Karim Benzema has been included in Real Madrid’s 21-man squad for tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at Tottenham.

CRISTIANO RONALDO has sought to play down talk of tonight’s El Clasico being merely a duel being him and ace Lionel Messi.

WELL, there goes the unbeaten record at the Aviva.

Republic of Ireland 0 Argentina 1

NO Maradona in the dugout, more’s the pity, but Argentina will certainly not be lacking in star quality on the pitch when they play the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium next Wednesday.

NO Maradona in the dugout, more’s the pity, but Argentina will certainly not be lacking in star quality on the pitch when they play the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium next Wednesday.

Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona has confirmed there is no shortlist yet in place to succeed Diego Maradona as national team manager.

ROBERTO MANCINI’S coolness could not have been in starker contrast to the wide eyes of chief executive Garry Cook as the Italian was unveiled as Mark Hughes’ replacement, but the air of uncertainty and potential for chaos is lingering at Manchester City.

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta is set to wear a mask against Hull on Saturday to protect a broken nose.

TOTTENHAM striker Robbie Keane is shaping up to be the biggest name on the move on transfer deadline day.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has been linked with a £7m swoop for Parma’s Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga after a move for Real Madrid’s Fernando Gago broke down.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is reportedly interested in signing midfield duo Fernando Gago and Mathieu Flamini before the transfer window closes.

FC Zurich 2 Real Madrid 5

KAKA was officially presented as a Real Madrid player last night in front of tens of thousands of fans and a huge media contingent at the club’s Bernabeu stadium last night.

AC Milan have reiterated that no offer has been made by Chelsea or any other club for Italy international Andrea Pirlo.

Real Madrid 0 Liverpool 1

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has been named to lead Argentina in their friendly international against France next month.

REAL MADRID striker Gonzalo Higuain hailed his side’s fighting spirit after Bernd Schuster’s side claimed an incredible Primera Liga victory over Malaga on Saturday.

Manchester United’s Carlos Tevez has been named in the Argentina squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.

BATTLING Roma gave themselves a slender advantage after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma 2 Real Madrid 1*

David Beckham has been named in the Real Madrid squad for tomorrow’s match against Real Mallorca, which will be the midfielder’s final game for the Spanish giants before his move to America.

CRISIS CLUB Real Madrid are set to cut their losses during the transfer window and ditch their two remaining Galacticos, Ronaldo and David Beckham, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

Real Madrid sporting director Pedja Mijatovic has warned David Beckham that the Spanish giants want to sort out his contract by next week.

REAL MADRID president Ramon Calderon is hopeful David Beckham will remain at the Bernabeu — despite admitting three new players are likely to arrive in January.

Jose Mourinho has opted to maintain a dignified silence following criticism of his handling of Dutch winger Arjen Robben by Holland coach Marco van Basten.