- Title: SOCCER-SPAIN/REAL MADRID Navas 'delighted' to still be at Real, Benitez says
- Date: 11th September 2015
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (SEPTEMBER 11, 2015) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, SAYING: "I was having dinner with Keylor (Navas), his wife and his agent - Keylor, his wife and agent. Everything is crystal clear between us. He knows how much confidence I have in him. His training is sensational and he is ready to play very well for Real Madrid. For me that's the end of the story. (David) De Gea does not play for Real Madrid at the moment, I only speak about the players I have. " NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, SAYING: "There are too many matches but I don't make the rules. I give my opinion as a coach and someone else decides which way it's done. What happens is that players end up playing matches that are totally unimportant, not only friendlies, also official ones, matches that end up 7-0, 8-0. This could be resolved possibly making groups. " NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, SAYING: "Sports should serve to unite, soccer should serve to unite. I am going to concentrate on what's ahead which is a game against Espanyol which is difficult and we have to take it on properly. Everything else doesn't worry me at this point. As the coach, I can say I want Real Madrid to win every match and other than that I am not going to get involved in any other discourse." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS BENITEZ LEAVING AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE REAL MADRID PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH AT SESSION COSTA RICAN GOALKEEPER KEYLOR NAVAS TRAINING PLAYERS AT SESSION PLAYERS WARMING UP BENITEZ AND HIS ASSISTANT COACH AT SESSION / PLAYERS TRAINING PORTUGUESE FORWARD CRISTIANO RONALDO AND CROATIAN MIDFIELDER LUKA MODRIC TRAINING / BENITEZ AND HIS ASSISTANT COACH AT SESSION NAVAS TRAINING BENITEZ TALKING TO HIS ASSISTANT COACH AT SESSION / PLAYERS TRAINING PLAYERS TRAINING RONALDO AND FRENCH FORWARD KARIM BENZEMA AT SESSION RONALDO TRAINING WELSH MIDFIELDER GARETH BALE TRAINING MODRIC TRAINING BRAZILIAN DEFENDER MARCELO TRAINING SPANISH DEFENDER SERGIO RAMOS TRAINING PLAYERS AT SESSION
- Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAD776IVDS2RJP5B428KA9A2KYS
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas is delighted to still be with the club after his planned swap with Manchester United stopper David De Gea fell through in farcical circumstances last month, coach Rafa Benitez said on Friday (September 11).
Real and United had tied up the deal but blamed each other after it collapsed because the paperwork was not filed until shortly after the deadline.
Costa Rica international Navas remains at Real and United announced on Friday that Spain's De Gea had agreed a new four-year deal with the Premier League club.
Benitez told a news conference ahead of Saturday's (September 12) La Liga match at Espanyol he had full confidence in Navas, as well as support goalkeepers Kiko Casilla and Ruben Yanez.
He said he had been having dinner with Navas and the keeper's wife and agent the night the transfer failed to go through.
"I was having dinner with Keylor, his wife and his agent. Everything is crystal clear between us. He knows how much confidence I have in him. His training is sensational and he is ready to play very well for Real Madrid. For me that's the end of the story. (David) De Gea does not play for Real Madrid at the moment, I only speak about the players I have," the 55-year-old, who took over from Italian Carlo Ancelotti at the end of last season after Real failed to win any of the three main competitions.
Real, who play their Champions League Group A opener at home to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday (September 15), will be without Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez and Brazil fullback Danilo for several weeks after the pair returned injured from international duty.
Benitez, who said he had enough quality in his squad to cope, is likely to deploy Spain midfielder Isco and his international team mate Dani Carvajal in their place.
Benitez however did say that players had to play too many matches many of which were not important.
"What happens is that players end up playing matches that are totally unimportant, not only friendlies, also official ones, matches that end up 7-0, 8-0. This could be resolved possibly making groups," he said.
Real drew their opening match of the campaign 0-0 at promoted Sporting Gijon before thrashing Real Betis, the second-division champions, 5-0.
They are two points behind joint leaders Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Celta Vigo and Eibar, who all have six points.
"I am going to concentrate on what's ahead which is a game against Espanyol which is difficult and we have to take it on properly. Everything else doesn't worry me at this point. As the coach, I can say I want Real Madrid to win every match and other than that I am not going to get involved in any other discourse," Benitez said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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