Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid starting lineup against Valencia
One of the biggest La Liga fixtures is upon us as Real Madrid travel to Mestalla to take on Valencia for gameweek 35 of La Liga. The league might be over, with Barcelona crowned champions last weekend, but Madrid will want to push for that second place position with Atletico Madrid on their necks.
Carlo Ancelotti has rotated his side a bit, giving chances to some of the players that have not been able to play as regularly through the season.
This means, Lucas Vazquez gets the nod as the right-back over Daniel Carvajal today, while Ferland Mendy returns from his injury and slots in at left-back. Eder Militao and Antonio Ruddier start in central defence, guarding Thibaut Courtois in goal.
French nationals Aurlelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga start together in midfield, with Dani Ceballos rounding off the trident in the centre of the park.
Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr continue to lead the attack, and the final spot, at right-wing, has been given to Marco Asensio.
📋✅ Our starting 𝗫𝗜 🆚 @valenciacf_en! #ValenciaRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/TXO82Tm4mE
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 21, 2023
Confirmed Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Ceballos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius
According to AS, Real Madrid have sent a three-year contract offer with improved wages to Dani Ceballos and trust that the midfielder will continue at the club.
Ceballos is the last among the seven Los Blancos’ stars who entered the 2022/23 season with an expiring contract whose future is yet to be resolved.
Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio, and Karim Benzema have all left Real Madrid while Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Nacho Fernandez are all set to continue at the Santiago Bernabeu for one more year.
As such, Ceballos remains the only player whose future remains unclear at this point.
The 26-year-old Spanish international has shown that he can offer value to the team and the club and manager Carlo Ancelotti are understood to ‘love’ him and want to retain his services.
Fans, too, made their feelings about the midfielder very clear this past weekend when Real Madrid played Athletic Club, as they chanted ‘Ceballos, stay!’
The Merengues have sent in a three-year proposal to the former Real Betis ace which includes an improvement in his wages. As such, the club expect him to pen the deal and continue at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, Ceballos is yet to make a decision as he is weighing up the fact that he will have to compete for a place with six other midfielders.
Indeed, Real Madrid already have Kroos, Modric, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni as competition for Ceballos. Now, they will also add Jude Bellingham to the roster, further amping up the battle for places.
Ceballos has two more offers apart from the one from Real Madrid – one from Spain and Italy each, although his former club Real Betis have not sent a proposal yet.
With the season over and less than three weeks left on his contract, it remains to be seen what the Real Madrid ace decides.
