Real Madrid News
Ancelotti’s message to AC Milan director after Champions League draw: “See you in Istanbul”
With Real Madrid kissing their hopes of defending the La Liga title goodbye last night, all efforts will be focused on winning the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid will face off against Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the competition over the next couple of weeks. Should they get through the round, one of Bayern Munich or Manchester City will await them in the semi-finals.
So, the path to the finals of the competition will be anything but easy for the Merengues.
However, according to AC Milan director Paolo Maldini, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti called him up right after the quarter-final draw took place and told him that they will meet in Istanbul, the venue where the finals of the Champions League will be held.
As reported by La Repubblica, Maldini said: “Right after the draw, Ancelotti called me and said: ‘Paolo, see you in Istanbul, okay?’.”
AC Milan are in the opposite bracket of the Champions League draw. The Rossoneri, who are the reigning champions of Italy, will be facing fellow Serie A side Napoli in the quarter-finals of the competition.
A victory there would set up a semi-final date against either SL Benfica or Inter Milan for Stefano Pioli’s side. While the draw seems easier than that of Real Madrid, Napoli have been in top form this term and Inter Milan and Benfica can be darkhorses.
But, Ancelotti, a former player and manager of AC Milan, seems to be keen on facing off against his old club in the finals of the Champions League.
Interestingly, though, former Real Madrid captain and club legend Iker Casillas recently predicted that it will be Napoli who will make it to the finals along with Los Blancos.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
