Euro 2024 preview: Real Madrid’s stars, and their chances.

By: PGS | June 12, 2024 6:02 am
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Euro 2024 is almost here. Kicking off on June 14th, the 17th edition of premier international tournament for European Nations is set to be a cracker. While France are seen as the favourites, the disparity between them and the other big teams is not enough to make the tournament a forgone conclusion. With a number of Real Madrid’s stars participating in the tournament, here we take a look at the Madridistas who will be playing, and how well their nations could perform.

France: The clear favourites of the tournament are France, winners of the 2018 World Cup and runner-up for the 2022 one. Four Madridistas, Aurelien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy, and now, Kylian Mbappé, will be representing Les Bleus, and their star-studded team will be expected to win the tournament. While Tchouaméni is still recovering from his injury and has not yet played a pre-tournament friendly, the other 3 can be expected to feature prominently. France’s talisman is, obviously, Real Madrid’s newest Galatico Kylian Mbappé, and his performance will likely dictate how deep France go. An attack comprising of him, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kingsley Coman and Randal Kolo Muani is clearly the best of any nation in the tournament, and their offense is will be a nightmare for any team to come up against. If Tchouaméni does return to fitness in-time, we can expect to see an all-Real Madrid pivot, with Tchouaméni and Camavinga being the starting duo. Ferland Mendy on the other hand will likely be on the bench, as national team regular Theo Hernandez will be slated to start. Overall, France have a very solid team with depth that no other nation can match, and their blend of technical quality and athleticism will be hard for teams to deal with. Combine that with their previous experience of going very deep into international tournaments, and it’s clear to see why they are the favourites going into the tournament.

Author prediction: Winners.

Spain: The Spanish National Team boasts three Madridistas: Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal and Joselu, and with two back-to-back 5 goal wins, Spain are looking dangerous ahead of the tournament. Unlike France however, the Madridistas are not fully guaranteed to start. Joselu will certainly be a bench option, as captain Alvaro Morata is guaranteed to start. Nacho will probably start given his recent form. Carvajal, based on his performances this season, should be one of the first names on the sheet, yet it is not a lock that he will start. Luis de la Fuente has started Jesus Navas at the right-back position, and that could be the case in some games as well. Overall, Spain have a good team with some interesting profile blends, but their team and experience does not stack up well against the other big hitters in the tournament. Spain could very well make a dark-horse run in the tournament, but their chances of winning it outright look slim.

Author prediction: Quarter-finals.

England: England only have one Real Madrid player, but we all know how good he is. The Champions League and LaLiga winner, the Kopa award winner, LaLiga Player of the Year, Real Madrid fans Player of the Year, UEFA Young Player of the Year, 19 goals in the league from midfield and an assist in the Champions League final, Jude Bellingham is one of the best players in the world right now. And around him will be a plethora of superstar talent who make England a formidable foe for any team in the world. Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, Kyle Walker, Declan Rice, and Ollie Watkins alongside Jude make England easily the second-best team on paper. Their squad is well rounded, with superstar talent in almost every area of the pitch. While historically England have had massive failures on the international stage, their quality right now cannot be ignored. Jude, Kane and Saka will be the key men, and their performances will dictate how well England do. For England, Jude can be expected to play as a classic-8, a role he will more than excel at. Being the main source of creativity from deep, Bellingham will have a huge role to play for the Three Lions. If he and his attacking teammates can replicate their club form, then England have a very good shot at winning their first ever Euros.

Author prediction: Runners-up.

Germany: One of the best national teams of the 2010s, Germany have recently suffered a fall from grace. Their results have been disappointing to say the least, while the overall quality of their team has fallen as well. Yet, they still possess the best midfielder and the best defender in the world: Toni Kroos, and Antonio Rudiger respectively. Kroos, who just this year announced he was coming back from international retirement, has reminded everyone just what Germany were missing. In his three games since coming back, he has easily been Germany’s best player. Dictating play at the heart of midfield, and creating from deep, Kroos is the perfect veteran midfielder to provide the base that talented youngsters such as Wirtz and Musiala need. His ability to unlock defenses from deep and deliver balls to pacy attackers such as Sane, or find the heads of tall target men like Füllkrug or Havertz, Kroos will add an attacking edge that many are overlooking. The midfield duo of him and Gundogan is also one of the best in the tournament, if not the outright best. Behind him, Antonio Rüdiger will be the key man for what has been a shaky defense in recent years. While he has the imperious Manuel Neuer in goal and Kimmich as RB, Rüdiger will have to replicate his club form if Germany are to make a deep run in the tournament. Having been the best defender in the world this season, Rüdiger should be expected to be the best defender at the tournament. An aerial threat as well, a Rüdiger goal from a Kroos set-piece is also a very real possibility.

