Real Madrid News
Man City defender aims brutal dig at Real Madrid: “Do they have a Plan B?”
Real Madrid were obliterated at the hands of Manchester City last night, losing the second 4-0 at the Etihad. The result allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to book a ticket to the final on the back of a 5-1 aggregate win over the reigning European champions.
There were glaring issues with Real Madrid’s performance last night, including Eduardo Camavinga not being fully fit despite starting at left-back.
Another player who struggled to perform on the night was Vinicius Junior. The explosive winger did not make a dent in the Manchester City defence and was schooled by Kyle Walker.
Speaking to BT Sports (h/t Mundo Deportivo) after the win, Walker described his performance on the night against Vinicius, taking a vicious dig at Real Madrid in the process.
“You have to be arrogant. You have to be like attackers. I’m very confident in my speed and going one-on-one. I’m bigger than him and I thought I could use my physical advantage. He’s a fantastic player, but I have to use my strengths. I made it as difficult for him as I could,” Walker explained after the game.
The Englishman went on to point out how Real Madrid had relied heavily on individuals while praising Man City for being a ‘complete team’.
“There is no superstar and that is what makes us compete without trusting everything to a single player. Madrid has many great players, but Vinícius has been the best. Once you cancel it, do they have a plan B?” he added.
Despite the rather arrogant undertone, one can hardly disagree with Walker’s comments as Real Madrid were indeed toothless against the Man City defence and lacked ideas in the final.
The reliance on Vinicius in these crunch games is a clear indicator of why the Spanish giants require attacking reinforcements in the coming summer. They are reportedly targeting a move for Kylian Mbappe, though there is doubt whether or not they will be able to pull it off.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid eye €3.5 million-rated relegated Premier League striker to reinforce attack
Following a difficult season with troubles in La Liga and the Champions League preventing Real Madrid from retaining their crowns, Los Blancos move towards a transformative summer, full of innovations.
Real Madrid managed to clear plenty of unwanted figures at the club, with a huge relief on the wage bill. However, with an array of exits, the squad has contracted and thus replacements are being inquired.
Apart from the high-profile departure of Karim Benzema, fringe players have also bid their farewell.
Among those names is Mariano Diaz, who was Madrid’s backup striker prior to his withdrawal. Several names have been put on the table to fill his absence as the club largely aim to address their lack of depth.
According to Arancha Rodriguez (via RM4Arab), Leeds United striker Rodrigo Moreno is one of the names gaining consensus in the Madrid hierarchy. Moreover, Joselu has also been considered as a viable alternative.
The two favourites to replace Mariano have proven to be important figures for their clubs as both strikers maintain a starting role.
Playing for Espanyol, Joselu ended the La Liga campaign as the third top scorer, only behind Benzema and Lewandowski. Considering Espanyol’s relegation, such a feat looks even more impressive. The Spaniard secured 19 goals in all competitions.
On the other hand, Rodrigo Moreno recorded 16 goals last season across all competitions. Similar to Joselu’s case, the Spanish international also suffered relegation with Leeds, in spite of his good numbers.
With both players offering adequate output in struggling sides, Real Madrid’s interest is practical. Moreover, considering both Espanyol and Leeds were relegated, their asking price will undeniably lower, which enables the Merengues to sign one of the two targets at a more convenient rate.
It is claimed that Rodrigo has a release clause worth €3.5 million which Los Blancos would have to trigger to sign him from Leeds United.
It now remains to be seen whether Carlo Ancelotti & co. go after the former Valencia man or move for Joselu instead.
