Real Madrid News
Watch: Real Madrid forward sparks angry reaction from Diego Simeone on the touchline
The Madrid derby rarely passes without controversy, and the latest clash between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid added yet another story to an already heated rivalry.
With the scoreline reading 3-2 in favour of Real Madrid and the game entering its final stages, tensions were already high.
In the 87th minute, manager Alvaro Arbeloa decided to substitute Vinicius Jr., bringing on Alvaro Carreras to help see out the match.
What followed, however, quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the evening.
What happened in the match?
As Vinicius slowly made his way off the pitch, he appeared to deliberately engage with the Santiago Bernabeu crowd in a manner that lifted the noise inside the stadium.
While such gestures are not uncommon in high-stakes matches, this particular moment did not go unnoticed on the opposing bench.
Simeone, known for his intensity on the touchline, reacted immediately. The Atletico Madrid coach was visibly frustrated and even approached the referee to express his dissatisfaction with the situation.
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Although it remains unclear whether any direct exchange took place between him and Vinicius at that moment, the tension between the two was evident.
There is a history
To fully understand the significance of this interaction, it is important to revisit a previous incident involving both figures.
During the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals earlier this year, cameras captured a heated moment in which Simeone directed strong words towards the Brazilian forward.
On that occasion, he told him, “Florentino is going to kick you out. Remember, he’s going to kick you out.”
Vinicius did not take long to respond at the time, choosing to do so publicly after the match.
Taking to social media, he fired back with a message that underlined both confidence and defiance, stating, “You’ve lost another tie.”
That exchange had set the tone for future encounters, and the latest derby showed that the tension has not faded.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
