Real Madrid News
Real Madrid striker will travel to US one day late after omission from pre-season squad
Earlier today, Real Madrid released their 28-man squad list for the pre-season tour in the United States. The manager called up almost all the available first-team players but the name of Borja Mayoral was excluded.
According to Arancha Rodrigues of COPE, the player will indeed be a part of Los Blancos’ pre-season but will directly join them in Los Angeles one day late.
The reason for his exclusion from the squad list is that Mayoral cannot travel until the 21st of July. The forward only received his second dose of the COVID vaccine on July 8 and at least 14 days must pass before he is permitted to travel overseas to the United States.
Carlo Ancelotti views the striker as a solid backup for Karim Benzema and has him in his plans for next season. However, his future is still in the air.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Borja Mayoral’s future depended on the situation of Mariano Diaz. The Spaniard will be on the departure list if the Dominican Republic international decides against leaving this summer.
The 25-year-old striker has almost continuously been on loan moves since 2016, with his most recent stint being at Getafe. He played in 18 league games for the La Liga side, scoring six goals and providing one assist.
There is little doubt that the Real Madrid academy product is highly talented. However, Ancelotti does not wish to keep two backups for the same position, placing his future in jeopardy.
Needless to say, Mayoral will have a chance to cement his place in the squad through impressive performances in the pre-season.
Real Madrid News
U-turn? Benzema hints at Real Madrid stay during ceremony: “Reality is not the internet”
There has been a lot of talk around Karim Benzema’s situation over the course of the last week or so, with reports claiming that the Frenchman was on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was reported that Benzema was joining Al Ittihad as part of an incredible deal worth nearly €200 million. The striker was also offered 100% of his image rights and advertising deals by the Saudi government.
Over the last day or so, it has been reported that the move is all but official at the moment, as Benzema has accepted the offer, and will soon inform Real Madrid about it.
Benzema was awarded the MARCA Leyenda awards for contribution to sports today, and speaking during it, he dropped a rather cryptic message about his future – one that says quite the opposite to what has been in the news recently.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet,” he added.
This certainly falls away from the departure line for Benzema, who was reportedly already contemplating his life away from Madrid.
At first, though, he was hesitant about speaking about his future, saying, “Staying or leaving Real Madrid? At the moment, I’m here…we have a game on Saturday.”
He repeatedly talked about the fans, calling them the best in world football. He also said, “I know how much Real Madrid fans love me. I feel that when I’m on the pitch, I give my best for them, always.”
“I always say that we play with 11 on the pitch but also with a crucial factor, Real Madrid fans,” Benzema concluded.
