Real Madrid News
Not Mbappe or Vinicius – Liverpool boss identifies Real Madrid’s biggest threat ahead of UCL showdown
A fascinating clash awaits later tonight as Real Madrid and Liverpool are set to face off in the UEFA Champions League in one of the league stage’s biggest games.
Los Blancos have faced off against the Merseyside club several times in recent years and have usually had the upper hand over them. Their most recent outing, however, saw the Reds take home the win.
With the game taking place at Anfield, it is safe to say that the Premier League side will have a slight edge. Real Madrid, however, are in far better form and have the momentum on their side.
The key plan
Facing off against Real Madrid, Liverpool manager Arne Slot is undoubtedly aware of the danger posed by the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. who headline Real Madrid’s attack.
As relayed by Defensa Central, however, he has asked his players to keep a special eye on, and thoroughly control, a third player who he feels can hurt his side the most – Jude Bellingham.
“It is key that we can stop him, that he does not come from behind to hurt us,” Slot reportedly has ordered his troops, making it clear how highly he rates the midfielder.
Slot’s fear of Bellingham’s prowess is understandable, given that the Englishman is proficient at reading the game, making runs through the middle and hurting opposition on the counter. Further, he is a defensive menace and provides stability in terms of the team’s press.
It remains to be seen if the manager has a special plan in place to cage Bellingham, but what is clear is that the youngster will look to come out all guns blazing as he takes to the field in his home nation.
After all, he is just returning from a surgery that kept him out for months and was fantastic in El Clasico. Looking ahead to tonight’s clash, there is no reason he cannot be the difference maker again.
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”.
