ESPN FC - Real Madrid Blogs
Marco Asensio's brace helps Real Madrid salvage a draw against Valencia
Valencia looked as if they would steal three points in the Bernabeu, until Marco Asensio produced another moment of magic.
Valencia looked as if they would steal three points in the Bernabeu, until Marco Asensio produced another moment of magic.
Real Madrid pulled out a 2-2 draw at home against Valencia, with Marco Asensio netting a classy brace along the way.
Real Madrid and Valencia played out a scintillating 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu as Marcelino's work in progress took the game to the champions. Marco Asensio scored a wonderful solo goal and a late free kick to earn Madrid a point after Carlos Soler and Geoffrey Kondogbia had given the visitors a brief second-half lead.
Positives
Zinedine Zidane's side created plenty of chances and had 22 shots overall despite the absence of key personnel at both ends. Real did not flinch after Kondogbia's 77th-minute...
The ESPN FC crew discuss the Champions League draw.
The ESPN FC crew discuss the Champions League draw.
The ESPN FC crew discuss the Champions League draw.
The ESPN FC crew discuss the Champions League draw.
Now that the Champions League draw has been completed, here's a preview for Group H. Who do you think will go through?
Predicted finish
1. Real Madrid
2. Borussia Dortmund
3. Tottenham
4. APOEL
Real Madrid
The champions are back and suitably buoyant after their Spanish Super Cup mauling of a troubled Barcelona. That came on the back of a UEFA Super Cup win over Manchester United and while high-profile arrivals have been thin on the ground so far this summer, they will start as favourites...
With Real Madrid the clear favourite, Gab Marcotti breaks down who will claim the second spot in this season's toughest group.
The Champions League is back, and the race to dethrone Real Madrid starts all over again. Zinedine Zidane's men have won the past two Champions League trophies, but can they make it three in a row this season?
With the draw made for the 2017-18 tournament, ESPN FC's club bloggers give their take as they plot the route to Kiev next May.
Real Madrid
Hopes of advancing: The current champions, still in intimidating form, should make it to the next round. Anything different would be a major disappointment.
The...
The FC boys talk what the potential signing of Kylian Mbappe would mean for Karim Benzema.
The FC crew discuss how Mbappe's potential move to Real would affect reported Man United target Gareth Bale's future.
Zinedine Zidane avoided journalists questions about a move for Monaco's Kylian Mbappe.
In a summer of transfer activity fueled by the billions in television revenue flowing through the European market, Leicester City signed 20-year-old Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho for £25 million.
The Nigeria international had 64 career senior appearances under his belt and had scored 21 goals, at a phenomenal per-minute rate, which was seen by the Foxes as sufficient promise to part with a fee that fell just shy of the club record £27m forked out a year earlier for Islam...
Cristiano Ronaldo has lent both his name and likeness to many weird and wonderful products over the years, from underpants to electric stomach-toning pads to utterly bizarre Japanese "facial fitness" devices.
However, the Real Madrid star may just have struck his strangest commercial partnership to date with a ringing endorsement of the Egyptian steel production industry.
Have you ever related steel to eco-friendly? I did.. that's why I've partnered with the most safety-oriented steel brand #Egyptian_Steel pic.twitter.com/8MoFjuALNK— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) August 23, 2017
Ronaldo has shared a promotional video across his various social media channels to commend Egyptian Steel and profess his admiration...
The ESPN FC crew evaluate Sergio Ramos' behaviour after he tied La Liga's all-time record with his 18th red card.
The ESPN FC crew flip the script and examine the possible benefits of Cristiano Ronaldo's five-game ban for Real Madrid.
You may have noticed a tremendous outbreak of indefensible stupidity in Spanish football over the last few days, which centres upon two intertwining trends: Refereeing mistakes and wholly unnecessary red cards.
There have been stories aplenty about clubs appealing against officials' decisions and an outright lack of condemnation from the coaches toward the players who let them down and the hard fact is that it is time to put the microscope on the footballers in question, not the fallible referees.
It...
Real Madrid cruised to three points in their opening La Liga fixture of the season, as a Ronaldo-less Madrid still netted three.
