ESPN FC - Real Madrid Blogs
Chelsea planning Sanchez, Lukaku swoop as Morata interest wanes
The FC crew discuss Alexis Sanchez's recent comments on wanting to play for a team with a 'winning mentality'.
Antonio Conte explains why rumours of clubs showing interest in Chelsea players actually make him happy.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
Chelsea change course, eye Sanchez, Lukaku
Chelsea have set their sights on a pair of Premier League stars this summer as their interest in Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata has apparently fallen off, according to the Telegraph.
The paper reports the Stamford Bridge club are lining up a bid for Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Everton's Romelu...
Steve Nicol counters with a list of his own after Gab Marcotti rated Sergio Ramos as the world's fourth-best centre-back.
Antoine Griezmann hopes to become the second Frenchman to hit 100 La Liga goals when Atleti visit Malaga this weekend.
Paul Mariner evaluates the latest transfer rumours, including talks of Juve's Paulo Dybala making the move to the Bernabeu.
Scott Van Pelt is the latest to chime on the unveiling of Cristiano Ronaldo's statue at Madeira airport.
Real Madrid have come out of the international break in pretty decent shape. All of Zinedine Zidane's players have returned unscathed from World Cup qualifiers, and in Friday's training session ahead of a visit from Alaves, the Bernabeu boss was able to call on his entire squad -- a rare occurrence this season and exactly the kind of situation the coach will have wanted to be in as the La Liga title race enters its decisive phase.
April will be a true test of Zidane's managerial mettle, with matches...
Shaka Hislop weighs in on Gerard Pique's latest comments on Real Madrid and questions what the defender is trying to achieve.
"In the end, it all comes down to the colour of the shirt," Gerard Pique said, neatly summing up many things ... if not the thing he was actually talking about.
Summing up many things and setting fire to many others, igniting the league, as if it needed igniting. Spain had played, one of Europe's biggest stadiums packed full, so it was all about them. "Them" being Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, of course. International week was accompanied day after day by front pages about future signings, all...
Sid Lowe believes the ability of Real Madrid's stars to come through when it counts could prove vital for their La Liga title hopes.
From March 31st until May 12th, fans of Spanish football will be able to watch at least one La Liga team play every day. Every single day. That's 42 days of football in a row, with no time to breathe.
A subset of those six weeks could very well define the outcome of the season for Real Madrid. In 27 days, Zinedine Zidane's team will play nine key matches. Among them, the visits of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia in La Liga and the face-off with Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals...
Stevie Nicol says Manchester United should throw the kitchen sink at Antoine Griezmann to lure him from Atletico Madrid.
Gab Marcotti dissects the rumours linking Eden Hazard with a summer move from Chelsea to Real Madrid.
The FC crew discuss Alexis Sanchez's recent comments on wanting to play for a team with a 'winning mentality'.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
Griezmann remains United's top priority
Jose Mourinho likes the look of Kylian Mbappe and has his eye on Romelu Lukaku, but Antoine Griezmann is his top target for Manchester United this summer and he has enlisted Paul Pogba to help complete the signing.
The Daily Telegraph claims Pogba has been trying to allay his France international...
A statue of Cristiano Ronaldo's head was unveiled on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo was present on Wednesday as the Portuguese island of Madeira paid tribute to their most famous son.
As part of the celebrations, the airport was renamed in Ronaldo's honour as the Madeira International Airport officially became "Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo". Portugal president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was also on hand to unveil a brand new bronze bust of Ronaldo that will stand on a plinth outside the airport.
As you can see, the likeness is absolutely uncanny.
The tribute marked the renaming of Madeira airport to Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo poses with his new statue.
Perhaps unsurprisingly,...
Gab Marcotti dissects the rumours linking Eden Hazard with a summer move from Chelsea to Real Madrid.
The ESPN FC panel share their thoughts on the rumours that Chelsea are looking to sign Alexis Sanchez this summer.
The FC crew question whether anyone can overtake N'Golo Kante in the running for PFA Player of the Year.
Eden Hazard's rejuvenated season for Premier League leaders Chelsea has led to renewed speculation linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge.
Real Madrid are the club currently linked most strongly with a potential bid for the attacker, with reports this week claiming his desire to work under coach Zinedine Zidane is a major motivating factor.
But the implications of a move going through or not go far beyond just the player's own career -- there would be significant ramifications for...
Sergio Ramos believes AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe will attract the interest of Real Madrid.
