Dominating European football since March 6th 1902
UEFA has officially rejected Benfica’s appeal regarding Gianluca Prestianni, confirming that the Argentine winger’s provisional suspension will remain in place. As a result, he will not feature in tonight’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. Benfica had attempted to overturn the precautionary suspension that was handed down following the first leg. […]
Real Madrid have published their squad list for today’s match against Benfica in the return leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32. REAL MADRID SQUAD:Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, and Fran González.Defenders: Carvajal, Alaba, Trent, Asencio, Á. Carreras, Fran García, Rüdiger, and Mendy.Midfielders: Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Arda Güler, Cestero, Manuel Ángel, Palacios, and Thiago.Forwards: Vini Jr., Gonzalo, Brahim, and Mastantuono. […]
Real Madrid host Benfica in the return leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32 with a 1-0 lead on aggregate. Los Blancos lost all momentum they had gather with a dispirited loss in Pamplona against Osasuna this weekend, so now they will have to bounce back and take care of business once again. This […]
Real Madrid host Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32 and they will almost certainly do so without Kylian Mbappé, who is suffering from a sore knee. In his absence, Gonzalo García will likely start in the center of the attacking line. Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Trent, Rüdiger, Asencio, […]
Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho. SHOWTIME I hope Vini scores today […]
AUDIO: VIDEO: On this episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani and Adrian Sousa discuss: – Benfica’s disappointing reaction to everything that happened in the first leg against Real Madrid – Jose Mourinho skipping the pre-game press conference – The path to Real Madrid getting eliminated – The key Benfica’s attack – And more. […]
In an interview with Pickx+Sports, Dodi Lukebakio addressed the controversy surrounding Vinicius Jr. and the incident with Prestianni that has dominated headlines in recent days. Reflecting on Racism From a Distance Lukebakio began by admitting that he has often thought about how he would respond if placed in a similar situation. “I’ve talked about this […]
Christophe Dugarry has never been one to hold back — and his latest appearance on Rothen s’enflamme was no exception. The former France international launched into a critique of Real Madrid’s squad construction, pushing back against what he sees as an unfair narrative around Kylian Mbappé while simultaneously questioning whether several current players are truly […]
In an interview with AS USA, former Spanish international Gaizka Mendieta offered a sharp tactical and psychological analysis of Real Madrid’s current situation — from stylistic expectations under Xabi Alonso to Álvaro Arbeloa’s motivational approach and the unique pressure of coaching a superclub. “We’ve Never Seen Real Madrid Play Like That” Mendieta was blunt when […]
Former Real Madrid and Benfica midfielder Javi García has given an expansive interview to AS, touching on his time in Madrid’s academy, his formative years at Benfica, Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence on his career, the Vinicius–Prestianni controversy, and even Álvaro Arbeloa’s role on the bench. “Only the Best Make It to Real Madrid” García began by […]
Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappé is expected to miss Wednesday’s match against Benfica in the return leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32 with a knee injury, according to a report from L’Equipe. Mbappé had been playing through pain for quite some time, but today he wasn’t able to complete the training session with […]
On the eve of the clash between Real Madrid and Benfica, it was not José Mourinho who faced the press — but his assistant, João Tralhão. With Mourinho absent and tensions simmering following his sending-off in the first leg, Benfica’s press officer laid down a firm boundary before the press conference began: no questions about […]
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was the player put forward to face the press ahead of the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica, and spoke about the racism scandal by saying, “this is a great moment for football to put an end to these things. We know what Vinicius has told us… and […]
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa spoke before the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg game against Benfica at the Bernabéu to defend his star man Vinícius Júnior, as he said, “he has always shown a lot of courage and character. Anyone in his situation… I don’t know how I would react. He has always been […]
Several key players for Real Madrid enter Wednesday’s match against Benfica at risk of suspension, with six members of the squad one yellow card away from missing the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 should the Spanish side advance. Those players are Álvaro Carreras, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Dean Huijsen, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo […]
Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho. THE DAY BEFORE All i will […]
All things considered, it has been a fairly quiet week for Kylian Mbappé. After riding the bench in their 4-1 win against Real Sociedad, Mbappé returned to the starting XI in Lisbon, where, despite bagging an assist, he was unable to assert his presence in a 1-0 win against Benfica in the first leg of […]
Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira shared thoughtful and, at times, pointed reflections in an interview with AS, touching on the club’s recent coaching transition, Vinícius Jr.’s evolution, and the broader responsibilities that come with superstardom. Khedira, who shared a dressing room with some of Madrid’s most influential figures during a golden era, did not […]
Speaking at an event organized by La Liga and Airbnb, former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes addressed the club’s current situation, the recent coaching change, and the team’s prospects in Europe. Morientes began by contextualizing the noise surrounding Madrid’s campaign. “Real Madrid’s situation is out of the ordinary, that’s just how Real Madrid is. It’s […]
The fallout from the first leg between Real Madrid and Benfica has taken another turn — and this time, it ends without consequences for Fede Valverde. Benfica confirmed that UEFA has rejected the formal complaint they submitted against the Uruguayan midfielder. The Portuguese club had accused Valverde of violent conduct during last week’s Champions League […]
Real Madrid head into their decisive clash with Benfica knowing qualification isn’t the only thing at stake. Vinícius Jr.’s goal in Lisbon tilted the tie in Madrid’s favor, but his post-goal celebration carried consequences, even if unjust. The Brazilian was shown a yellow card that now leaves him walking a disciplinary tightrope. Another booking on […]
AUDIO: VIDEO: On this episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani answers questions about: Did you enjoy this podcast? Get a ton of bonus content exclusively on Patreon.com/ManagingMadrid. The site is run by a small team that works tirelessly around the clock to make it into what it is today. Your contributions will allow […]
Endrick, currently on loan at Lyon, spoke to Téléfoot about his form and ambitions. “I hope one day win to win the Champions League and other titles with Vinicius and Mbappe. In the interim, I want to do great things with Olympique Lyon and, God willing, go to the World Cup to help Brazil.” On […]
After losing the league lead in Pamplona, analysis on spanish radio program Carrusel Canalla focused on Madrid’s inconsistency. Host Anton Meana was vocal about Arbeloa’s shortcomings:“Arbeloa has me confused. There are days where it seems he’s grasped the team’s dynamic… and then they go to Pamplona as if their lives didn’t depend on it. Madrid […]
Following Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Osasuna, Javier Herráez was blunt on Carrusel Deportivo. “For me it’s a reminder of the past. They played like it was inconvenient for them. The lineup was a mistake. If you want to play Carvajal, fine. But start him now, with that lack of identity and considering he hadn’t been […]