Real Madrid News
Bayern Munich winger boosts motivation ahead of Real Madrid game
Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry has said that the Bavarians will have to take advantage of the scoring opportunities against Real Madrid as this is the only way to kill Los Blancos.
“We have to take advantage of the scoring chances we create and then kill them,” said the forward as quoted by SPORT.
“We played a very good game in the first leg, we had many scoring chances and we could have scored one or two more goals.
That is a very, very important point for Wednesday,” he added.
Bayern Munich are optimistic
Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich are determined to make up for a disappointing domestic season by reaching the Champions League final.
This season saw Bayern lose the Bundesliga title for the first time since 2012, which adds pressure to their performance in the European competition.
Meanwhile, Tuchel has faced challenges with his squad, including concerns about the health of several key players like Dayot Upamecano, Jamal Musiala, Konrad Laimer, Matthijs de Ligt, and Leroy Sane for this clash.
On the other hand, Raphael Guerreiro’s absence from the team further complicates the situation.
Despite these obstacles, Tuchel remains confident about his team’s ability to qualify for the Champions League final.
His focus is now on getting the best performance out of his players to keep their Champions League hopes alive. The team is motivated and ready to fight for their spot in the final.
Amid all this, Tuchel pointed out that Gnabry, who scored in Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal, will be on the scoresheet against Real Madrid too.
“Serge Gnabry is going to score,” he said.
“It’s going to happen. I don’t know where it’s come from, but it’s going to happen
“I’m putting my headphones on noise-cancelling and ignoring it. The topic won’t help me tomorrow or on Tuesday – and it’s not my topic anyway,” he added.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid hope captain will resume group training tomorrow and be ready for Villarreal
Real Madrid received a major boost in training today as Kylian Mbappe participated in the group session, indicating his readiness for the upcoming game against Villarreal.
The French superstar had returned from international duty with a knee injury, but seems to have left it behind and appears ready to start at the Santiago Bernabeu come Saturday.
What about Federico Valverde?
Now, according to AS, Federico Valverde was not part of the group training session today at Valdebebas. Instead, he was involved in an individual session away from his teammates.
However, Real Madrid hope that their club captain will be able to resume working with the rest of the squad on Thursday, putting him in the fray to return in time for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal.
Valverde is currently recovering from an ankle sprain that he sustained in Real Madrid’s 2-1 derby defeat against Atletico Madrid prior to the international break.
The Uruguayan midfielder was on the receiving end of a harsh tackle from Kang-In Lee, which left him injured, ruling him out of action for the national team.
The 28-year-old stayed behind in Madrid and has worked hard on his recovery, with things progressing in the right direction.
What now remains to be seen is whether he can jump back into group training session on Thursday, which would put him on the path to return to action against Villarreal.
A key player for Mourinho
So far this season, Valverde has emerged as a permanent fixture in the team under new manager Jose Mourinho.
The Real Madrid captain has started all of the team’s eight matches in all competitions this term, scoring and assisting one goal apiece.
His potential availability for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal will come as a major boost for Mourinho & co. Everything will depend on how things progress in tomorrow’s training session at Valdebebas.
With Ibrahima Konate also recovering from his knee sprain, Real Madrid have only three players sidelined currently: Raul Asencio, who recently underwent surgery, Rodrygo Goes, who is a long-term absentee, and Ferland Mendy, who has resumed work with the ball.
