Real Madrid News
Real Madrid sensation may have broken the division’s historic record with mammoth strike vs Elche
Real Madrid put four goals past Elche last night to make it seven goals in two games and enter their best run of the season in that sense.
After all, they have looked dominant over the opposition after a long time, and it is clear that the team is slowly entering an ascendency phase in terms of their form.
Of the four goals scored on the night, Arda Guler was the one who scored the most stunning finish of them all as he struck the ball from Real Madrid’s half, over the goalkeeper, and into the back of the net in flabbergasting fashion.
A new record
As reported by Fran Martinez in a recent update, his calculations place Guler’s striker last night to be from a distance of 68.7 metres from the opposition goal – a number that puts to perspective how stunning his strike was.
He also relays that before Guler’s goal, the record for the distance scored from the furthest distance in the history of the Primera Division lies with Numancia’s Antonio against Sevilla.
It was back in November 2004 that the player scored against Sevilla from a distance of 67 metres and set that record. If Martinez’s calculations are right, Guler may well have broken the record in the division.
An official confirmation of the record can only be gained once La Liga officially confirm the distance of the strike.
Given that there is a staggering 1.7 metre difference between the previous record and Martinez’s calculation, it is likely that Guler’s strike was definitely from beyond the 67 meter mark, for an error of that magnitude would appear impossible.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho has already called up one of Real Madrid academy’s biggest prospects to first-team training
Real Madrid have an excellent academy model that most clubs around Europe would envy.
La Fabrica is not just a source of talented starlets for the first team. In fact, that may be the least important prong of Madrid’s academy.
Very few players, such as Raul Asencio and Thiago Pitarch, have stepped up from the academy and earned a place in the first team.
The academy has also proved to be a source of income for the club, with Madrid generating close to €210 million from academy-related operations in the summer.
Now, according to Diario AS, Los Blancos youngster Cherif Fofana is emerging as one of the names to watch at Valdebebas.
The highly rated academy prospect has already been given an opportunity to work alongside Mourinho’s senior squad. He has also been dubbed the ‘little Kante’.
Mourinho has already taken a look
Mourinho inviting Cherif into the senior environment is significant. First-team training does not guarantee competitive minutes, but it is an important first step.
At Madrid, minutes are not easy to come by with a squad as talented as theirs, but Cherif training with them will be valuable exposure for him.
It also provides an opportunity for him to become familiar with Mourinho’s expectations before any potential first-team opportunity arrives.
Madrid have already seen that pathway work with academy talents such as Asencio and Pitarch, who have progressed and become genuine first-team options.
Another prospect emerging from La Fabrica
Cherif is another product of a recruitment and development system designed to identify players capable of eventually competing at the highest level.
Not every highly rated youngster will establish himself at the Bernabeu, and Madrid know that better than anyone.
The important part is creating a pathway where the best prospects are continually exposed to higher standards.
Training under Mourinho represents precisely that kind of step. Cherif cannot afford to slack off now and needs to keep improving and developing.
The 16-year-old central midfielder seems to have a huge future in the game, and it remains to be seen how his progression at Madrid plays out.
