Real Madrid plays agains Paris Saint Germain

  Real Madrid will take to the field surprisingly since Cristiano Ronaldo's punishment secured an eleventh European Cup while going up against individual mainland goliaths Paris Saint-Germain in Ohio on Wednesday. Triumph over Atletico Madrid gave a fantasy peak to the season for Zinedine Zidane under six months after the previous Los Blancos midfield awesome assumed responsibility.

           He will require no reminding, however, that the happy night in Milan will be immediately overlooked is comparative achievement does not proceed. Zidane, all things considered, was associate to Carlo Ancelotti, who was chopped out in 2015, only a year in the wake of winning the Champions League.

         What's more, the players seem to get the message that everything now begins over again as arrangements for the new season get in progress.“We won the last European Cup, but we have to forget that,” left-back Marcelo said while in Montreal for a week of training before heading to Ohio.

        “We're making our preparations in Canada with our minds focused on working hard. It's no good to keep thinking about the fact we're champions. The only thing in our minds is working to win more titles.”So far, however, little has changed in terms of the makeup of Zidane’s squad. In contrast to how Real Madrid usually goes about its business in the transfer market, the club has been quiet thus far.

          Only Alvaro Morata has arrived after the club activated its clause to re-sign him from Juventus.And the Spain international is one of the players with most to prove on a three-game tour of the United States, which also sees Real Madrid take on Chelsea and Bayern Munich. It was initially widely believed that Morata was only being signed so that he could be then sold on at a profit.

          But Zidane appears keen to keep him around, although with the famed forward trio of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema well established, Morata will know that he is up against it to earn a starting role.He is set to be given an early chance to impress on Wednesday. 

          Both Bale and Ronaldo have yet to rejoin the squad after their exploits at Euro 2016, meaning Zidane could start with Benzema and Morata up front against PSG.Another player with plenty of reason to want to put in strong showings in the U.S. is James Rodriguez. It appeared likely that the Colombian playmaker would already have been moved on after a season in which he found himself out of favor, first with Rafael Benitez and then with Zidane.

         But after showing flashes at this summer’s Copa America Centenario of the quality that persuaded Real Madrid to spend big on him two years ago, he may have earned a second chance.James even revealed last week that a bid had come in for his services.

         And, while he didn’t name the club in question, it may well have been from Real Madrid’s first opponents of preseason, with PSG known to be admirers of the 25-year-old.Even without James’ arrival, there has been significant change at PSG this summer.

         Both the club’s talisman and coach departed, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaving at the end of his contract to join Manchester United and Laurent Blanc being replaced by Unai Emery.While Blanc dominated domestically, he failed to give the club’s owners the success they craved in Europe, losing in the Champions League quarterfinals for three successive seasons.

         And it will be in the Champions League where his successor is judged. Having won the Europa League an unprecedented three seasons in a row, it is not hard to see why Emery was chosen.The Spaniard has already made his mark, bringing with him from Sevilla defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak. The Poland international didn’t feature as PSG beat Inter Milan 3-1 in its opening game in the U.S. on Sunday.

           But along with, Thiago Motta, David Luiz and Marco Verratti, who also didn’t travel to Oregon to take on Inter, could feature on Wednesday at the 105,000 capacity Ohio Stadium. 

Real Madrid Squad For PSG-Match-Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Kike Casilla, Ruben Yanex, Alex Craninx, Luca Zidane

Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Danilo, Dabi Carvajal, Marcelo, Nacho, Philipp Lienhart, Alvaro Tejero, Achraf Hakimi

Midfielders: Casemiro, Luka Modric, Isco, Mateo Kovacic, Marco Asensio, Martin Odegaard, Enzo Zidane, Diego Llorente, Aleix Febas

Forwards: Karim Benzema, Alvaro Morata, Jese Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez, Mariano, Sergio Diaz

PSG Squad-Goalkeepers: Kevin Trapp, Alphonse Areola, Remy Deschamps

Defenders: Serge Aurier, Alec Georgen David Luiz, Presnel Kimpembe, Layvin Kurzawa, Maxwell, Thomas Meunier, Thiago Silva

Midfielders: Lorenzo Callegari, Angel di Maria, Grzrgorz Krychowiak, Jonathan Ikone, Christopher Nkunku, Javer Pastore, Adrien Rabiot, Benjamin Stambouli, Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti

Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa, Edinson Cavani, Odsonne Edouard, Lucas Moura

Manchester United target RAPHAEL VARANE

Varane arrived at Madrid five years ago when Jose Mourinho was in charge and the Portuguese boss handed him his La Liga debut at the age of just 18.

And while he didn’t become a regular in the first team until 2014, he did break into the France team and has racked up 29 appearances for his country. 

But now Spanish newspaper Ecodiario claim the 23-year-old could face another season without regular football having failed to displace either Sergio Ramos or Pepe in the pecking order.

Both defenders suffered injuries last season allowing Varane the chance to impress under Rafa Benitez and then Zinedine Zidane.

The former Lens defender made 38 appearances in all competitions but has not reportedly done enough to break up the established pairing of Ramos and Pepe.

However, he is said to believe he is qualified to do more than wait and wants to be considered a starter.

Varane has four years left on a six-year contract meaning if he wants to leave Madrid he will have to force a move.

And Spanish outlet Fichajes claim a reunion with Mourinho at Manchester United would be an attractive option for him.

A move for Varane would please United fans who have already seen Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan head to Old Trafford this summer.

He would have to compete with £30million Bailly and Chris Smalling for a place in the starting XI but may feel his pre-existing relationship with Mourinho will stand him in good stead.