Real Madrid News
Atletico Madrid star sends amusing message to Real Madrid new signing Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid continues to generate reactions across the Spanish national team camp, and the latest response has come from one of his closest international teammates.
The Spain squad has become known for its strong atmosphere during the World Cup, with players from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and several other clubs regularly sharing moments of strong friendship.
Despite their club rivalries, many players have built close friendships while representing their country.
That bond was on display once again after Atletico Madrid midfielder Alex Baena shared a playful message to Cucurella following the defender’s high-profile switch to Real Madrid.
Baena reacts to Cucurella’s Real Madrid move
Since Cucurella completed his transfer to Real Madrid, several Spanish internationals have publicly reacted to the move. However, Baena chose a different approach.
Rather than speaking to the media, the Atletico Madrid midfielder shared an Instagram story featuring himself alongside Cucurella.
The image showed the pair laughing and embracing during Spain’s World Cup camp. However, it was the caption that quickly caught attention.
Alongside the image, Baena wrote: “Last month as friends.”
The message was clearly intended as a joke, but it resonated with the fans because of the circumstances surrounding both players.
While Cucurella is preparing for life at Real Madrid, Baena is expected to continue playing for Atletico Madrid, meaning the two friends will soon find themselves on opposite sides of one of Spanish football’s fiercest rivalries.
Spain teammates to become derby rivals
One of the standout stories from Spain’s World Cup campaign has been the excellent relationship between players from rival clubs.
Barcelona stars, Real Madrid players and Atletico Madrid representatives have all been seen interacting regularly throughout the tournament, which has reinforced the strong unity within the squad.
Notably, Baena and Cucurella are among the clearest examples of that chemistry.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
