Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defensive duo set to miss Copa del Rey final, doubts for Man City clash
According to the latest report from MARCA, Real Madrid duo David Alaba and Ferland Mendy face extended time on the sidelines and will miss close to a month of action.
The defenders are set to miss the Copa del Rey final in early May and are doubts for the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City too.
Mendy was injured in Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou last month in what was the latest blow to his injury-riddled season.
Alaba’s latest setback was more recent and came in the club’s second-leg tie against Chelsea in the UCL. Following that, it was reported that the defender would be out for two weeks and could return in time for the Copa del Rey final.
However, the aforementioned report is claiming that it is not the case and both Alaba and Mendy will be unavailable for the big final against Osasuna on May 6, while they could also be out of the UCL semifinal first-leg tie at the Bernabeu.
With both players likely to miss the first clash against Manchester City, there is a real worry for Carlo Ancelotti. After all, the Italian tactician cannot count on Eder Militao on the night either as he is suspended due to an accumulation of cards.
The likely, and perhaps only solution for the manager, will be to utilise both Nacho Fernandez and Eduardo Camavinga in defence against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Thus, one can expect Dani Carvajal and Camavinga to start as the full-backs at the Santiago Bernabeu, while Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernandez man the central defence.
Los Blancos play both the Copa del Rey Final and the UCL semifinal within 72 hours of each other. Given the constraint in resources, the lack of time to recover becomes worrying for the manager. After all, UEFA are unwilling to postpone the defending champions’ fixture at any cost.
With the first leg being a home encounter for Los Blancos, it will be imperative that they look to steal a solid advantage before they travel to the Etihad Stadium a week later. After all, the upcoming UCL fixture is the defending champions’ most demanding tie this season.
Real Madrid set out on a mission to change the minds of Dani Ceballos, Marco Asensio and Nacho Fernandez earlier this week. After all, all three players were contemplating a departure from the club for a gross lack of minutes.
Los Blancos’ latest approach seems to have impacted Ceballos’ position in a positive fashion. However, Fabrizio Romano reveals that it has not changed Marco Asensio’s mind.
According to the Italian journalist, the Spaniard will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season as a free agent.
Of the numerous options on his table, he sees Aston Villa and PSG to be the best bets. In fact, Villa have already submitted their opening bid for the player as revealed by Fabrizio Romano once again.
After a dramatic final day of action in the Premier League, Aston Villa finished in the European spots and will participate in the UEFA Conference League next season. While a move to the English club would be a steep step down, it will see Asensio receive regular playing time.
Paris-Saint Germain, on that front, appears the more probable destination. The French club are close to losing both Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr ahead of the new season, and Asensio would thus fit in as a starting quality winger. Moreover, they offer Champions League football.
The Spaniard’s role at Real Madrid this season has not been minor by any means considering his contributions. In 30 La Liga appearances, the 27-year-old has scored nine goals and provided six assists in addition to creating nine big chances and averaging 1.4 key passes per game.
However, that does not satisfy the winger who wishes to be a starter week in and week out. His departure in June appears to be now written in stone, and the club should feel hard done to not make a penny of his move.
Many in Los Blancos’ administration see Brahim Diaz as a direct replacement for the Spanish international if he leaves. Needless to say, the AC Milan star’s future will closely depend on Asensio’s situation.
