Real Madrid News
Real Madrid baller was furious with Tite after he was substituted off vs Croatia
Brazil’s elimination from the World Cup came as a shocker to the entire world of football, for the sheer talent in the South American outfit’s squad is outrageous.
For a team with the likes of Neymar Jr, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Antony and Richarlison to go out in the quarter-finals is embarrassing, more so when one considers that they can second best on spot-kicks.
A lot has been made of Tite’s substitutions on the night, for the changes clearly weakened the set Brazilian team and opened up holes for Croatia to exploit. Further, they had a big role to play in the penalty shootout.
One such decision was to remove Vinicius Jr and bring on Rodrygo against the European side. According to reports from Jorge C Picon (h/t MadridXtra), Vinicius was fuming at Tite’s decision to take him off in a game of such massive proportions and did not like it at all.
The winger has been phenomenal for Brazil this World Cup, stepping up on the big nights and making a difference through moments of individual magic. In four appearances, he scored a goal and provided two assists. Moreover, he averaged two shots and two key passes per game.
Tite’s decision to take off his most dynamic winger is indeed questionable, for the team missed out on not only a difference maker but a reliable penalty-taker. After all, it was Rodrygo, the man who replaced Vinicius, who missed the first spot-kick for Brazil.
At the same time, it is clear that the 22-year-old was far from his best against Croatia. He completed just eight passes in over an hour and had just one shot on target with no key pass.
Before he was hired by Bayern Munich as the direct replacement for Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel was closely linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The German tactician had kept a close eye on the development at Santiago Bernabeu, especially with coach Carlo Ancelotti facing immense pressure following the club’s poor performances in domestic competitions.
A recent report from Jorge Picon has offered more details on the Tuchel saga, suggesting that the coach was even learning Spanish during his time at Ibiza, anticipating a potential move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
There were even contacts made between Tuchel’s entourage and Real Madrid. Although the talks were positive, the two sides were not able to reach an agreement.
Real Madrid did not guarantee him the job. They had informed Tuchel that Ancelotti may continue at the Bernabeu in the event the club win the UEFA Champions League this season.
This bit of uncertainty played a critical role in convincing Tuchel to join Bayern Munich instead. The former Chelsea boss was hired as a direct replacement for Nagelsmann, who was sacked after a poor season in the Bundesliga by the club’s high standards.
However, Tuchel’s move to Bayern appears to be a missed opportunity on the German’s part, as Real Madrid have recently intensified their search for a new manager.
It is clear that the club’s hierarchy is yet to reach a consensus over the future of Ancelotti, with some believing that a change is necessary come the end of the season. In fact, the club’s president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of Tuchel’s compatriot Nagelsmann.
The coaching prodigy is one of the candidates to replace Ancelotti in the summer, though it is Mauricio Pochettion who is reportedly leading the race so far.
