Spanish football morning headlines for 25 February.
Isco redemption at Madrid
Thursday’s Real Madrid news is dominated by the side’s win in their Champions League Round of 16 clash at Atalanta.
Diario AS concentrates on the surprise inclusion of out-of-favour playmaker Isco, who was returned to the side and put in an impressive performance.
Boss Zinedine Zidane said: “It’s been a long time since he played so much and also in a position that is not his natural one. He played a good game and we know what Isco can give us. It was important that he played today.”
Isco is still intent on leaving the club, the report adds.
Araujo back for Barca
There is positive Barcelona news with central defender Ronald Araujo set to return ahead of the side’s double header against Sevilla, report El Mundo Deportivo.
The Uruguayan has been out with an ankle injury but will now be a substitute in this weekend’s league encounter with the plan to start in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final next week.
Barca candidates clash
There has been a clash between Barcelona presidential candidates Victor Font and Joan Laporta after Albert Benaiges appeared in presentation campaigns for both candidates.
Benaiges – linked to the youth team at the club – had already been placed in Font’s new organisation of the club should he won, but on Thursday also appeared in a Laporta event, as outlined by El Mundo Deportivo.
In a series of tweets, Font said: “We do not like how people such as Albert have been put between a rock and a hard place, and the mental position of “you are either with me or against me” means continuing to submit Barça in the climate of revenge that has surrounded the club for more than 10 years. We will take advantage of the press conference this afternoon (4.30 pm) to explain everything.”
Would be great to have isco back for real sociedad clash