'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Real Madrid ended a two-year absence from the last eight of the UEFA Champions League with a 4-1 win on aggregate against Atalanta on Tuesday night. The Blancos were guided to victory via goals from Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Marco Asensio in their second-leg win, after Ferland Mendy's sublime hit in Bergamo. Zinedine Zidane's men are now set to travel to Celta Vigo as they resume their LaLiga Santander campaign.
Ahead of their upcoming fixture, here is a look at some of the latest Real Madrid news.
Sergio Ramos asks Real Madrid to be judged 'by performance, not by age'
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes his side must be judged on their displays on the pitch and not by their age. The Blancos saw off Atalanta relatively comfortably in their UCL tie and qualified for the last eight with a side that had five players over the age of 30, including Ramos himself, who recently turned 34.
However, the defender does not believe that this is necessarily an issue, claiming everyone must be judged only based on how they perform on the pitch. He explained;
"No one can judge us by age, but by performance. That's what you have to look at. In the end, when you've spent so many years taking care of yourself... when you plant seeds, you end up with a harvest. No one can judge anyone by age. We always try to perform to our best. People must look at performance."
This could also be directed towards the Real Madrid hierarchy who appear reluctant to hand him a lucrative two-year deal, which is something Ramos is believed to be holding out for.
David Beckham's Inter Miami eye move for Marcelo
Marcelo's playing time at the capital club has continued to plummet after since Ferland Mendy's arrival in the summer 2019. The Brazilian is one of the Blancos' greatest players of the modern era but has seen his powers wane with age and, with it looking like he's no longer a part of Zidane's long-term plans, the 32-year-old could be on his way out of the club.
Although it was reported earlier that Juventus are interested in signing him, a new report claims ex-Real Madrid star David Beckham has made him a target for Inter Miami. Marcelo has a contract until the summer of 2022, but he could potentially leave the club this summer itself. The left-back could join a few other big-names in European football who made the switch to Miami such as Blaise Matuidi and former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain.
LaLiga chief Javier Tebas encourages Cristiano Ronaldo return
There have been several reports of Cristiano Ronaldo's potential return to Real Madrid, and LaLiga Santander chief Javier Tebas has just fuelled the speculation even further. The Portuguese superstar is believed to be keen on an exit from Juventus after another failure in Europe this year and has been tipped to return to the Santiago Bernabeu, where he helped Los Blancos to four UCL titles in nine years.
Tebas has encouraged Ronaldo to return to his former club, saying it could be a beautiful move. He expressed;
"He [Cristiano Ronaldo] continues to make a difference, he is still a genius and a star. He is man made in Madrid – it would be beautiful."
Juventus are reportedly open to his departure as they look to get his massive wages off their books. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a staggering 23 league goals this season and recently surpassed Pele's goal tally with his 770th career goal.
