Real Madrid 6 - 2 Malaga (Spanish League, Day 36)

Real Madrid keep winning in the Santiago Bernabeu. The Whites reached their 1000th home league win with a rout. The first half was intense and saw six goals scored, four for the home team and two for the visitors, one sending-off and a missed penalty. Albiol scored right at the start and Santa Cruz, on the quarter-hour mark, levelled the match. The captain on the night, Ronaldo, missed a penalty five minutes later but made up for it by converting an indirect free kick and making it to 200 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions. Ozil, who came off injured, made it three after a spectacular cut inside against Antunes, who went on to pull one back with a great goal himself. Benzema, in first half stoppage time, and Modric and Di Maria, in the second half, sealed the rout. Fabinho made his debut and joined in his team’s display in front of a devoted Bernabeu crowd.

Cristian Ronaldo; 200 goals for Real Madrid

Real Madrid played their penultimate home league match against Malaga and were looking to extend their excellent run of 42 matches unbeaten in the Bernabeu. The Whites did not speculate against the Champions League quarter-finalists and showed their credentials in the very first moments of the match. In fact, inside three minutes they already had their first goal on the scoreboard. Modric’s corner was met by Albiol who put the ball in the back of net with a header. Things were going well with what was the Spanish international’s first goal of the season.

Real Madrid: Disciplinary proceedings against Pepe

Pepe's words against Jose Mourinho after the las Spanish League match against Valladolid, not only upset the coach, but were not well received within the Real Madrid. According to Marca newspaper, the white club will study whether the statements of the Portuguese central defender violate the internal regulations and may be grounds for disciplinary action. In the offices of the Bernabeu Stadium, Pepe's words caused a significant annoyance. "We have the Spanish Cup Final just around the corner and we can not create in these two weeks a war of words between the coach and players," some say in the board of the Real Madrid.

Pepe

In the locker room of Real Madrid, always with exceptions, Pepe statements have not liked too much, especially when the Portuguese player has remained firmly aligned with Mourinho when other players have faced the coach this season.

Yesterday, Mourinho said Pepe's words were the result of frustration felt by the player after losing the starting lineup place with Varane and go from a permanent place on the eleven to be part of the substitutes on the bench. "It is not easy for a 31 year old man being hit by a boy of 19," said yesterday at a press conference the Portuguese coach.

Mourinho also announced in the morning that the Real Madrid defense against Malaga would be formed by Nacho, Varane, Albiol and Coentrao, confirming the yesterday's news about the substitution of Pepe after his explosive statements. But the Portuguese coach was a step further in the afternoon and left the center defender out of the squad, a decision that could be permanent now and till the end of the season. His place on the bench will be taken tonight by Carvalho.

Also, is possible that the name of Pepe is on the transfer list that Real Madrid manages, trying to earn 100 million euros in transfers next summer. So, with his words on Saturday, the Portuguese defender may have put the last nail in his coffin.

Zinedine Zidane: Carlo Ancelotti's assistant?

The coach Carlo Ancelotti is the best placed to replace Jose Mourinho in Real Madrid, if the Portuguese finally makes real his departure to Chelsea. The Italian coach has maintained contact with Florentino Perez thanks to the agent Ernesto Bronzetti, a confidant of the white president.

Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti (Juventus)

Besides, according to reports in Spanish media, the president has an ace up his sleeve that would enrich the criticized bet on the current coach of PSG (do not forget that on surveys made to Real Madrid fans, Ancelotti is the candidate that is worse off). Florentino Perez has chosen Zinedine Zidane to become Ancelotti's assistant. That would brighten this bet because Zidane is beloved by white fans. He is remembered for being, along with Casillas, the hero of the Ninth (last Champions League Real Madrid has won). Also for giving away 12 million euros retiring a year before finishing his contract with Real Madrid (2006) and finally for recommending the signing of Raphael Varane for a bargain-price (10 million euros).

The binomial Carlo Ancelotti - Zinedine Zidane is not new and that would help to a good start on the same team. They both met between 1999 and 2001 in Juventus, right in the two seasons prior to the signing of the French star by Real Madrid for 75 million euros.

Zinedine Zidane is a Florentino's henchman so in 2011 he was appointed Football Director of the First Team. But he never had a strong relationship with Mourinho and marriage only lasted one season. Mourinho spoke at that time about the relationship: "With us, Zizou really had no defined role. Sporting Director, Advisor to the President, the link between the first team and youth squads..." Since then Zidane studies to finish the coaching course and achieve the necessary license to work on the benches. He may be the 'shield' to save the unpopular Ancelotti's candidacy.

Moreover, we can not rule out that also Claude Makelele may join this team. Makelele is now assisting the Italian coach in the technical tasks. The Congolese has not a good relationship with the president after his hasty departure from the club, but now might be willing to come back a decade later. If so, two players who got the 'Ninth' will meet again in the same locker room to try to fight for the 'Tenth'.

Mourinho's future (4): Mourinho is getting closer to Chelsea

Although some British newspapers insist that Mourinho has everything agreed with Chelsea, the issue is not closed at all. Advanced, yes, but not closed. This explains, for example, the Mourinho's press conference after the elimination in the semifinals of Champions League when the Portuguese coach said there was a possibility of leaving Real Madrid: "I know that some England clubs want me, especially one," he said. Some people from Chelsea insist that there is nothing signed yet and that his words should be understood in the context of his dream (coaching in English football) and as a way of pressuring Roman Abramovich. If he would had all already agreed, why talk that way? Why re-emphasize the requited love that comes from London?

