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First-team return for Zidane’s son in Real win

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane's son Luca made his first appearance for the team in over 10 months after he was recalled to the side for yesterday morning's (Singapore time) La Liga clash at home to Huesca, which Real won 3-2.

Luca Zidane is the No. 1 goalkeeper for Real's reserve and he had not featured for the first team since making his debut in a 2-2 draw against Villarreal on the final day of last season.

His second game for the club got off to a difficult start as the 20-year-old was forced to pick the ball out of the net in the third minute, after being beaten by a thumping drive by Cucho Hernandez.

But he showed impressive distribution skills later in the half, starting a promising attack with a long kick out of his hands which landed at the feet of Brahim Diaz just outside Huesca's area. It was a first league start of the season for Diaz, since joining in January from Manchester City.

Real levelled through Isco before Dani Ceballos gave them the lead, but Luca was beaten again by La Liga's basement club later in the second half when Xabier Etxeita headed home.

INJURED COURTOIS

Karim Benzema snatched all three points for the deposed European champions with a magnificent curling strike in the 89th minute.

Thibaut Courtois had picked up a thigh injury on international duty with Belgium and, with little riding on the game for Real who are effectively out of the title race, Zidane opted to pick his son ahead of Keylor Navas, who had been in action for Costa Rica.

"Luca is our third goalkeeper. Courtois wasn't available and Keylor had been with Costa Rica and needed a bit of rest, so I played our other goalkeeper," Zidane said.

"We took advantage of the fact a lot of players had been on international duty to give others a chance and they did well." - REUTERS

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