Real Madrid News
Ancelotti talks following Real Madrid 2-1 Osasuna: “We will play 12v11 against City”
Carlo Ancelotti sparked his magic once again, leading Real Madrid to their first Copa Del Rey title since 2014. Interestingly, it was the Italian himself who had led the club to their last cup title almost a decade ago.
Following a poor season in La Liga, Ancelotti was hoping for nothing less than a win against Osasuna in the Copa Del Rey final. He wasn’t disappointed either, with Real Madrid securing a narrow 2-1 victory to secure the trophy.
“We have done something important tonight. Now we prepare the game vs City happy and motivated,” Ancelotti said after the triumph.
“The first 30 minutes were very good. Then the players got nervous and I had to calm them. They should focus on playing football. Only that,” he added.
It was indeed an important result for Real Madrid, who had to endure poor form heading into this game. Following the win, the team can feel confident as they take on Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League semifinal in midweek.
Ancelotti was not shy in expressing his team’s desire to win the Champions League once again, knowing it could go a long way in ensuring his future at Real Madrid. He even said Los Blancos have an advantage heading into the game.
“We will have an advantage vs City on Tuesday: our fans at the Bernabeu. We will play 12 vs 11,” he said. “We will fight for the Champions League. We will do everything possible to play another final.”
Ancelotti’s words were contradicted by Arsene Wenger a few weeks ago when the former Arsenal manager hailed Manchester City as the favourite owing to their superior defence. But given the way Real Madrid have performed in the Champions League, it promises to be an even contest between these two talented sides.
Ancelotti, meanwhile, doubled down on his desire to remain at Real Madrid amid links to the Brazilian national team. “My future? I said many, many times. My contract is until 2024,” he said.
Source: RealMadrid.tv
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.
