Raúl returns after three months out

Raúl González could be in line to make his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance next week after being named in Real Madrid CF's squad to face Deportivo Alavés on Saturday, three months after suffering a serious knee injury.

Arsenal visit
The 28-year-old's return is a major boost for coach Juan Ramón López Caro ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League Round of 16 visit of Arsenal FC, and for Spain as they look towards the FIFA World Cup. He damaged his left kneecap during the 3-0 Primera División defeat by FC Barcelona on 19 November and has since undergone a "conservative" programme of treatment. Raúl, who has scored 51 UEFA Champions League goals in 99 outings, is unlikely to play a full 90 minutes against Alavés at the Santiago Bernabéu, however.