Raul resigned to life on the bench

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MADRID, Feb 2, 2010 (AFP) - Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez said Tuesday he has come to terms with his new role as a subsitute.

"It's not an ideal situation for any player. For 15 years I have won practically everything, and in the last three months I have played less. Sooner or later I had to come to this point," he told a news conference.

The 32-year-old Real icon, who with 66 goals is still the Champions League's top scorer, had been a regular in the first team since he made his debut with the club at 17.

But coach Manuel Pellegrini has left him on the bench in recent months in favour of France's Karim Benzema and Argentine Gonzalo Higuain, and he has scored only five goals in 26 matches this season.

Raul said he hopes to remain at Real "for now" and "there will be time to talk" about "what may happen" in the future.

The striker has won more than 100 caps for Spain. But he has not appeared for the national side since September 2006 when he was controversially dropped by former Spain coach Luis Aragones.