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Real Madrid are just over 24 hours away from kicking off their crucial second leg tie against Atalanta Bergamo in the UEFA Champions League. The Blancos emerged victorious in the first leg against Gian Piero Gasperini's men after a stunning last-gasp winner from Ferland Mendy from outside the box. They are now tasked with defending their 1-0 win without star midfielder Casemiro, who is suspended for the fixture.
Ahead of Atalanta's visit, here is a look at some of the latest Real Madrid news.
Real Madrid star Eden Hazard out for another month
In what is becoming a worrying trend for Real Madrid, Eden Hazard has picked up another injury ahead of their clash against Atalanta and is set to be sidelined for a month. The Blancos superstar's time in the Spanish capital has already been marred by several injuries and while he was hopeful of making a return before the business end of the campaign, that appears to be an unlikely scenario.
Zidane has addressed the Real Madrid star's injury, saying;
"He [Eden Hazard] is not in a condition to be with us. We will release something now shortly and I cannot tell you more. These are things that I cannot explain to you. I hope it is little because you have to be positive. He is a player who has never been injured or little in his career and this is a new situation for him. We are with him and we want him to be well."
"We want to help him and we hope that he will be with us soon. I ask our fans to wait for him. We know the player he is and our fans want to see him play, like the coach, the club and his team-mates. We are going to have patience and wait."
The Belgian skipper was hailed as one of the best players in the world before his move to Real Madrid but has failed to replicate his Chelsea form in Spain. His injury was the 45th that Real Madrid have suffered this year.
Luka Modric set for contract extension
With just a few months remaining on his current deal, Luka Modric could become a free agent this summer and walk away from Real Madrid. However, after his superb displays this year at the age of 35, the Blancos are set to extend his stay at the club by offering him a new contract.
Football insider Fabrizio Romano has claimed that both parties are on the same page and that an agreement has been in place since the winter, with an official announcement imminent. Modric, who has played 34 games across all competitions this year, is one of three Real Madrid stars whose contracts expire this summer, along with Sergio Ramos and Lucas Vazquez.
Zinedine Zidane drops huge hint over Cristiano Ronaldo's return
Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane fuelled speculation regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's potential return to Real Madrid. There have been several rumours of the Portuguese superstar wanting a reunion with his former club and Zidane revealed that there 'could be' some truth to these reports.
Speaking in a presser ahead of Real Madrid's game against Atalanta, Zidane was quizzed on this speculation. He responded;
"Yes, it could be [true]. We know Cristiano [Ronaldo], we know the person he is and everything he has done here."
"But now he’s a Juventus player and we must respect this. Now, let’s see what the future will be. I was lucky enough to coach him and he is very impressive. Right now, he's helping Juventus."
Although Juventus are adamant that Ronaldo isn't going anywhere, it remains to be seen if the Portuguese striker will continue in Turin after three successive failures in the UEFA Champions League.
