Football
ESPN staff 8y

Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata ready to compete with Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema

Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata has said he hopes to get playing time upon his return to the club even though he is competing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema for a starting place.

Morata was welcomed back on Monday after Los Blancos activated the buy-back clause in his contract in July and he returned following a two-year spell with Serie A champions Juventus.

Asked where he will fit with the club's vaunted "BBC" trio in coach Zinedine Zidane's plans, the Spain international said he would leave that up to the manager.

"I have spoken with the coach and he has expressed his trust in me," the 23-year-old said. "Those three are from a different planet. I can supplement their work, but we are a team. If I were to think only of myself, I would be playing tennis or chess. 

"I am back home and am here to give everything I have. The two-year wait has been a long one, but it was needed as I am more mature now.

"The decisions are up to the coach. We all know the type of players Real Madrid have. I would like to play each Sunday but I am aware of the competition."

Morata said it felt strange to have scored the Juventus goal in the 2015 Champions League semifinal that knocked out Real Madrid, but added that he hopes to be able to help his boyhood club out in a similar way.

"For me it was a weird sensation because I left so many of my friends out of the Champions League final," Morata said. "But I am coming here with the motivation to score important goals. I would love to score a goal for Madrid in a Champions League semifinal."

Morata admitted it was a tough route to get back to Real Madrid's first team.

"I am in the best club in the world and it is clear that it is very difficult to get up to this level," he said. "But the youth system in Madrid is very good and I want to tell all the young players in the cantera that they should work hard because it is possible.

"I left here without having played in important matches. In leaving, I matured as a player and a person. I went to one of the top clubs in Europe and it could not have worked out better."

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