Real Madrid have made an encouraging start under Jose Mourinho, but there are already two squad-management questions that could test the Portuguese coach as the season develops.
Los Blancos have won three on the bounce to kick-start their La Liga campaign, and their latest 4-0 victory against Malaga offered a lot of promise.
The Portuguese tactician has set his team up to play some exciting, counter-attacking football, and the forward line in particular has thrived.
Now, according to Alvaro Romero of El Larguero, there are two early concerns emerging for Mourinho's reign.
One concerns the size of Mourinho's squad, while the other centres on Aurelien Tchouameni and where the midfielder fits following Federico Valverde's impressive start to the campaign.

#start #squad #jose

José Mourinho will have a depleted squad when his Real Madrid team face Inter Milan next week. Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva and Eduardo Camavinga will all be suspended for that game because of cards they were shown during their last games in the European competition last season, which means that Mourinho will have to think outside the box and deploy a different kind of midfield line in the team's Champions League opener.
If Aurelien Tchouameni is able to make his return from injury in time for that game, Mourinho could use him alongside Valverde in the double pivot. However, the French midfielder hasn't rejoined the squad in training yet and he hasn't completed a single session with Real Madrid's new coaching staff, so his presence in the XI could be premature.
As things stand right now, Mourinho could move Jude Bellingham to the double pivot and play both Brahim and Diomandé with Vinicius and Mbappé in the attacking line. Trent Alexander-Arnold could also be an alternative to that move, albeit a more unorthodox one.

#hasn 't #move

After winning the first two games of the new season, against Espanyol on the road and Real Sociedad at home, Real Madrid are set to face the newly-promoted Malaga in their next La Liga game, which is scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
The Merengues have already been training for this game for some days, and Jose Mourinho held the latest training session ahead of this game on Saturday. As has been the case since the start of the season, the Portuguese coach will remain without several players, including Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Rodrygo, and Endrick.
Tchouameni and Endrick's cases are not as severe as those of the other mentioned players, but they are still not at a competitive fitness level, and thus are highly likely to miss the game against Malaga. The other players continue to recover from their longer-term injuries. As a result, Mourinho called up several players from the academy, including Sergio Mestre, Mario Rivas, Cestero, and Alexis Ciria to fill up his ranks.
Meanwhile, Diario AS reports that there was another surprising presence at Valdebebas during this training session, i.e., the Real Madrid legend, Sergio Ramos. The former Merengue defender and captain visited the club's training facilities during this session.
The Spaniard is currently without a club after having ended his time with the Mexican side Monterrey. Several years after his departure from the Spanish capital, he still remains one of the most beloved players in the history of the white club.

#several

Real Madrid have been without Aurelien Tchouameni since the start of the season, with the French midfielder struggling with a physical issue.
Tchouameni has been carrying a problem ever since the World Cup with France, where he was often rotated out to manage his minutes.
In his absence, Mourinho has been forced to rely on Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva as his holding midfield partnership.
Now, according to Bernabeu Digital, Los Blancos are refusing to take any unnecessary risks with Tchouameni despite the player being eager to return to action.
Jose has established a clear recovery plan for the France international and will not allow Tchouameni to return until he is considered completely ready.

#return #aurelien

Real Madrid return to the Santiago Bernabeu tonight as they host Real Sociedad in their postponed Matchday 1 fixture, with Jose Mourinho looking to make it two La Liga wins from two.
Madrid opened their campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Espanyol, where Jude Bellingham scored before summer signing Carlos Espi grabbed a dramatic late winner.
Mourinho will now take charge of his first competitive game at the Bernabeu since returning to the club. The manager still has several absentees to contend with.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Endrick remain unavailable after continuing to train away from the group, while Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Raul Asencio and Thiago Pitarch are also out.
Mourinho has nevertheless named a strong 23-man squad, with Eduardo Camavinga available and youngsters Jorge Cestero, Alexis Ciria and Mario Rivas included.

