Tag: Real Madrid

David Alaba could finally return from injury in a matter of weeks
22Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Injury News

David Alaba could finally return from injury in a matter of weeks

Real Madrid star center back David Alaba has been out since December of last year with a torn ACL, and there have been months of contradicting - and often pessimistic - rumors regarding the Austrian veteran. Before the season started, Alaba was expected to need a little more time to return, but there was a consensus that he'd be able to return to Real Madrid at some point in October. And then October came and the narrative was different, with reports stating that Alaba would need to be out for even more months, setting his timetable for a return until January 2025. In a press conference before Sunday's LaLiga fixture between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu, Merengue head coach Carlo Ancelotti affirmed that Alaba will be returning in January. He noted that Alaba...
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Carlo Ancelotti thinks we are about to see the best of Kylian Mbappe
21Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features

Carlo Ancelotti thinks we are about to see the best of Kylian Mbappe

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has been as scrutinized as expected in his first months at the club, and the criticisms reached a crescendo after an offsides-laden performance in a blowout loss to Barcelona that all but handed the league lead to the Blaugrana. Mbappe bafflingly could not play the center forward position in that game, misreading his runs or the offside line with commentators like ESPN's Julien Laurens reasoning that he wasn't used to playing the line through the middle compared to the runs and positions he would take up as a left winger. Carlo Ancelotti even shifted Vinicius Junior, the best left winger on the planet, to the middle to accommodate Mbappe in his favored position, but the Frenchman still failed to impress in that game. But overall, Mbappe hasn't b...
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Ferland Mendy is ready to return against Sevilla
21Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, Injury News, LaLiga

Ferland Mendy is ready to return against Sevilla

Real Madrid will face Sevilla on Matchday 18 in LaLiga with a keen eye on tonight's fixture between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in what is shaping up to be a heated three-team title race in the Spanish top flight. Left back Ferland Mendy has been out the last few weeks with a right quadriceps injury he suffered against Girona in what ended up being a 3-0 win. Fran Garcia has started in his stead to mixed results, but Mendy has returned to training over the past couple of days. Now, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti confirms that Mendy is healthy and ready to be in the squad, and Mendy was indeed named to the official 18-man squad for Sunday's match at the Santiago Bernabeu vs. Sevilla. Mendy probably won't feature at all, because even though Fran struggled last weekend in a 3-...
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The three biggest keys to victory for Real Madrid vs. Sevilla
21Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

The three biggest keys to victory for Real Madrid vs. Sevilla

Real Madrid now have a three-team title race to worry about with Atletico Madrid currently above them in the table with the same number of games played, so Sunday's battle against Sevilla is that much bigger for the Merengues after they dropped points to local rivals Rayo Vallecano last week. Although Sevilla are in the bottom half of the table and won't be playing at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, the 2022/23 Europa League champions still have enough pedigree and defensive grit to potentially upset the defending LaLiga champions. Before Sunday's big game at the Santiago Bernabeu, let's take a look at the three most important keys to victory for Real Madrid. Turn possession into chances Real Madrid are going to have the lion's share of the possession against Sevilla with Antonio Rudige...
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Five Real Madrid players who must step up the most in order to beat Sevilla
20Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Five Real Madrid players who must step up the most in order to beat Sevilla

After dominating Pachuca 3-0 in Qatar to capture the Intercontinental Cup, Real Madrid are back in the Spanish capital to take on Sevilla in LaLiga this weekend after dropping more points in the league last Saturday to Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid are the clear favorites on Matchday 18, and nothing less than a win will suffice against a Sevilla side that continues to linger in the bottom half of the table, though they are improving during the course of the current campaign. In order for the Merengues to avoid yet another disappointing result in the league, here are five players on the team who must step up the most this weekend. LW Kylian Mbappe Left winger Kylian Mbappe has usually been utilized as a center forward since Real Madrid have quite literally the best pure, out-and-out w...
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3 matchups that will decide Real Madrid vs. Sevilla on Matchday 18
19Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

