Real Madrid News
Nine Real Madrid first-team stars to resume pre-season training on Monday
Real Madrid have an exciting preseason in store. Over the next 30 days, the men in white are set to face off against Juventus, FC Barcelona, Manchester United and AC Milan in the United States of America providing the manager ample time to get accustomed to his refurbished squad.
The new objective begins on Monday as the club officially kick off their preparations for the 2023-24 season at the Valdebebas. However, the entire squad will not return from the hiatus together.
According to reports from Jose Felix Diaz of MARCA, nine first-team stars are set to return on the first day of the coming week. They will be joined by the Castilla players in training sessions. The rest of the team will only link up on the 20th of July in the USA.
Another interesting aspect of the scheduled preparatory phase is the managerial department. The journalist reports that both Carlo Ancelotti and Raul Gonzalez will jointly oversee the preparations of the players. The two tacticians see eye to eye and have a complete understanding among them.
The joint sessions will go on for around ten days until the first team makes its way to America. Needless to say, there could be some Castilla stars who make the trip too in the hope of impressing the Italian manager.
It will be critical for Ancelotti to weigh up his options and find synchrony amidst the mix of departures and arrivals at the Santiago Bernabeu. After all, there are some big changes in the team dynamics.
With four forwards departing the club and a relatively large number of quality midfielders in the mix, there is a chance that the manager opts for a shift in formation. The days to come will be decisive in testing out the permutations and finding a working formula.
Real Madrid News
English legend backs Real Madrid star to become one of the all-time greats: ‘He’s got everything’
Jude Bellingham has spent the past fortnight as the most talked-about footballer in England, and the superlatives show no sign of slowing down.
A masterclass in the Nations League, a clutch of records and a second straight Player of the Year award has not gone unnoticed in English footballing media.
Now one of the English game’s most respected voices has added his name to the growing list of believers.
Lineker backs Bellingham
Asked whether Bellingham can go on to become one of the greatest players of all time, England legend Gary Lineker left no room for doubt.
“Yes, I’ve been saying it for a long time now. If he avoids serious injury or falls of the rails which he won’t I’m sure.
“He’s so good at football, he’s got everything. He’s a superstar and carries himself like a superstar,” he said (h/t Track Radio).
The verdict chimes comes in the midst of a wider chorus of acclaim in recent days. Roy Keane tipped him to become one of the greatest of all time after the Croatia rout, with Ian Wright and Micah Richards among others queuing up to praise him.
Backed by the numbers
The acclaim for Bellingham comes on the back of an extraordinary international break for Bellingham.
Against Croatia, Bellingham scored one and created three in the 7-0 win, becoming the first England player to record four goal involvements in a single game since David Platt in 1993.
He finished the window with one goal and four assists and was named UEFA’s Player of the Round.
That international excellence has carried over to the Bernabeu, where he has settled into a free number 10 role under Jose Mourinho and sits as the club’s joint-leading creator.
Bellingham was part of Real Madrid’s recent 1-0 win over Villarreal as well, and was unlucky not to register an assist when Vinicius Jr.’s goal was disallowed.
The Englishman will be looking to make an impact once again when Real Madrid take on AS Roma this Wednesday.
