Real Madrid News
Real Madrid eyeing summer move for fan-favourite Chelsea superstar – report
Real Madrid were expected to be in transition for at least a couple of years when the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo left the Bernabeu. The young players in the side needed a few years to develop and the ageing core was expected to phase out.
However, Los Blancos barely took one year to return to the highest level. The main reason for the short transition was the consistency of their midfield core.
While the team rebuilt itself around them, the combination of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro held the team’s ship steady with their experience. Yet, the inevitable ageing has come, and cracks in the midfield have been visible this season.
Florentino Perez is heavily invested in improving the forward line in the summer, but the midfield requires equally as much attention.
According to reports from Diario AS, Real Madrid are keeping an eye on the contract of N’Golo Kante at Chelsea. The 12-time UEFA Champions League winners were interested in the French international in 2016 and 2019 too, with Zinedine Zidane being a big fan of the player.
Kante signed a five-year contract extension with the Blues in 2018. His current deal ends in 2023, and renewal has not been agreed upon yet. One year remains on his deal, and Chelsea will be under pressure to sell the player in the summer.
The 31-year-old has been one of the centre-pieced of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea, playing 19 Premier League games so far. He has scored two goals and provided three assists in the aforementioned duration.
Real Madrid’s management will have a chance to observe the player when the club take on Chelsea later this month in the Champions League. Nevertheless, the London based club will not make it easy for Los Blancos to prize away one of their most treasured assets.
Real Madrid News
Rayo Vallecano manager names the one Real Madrid figure he would remove from the team
Rayo Vallecano face a daunting trip to the Santiago Bernabeu to take on a wounded Real Madrid this weekend.
Life after Inigo Perez has not been kind to the Vallecas-based club, who have already had to travel to Camp Nou and now face a trip to the home of their city giants.
Speaking ahead of the game (h/t Madrid Xtra), Rayo Vallecano manager Benat San Jose was asked which Real Madrid player he would like to remove from the team before this weekend’s game.
Surprisingly, his choice was not Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior or Thibaut Courtois.
“Mourinho”
Asked which Madrid player he would take out of the upcoming contest, Benat jokingly chose the man sitting on the opposition bench.
“Which Real Madrid player I’d remove from the match against them? Mourinho,” Benat said with a laugh.
The answer might have been delivered jokingly, but the Rayo coach immediately made clear just how highly he rates the Portuguese manager.
“He’s one of the best managers in history,” he added.
It is significant praise ahead of Saturday’s meeting at the Bernabeu.
Madrid’s squad contains enough individual quality to give any opposition coach several obvious answers, but Benat instead highlighted the influence Mourinho can have over the entire team.
That has become particularly relevant since the Portuguese coach returned to Madrid. His early work has focused on making a talented group function with greater collective discipline.
Courtois and Madrid’s attack also praised
Benat did not stop with the manager.
“They also have one of the best GKs in history and one of the best attackers in history,” he said.
Benat will definitely have seen how Thibaut Courtois played against Inter Milan in midweek and will hope that version does not turn up again this weekend.
Even when teams manage to create opportunities against Madrid, they still have to beat one of the defining goalkeepers of his generation.
At the opposite end, Madrid possess attacking quality capable of turning a match on its head.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham can all decide matches single-handedly.
Madrid have a point to prove
Madrid are coming off a disappointing loss to Real Betis in La Liga last weekend and will come into this game with a point to prove.
They will want to ensure that the loss to the Andalusian club was a one-off and that they return to winning ways against Rayo.
Their title rivals, Barça, have been flying high in the league, scoring goals and picking opponents apart for fun.
Madrid need to ensure that they do not hand too much early incentive to Barça, and it remains to be seen how Los Blancos fare against Rayo Vallecano.