Author prediction: Semi-finals.

Ukraine: Andriy Lunin’s Ukraine, while not being star-studded, are not a bad team by any means. Possessing Premier League talent such as Mudryk and Zinchenko, and LaLiga top scorer Dovbyk, Ukraine have a lot of quality in their squad. Lunin will be a safe pair of hands in goal, and his ability to pull out amazing performances can keep Ukraine hanging against even the best. Yet, their overall squad is not all that good, and the team has historically been mediocre. Expectations around them should not be that high.

Author prediction: Group-stage exit.

 

Turkey: Another one of the “weaker” sides possessing a Real Madrid player, Turkey too are a nation that do not have a lot of expectations attached to them. While recent reports have said that Arda Güler will start, it is not a guarantee. Regardless, Güler is still just 18 and expecting him to be a talismanic figure that leads a mediocre squad would be unfair. He does have the likes of Çalhanoglu, Demiral and Yilmaz around him, but overall, the team is quite uninspiring.

Author prediction: Round of 16.

Croatia: The final team possessing a Madridista is Luka Modrić’s Croatia. Possessing easily the 3rd weakest team from the 7 listed here, behind only Ukraine and Turkey, Croatia are not anyone’s pick to win the tournament. However, Luka Modric’s Croatia can never be counted out. Finalists of the 2018 World Cup and 3rd place at the 2022 World Cup, Croatia have proven time and time again that they are always a team to be taken seriously. Even recently, they beat a far a stronger Portugal team. Yet, this Croatia team is not the force it used to be. Modrić is older and age has taken its toll on him, although he still remains a world-class player. Brozovic, Peresic, Budimir, and Kramarić are all not the players they used to be, and Modrić’s two best teammates will be Man City duo Kovacic and Gvardiol. Croatia’s usual style of slow, compact football, combined with Modrić always going Super-Saiyan mode and producing has worked before, and could work again. However, it would be smart to temper expectations.

Author prediction: Quarter-finals.

Note: David Alaba will miss the tournament with injuries, while Thibaut Courtois has not been selected.

It’s still early, but the response must come fast

By: Ardit Lipa | October 27, 2024 9:30 am
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Real Madrid suffered a tough defeat in the biggest match of the season so far – falling 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu against the biggest rivals, Barcelona.

The defeat – not only did stop Real Madrid from going 43 games unbeaten in La Liga, but also gave a reality check to everyone in the team & outside of it, of where the team really stands, showcasing perfectly every flaw that this star studded team has.

Instead of focusing on the negatives that are quite obvious, we will try to find the positives – a task that realistically, seems very difficult.

But are there any positives to take from last night? From the game, no. Mentally, yes.

Even though the difference at the top is now 6 points for Barcelona, the league is still with 27 games ahead & the chances for response are big. But, instead of focusing on the rival – Real Madrid should focus on themselves & try to make things better.

Since the season has started, the performances have been average at best – and even the wins, have not been very convincing, often secured by a goal difference and in the last minutes of the game.

It’s not a matter of quality – because if you take a look at the individuals – it is the best team in the world, but it’s matter of performance and attitude & the attitude has clearly been missing by the team’s main stars that so far, have not shown their best version, none of them.

Aside of that – the coach, has isolated some players totally, not giving them the chance to prove themselves, such as Arda Güler & Endrick, who in the limited minutes have shown that they can make a difference, and you can expect them to atleast be trusted when you’re attacking and chasing a 2-0 result.

Generally, a lot of things should be improved – like performance, attitude and dividing the minutes to different players – and if you’ve been a fan of Real Madrid for too long, you know that the team always responds, and it should not be expected different this time. BUT, this doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be overreaction – because the signs are really worrying, and the response – unlike other times, MUST be immediate.

The positive, is that it’s only October & there are almost 50 matches in all competitions left to play, so the margin for improvement is really, really big.

Now, it’s time to put all the questions on the table and find the answers to all of them – one by one.

The trust is big, as always. As Toni Kroos said – at the end we are Real Madrid.

