Real Madrid News
Liverpool manager breaks silence on Trent Alexander-Arnold situation amid Real Madrid links
During a recent press conference, Liverpool manager Arne Slot addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential departure to Real Madrid.
Slot acknowledged that the noise surrounding the Englishman’s future has been a constant theme throughout the season but maintained that it has not disrupted the team’s pursuit of the Premier League title.
“It’s a situation that’s been going on for eight or nine months, and I think these three players [Trent, Salah and Van Dijk] have performed very well under these circumstances, so it doesn’t affect me at all.”
TAA to Real Madrid is almost done
Reports continue to gather momentum suggesting that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s summer move to Real Madrid is all but sealed.
The Liverpool full-back, whose contract is set to expire, has been heavily linked with the Spanish giants, and it appears that a five-year deal has already been offered by Los Blancos, which would keep him at the club until 2030.
The 26-year-old would be arriving as a free agent, making him a highly appealing target for Real Madrid.
However, despite his status as a marquee signing, his salary is not expected to reach the levels of stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
Recovering from an injury
Slot went on to suggest that the discussions surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s future would have been less prominent had the defender been fit and available for England’s World Cup qualifiers.
The right-back has been recovering from an ankle injury sustained during Liverpool’s Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain.
“He’s injured,” Slot stated. “And that means for him, he’s fully focused on his recovery, and for us, it means we’re trying to help him get back as soon as possible.”
Having spent his entire career at Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold has enjoyed tremendous success, winning every major honour with the Merseyside club, including the Premier League and Champions League.
However, the allure of playing for Real Madrid may prove too tempting to resist.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
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”.