#sociedad #liga

A significantly changed and reinforced Real Madrid team is set to go into the 2026-27 season tomorrow, as they will play their first La Liga game of the new season, against Espanyol, at the RCDE Stadium.
The Merengue fans will be very excited to see their team in action for this game, especially the new players. Real Madrid, who have already announced their squad for this game, have named all the new signings, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Carlos Espi, and Yan Diomande in the list of players who will travel to Barcelona for this match.
However, it remains to be seen which of these players will actually play the game. The likes of Cucurella and Konate are less likely to start, as they returned from their holidays quite late, and have trained under Jose Mourinho for only a few days. Others like Bernardo Silva, Dumfries, and Espi have already played quite a few minutes during the preseason.
Meanwhile, there are two notable absences from the list. One of these is Aurelien Tchouameni, who continues to recover from his physical problem and has started training with the group, but Mourinho has not called him up for this game as he does not want to take any risks with him. The other is Endrick, who is out with a minor muscle injury, as the Portuguese coach confirmed in his presser.
Defenders:

#real #cucurella #dumfries #silva

Real Madrid face another league fixture with significant changes in the squad traveling for the game. José Mourinho spoke at a press conference to preview the match against RCD Espanyol in Barcelona. During his appearance, the Portuguese coach confirmed the absences of Endrick and Aurélien Tchouameni.
The most notable absence among the recent arrivals is Endrick. The Brazilian forward has been left out of the squad and will not travel with the group. As the coach himself explained, he is the only unavailable player who is not carrying issues over from last season.
For his part, Tchouameni will also not wear the Real Madrid shirt this Saturday in Cornellà. Although the French midfielder is recovering well from his physical issues, the coaching staff have decided not to take any risks and to keep him on a specific training plan to complete his return to full fitness.
"Tchouameni has to train today, tomorrow, and Sunday to speed up his process. He arrived in a condition that does not allow him to be ready for this match," Mourinho said regarding the French midfielder's fitness.
To cover these absences and complete the squad list, the coach from Setúbal will turn to the Valdebebas academy. Academy players Mario Rivas, Joan Martínez and Alexis Ciria will be on the bench against Espanyol.

#tchouameni #coach #madrid

Journalist Roberto Morales believes Jose Mourinho has already given a strong indication of how he wants his new-look midfield to operate.
After a busy summer that has brought six new signings and several departures, Mourinho is still working towards his ideal starting XI.
There are questions in several positions, particularly in midfield and attack, although the Portuguese coach's use of a 4-2-3-1 system during pre-season has provided some early clues.
According to Roberto Morales, as relayed in Defensa Central, Mourinho's preferred double pivot could consist of Aurelien Tchouameni and new signing Bernardo Silva.
The pairing would place two very different profiles at the base of Real Madrid's midfield, with Tchouameni providing defensive protection and Bernardo offering control and quality in possession.

#roberto #morales #bernardo #journalist

Since Toni Kroos's retirement, Real Madrid's attack seems largely like an orchestra without a conductor, unable to find someone to cohesively pull the strings on a pitch filled with talented footballers with distinct skillsets. The de facto leader of Madrid on the pitch in the later years of his career, Kroos attempted over 100 passes per 90 minutes in La Liga in his final season at Madrid, completing nearly 95% of his passes, and 82 pass attempts per 90 in the Champions League. By comparison, Madrid's leading passer from midfield last season was Aurélien Tchouaméni with only 65.5 pass attempts per 90 in La Liga and 55.7 per 90 in Champions. In fact, with Luka Modric's subsequent departure, it was two centre-backs (Antonio Rüdiger in La Liga and Dean Huijsen in the Champions League) that led Madrid in pass attempts per 90 for the first time in nearly a decade.
Two of the criticisms of Madrid post-Kroos/Modric is that the deeper players like Rüdiger and Fede Valverde don't: i) circulate the ball quickly enough or ii) provide sufficient incisive passes to the forward line. We ****** yzed both points to see the validity of these concerns as it relates to Madrid's midfield.
Let's first tackle quick ball circulation. Kroos's final season at Madrid saw him attempt 22.2% of his passes one-touch (fourth percentile amongst midfielders in the top five leagues) and 53.7% within two seconds of receiving the ball (eighth percentile amongst midfielders in the top five leagues) in league play while Modric that same season saw 23.5% of his passes come via first touch (10th percentile) and 52.6% under two seconds (seventh percentile). By comparison, Aurelien Tchouaméni and Valverde last season distributed 26.4% and 26.3% of their passes, respectively in La Liga one-time (higher percentages than Kroos and Modric in 2023/2024) with nearly the identical percentage of quick passes (passes within two seconds of receiving the ball) as the German legend and Croatian maestro had in 2023/2024 (Tchouaméni: 53.8%; Kroos: 53.7%; Valverde: 53.3%; Modric: 52.6%).
It is a popular misconception that being a tempo controller often requires playing the ball quickly and having a significant percentage of one-two touch passes. Kroos was not a great tempo controller because he often passed the ball first touch. As the chart above demonstrates, Kroos actually circulated the ball slower his final season than many of Madrid's midfielders last season. The best tempo controllers know when to play first-time, when to hold on to the ball for several seconds, when to progress the ball and when to value retaining possession, understanding that the scoreline, moment in the match, and positioning of players on the pitch dictate when to move the ball quickly and when to slow the play down. Vitinha, considered by many to be the best deep-lying playmaker in the game today, distributed less than our out of every five attempted passes (18.3%) during live play last season in Ligue 1 from a first