Neymar backs Vinícius Jr. for Ballon d’Or after an impressive season

By: TheMadridZone | October 14, 2024 12:21 pm
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Neymar Jr. has publicly voiced his support for Vinícius Jr. to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. In an emotional moment, Neymar stated, “I am supporting Vini Jr. to win the Ballon d’Or. He had a great season and no one deserves it more.”

Vinícius Jr., who played a pivotal role for both Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team, has been in outstanding form throughout the season. His performances have captured global attention, making him one of the frontrunners for the award, and with Neymar’s backing, his candidacy grows even stronger.

Real Madrid target Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jonathan Tah to bolster defense amid injury crisis

By: TheMadridZone | 12:19 pm
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Real Madrid are targeting Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah to strengthen their defense in light of recent injuries. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has informed the club that reinforcements are crucial to maintaining their competitive edge this season.

Alexander-Arnold’s playmaking ability and defensive versatility have made him a vital asset for Liverpool, while Tah’s strength and reliability in the Bundesliga have been key to Bayer Leverkusen’s success. With both players on Real Madrid’s radar, the Spanish giants are looking to bolster their squad depth as they face a challenging season ahead.

Trent Alexander-Arnold or Alphonso Davies, who does Real Madrid need more?

By: PGS | August 2, 2024 6:54 am
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Real Madrid are reportedly interested in two of the world’s best fullbacks: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alphonso Davies, and the club are aiming to sign them for free in 2025, when their respective contracts end with their clubs. In an ideal scenario, the club will be able to sign both, as both are phenomenal talents that would improve the club. However, a scenario could arise in which the club would be forced to choose between one or the other. The club’s modus operandi when signing players in recent years has been to encourage their targets not to renew, sign them for free to save up on transfer fees, and offer them high wages. This method was used to first sign David Alaba, and Antonio Rüdiger and Kylian Mbappé have also been signed with the same method. The club is now aiming to do the same with Trent and Davies, and the club could be in a situation in which they will have to decide which way to pour more resources. Both are elite talents around their prime, and both will demand high wages. So, if the club is in a position to choose only one, the question arises; who does Real Madrid need more?

The answer, in the opinion of the author, is Trent Alexander-Arnold.

While Trent and Davies are both known to be exceptional offensive talents, their styles of play are very different. Davies is a monster in transition, a super quick player who originally started as a winger and later transitioned into a fullback. He is a player who loves to take players on, something that is reflected in his monstrous 3.1 take-ons completed p90 (comparable to prime Marcelo numbers). In a footrace, there are very few players in the world who can keep up with the Canadian, and his main way of attacking comes from beating his man and creating chaos with his dribbling and speed.

Trent on the other hand, is not the athlete Davies is, but is a passing wizard. Slower, and a worse dribbler than Davies (only 1.2 take-ons p90), Trent’s main strength is his final ball. Attempting 7.1 crosses p90 and completing 2.3, compared to 1.4 attempts with 0.5 completed for Davies, their differences are clear to see. Trent is seen as one of the best passers and crossers in the world, and is also an elite set-piece taker. His passing range and technique put midfielders to shame, and his passing in transition is some of the best in the world.

So, why do Real Madrid need Trent more than they do Davies? The answer is the stylistic profiles of both Trent, and the players at hand at Real Madrid. Trent Alexander-Arnold can be seen as almost being tailor-made to fit this current Real Madrid side. A truly devastating passer in transition, a player who completes 30 forward passes a game, 1 through ball and 6.2 long balls, Trent is a one-man transition weapon. For comparison, Toni Kroos completed 9.8 long-balls a game last season. While Trent’s long passing is not Kroos’, with Kroos’ departure, having someone of Trent’s quality will go a long way in helping fill that void. While Davies also has his offensive talents, the gap between him and Trent in these departments is immense. Davies completes 16 forward passes p90, only 0.4 long balls and 0.2 through-balls. Davies’ skills in transition are his ball-carrying and speed, while Trent’s are his precision passing and ability to spread the play immediately.

Analyzing these different skills in the context of Real Madrid, it becomes clear that Trent’s skillset is a better fit. Firstly, there is the task of replacing Kroos’ passing. While no player in football can do that, Trent’s ability to switch play, find targets on the run with pinpoint precision, and set-off attacks in transition will go a long way in helping mitigate some of the effects of Kroos’ departure. Then, you have to look at the attackers that will be starting for Madrid. Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo are as fast an attack as you will ever see. All three are incredibly fast and are truly devastating in transition. Imagine a counter-attack with the three on the break, and Trent finding them with his long-passing. An attack like that would truly be unstoppable.

