Real Madrid News
Four positions Real Madrid are looking to strengthen in the summer – report
After what is proving to be an extremely underwhelming season, likely to end without trophies, Real Madrid are already planning ahead for next season.
The Merengues want to avoid being caught off guard in the summer and have been working for some time on different scenarios, both in terms of signings and potential departures.
Real Madrid’s roadmap for the summer
As such, Defensa Central reports that the roadmap is fairly clear as far as Real Madrid are concerned, heading into the summer transfer window.
As per the report, they are looking to strengthen up to four key positions, depending on outgoing players.
Specifically, the club is considering bringing in a creative midfielder, a centre-back, a right-back, and a backup goalkeeper in case Andriy Lunin decides to leave.
The need for a new midfielder to provide control and creativity has been apparent and the Merengues are working to address the issue in the summer.
A new centre-back, too, is a pretty obvious signing with David Alaba expected to leave while Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger continue to battle fitness issues.
The signing of a new right-back will likely depend on whether Dani Carvajal signs a new contract with Real Madrid or not, although currently, a departure seems on the cards for the captain.
The recruitment of a backup goalkeeper also will hinge on what Andriy Lunin chooses – whether he is happy to continue as Thibaut Courtois’ understudy for another season or not.
No overhaul, but careful adjustments
Real Madrid’s intention is not to overhaul the squad, but to make targeted adjustments. The club believes a full rebuild isn’t necessary, but that certain profiles need to be added to improve overall balance and performance.
Everything, however, will depend on departures. Financial control remains a priority, especially in an inflated transfer market where fees can quickly spiral.
Internally, there is also a strong belief that some players are being undervalued. The view within the club is that, with a clearer system and better structure, several members of the squad could perform at a much higher level.
In other words, improvement does not rely solely on new signings, but also on getting more out of the current group.
Real Madrid News
Villarreal captain defends referee after Vinicius red card and takes swipe at Mourinho: ‘He did that with us at Tottenham too’
Villarreal captain Juan Foyth has defended referee Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos following the controversy surrounding Vinicius Jr.’s red card in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory.
The Argentine defender believes the official handled a difficult match well and considers the decision to dismiss the Brazilian correct under the rules.
The result was overshadowed by Vinicius’ sending-off after he pulled Nathan Saliba’s hair, with VAR intervening after the incident initially went unnoticed.
The decision prompted furious protests from the Real Madrid forward and sparked debate over the referee’s handling of the match.
Foyth, however, offered a different perspective after the final whistle, arguing that the constant pressure placed on officials can make an already demanding job even harder.
Juan Foyth backs referee over Vinicius red card
Speaking after the match, Foyth defended Diaz de Mera and highlighted the difficulty of officiating a high-intensity encounter.
“I think he did a good job. Obviously, if you spend the whole match complaining about every little thing, whatever it may be, asking for a yellow card, asking for a card.
“I think the referee is only human too and can make a mistake,” he said, as per Defensa Central.
Foyth also addressed the incident involving Vinicius, distinguishing between the Brazilian’s intentions and the punishment required by the rules.
“I think that, at the very least, the decision to show Vinicius a red card was correct according to the rules. I don’t think he meant to cause harm, but well, it’s a red card.”
Foyth questions Mourinho’s approach to refereeing pressure
Foyth was also asked about Jose Mourinho, whom he knows from their time together at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Villarreal captain was reluctant to fuel a dispute but suggested that the Portuguese manager’s public approach to pressure was familiar.
“I’m not going to talk about Mourinho. I know him; I played alongside him at Tottenham. Ultimately, that’s always been his way – trying to apply pressure from the outside.
“He did that with us at Tottenham too, and well, in the end it works for him, doesn’t it? Anyway, I’ve got nothing bad to say about him,” he said.
He added, “These are just different ways of understanding football; I don’t want to get involved in any controversy, nor do I want to make any strange comments here,” he noted.
“Congratulations to Madrid – they got the three points – and, well, we obviously need to put right the mistakes we made,” he concluded.
