Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward on Barcelona radar as replacement for Ousmane Dembele
According to a report from ARA, Barcelona are considering a move for Marco Asensio. The Real Madrid attacker has emerged as a shocking target for the Catalans, who are, on an even more surprising note, are mulling over the sale of Ousmane Dembele.
Dembele has been by far one of Barcelona’s top performers since the turn of the year. He has looked in a different vein of form under Xavi Hernandez and his performances have been critical in helping Barcelona enjoy an excellent start to the campaign.
However, with the Frenchman’s contract expiring in 2024, Barça are considering offloading the winger in the upcoming January transfer window. The club believe it could help them fetch an excellent price, especially given the form the player is in currently.
Moreover, Dembele’s agents believe a move away from Camp Nou might be the best possible trajectory for the player’s career. With that in mind, Barcelona have started their search for a replacement, with Asensio emerging as one of the potential options.
Asensio, who currently plies his trade for Real Madrid, has endured a rapid fall from grace over the past couple of years. Constant injuries and a lack of form have seen him trail behind in the pecking order, especially after Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo’s rapid rise to prominence.
It has led to speculations over Asensio’s future at the club, with the attacker’s current contract at Santiago Bernabeu expiring at the end of the season.
It makes the Spaniard an ideal target for Barcelona, who rate the Real Madrid star highly due to his vast experience at the highest level of football. The Catalans are even expected to make a move for the 26-year-old as a potential replacement for Dembele next season.
However, the transfer is entirely reliant on the fate of the Frenchman, who is enjoying life in Barcelona at the moment and is willing to do everything he can to restore the club’s lost glory. Real Madrid, for their part, would certainly prefer the Spaniard to move elsewhere, rather than becoming a key part of the strikeforce of their arch-rivals.
Elche manager Martin Anselmi knows his side cannot afford to spend 90 minutes simply absorbing pressure when Real Madrid arrive for Tuesday’s La Liga clash.
After showing greater resilience against Athletic Club, the Argentine wants Elche to take that confidence into one of their toughest fixtures of the season.
A 1-1 draw at San Mames provided some encouragement after a difficult opening to the campaign.
Elche had led for much of the second half before Athletic eventually found a way back, but Anselmi believes the performance offered a blueprint for what his team must do next.
“The fact that we put up a fight at San Mames makes us feel united and shows us that this is the path to follow,” said the Elche manager, as per MARCA.
Anselmi wants Elche to defend with the ball
Against Real Madrid, Anselmi does not intend to abandon the principles that helped Elche compete in Bilbao.
His preferred defensive strategy starts with keeping the ball away from the opposition.
“For us, the best way to defend is to keep possession. I think we need to show the same defensive resilience as we did at San Mames and defend with the ball.”
That approach will face a severe examination against a Real Madrid side possessing the quality to punish even brief lapses.
Elche have already conceded 13 goals this season and currently sit 19th, making defensive concentration a major concern.
On that note, Anselmi is fully aware of the individual threat Madrid possess.
“They make complicated moves look easy and push you to the limit. We mustn’t give anything away and need to stay focused throughout the match.”
The fixture arrives at an awkward time for Anselmi, who has had limited preparation time before facing Madrid, and Yago de Santiago will be the only confirmed absentee.
“The most important match is the next one. From there, we’ll see who’s in the best form and spread the workload,” said the Elche boss.
Real Madrid test comes at a crucial moment
Elche’s start to the 2026/27 season has been anything but positive.
They drew with Deportivo La Coruña before losing three consecutive games against Barcelona, Racing Santander and 10-man Real Sociedad, during which they conceded 11 goals.
The draw against Athletic halted that run, but it did not erase the defensive problems. Elche currently have the second-worst defensive record in La Liga, leaving Anselmi with little margin for error against Real Madrid.