Just when the hype regarding the young Kylian Mbappe and his potential signing with Real Madrid seemed to have reached record heights, the calendar gods scheduled a timely visit of the Spain national team to the Stade de France. The French team with Mbappe awaited in Paris, and of course an unavoidable series of comments and rumours ensued.
The media-related process that many big-time signings have followed in Madrid has been well documented, and Mbappe's case has adhered strictly to the model....
Gab Marcotti dissects the rumours linking Eden Hazard with a summer move from Chelsea to Real Madrid.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
Chelsea face fight to keep Hazard
Only a couple of days ago, it was reported that Chelsea were preparing to offer Eden Hazard a lavish new contract in order to stave off the attentions of Real Madrid.
Now, according to the Mirror, they are resigned to "a summer-long battle" to keep the Belgium international.
It says Real believe Hazard is...
Much speculation has been surrounding Keylor Navas at Real Madrid, but are there any frontrunners to replace him?
The March international break is often a time when clubs take decisive steps to formalise their plans for the summer transfer window -- identifying their primary targets to push forward with negotiations while also clarifying internally which players they want to sell to make room.
This is certainly the case at Real Madrid at the moment, since it was confirmed that the Bernabeu outfit will be free to make moves having had their FIFA ban for breaking youth transfer regulations cut. While the upcoming...
Gary McAllister believes the new stand at Anfield has improved the atmosphere ahead of the Liverpool v Real Madrid legends match.
Jurgen Klopp made it known in the weeks leading up to the January transfer window that he was looking to add to his options in the final third of the pitch.
Despite the fact Liverpool made several attempts to bring in a forward, they did not manage to get one. However, the Liverpool manager will almost certainly return to the same thinking this summer.
Aside from his starting XI, Klopp's options on the wing and in attacking-midfield area are extremely thin in terms of proven talent. Like Sadio Mane,...
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.
Eden Hazard to Real Madrid
One transfer rumour that simply doesn't look like going away is the link between Chelsea star Eden Hazard and Real Madrid,...
Alvaro Morata's future appears to lie away from Real Madrid, with reports linking the striker with a move to Chelsea.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
Morata ready to walk away from Madrid
Alvaro Morata is ready to give up on his Real Madrid dream, claims Spanish publication AS, with Antonio Conte pushing hard for Chelsea to be his next destination.
The Italian has reportedly insisted to owner Roman Abramovich that the Blues make a move for the Spain international, with a €65 million...
Sid Lowe believes the ability of Real Madrid's stars to come through when it counts could prove vital for their La Liga title hopes.
"Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?"
This widely repeated quote from Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was made in 2003 when the club agreed to sell Claude Makelele to Chelsea. The decision coincided with the ignominious departure of Vicente del Bosque, who was sacked 24 hours after delivering the 2002-03 La Liga title. Zidane would not add another major trophy to his collection over the course of the next three seasons at the Bernabeu before...
Antonio Conte has insisted Eden Hazard is strong enough to handle challenges from the opposition.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
Chelsea won't let Real steal Hazard
Chelsea are ready to offer Eden Hazard a new contract and a pay rise in order to ward off interest from Real Madrid, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The 26-year-old has been central to Chelsea establishing themselves as the top team in the Premier League this season, scoring 11 goals and setting up another...
Sid Lowe believes the ability of Real Madrid's stars to come through when it counts could prove vital for their La Liga title hopes.
LONDON -- Following a glittering career in which he bagged six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, two UEFA Cups and made it to 10th on the all-time list of Real Madrid top scorers (123 goals in 341 games), Emilio Butragueno is accustomed to stepping out onto more hallowed turf than a soggy south London football pitch surrounded by rowdy youngsters.
But for the former Real Madrid and Spain legend, who terrorised defenders and earned the nickname El Buitre (The Vulture) before retiring in 1998, this...
Nemanja Vidic chats with Alexis Nunes about this summer's ICC matches, and why it's important for Man United's global reach.
Man City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan discusses the Manchester derby at the ICC, Pep Guardiola, his recovery from injury and more.
Max Bretos chats with the man behind the ICC tournament, while the FC crew preview the best match-ups to expect this summer.
ICC: Manchester United will face Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the United States this summer as part of the International Champions Cup.
MAN UNITED: Sir Alex Ferguson told ESPN FC that potential qualification for the Champions League provides a "great incentive" for Manchester United to focus on winning the Europa League this season.
