Real Madrid News
Manchester City duo admit they fear Real Madrid in the Champions League
Real Madrid and Manchester City encounters have become quite the staple in the Champions League lately, with the two teams often meeting in the knockout stages.
This season is no exception, although the two teams will face each other a bit earlier than usual, in the league phase.
Keeping that in mind, Manchester City duo Bernardo Silva and Rodri were recently asked about the toughest opponent they have faced during their time at Etihad. And they both had only one answer.
Bernardo Silva and Rodri fear Real Madrid
Bernardo Silva was the first to respond, stating that he Liverpool are the toughest team he has faced in the Premier League. But in the Champions League, it is always Real Madrid.
“In the Premier League, it’s Liverpool with Salah, and in the Champions League, Real Madrid with Vinicius and Rodrygo,” he told Telemundo (h/t AS).
Rodri, too, had a similar answer, although the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner did not forget to mention Barcelona, when Lionel Messi was still playing for the club.
“I’d say Liverpool in the Premier League, and Real Madrid in the Champions League . Also when I faced Messi’s Barça,” the midfielder said.
Interestingly, both Rodri and Silva have been linked with a move to Real Madrid at some degree over the past few years.
Rodri, in particular, was a major target for Real Madrid not too long ago, although his triumph in the 2024 Ballon d’Or gala over Vinicius has now left a sour taste in the mouth of the two parties.
Real Madrid, in fact, are expected to skip the event once again this year, despite the fact that both Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe, as well as Vinicius, have been nominated for the top prize.
Real Madrid News
Jose Mourinho was always clear about getting rid of Real Madrid midfielder this summer – report
Real Madrid’s summer transfer window was largely successful, not only in terms of securing key arrivals but also in terms of letting go of players who had no place in the dynamics.
One player who stood out in the second category was Dani Ceballos as the Spanish midfielder was frozen out of Real Madrid’s starting dynamics for several years before his eventual departure.
In the end, the club simply let the player leave as a free agent by accepting a contract termination as they saw the salary space freed as a win compared to his presence.
Mourinho’s clear stance
As confirmed in a recent report by Diario AS, Real Madrid’s new manager Jose Mourinho has no doubt that he did not count on Ceballos for the ongoing season.
Being the straightforward communicator that he is, the Portuguese manager directly informed Ceballos that he did not count on him in any capacity, speaking out loud about a fact that was known as an open secret for a long time.
Having clarity that his situation at the club was not going to change, Ceballos pressed to leave and eventually had his way as the club allowed him to walk out of the front door with no transfer fee.
Times were tense
The Spanish outlet also add that the decision to let the player leave with a contract termination was not easy for Real Madrid to accept, especially given that it is a last resort.
In the negotiations between Ceballos and the Real Madrid hierarchy, there were some moments filled with tension and disagreements.
In fact, there was even an initial exit agreement that was reached which was cancelled in the hope of a better outcome.
Eventually, however, both parties reached a fitting resolution and Real Madrid enabled the player’s departure without any hurdles and Ceballos went on to join Real Betis.
Even that move required the player to take a massive cut on his salary, but the saga worked out well for both clubs as the player. From Real Madrid’s perspective, the space created on the team’s roster was worth its weight in gold.
