CLUB INVITES MEMBERS TO DISCOVER TRAINING GROUND

Your chance to visit Valdebebas

Real Madrid is set to open the first-team and academy residences at the Valdebebas training ground up to visitors. The club has sent a letter and email around to members informing them that a supporter relations office has been set up at the complex, "which will handle any requests to visit our wonderful facilities all year round".

Ahead of the finalisation of the plans for the new Bernabéu, Real is eager to show off its two new buildings – the first-team base, which opened a few months ago, and the academy residence, on which the ribbon should be cut in early January.

However, the club has made it clear that the tours are not an opportunity to go autograph hunting: "These visits, which will be centred on the new first-team and academy residences, will be scheduled to avoid clashes with training sessions and will only take place when the players are not present".

REAL MADRID DOES NOT WANT TO LOSE ALONSO

A new dawn for a new deal

The two parties appear closer to agreeing a new deal for Xabi Alonso. Ancelotti may just find a present under the Christmas tree, because time is of the essence, forcing the club to make its move.

Even though a few weeks ago his future appeared to be heading away from the Bernabéu, things have now changed and the Basque midfielder is closer than he was before his injury to signing a new deal.

Ancelotti is, in footballing terms, in love with Xabi, whom he calls 'The Professor'. He sees him as an extension of himself on the pitch, and if he was a crucial member of the team before, Khedira’s injury has now made him indispensible.

The ball is in Xabi’s court
Alonso’s requests remain the same. A two-year deal and a pay rise which sees him take a step up the salary ladder at the club. The club knows what his demands are and it now has to sit down with the player.

Mourinho is waiting for him, but Madrid wants to keep him. Despite being 32 in June, his persistent groin problem, as well as the players brought in and those yet to arrive, Xabi remains indispensible. He wants his new contract to reflect how the club values his contribution on the pitch.

FANS WANT PLAYER TO REPLACE KHEDIRA

Isco is the key

11/17/2013

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Ancelotti now faces a selection headache after Sami Khedira's injury, but the MARCA.com viewers have given him a helping hand. After all the questions that we asked throughout the day to determine the severity of the German's situation, the fans have spoken. For starters, they believe that Madrid does not need to resort to the winter transfer market and the German's place should be taken by Isco.

The vast majority (82%) are convinced that Khedira's injury must not disrupt the team and that there is no need to sign anyone in December.

In another survey, where we asked who should replace Sami, Isco was the clear winner. More than half (52%) of those who voted chose him to come into the team ahead of Ilarramendi, Casemiro and Di María. The inclusion of the Málaga-born player would lead to a change of system. Carletto was convinced by the 4-3-3 formation but may now go to a 4-2-3-1, with Isco in the middle of Bale and Cristiano and behind Benzema.

Surprisingly, Casemiro (28%), who has barely been used by Ancelotti since the season started, was the second most voted player. The Brazilian received more votes than Illarra (16%) and a fair few more than Di María (4%), who the Madrid fans believe should play on the wing.

Despite the fans' clear opinion that another signing is unnecessary, there is divided feeling among the Madrid supporters regarding the consequences of not being able to count on the German. A very slight majority think 'Los Blancos' will miss Khedira. Time will tell what Carlo thinks about all this...

CANDIDATE FOR THE SPOT LEFT VACANT BY KHEDIRA

Casemiro even trains on his days off

J. L. CALDERÓN · MADRID 11/17/2013

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Casemiro never gives up. The Brazilian hopes to convince Carlo Ancelotti that he's the perfect man to cover for the injured Khedira in midfield.

Although he's only played 80 minutes so far this season, Casemiro hasn't lost his smile or his hope, and day after day he trains hard at Valdebebas to try and get a spot, first in the matchday squad, then in the team.

He is so motivated that he even trains on his days off. Casemiro is officially off until Monday, but he turned up to the training ground yesterday to put in a shift.

After shining during pre-season, Casemiro seems to have become a forgotten man, and it's difficult to understand why.

Yesterday, the Brazilian sent a message of support to Khedira: "All the luck in the world, Sami! Real Madrid and the World Cup are waiting for you! We're here for you!!! #ChinUpKhedira", he wrote.