- Gareth Southgate claims Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford offers proof that England are now producing young players of the...
Aaron Martin could replace Marcelo at Real Madrid or add to Pep Guardiola's full-back options.
Manchester City are ready to compete with Real Madrid for Espanyol's Aaron Martin, reports the Sun.
For more on the possible battle for Martin, as well as other rumours, check out Transfer Talk by clicking here.
The FC crew look ahead to the UCL quarterfinals, giving predictions, and debating if there are any upsets in the cards.
After Zinedine Zidane's 14 months at the helm of Real Madrid, questions regarding his management skills still abound in the mass media: Is he tactically savvy enough to coach such a complex team? Does he react quickly enough to the different situations in the flow of the match? Are his training methods as sophisticated as those of other top-level managers? Is he simply a sensible coach who has had a bit of luck so far?
The appraisal period is still short for a manager, especially when this is...
Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata is currently on international duty with Spain.
In a desperate bid to meet his idol, one plucky Spanish youngster decided to chance his arm and run on to the pitch as the national side trained in Madrid.
Showing a fine turn of pace, the lad bobbed, weaved and sprinted past several security guards before eventually earning his hard-fought reward -- a big hug from Alvaro Morata. It was quite the mazy run and delivered finale we were all secretly rooting for.
Spain are set to play Israel in a World Cup Qualifier this Friday evening...
With Pep Guardiola in the market for a new central defender, Nicolas Otamendi could be shipped off to Real Madrid.
Amid the talk of which players Pep Guardiola might bring to Manchester City in the summer, there hasn't been that much said about potential departures. But on report suggests that defender Nicolas Otamendi might be off to Real Madrid.
For more on Otamendi to Real Madrid, as well as other rumours, check out Transfer Talk by clicking here.
In the wake of their testy 2-1 win over Bilbao, the FC panel debate Madrid's title credentials and their ability to win ugly.
Sometimes managers like talking about "knowing how to suffer." To some, it's a throwaway phrase; with others, you sort of understand.
Zinedine Zidane said Real Madrid "suffered tremendously" against Athletic Bilbao but still came away with the 2-1 victory because they showed "personality." If you watched the game, you know what he means.
Things got tough and then they got ugly and still, Real Madrid hung in there. They did it against a team that had not lost at him since August. They did it against...
Around this time every year, the good people of Valencia take to the streets to burn effigies of various famous rogues and scoundrels as part of their week-long fire festival, Las Fallas.
The papier mache figures are known colloquially as "ninots" and this year Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the stars to have his likeness set alight.
Indeed, Sunday saw one particularly unflattering likeness of the Real Madrid man -- an imaginative depiction complete with Ballon d'Ors -- offered up in homage to Saint...
Real Madrid edged past Athletic Bilbao to remain in control at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid edged past Athletic Bilbao to remain in control at the top of La Liga.
Here's five quick thoughts from the weekend's action in La Liga as Real Madrid remain just ahead of Barcelona at the top while Atletico Madrid easily overcame Sevilla in the "best of the rest" clash.
1. Casemiro the hero? Really?
Although Karim Benzema was probably Real Madrid's best player in the 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, holding midfielder Casemiro symbolised the effort made by Zinedine Zidane's side to maintain their two point gap atop La Liga, with a game still in hand.
The Brazilian...
Real Madrid extend their lead atop La Liga with a narrow 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Zinedine Zidane praises Madrid's attitude and response in their comeback win against a tough Athletic Bilbao team.
Real Madrid faced a tough and testy Bilbao, doing just enough to secure a tight 2-1 away win and remain top of La Liga.
Real Madrid faced a tough and testy Bilbao, doing just enough to secure a tight 2-1 away win and remain top of La Liga.
Real Madrid claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory in San Mames, a ground where the home side always put up fierce resistance when the capital club pay a visit. Karim Benzema opened the scoring before Aritz Aduriz levelled for Athletic in the second half, but Real were equal for only a matter of minutes until Casemiro hammered home a short-range finish to seal a valuable three points.
Positives
Real weathered an early storm from the home side and gradually exerted influence in midfield, with Casemiro...
Here's what you need to know for this weekend's La Liga action, as the race between Real Madrid and Barcelona heats up. With no time to rue the challenging result of the Champions League draw against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid travel to Bilbao to meet Athletic on Saturday afternoon. Right before an international break, the match is key to maintain the lead of the La Liga standings and prepare for an extremely tough April. From the 8th to the 23rd of that month, Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich (twice) and Sporting Gijon, so it's imperative to do the homework and finish off March on the...
