Real Madrid News
Real Madrid interested in La Liga midfielder also tracked by Pep Guardiola
Although we are yet to even reach the halfway point of the season, Real Madrid have already started their preparations for the next one.
The club are hard at work trying to secure the services of a new central defender for the summer of 2026, preferably on a Bosman deal, with Dayot Upamecano emerging as the ideal target.
Real Madrid are equally keen on signing a new central midfielder, as they look to find alternatives to Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Real Madrid interested in Mendoza
According to Il Messaggero (h/t Diario AS), one of the players Real Madrid are tracking this season is Elche midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza.
At just 20 years of age, Mendoza has established himself as a key operator in Elche’s midfield, impressing onlookers with his technical prowess.
His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid one of the clubs interested in his services.
Stiff competition from Man City
However, Real Madrid may face a difficult time trying to sign Mendoza, as the player is on the radar of several other clubs in Europe as well.
One of them is Manchester City, with coach Pep Guardiola particularly keeping an eye on the Elche man’s progress this season.
Other than Man City, Mendoza is also on the radar of Italian giants Juventus, so Real Madrid will have to beat these clubs if they are to sign the Elche starlet.
However, these are still early days, and one must point out that Real Madrid’s charm in Spain could potentially hand them an advantage for Mendoza, who might be wary about moving abroad at such a young age.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
