Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 6y

Real Madrid's Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema return vs. Deportivo - Zidane

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has welcomed the return of the club's 'BBC' strikeforce, with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo set to play together for the first time in 273 days in Sunday afternoon's La Liga game at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo last featured together on the pitch in April 2017's Clasico against Barcelona at the Bernabeu -- with injury and suspension having meant at least one of the three has been missing for every competitive game since.

With Madrid starting 19 points behind runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona, and having lost their last two home outings in the league, the team are in a need of a boost.

"The three [BBC] will be with us," Zidane told his prematch news conference. "It is always positive to have players of such quality back from injury. I am very happy to have these three magnificent players back, who have not played much this year. We will see if they all start tomorrow, but the most important is to have them back for the team, they bring a lot of attacking power to the team."

Benzema's return from a hamstring injury comes as Marca claimed this week that club president Florentino Perez was planning a summer shake-up which would see the "BBC" making way for an "NHL" of Neymar, Eden Hazard and Robert Lewandowski.

Zidane was asked about speculation that Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar is unsettled in France, and that the ex-Barcelona attacker could be back in La Liga with Madrid as soon as next summer.

"I do not talk about players who are not mine," he replied. "But everyone in the world of football loves this player, he is a great player."

Zidane also made clear that Madrid would not be signing any new players in the January transfer window and said he was not thinking of walking away despite how difficult 2017-18 has been so far.

"There is no problem between the club [hierarchy] and me," Zidane said. "We talk about things and have the same opinion. That we are not going to sign anyone. If you ask someone else they might answer [differently], but for me there is no difference of opinion between club and coach.

"I do not think about the negative, just the positive. You might think there are not many, but I find them. I will never throw in the towel. I know anything can happen here, but I will keep fighting as I have always been taught. I will never give in, which is the values of this club."

Madrid have won all 10 of their last meeting with Depor across all competitions, and the Galicians sit 18th in the table having taken one point from their last four games.

"La Coruna do not deserve to be where they are in the table," Zidane said. "They are a very good team. We must have maximum concentration, begin the game as well as possible, and play with a lot of intensity. We will play same as always, to try and play good football and create chances. We are all together, and the solution is within us, nothing else. What is said outside, what others think, [we do not care about]."

Madrid back-up centre-back Jesus Vallejo could be out for a month after injuring a hamstring in Thursday's 1-0 Copa del Rey win at Leganes. Club captain Sergio Ramos is almost back from this calf problem, but Zidane said he will not be considered for this weekend's match.

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