Real Madrid News
Kylian Mbappe could start against Real Madrid despite not being fully fit
One of the biggest storylines heading into the Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain is the prospect of seeing Kylian Mbappe at the Santigo Bernabeu.
The Frenchman dreams of playing at the iconic stadium and is expected to be a Real Madrid player come June.
However, he arrives in Madrid on Wednesday intending to eliminate Los Blancos from the competition. Mbappe scored in the first leg at Parc des Princes to give his side a slender 1-0 advantage and is certainly the most dangerous player in the French setup.
Anticlimactically, the World Cup winner suffered a knock in training a few days back. He was suspended for the game against Nice, though, which ought to have given him time to recover.
According to reports from Goal France, Mbappe will test himself during his team’s last training session on Tuesday before taking any decision.
He has a good chance of making it into the starting lineup against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but he will have to push hard to make it happen. The striker is planning to play through the pain to be involved in the action.
The Frenchman has been one of the most important pillars in Pochettino’s setup this season, especially in the Champions League. In the European competition, Mbappe has scored five goals and provided four assists in just seven games.
Real Madrid trail by a goal and will need to win by at least a two-goal margin to secure a place in the next round. The absence of the away-goal rule will come as a big relief to the Madrid-based side, especially when players like Mbappe are on the opposition team.
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.
