RAUL PRAISES RONALDO AND MESSI
He's a three-time Champions League winner and won La Liga six times but Real Madrid legend Raul could not find himself in a team ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Raul was asked to name his ideal fantasy side, which unsurprisingly included the Ballon d'Or top two after labelling the pair as "simply the greatest" ahead of Saturday's blockbuster Clasico.
Once Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer (323) and the Champions League's record scorer (71), Raul watched Ronaldo shatter both of his achievements, while Messi has also netted more goals in Europe's premier competition.
"They are simply the greatest," the 38-year-old former Spain international, who retired in November, told the Daily Mail.
"I will have to make do with a place on the substitute's bench."
Despite his phenomenal record at the Santiago Bernabeu and a league-best haul of 28 goals in 30 games this term, Ronaldo has come under scrutiny as Madrid struggle to keep pace with the runaway Camp Nou leaders.
Madrid are ten points adrift of Barca with eight matches remaining, though Zinedine Zidane's team are on a four-game winning streak in the league.
No stranger to pressure in the Spanish capital, Raul - Madrid's record appearance holder with 741 - said: "Look, every club needs stability. I know what you are getting at. It's important - I think you need continuity and people need time to achieve their objectives.
"The demands at Real Madrid are huge. The expectations are enormous. Sometimes, it is good. When you're winning, it's an amazing place and the fans are happy.
"But come on, eh? This is Real Madrid. You have to win titles every year. And if you don't? It's complicated.
"Never mind a year, if you don't win one game, it can become a complicated week. Yes, that’s life at Real Madrid."
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