Real Madrid News
Ancelotti talks Messi, Benzema, Hazard, Endrick, Brazil ahead of Valladolid vs Real Madrid
La Liga football returns as the current champions of Europe and Spain are back in action tomorrow night to take on Real Valladolid away from home.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men currently sit second in the table, just two points shy of Barcelona. However, their recent form has been somewhat concerning.
Madrid have won just one of their last three games in La Liga, and two of their last five in all competitions. During this time, they have slipped below Barça in the standings despite winning El Clasico rather comfortably.
Ahead of tomorrow’s game, the experienced Ancelotti seemed chipper as always as he faced the media for his scheduled pre-game press conference.
On the team’s morale: “The team feels good. Benzema has recovered and feels perfectly.”
On the World Cup players: “All the players who played the World Cup are fine and ready to play.”
On Modric, Tchouameni, and Camavinga: “Modric, Tchouameni and Camavinga trained individually today but are fine and ready to play. Of course, I’ll give priority to the players who trained more in the past days.”
“Modric, Tchouameni and Camavinga can play tomorrow.”
“We preferred to give Modric, Tchouameni and Camavinga some rest after the final. But the truth is, they haven’t had much rest.”
On the hectic football schedule post-WC: “Our calendar is very exigent. We are going to play many games until March.”
On the Brazil NT rumours: “I don’t know, I want to stay at Real Madrid. I’ll never ask the club to let me go.”
On contract renewals: “I’m not worried, neither is the club. All the players are focused and I’ll use them until the end.”
On Messi being the GOAT: “Messi the best in history? He’s a great player but I can’t say who’s been the best. There have been so many wonderful players… Maradona, Di Stéfano, Cruyff.. I don’t know.”
On Endrick: “I met him last year, we talked a bit. We are very happy to have signed him. He is a great talent.”
On Courtois’ form: “It’s not his fault if we have conceded more goals. We have not defended well. We have to improve.”
On Benzema’s being kicked out of the French NT: “I can’t say anything about France NT decisions. They evaluated Benzema’s situation and that’s it. We are sure Benzema will help us a lot this season.”
On ‘tiki-taka’ being dead: “No (laughs). It’s important to have possession but also defense and counter attack. Sometimes you need that to win games.”
On winter transfers: “Entries are closed, because we have a great squad. We don’t know about the departures, because perhaps some players who play less will want to leave.”
On Eden Hazard: “Hazard is fine, he has trained well. I see him better than before the World Cup. He’s done a good job and I’m going to use him more in this part of the season.”
Source: Real Madrid TV
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
