unity.Kalinic buried the spot kick but had to | Forum

MADRID -- Its been hard to know what to expect from Real Madrid these days. Nick Foles Eagles Jersey .Zinedine Zidane, always great as a player but increasingly unpredictable as a coach, has recently made a number of changes to his squad that have led to inconsistent performances and disappointing results.Zidane is trying different lineups and different setups, switching players and experimenting with new formations, but whatever he has tried hasnt fully worked.Madrid has won big in recent matches, such as 6-1 and 4-1 routs in the Spanish league, but it has also struggled badly in a series of draws and close victories against weaker opponents, including a lackluster 3-3 tie at winless Legia Warsaw in the Champions League on Wednesday.Madrids inconsistency was more visible than ever in Warsaw, as the Spanish powerhouse got off to a great start and opened a 2-0 lead before collapsing and allowing the hosts to take the lead.It only avoided defeat thanks to a late equalizer by Mateo Kovacic.We know we have to improve and we must show that, said Zidane, who has been increasingly criticized by Spanish media and fans.Zidane experimented with a formation that had four forwards playing up front against Legia. In addition to the trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, he also added Alvaro Morata to the lineup -- a move that ultimately left Madrids defense unusually exposed.I was looking to win the game, Zidane said. We played 4-4-2. We did it in preseason and its a system were familiar with. It worked well for us in the early stages of the first half but then things got a bit more difficult.Zidane changed his teams setup during the game by replacing left back Fabio Coentrao, who was returning after a long injury layoff, with midfielder Marco Asensio and reverting to a three-man defense. That also didnt work, and Madrid conceded yet another goal.We took a risk by playing with three at the back, Zidane said. But I dont think that we looked fragile. We got off to a very good start.Zidanes defense had already looked exposed when Madrid faced Legia at home a few weeks ago. In that game, Zidane didnt use Morata but played with a more offensive formation by setting free his defensive midfielders. He said that it was a calculated risk, and it paid off with a 5-1 victory.But critics have long pointed to Madrids defensive struggles under Zidane, with the team having conceded at least one goal in each of its last 10 matches.Our best games come when we defend and attack together as a team, defender Raphael Varane said. Playing with four forwards, theres a different balance. We knew wed have more space in behind and that wed have to defend together but we didnt do that very well (Wednesday).It hasnt helped Zidane that his squad has been depleted by the absences of key players, including Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Pepe, because of injuries.Zidane, the former France playmaker, gave no hints about what his lineup will look like for the Spanish league game against Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, when Madrid will try to defend a two-point lead over Barcelona. The Catalan club plays later in the day at fourth-place Sevilla, which is three points behind Madrid.Third-place Atletico Madrid, also three points back, plays at Real Sociedad on Saturday.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni Chuck Bednarik Jersey . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Wes Hopkins Womens Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. http:///...ingham-black-jersey/ . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. TURIN, Italy -- Gonzalo Higuain scored a record 36 league goals for Napoli last season, and on Saturday he scored his first goal against it, helping Juventus to a 2-1 win over his former team.Higuain netted what was to prove the winner in the 70th minute, bursting into the area to fire a loose ball into the bottom right corner. He was engulfed by his teammates but didnt celebrate.I told him hed score before the match, I was good in reading the future, fellow goal-scorer Leonardo Bonucci said. Luckily, this year he plays for us and champions decide these kinds of matches.After a tense first half, Juventus broke the deadlock in the 50th when Napoli failed to defend a Miralem Pjanic corner, and Bonucci volleyed in from close range.Its lead lasted just four minutes before Jose Callejon beat the offside trap to volley in Lorenzo Insignes pass to the far post.Serie A leader Juventus moved five points clear of second-place Roma, which visits Empoli on Sunday. Napoli remained fourth, seven points behind the five-time reigning champion.If we had drawn, Roma probably would have moved level with us tomorrow, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. But now Roma cant catch us tomorrow, and Napoli is seven points below us.Tension between the sides increased in the offseason when Higuain moved to Juventus for an Italian record fee of 90 million euros ($99 million) after breaking a 66-year-old Serie A goal-scoring record.It threatened to boil over toward the end of the first half when a row broke out over a set play as Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina appeared to push Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic but referee Gianluca Rocchi calmed the situation.There waas a touching moment before kickoff as Higuain and Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri shared a warm embrace on the touchline. Dallas Goedert Youth Jersey. When you are angry with a child you continue to love him, Sarri said. He has only done good to me. His move to Juve upset me but he is still a person who I am very affectionate towards, and we will probably still be in touch in 10 years time.The only sour note for Juventus was defender Giorgio Chiellini limping off in the first half with a recurrence of a muscular injury. Juventus hosts Lyon in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday.Napoli visits Besiktas on Tuesday, and it remains to be seen whether Lorenzo Insigne will be dropped as punishment for his angry reaction to being substituted after an hour.Im also not happy with him. Hes had some disappointing matches, but Im not there showing my disappointment, Sarri said. When he comes off he has to shut up, be very quiet. If he has problems he has to tell me tomorrow.BOLOGNA 0, FIORENTINA 1Fiorentina moved up to sixth as it scraped a narrow win over 10-man Bologna.The visiting side started brightly and Josip Ilicic hit the woodwork twice early on.Fiorentina took the lead shortly after the half hour when Nikola Kalinic was pulled back by Bologna captain Daniele Gastaldello, who was shown a straight red card for preventing a clear goal-scoring opportunity.Kalinic buried the spot kick but had to retake it due to encroachment by teammate Federico Bernardeschi. Kalinic fired it into the same corner for his sixth goal in four matches. ' ' '