OPINION / ORTEGO'S KITCHEN

Without his 'Gattuso', Ancelotti may alter his system

For Carlo Ancelotti, the injury to Khedira is much more than bad news. Sami was playing the same role as Gattuso did in his Champions League-winning Milan side. And the comparison actually came from Ancelotti himself. He sees many of the same qualities in Khedira as he did in the battling Italian midfielder, as well as another aspect: his runs on goal.

His extended absence will undoubtedly oblige the Italian to revise his plans. He doesn't just need to find an emergency solution; he needs a solution for the whole season.

He has various options: from changing the system, to picking up another player during the winter transfer window, as well as choosing another player from the current squad to adapt to that position somewhere between a wide player and a holding midfielder in a 4-3-3.

We can find two precedents from this season, games that Khedira also missed out on due to injury. The first of which saw Casemiro filling the German's shoes, playing in central midfield alongside Modric.

In the next game, in Granada, Ancelotti made a slight change to the 4-2-2-2, moving to a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield - a subtle change on emphasis. At that point Özil was still in the squad, and he was placed at the top of the diamond.

If the manager wants to cling to his currently favoured 4-3-3, with a Bale-Benzema-Ronaldo frontline, he'll need to switch something up. He's publicly stated that he doesn't see Illara as a wide player. This means his options are either one of Isco and Di María, who play an offensive game, or to give Casemiro a chance, the Brazilian having proved to be more willing to get back and defend when he's been selected.

EXCERPTS FROM ANCELOTTI'S BOOK, 'MY CHRISTMAS TREE'

"Florentino knew how to win me over"

Tomorrow, Carlo Ancelotti will present his book 'Il mio albero di natale' ('My Christmas Tree'). The title takes its inspiration from the system that he himself created, the 'Christmas Tree' formation (4-3-2-1). It is considered to be his greatest, most innovative contribution to football. MARCA has a couple of little tasters from the book for you…

Player relationships
"I've said that the search for dialogue is fundamental, but I think it is essential to take great care about what is communicated. The option to not talk to a player may be down to not wanting them to think that we are taking the mickey out of them".

The missed opportunity in last season's PSG-Barça game
"What a game it was against Barcelona in the Champions League! Every time I think about it again I'm more convinced that we deserved to go through and get into the semi-finals against Bayern Munich. [In the first leg] our error was being too psychologically dependant".

Liverpool's big comeback in Istanbul
"In the second half, the Liverpool side that came out was different, which, at that point, didn't seem to change the situation much. Hamann came on for Finnan. The English side abandoned a 4-4-2 formation and moved to a 3-5-2. Perhaps we should have dealt with the changes they made better".

Real Madrid and Florentino
"The president, Florentino Pérez, a very hospitable man, made me feel at home and took me to the trophy room. He obviously knew how to win me over: 'there's one missing', but there are nine together, all alongside each other. I had never seen them. He looked at me and repeated: 'beautiful, very beautiful, but there's one missing'".

BUT ONLY IF SIGNED FROM SPANISH CLUB OR FREE AGENT

Real can move now for Khedira replacement

Real Madrid could sign a player any time it likes to cover the vacant spot left by the long-term injury to Sami Khedira. The fourth point on circular number 6 from the Spanish FA explains this clearly: "Outside of the two official transfer windows, licences can be granted when a player is unable to play through illness or injury, if this period that the player is inactive for reaches five months".

This means that Real, if it so decides, can make a request to the national sports association responsible for administering the 'Primera División' (the LFP), including the relevant medical documentation so that it can be evaluated and examined by the league's formal Medical Commission. This season, only Osasuna has made such a request so far, following injury to Sisi.

If 'Los Blancos' decide to sign a player then they have two options. If they were to bring someone in immediately, they would only be able to sign someone playing in the Spanish league or someone without a contract. They would not be able to bring in someone from a foreign club, because the markets are closed. This provision is also included in the same statement, circular number 6 from Spain's FA: "[Purchasing a player is possible] only when the replacement player does not require the certificate to be issued for an international transfer".

The second option would be to wait until the winter transfer market is open, from 2nd to 31st January. In this case, 'Los Blancos' would be able to shop on the international markets, and the player brought in would be able to be registered for the Champions League, but only if this replacement player had not played in the Champions League for their original team this season.