Federico Valverde may be Real Madrid's new captain, but the armband will not automatically secure him a place in José Mourinho's strongest starting XI.
According to MARCA, one of the biggest selection battles ahead of the new season could take place in midfield, where Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni are set to compete for the same role.
Mourinho's preferred setup is expected to include a double pivot, but the midfield picture has become increasingly complicated.
Bernardo Silva's arrival has given the Portuguese manager a player he views as essential to controlling the game, particularly after Real Madrid failed to complete the signing of Rodri.
That leaves three players competing for two positions.

#midfield #according

Real Madrid do not have far to go before their pre-season officially comes to a close and their La Liga opener against Espanyol gets underway.
Jose Mourinho has had a very productive pre-season upon his return to the club, with the Portuguese tactician slowly recovering his entire squad.
Madrid have also had the challenge of integrating as many as six new signings into the squad, which is rarely a piece of cake.
One player who still has not featured under Jose Mourinho is Aurelien Tchouameni, with the Frenchman recovering from some muscular discomfort.
Now, according to Arancha Rodriguez, Tchouameni is expected to recover in time for Real Madrid's opening La Liga game against Espanyol.

#madrid #liga #jose

Real Madrid are set to play their final friendly game of the preseason tomorrow when they will travel to Germany to face Schalke 04. This match has been hosted by the German side on the 25th anniversary of their stadium, the Veltins-Arena.
As Diario AS has reported, the Merengues have published the squad for this game, and there are significant changes in the list over the last friendly played against Deportivo. The most notable addition is that of Yan Diomande, who is now the most expensive signing in the history of Real Madrid, while other new signings like Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate have also been named in the squad for the first time.
Three other important players, Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe have also been named in the squad for the first time this summer, as they returned to the Merengue club quite late after going quite advanced into the World Cup, and thus starting and ending their holidays late.
Another important player who still remains absent and who would not be able to participate in even a single friendly this summer is the midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. He is suffering from a serious thigh strain and thus is unavailable for this match. Similarly, Endrick has also not been named in this list as he is following a special injury prevention plan.
This last friendly will be an opportunity for Jose Mourinho to field his strongest attack, with Vinicius, Mbappe, and Diomande all available, and also his defense for the next season, as Cucurella and Konate will be available to play.

#named #real #madrid #diomande

A leading member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Real Madrid is expected to be afforded a starting berth in the club's season opener next weekend.
The Blancos star in question? Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Midfielder Tchouaméni is for his part fresh off a return to base in Spain's capital this week. After being afforded an extended break following his exploits with France at the World Cup, the former Monaco man is now at the direct disposal of new boss José Mourinho.
Tchouaméni, nevertheless, has to date been considered something of a doubt to play his part in Real Madrid's first fixture of the new campaign, against Espanyol on August 22nd.
The 26-year-old picked up a fitness problem during the World Cup, which, added to his late return to Valdebebas, led to suggestions that the likes of Eduardo Camavinga or Arda Güler could start in his place at the RCDE stadium.

#return

Real Madrid returned to training at Valdebebas on Monday as José Mourinho's squad continued preparations for Wednesday's Teresa Herrera Trophy clash against Deportivo La Coruña.
The session came after Madrid's friendly victory over Ferencvaros and included several notable additions to Mourinho's group.
Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konaté completed their first training session as Real Madrid players, while Kylian Mbappé returned to the team following his participation at the World Cup.
Ousmane Diomande and Thibaut Courtois also trained with the group after working individually in recent days. Diomande had spent his first few days at Real Madrid City training separately after completing his move from RB Leipzig last week, making Monday his first opportunity to work alongside his new teammates.
Aurélien Tchouaméni also began his preseason work on Monday, although the French midfielder trained indoors.

