Real Madrid News
Real Madrid administration slowly leaning in favour of Erling Haaland over Kylian Mbappe for 2024 – report
The administration at Valdebebas is in a dilemma. Real Madrid are expected to make a big-name signing next summer after all, but it is still unclear as to which name appeals to them the most.
The board is divided between two names – Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, both of whom have been extensively linked with the club in recent times.
The Frenchman, for long, was the frontrunner but his stocks fell sharply after his repeated rejections and vacillations.
As revealed by RMC Sport, there is now a changing opinion in the Spanish capital over the PSG star.
The Norweigan route?
According to the French outlet, more and more people at Real Madrid now prefer signing Erling Haaland over Mbappe.
For starters, the Manchester City star would be a better stylistic fit into Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for he plays as a pure centre-forward.
Mbappe, on the other hand, would clash with Vinicius down the left.
Moreover, the board hopes to benefit from the special ‘Real Madrid clause’ in Haaland’s contract that would enable them to sign him for a lower fee. The clause is expected to kick in next summer.
The monetary question
The one catch with Haaland’s move to Real Madrid is undoubtedly the monetary aspect. Irrespective of the presence of a special clause, the striker’s signing will be anything but easy to pull off.
Under normal circumstances, the English champions would demand nothing less than €200 million for their striker. Even with a clause, the figure could well be in excess of €150 million.
The Norwegian star is well worth the investment, and his record in recent seasons backs his hefty price tag.
Yet, it can be tricky for Real Madrid when they initially planned for a free agent in Mbappe.
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”.
