ and act like it, taking responsibility, claiming the ball when he fancies his chances. 

"And yet at the same time he cannot dwell on his fee and what it means too much because that would put him under immense pressure. It is a tricky balancing act. 

"He will have to be ready for the matches when he goes it alone, has a shot, misses and Ronaldo starts throwing his arms up in the air.

"He cannot, at that point, go into his shell and become this timid little creature. But it is not natural for Gareth to behave in an assertive way. Don’t get me wrong, he knows he is good. 

"The fee is crazy, amazing money, but he wouldn’t have fought so hard to get the deal done if he didn’t fancy his chances of living up to expectations in Madrid.

"Yet, equally, Gareth is a quiet lad, who spends time with his girlfriend and family, and I’m not sure being in the same bracket as Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will suit him.

"If Ronaldo feels threatened by Gareth’s arrival, Madrid could be a lonely place so he will need to lean a lot on Ancelotti, who speaks good English, and Paul Clement, Carlo’s assistant, who is English.

"Luka Modric is another old friend who could help him settle in.

"The one thing the club cannot provide for Gareth and Cristiano is a ball each — so they will need to work hard on that partnership because they are such similar players."

Redknapp insists he recognised Bale's potential very early on - even if the Welshman did seem a little too preoccupied with his hairstyle.

"He drove me mad in training," the QPR boss added. "Technically, he was outstanding but he always seemed to be playing with his hair. It was never right. 

"He’d be flicking the fringe or wiping it out of his eyes and I would be going quietly mad, just watching. ‘Gareth, leave your barnet alone! Gareth! Stop touching your hair!"

My time at Barcelona is over - Valdes

Victor Valdes has reiterated his intention to leave Barcelona next summer, explaining that he feels that his time at Camp Nou is over.

The Spain international is out of contract at the end of the season and announced during the summer that he would not be signing an extension.

A number of Barcelona players, including midfielder Andres Iniesta, have publicly stated that they have tried to persuade Valdes to change his mind and stay, but the 31-year-old shot-stopper says he has his heart set on a move abroad.

"My time here is done," the goalkeeper told Antena3. "They offered me the chance to renew [my contract] but my decision had been made."

"I am seeking new challenges. I want to play in another league and be with my family in another place.

"But this season I have still been feeling the love and support of the people and that is greatly appreciated."

Valdes, a product of Barcelona's youth academy, has spent his entire professional career to date at Camp Nou.

Playing for Spain is the greatest - Michu

Swansea City striker Michu has described his first Spain call-up for the World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Georgia a "dream come true".


The former Rayo Vallecano man was awarded the chance to join up with the squad after La Roja's all-time leading goal scorer David Villa picked up an ankle injury against Celta Vigo at the weekend.

Michu enjoyed a brilliant debut season ar Swansea  last year, scoring 18 times in 35 Premier League outings to earn a place in the World Cup holders' squad, and is relishing the chance to wear "the best team in the world's" shirt.

"It's what every Spanish footballer dreams of," Michu told Spanish radio station Cadena SER. "It isn't easy, though. Not many people get to pull on the shirt of the best team in the world. 

"We’ll see if I’m lucky enough to play. I’m enjoying it; I feel like a kid. It’s the pinnacle for a player."

Despite only making the squad due to injuries Michu was selected ahead of Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado and Juventus' Fernando Llorente.

"There are a lot of players absent [for Spain], but there are great players in the squad," he continued. "Hopefully I’m lucky enough to play, although I’m grateful anyway for the call-up."

Messi out of Argentina squad

Lionel Messi will miss out of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay as he is still nurturing his thigh problem.

The Barcelona superstar was initially named in coach Alejandro Sabella's preliminary squad for the final two games of qualification.

However, with their progression already confirmed, the 26-year-old attacker has been withdrawn  from the squad to recover from his thigh injury.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on its website that Messi, along with Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain, will not have to meet up with the national team.

Mascherano suffered a hamstring injury at the end of September and has missed Barcelona's last three matches.

Meanwhile, Higuain was not involved in Napoli's Champions League clash with Arsenal due to a calf injury and he also missed their Serie A victory over Livorno on Sunday.

Argentina face Peru on October 11 before travelling to Montevideo four days later to take on Uruguay.

Madrid to renew Ronaldo's contract

The 28-year-old has since been linked with a return to Manchester United, whom he left in 2009 to join the Spanish capital club, but Perez remains confident of keeping his star man at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Keep calm, we are going to renew with Cristiano Ronaldo. The club are going to pay him," he told
Blancos fans at a meeting. Jose Mourinho's side face Borussia Dortmund in a
European semi-final first leg in midweek and have a Copa del Rey final with Atletico Madrid approaching and Perez says he is happy with theway things are going.

Messi not in Barcelona squad for Zaragoza trip

Lionel Messi has been left out Barcelona's squad to face Zaragoza on Sunday evening, as have Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

The Argentine, who has won the Ballon d'Or four times in a row, missed last weekend's 5-0 thrashing of Mallorca due to a hamstring problem picked up in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Paris Saint-Germain  earlier in the week.

Missing that match at Camp Nou ended Messi's record-breaking 19-game scoring streak in La Liga and he will once again be absent against the relegation candidates this weekend.

The Blaugrana star started on the bench in the second leg against PSG but came on to make an important impact at Camp Nou, playing a part in Pedro’s equaliser to see the 2011 European champions through to the last four by the skin of their teeth on away goals.

His absence is likely to ensure that he is fully fit for Tito Vilanova's side's clash with Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League, with the first leg kicking off on April 23 at the Allianz Arena.

Iniesta and Alba have also been handed a rest, while fellow regular first-teamer Busquests suffered discomfort and misses out and reserve goalkeeper Jose Pinto has had back problems and does not travel ahead of Sunday's match.

Lionel Messi wins 2012 Fifa Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi has become the only player to win Ballon d'Or for Four times in a row beating both Real Madrid's Christiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta