Real Madrid News
Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp nominated for UEFA Coach of the Year award
In recognition of the best performances in the Champions League, UEFA gives out several club football awards on an annual basis. The awards cover the best players in each position for both men’s and women’s football with a special award for the best manager too.
Earlier today, the federation revealed the nominees for this year’s best manager title. Carlo Ancelotti is one of the candidates in the running and arguably the favourite to win the award.
Competing against Los Blancos’ manager are Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool and Pep Guardiola of Manchester City.
All three managers successfully drove their teams deep into the UCL last season. However, both the Premier League sides ultimately fell prey to the unstoppable Real Madrid.
It would not be an overstatement to call Ancelotti the favourite to win it this year, especially given the recent history of the award.
The last manager to be awarded the title of ‘the best’ from UEFA was Thomas Tuchel, who won the Champions League title with Chelsea last season. In 2019-20 too, it was UCL-winning Hansi Flick who took home the award.
Last season, Ancelotti not only won the Champions League but also dominated the Spanish League. His team won La Liga with a whopping 13-point lead over second-placed Barcelona, scoring 80 goals and conceding just 31.
The winner will be named during the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony in Istanbul on Thursday, 25 August. Karim Benzema and Thibaut Courtois will also be in the hall on the night with both stars nominated for the UEFA best men’s player award.
Real Madrid News
U-turn? Benzema hints at Real Madrid stay during ceremony: “Reality is not the internet”
There has been a lot of talk around Karim Benzema’s situation over the course of the last week or so, with reports claiming that the Frenchman was on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was reported that Benzema was joining Al Ittihad as part of an incredible deal worth nearly €200 million. The striker was also offered 100% of his image rights and advertising deals by the Saudi government.
Over the last day or so, it has been reported that the move is all but official at the moment, as Benzema has accepted the offer, and will soon inform Real Madrid about it.
Benzema was awarded the MARCA Leyenda awards for contribution to sports today, and speaking during it, he dropped a rather cryptic message about his future – one that says quite the opposite to what has been in the news recently.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet,” he added.
This certainly falls away from the departure line for Benzema, who was reportedly already contemplating his life away from Madrid.
At first, though, he was hesitant about speaking about his future, saying, “Staying or leaving Real Madrid? At the moment, I’m here…we have a game on Saturday.”
He repeatedly talked about the fans, calling them the best in world football. He also said, “I know how much Real Madrid fans love me. I feel that when I’m on the pitch, I give my best for them, always.”
“I always say that we play with 11 on the pitch but also with a crucial factor, Real Madrid fans,” Benzema concluded.
