Real Madrid News
Rival watch: Atletico Madrid key duo doubtful for UCL clash vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid will lock horns with bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 encounter on Wednesday away at the Metropolitano.
The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu last week ended in a 2-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, handing them a crucial advantage heading into the reverse fixture.
While Real Madrid go into the game on the back of a win vs Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, the weekend was a disappointing one for Atleti as they lost to Getafe and slid down to third place in the standings.
Rodrigo De Paul, Clement Lenglet injury doubts
On top of that, SPORT reports that two key Atletico Madrid players, Clement Lenglet and Rodrigo De Paul, finished the game with injury concerns and are now doubts for the Real Madrid match.
Los Rojiblancos’ manager Diego Simeone raised alarm bells in his post-match press conference when discussing the Frenchman and the Argentine, saying:
“They have different discomforts. We will see if they recover in time for Wednesday’s match. If not, hopefully, they will be available for Sunday.”
Lenglet was set to start against Getafe, but Atletico Madrid announced just before kick-off that he would miss the match due to discomfort suffered during the warm-up.
His absence was a significant blow, as he has become a crucial part of Simeone’s defensive setup since arriving on loan from Barcelona last summer. He has even displaced Robin Le Normand, who had just won the European Championship with Spain.
De Paul started against Getafe but had to be substituted at half-time due to injury. The Argentine is a vital part of Simeone’s system and has only missed three matches across all competitions this season.
De Paul is Atletico’s engine in midfield, providing defensive stability and attacking transition. He remains one of Simeone’s most trusted players, making his potential absence a major concern ahead of such a crucial European clash.
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”.