Zinedine Zidane has revealed Real Madrid were close to signing Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe.
Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry possess similar characteristics, says Didier Deschamps.
Janusz Michallik evaluates Manchester United's reported interest in Monaco youngsters Kylian Mbappe and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
The football world's gossip mill is in full swing, and Transfer Talk is already monitoring the whispers ahead of all the summer moves. Check out the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Madrid set for €80m Mbappe bid
Zinedine Zidane is pushing for Real Madrid to sign Kylian Mbappe from Monaco after Los Blancos missed out on signing the exciting forward three years ago, with talk of an €80 million deal being arranged, according to AS.
The Spanish daily reckons that Mbappe, 18, who has just earned...
Gab Marcotti explains why each of the four UEFA Champions League quarterfinals has the potential to dazzle.
With the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals made, here's a look at how the matches could go. Apologies, Leicester fans, but the dream may end here.
Atletico Madrid vs. Leicester City
Craig Burley promises to unleash a prolonged rant on La Liga if Atletico Madrid are knocked out of the UCL by Leicester.
Of all the clubs Leicester could have met in the quarterfinals, they were drawn against the only one they had faced before. Admittedly, much has changed since Martin O'Neill's Foxes lost 4-1 on aggregate to Atletico in a UEFA Cup first-round tie in 1997, with Ian Marshall earning a place in the history...
Gab Marcotti explains why each of the four UEFA Champions League quarterfinals has the potential to dazzle.
The quarterfinal draw for the Champions League has been made, with some intriguing ties.
BAYERN MUNICH: BOOM! The big one as Bayern Munich face holders Real Madrid. But Bayern will be relieved to avoid an all-German clash (no, it's not a Klassiker) and also avoid Real's noisy neighbours Atletico, who dumped them out in the semifinals last time under Pep Guardiola. Of course, the main narrative will surround Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti plotting his way past Real, whom he led to the historic...
Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos were left disappointed, possibly, when they were invited along to the presentation of a new Real Madrid plane by sponsors Emirates on Thursday in the Spanish capital.
Ronaldo and Ramos, along with teammates Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Karim Benzema, eagerly turned up at Barajas airport for the unveiling of the new huge Airbus A380 double-decker plane.
However unlike in the club's deal with carmaker Audi, the players neither got to fly the new plane nor to choose a...
Here's what you need to know for this weekend's La Liga action, as the race between Real Madrid and Barcelona heats up.
In what is perhaps an early discussion about next season's Real Madrid squad, one of the main question marks is whether the team should keep Isco Alarcon or James Rodriguez after the summer. As both players enjoy less playing time than they would like and are in high demand by top European clubs, it appears team management will have to make a decision and part ways with one of the two. Which one should stay, Isco or James?
The right answer, however, is neither, it's Marco Asensio.
On his fourth...
Nuno Espirito Santo has insisted that Juventus could go on to win the Champions League after knocking out his Porto side.
The FC guys discuss Juve's place among the Champions League favourites as they take an unbeaten record into the quarterfinals.
Juventus' reign continues atop the Power Rankings after another brilliant week for Max Allegri's team. Who will catch them? Anyone?
1. Juventus (no change)
It's as-you-were at the top after the leaders claimed a pair of one-goal wins. And it was a tale of two Paulo Dybala penalty kicks as Juve first saw off Milan in Serie A with a controversial, injury-time spot kick and then completed a Champions League last-16 win vs. Porto.
2. Bayern Munich (no change)
Carlo Ancelotti's side lead...
With just eight teams left in the Champions League, the FC panel reveal who they believe will emerge victorious.
With Man City's exit from the UCL, the FC crew look at the reasons why Prem clubs have struggled of late in the UCL.
Relive the top moments from Wednesday's UCL matches as the last two tickets to the Champions League quarters were punched.
A number of familiar clubs, plus one notable English newcomer, will take part in the quarterfinal round of the UEFA Champions League beginning with first-leg matches on April 10.
Bayern Munich have made the most quarterfinal appearances in Champions League history, followed closely by Barcelona and Real Madrid, and all three have advanced to that stage of the competition again this season. Those three clubs have combined for 46 quarterfinal appearances, while the other five have combined for 26:
Janusz Michallik picks the top candidates to replace Keylor Navas in front of goal at Real Madrid.
