Real Madrid News
Lucas Vazquez talks Bellingham, Rudiger, contract situation ahead of Union Berlin vs Real Madrid
With the top spot in Group C and a place in the Round of 16 already secured, Real Madrid take on Union Berlin in their final group game on Tuesday night away in Germany.
Los Blancos have enjoyed an unblemished run in Europe thus far, winning five in five thus far and will be eager to maintain that perfect run intact tomorrow.
But Carlo Ancelotti’s men go into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Real Betis in La Liga, which saw them slip down to second place in the standings.
The game will not be easy either, considering Union Berlin almost held the Merengues for a draw in the reverse fixture, with only a stoppage-time winner from Jude Bellingham securing three points for them.
Ahead of the contest, right-back Lucas Vazquez appeared at the press conference with manager Carlo Ancelotti and discussed various topics, including his future.
Discussing the mindset of the team heading into tomorrow’s contest, the veteran star said: “The team is very good, in a good dynamic and we are going to try to win as many games as possible.”
“It’s not complicated to focus despite the fact that we’re not playing for anything. There’s nothing more beautiful than a Champions League match with Madrid, the motivation is to always win, to defend this badge,” Vazquez added.
The Spaniard then spoke about Bellingham and his excellent start to life at Real Madrid, praising the Englishman’s all-round contributions.
“What a player, eh! We’re all delighted with him, from the first day we’ve seen what a player he is, how much he helps the team. Goals do a lot, but he works as hard as anyone, he enjoys Real Madrid,” said Vazquez.
On whether Bellingham can emulate the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema given his goalscoring exploits so far, the defender replied:
“Bellingham’s start is impressive. We will try to help him so that he can continue in this vein for many years to come. We’re talking about Karim and Cris, two Madrid legends. Hopefully, he can get close to them.”
There was also some praise for defender Antonio Rudiger, who could be given a rest tomorrow by manager Ancelotti.
“Rudiger, like a good madman, nobody knows his secrets. He’s had a great season, he helps the team in everything, and his level is incredible. May he continue like this for many years to come, he is very important for us,” said Vazquez.
The winger-turned-right-back sees his contract expire at the end of the season and there has been talk of Real Madrid offering an extension to either him or fellow academy man Nacho Fernandez.
When asked about his contract situation, Vazquez said: “Madrid has been my dream since I was a child, my home, where I feel very good.”
Discussing whether the ‘favourites’ tag adds more pressure on the Real Madrid stars, the right-back said:
“The role of favourites has always been the same for us, we’ve always shown that we compete like the best. What we have in our minds is to win this game, to go through to the last 16 or the quarter-finals. We don’t think we’re better or worse than anyone else.”
On whether Real Madrid can win the La Liga and UCL double this season, he said: “Winning the double is what we have in our minds. All the players are trying to score more, we’re seeing that the players up top are scoring a lot of goals. If they keep going like this, we’re candidates for everything.”
Vazquez also touched upon tomorrow’s opponents Union Berlin and how things were made difficult for Real Madrid in the reverse fixture, saying:
“In the first leg, it was a complicated game, we couldn’t win until the last minute. They defend very well, they’re very tight, and they can hurt you on the counter-attack. We have to be focused.”
On the 1-1 away draw against Real Betis on Saturday, Vazquez said: “Although the point in Seville doesn’t taste like much, it’s a good point. We are focused on our own path, we don’t want to look at what the other teams are doing.”
The 32-year-old has not played regularly this season, but will start tomorrow night with Dani Carvajal out injured. Discussing his lack of continuity and how it affects him, Vazquez said:
“There are better and worse moments. I don’t lack confidence. I’m where I’ve always wanted to be, I give everything for my club and my teammates.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
