HALA MADRID: Heroic Benzema saves team from defeat; Next station, Barcelona

Hello Merengues, we bring you all-important Real Madrid news in the past 24 hours. Hala Madrid!

TEAM NEWS & RUMOURS

Valencia 1-1 Madrid: Benzema hits 95' equaliser to save Los Blancos from defeat

Benzema rescued Madrid at the death with a stoppage-time equaliser that salvaged a 1-1 draw away to Valencia, but they missed the chance to go into El Clasico top of the table. Click here to view the full match reports. >>

Benzema draws level with Messi in Pichichi race

Benzema rescued a point for Real Madrid at Mestalla and, in doing so, drew level with Lionel Messi at the top of the LaLiga Santander scoring charts.

Courtois is 2nd keeper to have shot on target in La Liga this season

Heroic Thibaut Courtois is the second goalkeeper to have a shot on target in La Liga this season, after Leganes' Juan Soriano against Levante.

Barca & Madrid level on points going into El Clasico

The two sides are joint leaders in LaLiga Santander with 35 points after they both picked up just a point over the weekend.

Ronaldo will return to Bernabeu if Juve meet Madrid in last 16

Zidane's side could face any of the current champions of Italy, Germany and England, and Zidane will not relish facing Juve, Bayern or Manchester City. 

Zidane 'wants Hakimi back at end of season'

Zidane has indicated he wants defender Achraf Hakimi to return to the club at the end of the season.

Espanyol considering move for Diaz (MD)

Espanyol have emerged as the latest side to be linked with a January move for Mariano Diaz.

Madrid won't let Vinicius, Rodrygo & Militao play in Brazil's pre-Olympics

There will be no Madrid players travelling with Brazil to play in the pre-Olympics. They will be played from the 18 January to 9 February in Colombia and not Vinicius nor Rodrygo will be given the all-clear to go. 

VOICE

Benzema: El Clasico is always the most important game

"It's always difficult there," Benzema said. "[Away at] the Camp Nou is always the most important game of the season.

"Let's hope we win."

'We deserved to win against Valencia'

Madrid director Butragueno: "We deserved to win the match,

"It looked like they were going to win and we could've scored from this corner, but we really deserved to win.

"It's very difficult to have absolute control [at Mestalla], it's a shame we didn't make the most of our chances."

Courtois: Opponents get nervous when I go up for corners

"I took advantage of my height to meet the corner," the Belgian said.

"I'm two metres tall and opponents get nervous if I go up [for corners].

Ramos: We'll try to get 3 points in El Clasico

Ramos spoke about the Clasico: "I think the two teams are at a good level of form and a Clasico is a Clasico. We arrive prepared and we'll try to get the three points there."

VIDEO

Courtois celebrates after 'assisting' Benzema goal & blows kiss to Valencia fans.

MATCHDAY(CET)

Finally, El Clasico coming soon.