Rescue act a Real lift, says Sergio

Ramos the hero again to boost Madrid ahead of world-title bid

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos believes the European champion will ride the momentum of his injury-time winner to edge out Deportivo la Coruna 3-2 into its quest to win the FIFA Club World Cup.

Madrid flew to Japan on Sunday aiming to be crowned the world's best team for a fifth time on the back of a club-record 35-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

However, a much-changed Real team needed to rely on Ramos to bail it out once more on Saturday.

Just a week after netting a last-minute equalizer against Barcelona, Ramos powered home the winner as Real battled back from 2-1 down in the final six minutes.

"In the end we won the game and that is the way we go into a competition like the Club World Cup," said the Spain international.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane left Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric out of his squad as he rested the majority of his first-choice players.

That decision almost backfired as Joselu struck twice in two minutes for Deportivo just after the hour mark to cancel out Alvaro Morata's opener.

"It wasn't a great performance. We made mistakes which were costly, but at the end we managed to turn it around," added Ramos.

However, Zidane claimed those that came into the team did themselves proud.

Substitute Mariano Diaz took advantage of a rare first-team start to head in Lucas Vazquez's cross and set up a grandstand finish.

"I am happy for all the players because they played great," said Zidane. "The game became complicated when we made a mistake for the first goal.

"You have to congratulate the opponents. They played very well and made it very difficult for us.

"But, in the end, we got the three points at that is the most important thing."

The late comeback ensured Zidane's men surpassed Real's previous record mark of 34 games unbeaten from the 1988/89 season when Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker was in charge.

And the Frenchman hailed Madrid's mental strength, led by its inspirational captain Ramos.

"Mentally, it helps to have gone 35 games unbeaten. It gives you strength," added Zidane. "Sergio is special because it is not the first time. He is our captain and with many others he is the soul of this team."

However, Deportivo coach Gaizka Garitano raged that the host was the beneficiary of favorable refereeing.

"They have a lot of potential, but when you see five minutes added on in a game, when there has been no time lost, we knew it would be played until they score," said Garitano.

Ronaldo awaits his crown

On Monday, what looks to be a poorly kept secret will officially be out - Cristiano Ronaldo will bag his fourth Ballon d'Oras the world's top player.

The Real Madrid and Portugal superstar won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons last May - and third time overall after one title with Manchester United in 2008.

He then led Portugal to its first major title at Euro 2016 - albeit he was substituted early in the match through injury in the win over France.

As has been the case for almost a decade now, the 31-year-old's main rival for the award will be Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

However, by his own high standards, the Argentine had a less than stellar year, with the top prizes eluding the 29-year-old.

Possibly anticipating his prize, Ronaldo was spotted in training with dyed-gold hair, and for his Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, there is only one man for the crown.