Real Madrid News
‘Fully qualified’ – Premier League star backs his manager for Real Madrid job
Real Madrid’s desperation for a top-level coach in June has alerted the environments of several elite coaches across the globe, and understandably so given how rare such an opportunity comes around.
Florentino Perez, for his part, laid down certain ground rules on the prerequisites he sees in the team’s next manager.
Experience, a history filled with success and a strong personality were some of the criteria seen as non-negotiable, especially given how difficult the current Real Madrid dressing room is to instil order into.
Pau Torres backs Emery for Real Madrid job
Aston Villa star Pau Torres was asked about the possibility of his manager Unai Emery taking over at Real Madrid in the summer and whether he thought it was a realistic possibility.
Without any hesitation, the Spanish defender backed his coach for the job and explained why it would not be completely far-fetched.
“The possibility of Emery taking over as Real Madrid coach in the future? I think he is fully qualified for that,” he said, via MARCA.
“The results he has achieved in all the clubs he has coached are the best proof of his competence.”
The current status
While Emery is an experienced campaigner and has been on Real Madrid’s radar, the Spaniard is unlikely to be Alvaro Arbeloa’s successor at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho, as things stand, is the number one candidate to be Los Blancos’ new manager and stands significantly ahead of his competitors.
Also linked with the club in recent weeks were Jurgen Klopp, Didier Deschamps and Lionel Scaloni, but it now appears that the decision has been made.
Mourinho, in fact, has already made contact with Real Madrid’s dressing room and expressed his ideas for the coming season – a clear sign that the hunt for a coach is nearing its end.
Real Madrid prospect Alexis Ciria will have to wait for his Champions League opportunity despite making a strong impression on Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
The Castilla winger has been left out of Real Madrid’s European squad, but the decision is the consequence of UEFA registration rules rather than a sporting judgment.
According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Defensa Central), Ciria was not eligible for Madrid’s List B because he has not been with the club long enough to satisfy UEFA’s requirements.
Registering him would therefore have required Mourinho to include him on the more restrictive List A.
UEFA rules work against Ciria
List B provides clubs with additional flexibility to register young academy players, but being young enough is not sufficient on its own.
Players must also meet requirements concerning how long they have been eligible to represent the club.
Ciria does not meet those conditions because of his limited time at Valdebebas. Real Madrid would therefore have needed to sacrifice a List A position to register him.
With those places required for members of Mourinho’s senior squad, Ciria was ultimately left out.
Real Madrid’s List B instead includes youngsters such as Joan Martinez, Mario Rivas, Thiago Pitarch, Jorge Cestero and Daniel Yanez.
Many of these youngsters made a name for themselves under Mourinho during pre-season and could be used to make up the numbers in the Champions League squad.
They could also get some minutes off the bench, especially against relatively easier opposition, as Jose Mourinho looks to manage first-team minutes.
Mourinho still plans first-team opportunity
Importantly for Ciria, missing the Champions League squad does not appear to reflect a change in Mourinho’s opinion of him.
The youngster impressed during pre-season and is expected to continue spending time around the senior team.
Mourinho intends to give Ciria his official first-team debut during the season. That opportunity will now have to arrive in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The Portuguese tactician placed a lot of emphasis on trusting Castilla players during pre-season in the absence of first-team stars.
Ciria was one of the many names who made a name for themselves at Real Madrid during pre-season. He deserves a chance in the first team, and it remains to be seen how Jose plans his development.