Furthermore, Trent would also be an incredible outlet option on the right. All three aforementioned players and Jude Bellingham naturally gravitate towards the left. Naturally, there will be an overload there that will force opposition defenses to crowd that area, leaving the right open, something we saw every game during the threepeat era. A quick switch to an open Trent who will have ample space to cross or shoot would be a truly elite weapon in Real Madrid’s locker. Jude would also be an elite crossing target, but Trent’s crossing is so good that even without tall targets in the box, he has managed a remarkable number of assists for Liverpool. None of Salah, Mane and Firmino were truly great aerial targets, but Trent found them consistently regardless, and the same can be expected with his Real Madrid targets. With this skillset, Trent is also a much better creator than Davies, creating 2.7 chances p90, compared to 1.6 for the Canadian. Trent also helps mitigate the effects of losing a set-piece taker, as Trent has been the primary corner and free-kick taker for Liverpool, and has done an exceptional job so far.

These stylistic profiles are also why Davies is not as big of a need as Trent is. What he excels at, Vinícius, Mbappé and Rodrygo also excel at. Being a left-back, Davies would also play in the flank that these three like to play-in, and while having an elite attacking fullback on that side would be a plus point, not having him would not be a problem either. The right side on the other hand, is relatively lacking in attacking talent, mainly with the starting XI. All of Madrid’s natural right-sided attackers are expected to come off the bench, with Brahim, Endrick and Arda, the teams three left footed attackers, will not be bonafide starters. As a result, the main threat on the right will come from Fede Valverde’s runs. Right now, Carvajal provides width and is elite at it, but signing Trent adds another, truly world class, weapon on the right, and sets-up a long-term replacement for Carvajal as well.

On the defensive side of things, an equally important part of their game, both Trent and Davies have come under criticism. Seen as attacking fullbacks with average defensive games, Trent and Davies both have deficiencies on their part. Trent is infamous for his propensity to leave the back-post unguarded and lose his marker, while Davies is often criticized for his lack of positional discipline. Both are not elite defenders, but are not bad either. Statistically, they produce similar defensive numbers, with Davies completing slightly more tackles p90 (2.1 vs 1.7), while Trent has very slight leads in interceptions (1.3 vs 1.2) and clearances (1.8 vs 1.7). Yet, despite their defensive weaknesses, Madrid fans do not need to be concerned. Defending is far more reliant on the team’s structure than individual talent, and with a midfield of Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Jude and Fede in front of them, they will have more than enough cover to go on their marauding runs.

Age is also a factor. Dani Carvajal may have had the season of his career last season, but he will be 33 by the time the 2025 summer rolls around, and Lucas will have reached 34. Ferland Mendy on the other hand, will have just turned 30, and Fran Garcia will be reaching his 25th birthday. Taking into account this aspect as well, Trent is the better, more needed option for the team next summer.

As said before, the ideal scenario would be signing both, but if the club was to be faced with the decision, then Trent should be the club’s choice.

Arda Güler cuts his vacation short

By: Ardit Lipa | July 26, 2024 12:01 pm
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Arda Güler has cut his vacation short to return training for the new season.

Real Madrid’s 19-year old gem had a really positive EURO 2024 with Türkiye, exceeding everyone’s expectations while reaching the quarterfinals & going out just in the quarterfinals.

Going that far in the tournament, Arda Güler was scheduled to have a longer vacation, but the Turkish star has decided to cut them short & will return to Madrid tomorrow, where he will start training with the team and travel to USA on Sunday for the preseason tour.

Arda spent his vacation in Bodrum in Türkiye & Maldvies, where he was seen constantly individually training – preparing for the new season.

Güler had a first season full of unlucky injuries, but in the limited minutes he had at the end of the season – he scored 6 goals, impressing everyone & also was fantastic in EURO 2024, letting it be known that he can have a much bigger role in 2024/25.

The Turkish star wants to start strongly in preseason, to slowly gain a place for himself & get more minutes. With other players coming later to preseason, Arda Güler will be a starter in the preseason games vs Milan (August 1st), Barcelona (August 4th) & Chelsea (August 7th).

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