3 matchups that will decide Real Madrid vs. Sevilla on Matchday 18

Real Madrid got their confidence boost on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Pachuca to take home the Intercontinental Cup, as Kylian Mbappe shined in his tune-up game after returning from a hamstring injury he suffered last week against Atalanta. So far in December, Real Madrid have lost just one game, to Athletic Club, but after dropping more points against Rayo Vallecano, Los Blancos now have to worry just as much about Atletico Madrid ripping the title from them as they do a suddenly struggling Barcelona. This coming Sunday, Real Madrid will face one of LaLiga's historic clubs in Sevilla, who have steadily improved since a rough start to the season and are very capable of costing the Merengue club points as well. Here are three key matchups that could decide Matchday 18 at the Sant...
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Real Madrid predicted XI vs. Sevilla with Vinicius Junior suspended
19Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

Real Madrid predicted XI vs. Sevilla with Vinicius Junior suspended

Real Madrid took a step back in LaLiga last weekend, dropping points with a 3-3 draw to Rayo Vallecano in a rogue road game that the Merengues could have easily lost. After the Intercontinental Cup match against Pachuca in Qatar, Real Madrid travel back to the Spanish capital for a home game against one of their historic rivals, Sevilla, in LaLiga. Sevilla have had another difficult domestic campaign, but they have improved recently on the strength of solid performances from Dodi Lukebakio and others, and they could give Real Madrid real problems on Sunday night. Here is a predicted starting lineup for Real Madrid this weekend, as they look to prove they can win convincingly without Vinicius Junior in the starting lineup. Vini received a fifth yellow card for yelling at an officia...
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3 burning questions for Real Madrid in LaLiga after Intercontinental Cup triumph
18Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

3 burning questions for Real Madrid in LaLiga after Intercontinental Cup triumph

Real Madrid put on another attacking show in Qatar, taking care of business with a 3-0 win over Mexican side Pachuca to take home the Intercontinental Cup and affirm their status as the best club in the world in 2024, having won LaLiga and the Champions League in 2023/24. But coming into the game, Real Madrid were only second best in LaLiga to rivals Barcelona and had just dropped more points in the league, drawing 3-3 with Rayo Vallecano last weekend. This result was a far more professional one, akin to their 3-0 win the previous weekend over last season's title challengers Girona. In this one, Real Madrid received spellbinding performance from Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe in their returns to the starting lineup after Vini was "rested" against Rayo and Mbappe was out with an in...
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Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024
18Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Champions League, Features

Five Real Madrid stars make The Best FIFA Men’s XI for 2024

Real Madrid were the best team in the world during the 2023/24 season, dominating LaLiga and conquering the Champions League for the second time in the last three seasons. Naturally, Real Madrid dominated the XI of the season at "The Best" awards presented by FIFA, with Vinicius Junior, the best player in the world at their award ceremony, headlining the lineup. Rivals Manchester City, who won the Premier League and took Real to their limits in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, had three stars make the XI, but no team had as many players in the lineup as Real Madrid. Here were the picks: Defense: GK Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa, LB (CB) William Saliba, Arsenal, CB Ruben Dias, Manchester City, CB Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid, RB Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid Midfield:...
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2024/25 LaLiga Player of the Season Rankings after Jude Bellingham scores again
17Dec By Kevin ParviziNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

2024/25 LaLiga Player of the Season Rankings after Jude Bellingham scores again

Just as the LaLiga title race is enthralling and extremely difficult to predict at this juncture with three teams equally vying for the top spot, the Spanish league's Player of the Season race is entirely wide open with a handful of candidates all deserving of honors. So let's rank the top five candidates to win the LaLiga Player of the Season award after roughly 17 Matchdays played. Special shoutouts go to the Villarreal duo of Alex Baena and Ayoze Perez, as well as returning Real Betis playmaker Giovani Lo Celso as the best players not on Real Madrid or Barcelona to fail to make this very selective top five. 5. Real Madrid CM Jude Bellingham Fellow Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde has also had an exceptional season and scored an even better goal in Real's 3-3 draw with Rayo Vall...
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