With Thibaut Courtois' future uncertain, Paul Mariner says the goalkeeper is more valuable to Chelsea than Real Madrid. Keylor Navas has been in the spotlight this week and not for reasons he will enjoy.
The Real Madrid keeper's blunder against Real Betis, when he conspired to scoop a tame shot from Antonio Sanabria into his own net, added further fuel to the fire concerning his position at the club.
After mistakes against Borussia Dortmund, Valencia, Sevilla and a suicidal effort to halt Kevin Prince-Boateng's progress 10 yards outside his area to gift Las Palmas a 3-1 lead two weeks ago, Navas' standing at the Bernabeu...
The FC boys get heated debating if Sergio Ramos is truly a world-class defender, or simply a great predator in the box.
Before Sunday's match against Real Betis, Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas' season didn't look very good. However, up to that point, one could make a few arguments that he should still start for Madrid.
For instance, his back four has lacked consistency and hasn't performed as well as in previous seasons due to injuries and different states of form. This term, Navas has seen all possible combinations of Dani Carvajal, Danilo, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Nacho Fernandez, Raphael Varane and Marcelo...
Alejandro Moreno cites an emotional letdown from Barcelona against Deportivo coming off their stunning win over PSG.
The FC crew discuss Sergio Ramos' value to Real Madrid after another clutch goal from the defender against Real Betis.
For Barcelona, Sergi Roberto made Luis Enrique look like a visionary genius against Paris Saint-Germain. Andre Gomes at Deportivo La Coruna? Not so much.
At Sevilla, meanwhile, Vicente Iborra continues to make it seem as if Jorge Sampaoli may occasionally be able to see the future. But might the manager's blind refusal to let Ganso's left-footed skills anywhere near the regular starting line-up end up costing them a trophy?
And as for Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane, well, he's the "player-whisperer"...
Craig Burley assesses the latest from the rumour mill, with Real Madrid's Isco drawing a lot of attention.
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.
Mario Mandzukic to West Ham United
Juventus' Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic is set to be the subject of a summer bid from West Ham, talkSPORT reports....
Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon are two of the greatest to have played the game.
It is rare that two players from different countries, with very different backgrounds and personalities, come to be so closely identified as peers. But the fates of goalkeepers Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon have been so intertwined over the last two decades that it can be hard to talk about one without mentioning the other.
Juventus' Buffon (39) and Porto's Casillas (35) have 13 league titles, 42 major trophies and 334 international appearances between them. On Tuesday night, they meet for...
The FC crew discuss Sergio Ramos' value to Real Madrid after another clutch goal from the defender against Real Betis.
With a massive two-goal performance against Napoli, the FC panel analyse how to try and stop Sergio Ramos in the box.
Sergio Ramos joined Los Blancos in 2005 as a teenager, and hopes he can secure yet another Champions League medal.
Sergio Ramos again came to Real Madrid's rescue on Sunday night at the Bernabeu, heading home the winning goal to see off a stubborn Real Betis side 2-1. As has been the case so often this season, the captain's timing was impeccable. Real's title rivals had both dropped points before the game kicked off in the capital, Sevilla being held to a surprise draw by Leganes and Barcelona losing 2-1 to Depor at the Riazor, as the hangover from the Catalans' Champions League miracle against PSG kicked in.
Victory...
The FC crew discuss Sergio Ramos' value to Real Madrid after another clutch goal from the defender against Real Betis.
For 15 minutes it looked as if this would be one of those wacky weekends when both Barcelona and Real Madrid lost.
Zinedine Zidane's crew should have been a man down against Real Betis when Keylor Navas wiped out Darko Brasanac. They went a goal down shortly thereafter when the Costa Rican goalkeeper contrived to fumble an innocuous shot into his own net. But then Cristiano Ronaldo found the equalizer and, in the second half, for the umpteenth time, a Sergio Ramos header ended up giving Real Madrid...
The FC crew discuss Sergio Ramos' value to Real Madrid after another clutch goal from the defender against Real Betis.
Five thoughts from the weekend as Real Madrid just about returned to the top of the La Liga table, Barcelona missed Neymar as they lost to Deportivo, Sevilla ran out of gas and Antoine Griezmann's Atletico suddenly look like the "best of the rest" again.
1. Too many late shows from Madrid
The headlines were shared by Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and the referee (again) as Real Madrid beat Real Betis 2-1 on Sunday evening to move back two points clear at the top of the table, with Zinedine Zidane's...