Real Madrid News
Ancelotti likely to make three big changes for Copa del Rey clash vs Barcelona – report
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to make several changes to the team that took the field against Real Valladolid when his side faces Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg clash on April 5.
According to Spanish news outlet AS (h/t Madrid Xtra), veteran full-back Dani Carvajal, who was an unused substitute against Valladolid, is expected to start in El Clasico.
In fact, all the big names that remained on the bench in Madrid’s recent outing are believed to be given proper rest ahead of the all-important Clasico. This also includes senior midfielder Luka Modric and key star Federico Valverde.
Against Valladolid, Lucas Vazquez and Eduardo Camavinga were deployed as full-backs while a certain Marco Asensio, who scored his side’s fifth goal, was lined alongside Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr., just behind Karim Benzema.
The trio of Carvajal, Modric and Valverde was given a deliberate rest and all of them are expected to make it to the starting XI against Barcelona on Wednesday. This means Ancelotti might as well revert to his usual 4-3-3 setup after deploying a 4-2-3-1 tactic against Valladolid.
Meanwhile, as reported before, the Merengues are hoping to welcome first-team defender Antonio Rudiger back for the Clasico. The German centre-back underwent tests due to discomfort in his left knee ahead of the Valladolid game, which forced him out of the fixture.
Rudiger, alongside Mariano Diaz, worked individually in training on Monday and both are expected to be available for the fixture. Meanwhile, key defender Ferland Mendy is still on the road to recovery and it is said that he will need at least six weeks to get back on track.
Real Madrid News
Harry Kane ‘very close’ to completing Real Madrid move, only final details remain – report
Jude Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid was finally closed earlier today as officially confirmed by Borussia Dortmund on their website. Yet, the offices at Santiago Bernabeu have not even taken a break to celebrate their success.
According to reports from Alfredo Pedullà, Los Blancos are now completely focused on the acquisition of Harry Kane. The English striker’s arrival is very close to approaching closure and only a few details remain to be sorted.
The Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur representatives reportedly held a meeting today over the striker’s transfer. The agenda was to agree on a number for the transfer fee.
The Premier League side began the proceedings with an expectation of €100 to €110 million in exchange for Kane. However, the Merengues suggested a lower point at €80 to €90 million, albeit with the option to include bonuses.
There is not much separating the two parties at the moment, and the minor gap will be bridged in the coming days. Overall, the meeting ended with a broad understanding between the two clubs.
Carlo Ancelotti sees the English striker as the centre-piece of his attack for next season given the recent departure of Karim Benzema. After all, Kane has been one of football’s most consistent goalscorers over the past decade.
Yet, Los Blancos cannot afford to let their guard down with one signing and will need to rope in at least two more names in attack to serve as backup options. The exits of Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard leave them with no squad depth, after all.
Kane has scored 30, 17, and 23 goals in his last three seasons in the Premier League and is the epitome of consistency. Further, he had three assists in his most recent league season and created 14 big chances.
