Real Madrid News
Brazilian duo next in line to obtain Spanish passports after Vinicius Jr – report
Earlier this week, Vinicius Jr obtained his Spanish passport and no longer warrants a non-EU spot at Real Madrid. The process was expected to be completed over a year ago but was delayed because of the pandemic.
According to reports from ESPN, Rodrygo Goes and Eder Militao are set to receive their Spanish passports by January too. This would mean that the team has all three non-EU spots vacant.
Needless to say, this comes as great news for the club. Yet, the timing seems to be just a tad bit too late.
Madrid could not chase several transfer targets in the summer window like Gabriel Jesus or register on loan players like Takefusa Kubo or Reinier because of the passport situation. Now, with the market closed, Los Blancos have all three slots vacant with no scope to fill them.
Now, Madrid can officially use their non-EU spaces from January. Vinicius Tobas is said to be impressing the club and could stake a claim for one of the slots long-term. Yet, it remains to be seen how the club will fill the remaining vacancies.
Militao was injured during Real Madrid’s clash against Celtic and is expected to miss the weekend’s clash against Mallorca. Carlo Ancelotti will hope to have the Brazilian back in time for the Madrid Derby scheduled in less than two weeks.
Meanwhile, Rodrygo is expected to feature in tomorrow’s game at Santiago Bernabeu and will look to cement his spot as a regular starter in Ancelotti’s plans.
Real Madrid News
Inter Milan boss Chivu praises Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid showdown: ‘A special person’
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has described Jose Mourinho as “a special person” ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Romanian spent two seasons playing under Mourinho at Inter between 2008 and 2010, a period that culminated in the club winning the Champions League at the very same stadium in 2010.
A serial winner
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chivu reflected warmly on his former manager.
“He’s a special person who I was lucky enough to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult period of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Chivu said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Chivu also praised Mourinho’s ability to influence the teams he manages and instil his mentality in his players.
“He’s very good at immersing himself in the reality of the team he represents and transmitting his mentality. He’s a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right moment. Very few people know how to do that like he does,” he said.
“He has won everywhere he has been, and I’m sure Real Madrid will have a great season.”
Despite his admiration for Mourinho, Chivu insisted that the Portuguese has not served as a template for his own coaching career.
Asked whether he takes inspiration from his former manager, the Inter boss replied: “I’ve never copied anyone. I have my own idea of football, which has been built through my years as a player and as a coach.”
Chivu assesses Mourinho’s Real Madrid
Chivu believes it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid.
“It’s still very early. It has been a fairly balanced start, although they lost their last match undeservedly because they played very well,” he said.
“They’re a team with a great history and a coach who knows how to do things.”
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone”
With Mourinho in the dugout and Chivu in defence, Inter defeated Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The now-Inter manager believes returning to the stadium where they lifted the trophy 16 years ago will provide a special occasion, although he knows the challenge facing his team.
“The stadium has been renovated and it’s even more beautiful. It has a great tradition and today it’s more beautiful and more modern. We like playing a Champions League match in this stadium,” he said.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone. Inter haven’t won here for 60 years. We’ll do everything possible and we want to show that we’re competitive and that we have the desire to dominate.
“There’s no perfect way to play against Real Madrid because they have players who can make the difference regardless of the plan you have.”
Inter arrive in Madrid after recovering from a difficult game against Napoli, while Chivu prepares to face the coach who played such an important role in his career.
