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Madrid media excited by Real

Madrid - The Spanish media are licking their lips in anticipation of a great season for Real Madrid, after Tuesday's 2-0 defeat of Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup

Real Madrid's 2-0 defeat of Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday has left the media in Madrid crying out for more - and predicting a historic season for the whites.

Real were far superior to dull Sevilla in Cardiff, with Cristiano Ronaldo putting aside his World Cup blues to score twice, and with expensive signings Toni Kroos from World Cup winners Germany and Colombia's James Rodriguez making promising debuts.

"Superchampions!" was Wednesday's headline in AS, while Marca opted for "A Machine!"

AS said that Ronaldo is "already on his way to his usual tally of 50 goals per season", and that Kroos "is the new leader and central figure of the team."

Marca pointed out that Real are now level with Barcelona on 78 trophies in all competitions, both Spanish and European.

"This is clearly the best Real Madrid team since the 1998-2002 period (when the whites won three Champions Leagues), and the prospects for it are very bright indeed," commented El Mundo.

Radio Marca said that Real should become the first team since AC Milan in 1990 to win back-to-back Champions titles.

"It is not actually ridiculous to imagine this team winning all the six trophies that are available," commented the sports radio station.

Real will face neighbours Atletico in the Spanish Super Cup on August 19 and 22, then will begin their league programme at home to modest Corboba on August 25.

"We didn't play badly for the short time we have been training. This triumph gives us massive hope and expectations ... We want to continue improving and winning trophies," Real president Florentino Perez said.

A year ago, Perez was almost a figure of ridicule in some sections of the Spanish media, for his profligate spending followed by frustrating results.

Now, however, his star-studded squad - the most expensive in football history, having cost more than 600 million euros (800 million dollars) -is the envy of all Europe.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to this squad, saying: "I am lucky to be in the coach of a squad of such great quality. It will be difficult to have a fixed starting lineup ... I will have to use all the players."

Ancelotti knows full well that the demands on him for good football and results will be even higher than last season. For this reason, he is reluctant to part company with Angel di Maria and Sami Khedira, whom Perez reportedly wants to sell before the end of the summer transfer period.

"We have set our standards very high from the start, now we will have to maintain them in every match," said Ancelotti.

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