Real Madrid News
Three Real Madrid stars set to miss out against RCD Espanyol this weekend – report
Real Madrid will look to bounce back to winning ways when they take on RCD Espanyol in La Liga this Saturday afternoon.
Ahead of the game, Los Blancos have greeted mixed news on the injury front.
And, according to journalist Guillermo Rai of The Athletic, three Real Madrid players, Karim Benzema, David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are unlikely to take part in the fixture against Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu in a couple of days’ time.
The good news is that Ferland Mendy has resumed training with the group while David Alaba is also stepping up his recovery, having trained outdoors, albeit individually.
However, what is a concern is that superstar striker Karim Benzema trained indoors once again due to ankle discomfort.
While Benzema is training indoors for a third day in a row, his injury is not seen as a major concern, and that his availability for the game against Liverpool next week is not in jeopardy. It is just that the club do not want to take any risks with him ahead of such an important game.
As for Mendy, he has been out of action for more than a month and his return to training certainly comes as a step in the right direction. But he is unlikely to be ready for this weekend’s game, which holds true for Alaba as well.
Meanwhile, Mariano Diaz also did not train with the rest of the group today with muscular discomfort. However, the report adds that there is a chance that the striker could resume training tomorrow and be available for selection against Espanyol on Saturday.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