Jose Mourinho

The Russian tycoon surely knows what Petr Cech said recently at Radio Montecarlo:"It will be a great pleasure to work with him (Mourinho)" and the interested statements of Peter Kenyon, a partner of agent Jorge Mendes and former executive director of Chelsea: "Guardiola was a candidate, that's for sure, but you can not have him. Manuel Pellegrini may be listed, but if I had to choose between Pellegrini and Jose, I will always choose Jose."

The Real Madrid players and some board members believe, for at least two months ago, Mourinho has an agreement with Chelsea. But there are still things to fix. Roman Abramovich will not give him the reins of the signings: there are still at the club players with huge salaries (Mourinho's time) and others had to be undersold because they showed their shortcomings when, and without the Portuguese on the bench, were asked to play a more offensive football. Roman Abramovich wants to keep the structure of the club with a sporting director and for now, Mourinho would accept that condition. Moreover, as explained by the Sunday Times, Lampard would want to stay at the club, but the owner does not want to renew him and Mourinho will not object. Although Mourinho still consider PSG as a viable alternative, his desire is to go to London where his daughter is studying at an art school and where his son wants to continue his education. In fact, he will not even ask the condition that the team qualifies for the Champions League.

On the other hand, Jose Mourinho is giving clues about his future in the short term. If after the elimination of the Champions League began to talk of Real Madrid in the past, yesterday he staged a new chapter that shows he has virtually made ​​the bags. A Spanish television program revealed that the Portuguese coach was at an IKEA center and spent 200 euros in packing boxes and duct tape. An anecdote that may indicate that Mourinho is starting to prepare his move although the white team has to play the Spanish Cup Final and while the club tries to close the signing of a substitute.

Real Madrid 4 - 3 Valladolid (Spanish League, Day 34)

Real Madrid once again had to come from behind at home. Oscar put the visiting side ahead in the eighth minute and in the twenty-sixth minute the match changed completely. All of a sudden the match began to flow and in just six minutes the Whites were ahead on the scoreboard. Di Maria equalised the match with a shot that deflected off Marc Valiente and Cristiano Ronaldo, with a header, put his team ahead in the thirty-second minute. Three minutes later Javi Guerra equalised for the visitors. Despite a Benzema goal being disallowed for offside and Cristiano Ronaldo hitting the crossbar from a free kick in the last ten minutes of the first half, Real Madrid’s seventh consecutive victory at the Bernabeu was sealed in the second half. Kaka, five minutes alter the restart, and Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring his second goal with a header from a free kick with twenty minutes of the match left, completed the victory, despite Sastre scoring the visiting team’s third goal in the eighty-seventh minute.

Kaka returned to the goal

Real Madrid entered the match against Valladolid with a desire to achieve their seventh consecutive victory at home. The start of the match made their objective look difficult. In fact, with eight minutes of the match having passed, and with their first shot on goal, the visitors were already ahead on the scoreboard. Oscar stole the ball and beat Diego Lopez in a one-on-one. The crowd were not made to wait long for the home team’s reaction. They pressed further up the pitch and in five minutes had two clear opportunities to equalise. Di Maria, with a volley in the ninth minute, and Modric, with a crossed shot in the twelfth minute both attempted to bring the Whites level.

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Champions League, Semi-finals, 2nd Leg)

Real Madrid deserved more. The Whites kept trying right to the end and came close to completing the comeback with goals from Benzema, in the 82nd minute, and Ramos, in the 88th minute. Being short of luck and a great performance from Weidenfeller prevented the goals from coming sooner. In fact, and within just the first fifteen minutes, the home side had three chances against the German goalkeeper. The fans left the Santiago Bernabeu proud of their team, who left everything out on the field and made a titanic effort.

Real Madrid was one goal short of the final

Getting to the final of the Champions League would have meant turning the tie around in the Bernabeu from the 4-1 loss in Germany. Real Madrid did not go easy on Borussia Dortmund and made their intentions clear from the start. Supported by a Bernabeu crowd that was evocative of the stadium’s big occasions, the Whites pushed themselves to the limit and went for possession of the ball as the way to get back into the tie. Inside the first ten minutes they had already racked up four corners and had another three shots on goal. In one of them, in the 4th minute, Higuain came close to putting his team ahead. Weidenfeller came out on top against the Argentine in the one-on-one.

Atletico Madrid 1 - 2 Real Madrid (Spanish League, Day 33)

Real Madrid won again at the Vicente Calderon and displayed the strength in depth that Jose Mourinho has available. Things went against the Whites very early on, but they showed their resilience and turned around the scoreboard following Falcao’s fourth minute opener. Di Maria played a key role. The first goal came from a free-kick taken by the Argentine that deflected off of Juanfran before beating Courtois. The second was his and with a shot into the far corner. It was deserved and that is what was shown by the ovation that the Real Madrid fans in Atletico’s stadium gave him when he was replaced by Modric. Eleventh consecutive unbeaten league match (ten of them have been wins) and a morale boost ahead of their attempt to turn around the tie in Tuesday’s semi-final second leg against Borussia Dortmund and reach the final at Wembley.

Derby win and now to think of Dortmund

Real Madrid played the La Liga derby at the Vicente Calderon three days ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg match. The match began in the worst possible way. A free-kick taken by Gabi to the 4th minute and, following a block from Diego Lopez, Godin picked up the rebound before crossing to Falcao, who finished with an easy header. Everything was against them from the start but the Whites don’t give up easily and equalised nine minutes later, also from a set piece. Di Maria’s shot, having been encharged with taking the free-kick, deflected off of Juanfran as it was in flight and beat Courtois.