Real Madrid News
Liverpool ace aims a dig at Real Madrid starlet after losing in international match
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai found himself at the centre of a heated moment with Real Madrid’s rising star Arda Guler during Hungary’s UEFA Nations League encounter against Turkey on Sunday night.
Despite playing the full match, Szoboszlai could not prevent his side from suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat in Budapest.
During the game, tensions flared between the two players. Guler, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising young talents in world football, had a brief but intense exchange with Szoboszlai.
At one point, the 20-year-old Turkish midfielder gestured towards the Hungarian captain by placing a finger to his lips, a clear attempt to silence him.
Szoboszlai’s response… on social media
After the match, Szoboszlai made a subtle yet pointed remark on social media. Under an Instagram post featuring a screenshot of the on-field altercation, he simply commented: “1088’.”
Szoboszlai was clearly referring to Guler’s limited playing time at Real Madrid this term, with the youngster having found minutes hard to come by under Carlo Ancelotti this season.
🚨 Arda Güler was shushing Szoboszlai after scoring in 3-0 win for Turkey…
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 24, 2025
…and then Szobo replied on social media by responding “𝟏𝟎𝟖𝟖”, the amount of minutes Arda played this year for Real Madrid. pic.twitter.com/bFGiA2KkmN
Guler is indeed struggling
The Turkish youngster has struggled to secure a consistent spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, accumulating just 1088 minutes across all competitions.
This includes 644 minutes in La Liga, 142 in the Champions League, 2 in the European Super Cup, and 300 in the Copa del Rey. Despite his limited minutes, Guler has managed to contribute 3 goals and 5 assists in 30 appearances.
Szoboszlai, on the other hand, has been a regular feature in Liverpool’s midfield. The 24-year-old has amassed 2,887 minutes of playing time this season, scoring 7 goals and providing 6 assists in 40 matches.
Guler’s situation has led to speculations about his future at the Santiago Bernabeu, with a summer exit not entirely ruled out.
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”.
