Real Madrid News
Barcelona fan favourite hints he wants Real Madrid forward to join the club
Speaking in an interview with El Partidazo de COPE, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Pedri has dropped a hint that he would like to see Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio at Spotify Camp Nou.
Asensio’s contract with Real Madrid expires at the end of the ongoing campaign. While at one point he looked certain to leave as a free agent, recent reports indicate that Los Blancos are planning to offer him an extension after his impressive performances prior to the World Cup break.
But with his future still unresolved, several clubs, including Real Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona, are said to be keeping a close watch on the situation.
Asensio had previously left the door open to a move to Barcelona, but in a recent interview he did say that the Catalan club were never an option for him. However, speculations about a possible switch to Spotify Camp Nou continue to do the rounds.
And now, Pedri, who is playing with Asensio for Spain at the FIFA World Cup 2022, has stoked the fire further, saying that Asensio is a quality player and adding that all top stars should be at Barcelona when asked if he would sign the Real Madrid forward.
“He has a lot of quality, let’s see what happens with his contract but all good players have to be at Barça. Let’s see what happens with his contract but he has plenty of qualities. It is a decision that he has to make,” Pedri said.
Asensio was one of the stars for Spain, along with Barcelona duo Gavi and Pedri, as they ran roughshod over Costa Rica in their World Cup opener, winning 7-0. The Real Madrid winger scored a fine goal and looked in good touch overall.
Prior to that, he had played 15 games for Real Madrid this season, scoring and assisting three goals each. With the links to Barcelona refusing to go away, it will certainly be intriguing to see if Asensio does end up making the controversial switch come summer.
Real Madrid News
Opponent watch: Chelsea defender injured during international break, doubt for Real Madrid clash
In less than 20 days, Real Madrid will square off against Chelsea in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu. And ahead of the game, the Premier League club might have been dealt an injury setback.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea right-back Reece James has sustained an injury while away on national team duty with England and could now be a doubt for the match against Real Madrid.
James is a key member of the Chelsea squad but has had multiple injury problems in the recent past. Indeed, the 23-year-old has played just 12 Premier League matches this term, having had to deal with two knee injuries and a hamstring problem.
James played just five minutes for England during their 2-1 win over Italy earlier this week but has seemingly picked up some discomfort in his thigh during that game.
As a result, he was released from the national team camp earlier today and the young right-back is already on his way back to London.
The official report from the England national team indicated that the Chelsea ace had sustained a minor hamstring injury and was returning to his club as a precaution. However, Mundo Deportivo is stating that his availability for the game against Real Madrid is unclear at this point.
Los Blancos drew Chelsea for the quarter-finals and will host the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 12 before playing the second leg at Stamford Bridge a week later.
