Real Madrid News
Real Madrid legend hails Carlo Ancelotti: “A very special guy”
Xabi Alonso is not only one of Real Madrid’s most special players in history but also a very successful manager in his own right.
The Spaniard’s record at Bayer Leverkusen has been so impressive that he is even being considered an option to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid amid speculations of his departure.
The legendary midfielder spoke to AS earlier this week where he highlighted Ancelotti’s extraordinary success with Real Madrid and the possibility of the club defending their title in Europe.
“Ancelotti is a very special guy in a very special club with a big challenge to win the UEFA Champions League again. I hope they achieve it.”
Real Madrid advanced to the quarterfinal of the prestigious event with a statement 6-2 win over Liverpool. They are three ties away from glory, but the path will be anything but easy.
The next hurdle Los Blancos face must pass is Chelsea over two legs in April. A win in the quarterfinal will see them pitted against either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the final four.
The final, in theory, will be a more straightforward affair with the Merengues playing one of AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, or Benfica.
Given the pressure on Ancelotti’s shoulders, winning the UCL seems non-negotiable if the Italian is to keep hold of his job next season. The odds may not be in their favour, but that has never proven to be a roadblock for Los Blancos.
As for Xabi Alonso, his great spell at Leverkusen continues with the Germans losing just seven of their 24 games under the manager. Most recently, his side bettered Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga to move within three points of sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Alonso’s name as a candidate for the Real Madrid post has slowly faded away in recent weeks. However, one expects that the former Spanish international could return to the Bernabeu as a manager in the years to come.
Real Madrid News
Harry Kane ‘very close’ to completing Real Madrid move, only final details remain – report
Jude Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid was finally closed earlier today as officially confirmed by Borussia Dortmund on their website. Yet, the offices at Santiago Bernabeu have not even taken a break to celebrate their success.
According to reports from Alfredo Pedullà, Los Blancos are now completely focused on the acquisition of Harry Kane. The English striker’s arrival is very close to approaching closure and only a few details remain to be sorted.
The Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur representatives reportedly held a meeting today over the striker’s transfer. The agenda was to agree on a number for the transfer fee.
The Premier League side began the proceedings with an expectation of €100 to €110 million in exchange for Kane. However, the Merengues suggested a lower point at €80 to €90 million, albeit with the option to include bonuses.
There is not much separating the two parties at the moment, and the minor gap will be bridged in the coming days. Overall, the meeting ended with a broad understanding between the two clubs.
Carlo Ancelotti sees the English striker as the centre-piece of his attack for next season given the recent departure of Karim Benzema. After all, Kane has been one of football’s most consistent goalscorers over the past decade.
Yet, Los Blancos cannot afford to let their guard down with one signing and will need to rope in at least two more names in attack to serve as backup options. The exits of Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard leave them with no squad depth, after all.
Kane has scored 30, 17, and 23 goals in his last three seasons in the Premier League and is the epitome of consistency. Further, he had three assists in his most recent league season and created 14 big chances.
