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Real Madrid first-team stars Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric received a motivational visit from club legend Raul ahead of their La Liga clash with rivals Barcelona.
Raul, who is Real Madrid’s record appearance holder with 741 first-team appearances to his name, returned to his former stomping ground in his role as La Liga ambassador on Tuesday afternoon.
The former Spain international was unable to meet Cristiano Ronaldo, who has overtaken him as the club’s record goalscorer, and several other international stars as they are away with their respective countries.
However he was greeted by former team-mates Zinedine Zidane, now manager of Real, and Roberto Carlos, who also visited his former club.
Raul, now 38, ended his 16-year stay in Real Madrid’s first team in 2010 when he joined Bundesliga side Schalke.
After a two-year spell in Germany, Raul went on to play for Doha-based Al Sadd before hanging up his boots in America with the New York Cosmos.
Carlos, on the other hand, is an ambassador for Real Madrid in Asia and was player-manager of Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos for the 2015 campaign.
The legendary left back represented Real Madrid for 11 years before plying his trade at Fenerbahce, Corinthians, Anzhi and the aforementioned Delhi Dynamos.
Zidane, Raul and Carlos were all part of Real’s famous Galacticos along with Luis Figo, David Beckham and Ronaldo.
Real Madrid’s current crop of stars will be hoping to close the 10-point gap on league leaders Barcelona when they go head-to-head at the Nou Camp on Saturday.
Zidane’s side will be seeking revenge after Barcelona hit Real for four during the reverse clash at the Bernabeu in November.
Bale missed Wales’ 1-0 defeat by Ukraine on Monday night in a bid to make a return to full fitness following recent injury problems.