Real Madrid cruised to three points in their opening La Liga fixture of the season, as a Ronaldo-less Madrid still netted three.
Real Madrid opened their La Liga campaign in comfortable fashion, winning 3-0 away to Deportivo, despite Sergio Ramos' late red card.
Real Madrid ran out as comfortable winners in a 3-0 victory at the Riazor that did little to dispel the notion that Zinedine Zidane's side are anything other than heavy favourites to retain their La Liga title. Gareth Bale, Casemiro and Toni Kroos hit the net for the visitors as Deportivo La Coruna found themselves outclassed.
Positives
This was a professional performance in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and a game that could have proven tricky for Madrid on paper. It seems that whatever changes...
The ESPN FC crew discuss whether anyone can stop Real Madrid in La Liga.
Having conquered the first two trophies of the official season -- the European Super Cup against Manchester United and the Spanish Cup against Barcelona -- Real Madrid will open their La Liga campaign Sunday against Deportivo in La Coruna.
Things have changed of late, but a couple of decades ago, the Riazor stadium became a synonym for humiliating defeats.
Those were the "Super Depor" times. That outstanding team revelled in showing their flair with overwhelming displays against the Madridistas....
Don Hutchison joins Layla Anna-Lee to explain why a move for Jonny Evans would be 'no bad thing' for Manchester City.
Real Madrid are to reward Marco Asensio with a new contract.
The football world is awash with gossip. Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals and potential deals here.
TOP STORY: Asensio set for €500m buyout clause
With Marco Asensio's star rising, Real Madrid are set to offer the 21-year-old a lucrative new contract in order to ward off potential suitors, according to Marca.
Madrid hope to insert a huge buyout clause in Asensio's new deal to ensure they won't be in danger of losing him.
The...
Mark Ogden reacts to Jose Mourinho's comments about David De Gea's Man United future ahead of their match with Real Madrid.
The football world is awash with gossip. Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals and potential deals here.
TOP STORY: Real back in for De Gea
Manchester United might want to be on their guard -- Real Madrid are lining up another attempt to lure David De Gea to the Bernabeu, says The Sun.
Madrid tried and failed to sign De Gea two years ago -- reportedly due to a dodgy fax machine -- but are hoping to be more successful this time around.
With...
The latest transfer rumours from around the world.
Things change in the blink of an eye in football. The Football Whispers Index takes the latest transfer rumours and gives them a score out of five; the higher the score, the more realistic and reliable the whisper.
Here are today's top five emerging whispers for the summer. And keep an eye on Transfer Talk for all the latest gossip.
Liam Bridcutt to Nottingham Forest
Bridcutt may have been Leeds United captain under Garry Monk in their nearly successful bid for the playoffs, but the midfielder...
Sid Lowe explains why he doesn't think any clubs will pose a challenge to Real Madrid in the La Liga title race.
Real Madrid's quest to maintain supremacy over Barca in Spain looks likely this season but then again, you never know what to expect. Graham Hunter previews the 2017-18 La Liga season.
Key storylines
With all due respect to Neymar's quest to persuade us that his move to Paris has more to do with ambition than finance -- good luck with that one, kid -- the three biggest storylines in world football all reside in Spain.
They are the narratives of Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane.
A...
In the wake of Real's convincing win over Barca in the Super Cup, the FC panel wax lyrical on Zidane's flawless management.
A sensational strike from Marco Asensio and a fine volley from Karim Benzema capped off a 5-1 aggregate Super Cup win for Real Madrid.
The FC crew previews title favourites ahead of La Liga kicking-off this weekend, and discuss the odds of the major contenders.
Spanish Super Cup: Marco Asensio (4') Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona
Spanish Super Cup: Karim Benzema (39') Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona
Real Madrid racked up a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate scoreline in the Spanish Super Cup with a 2-0 victory in the Bernabeu on Wednesday to lift a second title in 2017-18, as Zinedine Zidane's side attempt to pull off an unprecedented single-season sextuple. Marco Asensio added another belter to his opening-leg strike, and Karim Benzema scored a pure striker's goal to hand Madrid victory.
Positives
Real reduced Barca to one shot in the first half and Ernesto Valverde to stunned despair on the touchline...