Real Madrid News
Real Madrid full-back misses training, doubt for Super Cup clash vs Valencia
Having already been without two first-team regulars in Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba, Real Madrid may have been dealt with a further injury setback.
According to journalist Jorge C Picon, Ferland Mendy did not train with the rest of the team in Riyadh today ahead of their Spanish Super Cup semi-final clash against Valencia. It seems the left-back is suffering from an overload and is a doubt for tomorrow’s match.
Mendy has been a permanent fixture for Carlo Ancelotti in the left-back position this term even though he has had his ups and downs on the pitch.
The French international had a disappointing game this past weekend against Villarreal, which the Merengues ended up losing. Despite that, he was in contention to start against Valencia tomorrow, especially with Alaba having been ruled out of the tournament with an injury.
But Mendy’s absence from training today creates a major headache for Ancelotti, as his involvement against Valencia is now under clouds of uncertainty.
The manager could be forced to rely on Nacho Fernandez at left-back in case Mendy does not require in time, while he has also used Antonio Rudiger as a makeshift left-back on occasions this season.
Alvaro Odriozola would also be an option after he started in the position against Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. However, the Spaniard was also seen training by himself today, which could indicate that he too has some fitness problems.
Meanwhile, Alaba and Tchouameni had been ruled out of the Super Cup earlier this week. The pair has not even travelled with the squad after picking up injuries to their soleus muscle, which is set to keep them out of action for three weeks.
Jose Felix Diaz has reported via MARCA that Real Madrid want a major change in the Spanish refereeing system.
The reporter writes that the team from the Spanish capital has taken the issue as their top priority mostly because of what happened in the recent derby defeat against Atletico Madrid.
Los Blancos are determined to relentlessly steer a significant overhaul of the refereeing structure, and they have no intention of resting in their pursuit.
Their discontent comes not only from recent events, particularly the contentious derby match but also from a deep-seated frustration with the state of refereeing itself.
Real Madrid not hiding their discontent
The journalist mentions that Real Madrid are unapologetic about their continuous criticism of the refereeing community, firmly believing that a transformation is of utmost importance.
Even prior to the emergence of the Negreira case, the Merengues had been vocal about their dissatisfaction with those responsible for overseeing the refereeing unit.
For what it is worth, the revelation of the former vice president of the CTA’s financial ties to Barcelona only solidified Real Madrid’s resolve to advocate for a complete overhaul in referee management.
Real Madrid are suspicious
Real Madrid firmly assert that any influence from Negreira’s historical decisions in certain key positions raises suspicions about the fairness of the competition.
For that, the management will do everything in its power to achieve a certain level of transparency within the organization that it believes is currently overshadowed by historical baggage.
As of today, Real Madrid continue to voice their concerns through their official channels.
Right now their ultimate goal is to eliminate the involvement of Clos Gomez in VAR decisions, marking the beginning of a long-standing battle they are fighting.
