Real Madrid News
Former Atletico Madrid prodigy making a strong case for Real Madrid breakthrough
The sheer quality of Real Madrid’s La Fabrica academy has been highlighted lately following the rapid breakthrough of Thiago Pitarch.
Now, more and more youth players are coming into the spotlight, with Jesus Fortea being one of the potential candidates to make a breakthrough.
The 18-year-old right-back has recently experienced a whirlwind five days that have propelled him back into the centre of the conversation at Valdebebas, reports MARCA.
The next big thing at La Fabrica?
Following a stellar outing in Castilla’s away win against Lugo last Saturday, Fortea delivered a masterclass this Wednesday in the youth team’s historic victory in the UEFA Youth League.
This win is particularly significant as it takes Real Madrid back to the Final Four for the first time in six years, and Fortea’s performance under the watchful eye of the first-team staff was a clear statement of intent.
This surge in form is likely to catch the eye of Alvaro Arbeloa, who was the primary advocate for signing Fortea from Atletico Madrid back in 2022.
Given the current boom at La Fabrica, where academy graduates are becoming a constant fixture in the senior squad, Fortea is firmly putting himself forward to be the next name on that list.
With 16 matches for Castilla and an undisputed starting role in the Youth League, Fortea is proving to be one of the most reliable stars in the academy.
As he prepares to join the national team for the Under-19 European Championship qualifiers, the feeling in Madrid is that a first-team breakthrough is quickly becoming an inevitability for one of Arbeloa’s favourite pupils.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
