Real Madrid News
Real Madrid to use Elche trip to start negotiations for midfield prodigy – report
Following two winless matches, Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid are under pressure to get things back on track when they return to action after the international break.
First on the agenda for Los Blancos post the international window is a trip to Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, where they will face off against Elche CF.
Rodrigo Mendoza talks to begin
Apart from securing a victory, it appears that Real Madrid will have another key objective on their trip to Elche.
Indeed, according to Defensa Central, Real Madrid’s sporting department will have the opportunity to hold discussions with Elche regarding Rodrigo Mendoza, who has been closely monitored by Juni Calafat.
The 20-year-old Mendoza has been one of the standout performers for Elche this season and has attracted interest from Real Madrid and several other top clubs.
The attacking midfielder had been on the Merengues’ radars last summer as well, as a possible reinforcement for Castilla, but nothing came of it.
With interest in him revived, the Spanish capital giants will look to take advantage of the trip to Elche to get things moving.
As per the report, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and CEO Jose Angel Sanchez plan to open initial talks, with the intention of eventually reaching an agreement for the midfielder in the future.
Elche, for the moment, do not want to part with the youngster, which explains why the club rejected a €20 million offer last summer. However, the reality is that the midfielder is excited by the idea of moving to the Santiago Bernabeu.
For now, the idea is to start initial talks and set the ball rolling so that Real Madrid can have an advantage over Mendoza’s other suitors.
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”.