#training

Amid all the uncertainties around Real Madrid's midfield in recent weeks, one player whose future was called into question was Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Frenchman has been a mainstay in Los Blancos' midfield for a few years now, but Jose Mourinho's demand for a new defensive midfielder and the club's links with a big-money move for Rodri threw his future into a grey area.
After all, Manchester United have been interested in the Frenchman for a long time, and he was considered an ******* et who can generate significant revenue should the club require it.
As clarified by Fabrizio Romano earlier today, however, Tchouameni's future is now clear beyond doubt, and Real Madrid have decided that he will stay.
Mourinho counts on Tchouameni. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

#future #frenchman #midfield #jose

Barcelona have ignited a shock pursuit of first-choice Real Madrid target Rodri, meaning Aurelien Tchouameni would be staying put at the Santiago Bernabeu if a deal materialised.
The Blaugrana are looking to get one over on their arch-rivals by beating them to an agreement with the player and Manchester City.
Despite Madrid making their interest known for several weeks and Rodri green-lighting the move, City have bided their time in hopes of other clubs entering the race.
That has now proven to be the case, as both The Athletic and Fabrizio Romano confirmed this morning that the two La Liga heavyweights are going head-to-head for the 30-year-old World Cup winner.
Should Barcelona, the reigning league champions, come out on top in the race, it would essentially set in stone that Manchester United target Tchouameni will be seeing out 2026/2027 with Los Blancos.

#target

Real Madrid are hoping to sign Rodri this summer, although their chances of securing his signature are no longer looking good. They had been firm favourites to win the race after agreeing personal terms with the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball winner, especially after it was reported that he would only consider a move to the Bernabeu, but now, the situation has changed drastically.
On Thursday, it was reported by The Athletic that Barcelona have initiated talks with Rodri's representatives, with the player himself said to be attracted to the prospect of joining Hansi Flick's squad this summer. Negotiations are also said to be underway with Manchester City, and if they get the green light, the Catalan club are likely to move quickly to close an agreement.
To make matters worse, ESPN's Rodra has now reported that Real Madrid are no longer confident of signing Rodri. They are starting to believe that he will not be brought to the Bernabeu this summer, which would open the door for Barcelona to get their man – and in the process, land a significant blow on Florentino Perez and co.
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has been clear that a new defensive midfielder is a priority for him this summer. He only has Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Arda Guler as players in the position that he is absolutely counting on for the upcoming 2026-27 season, and after missing out on Enzo Fernandez, the signing of Rodri would have been an excellent one.
It would be particularly painful for Real Madrid to lose out on Rodri to Barcelona, but as things stand, that is starting to look like a reality. For now, they are still in the race, although that may not be the case for much longer.

#real #reported #race

Manchester United officials are reportedly torn between Sander Berge and Tyler Adams, who have emerged as two realistic options.
At the start of the summer, the club's supporters were anticipating the arrivals of prominent top-class profiles as the management plotted a midfield revamp.
Instead, INEOS have opted for cost-efficient moves, refusing to enter bidding wars. Therefore, their top targets, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, ended up joining Man City and Spurs for £116 million and £85 million respectively.
After missing out on their primary targets, United bought Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million, before slamming the brakes on their midfield reboot.
United have been linked with prominent profiles like Aurelien Tchouameni and Manu Kone, but they haven't made noticeable progress on either track.

#united #million

Earlier this summer, Real Madrid secured what looked like a major renewal at the time, when the club extended Aurelien Tchouameni's contract.
The Frenchman was attracting interest mainly from Premier League club Manchester United, and the renewal effectively shut down those links.
However, now, according to Ramon Alvarez de Mon, Real Madrid's pursuit of Rodri could have major consequences for the 26-year-old Frenchman.
Tchouameni's role may no longer be guaranteed if the Manchester City star joins the club, with Los Blancos in club-to-club negotiations to sign the Spaniard.
The Spanish giants are making progress in their efforts to sign Rodri, and the arrival of the World Cup winner would almost certainly lead to the departure of another midfielder.

#manchester #earlier

France now has the leader it had dreamed of for years. The French Football Federation (FFF) has officially appointed Zinédine Zidane as the new national team manager.
The 54-year-old coach succeeds Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after the 2026 World Cup following 14 years in charge of the team.
Zidane's challenge will be to match, or at least come close to, Deschamps' achievements, after he led France to World Cup glory in 2018 and another final in 2022.
Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane now takes charge of the country he captained to both the World Cup and European Championship ***** les. His managerial résumé is just as impressive, with three consecutive Champions League ***** les and two La Liga crowns won across his two spells in charge of Real Madrid.
Zidane's first challenge will be to lead France in the UEFA Nations League before turning his focus to qualification for Euro 2028, with a squad that still boasts top-level talent such as Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni and William Saliba.

#deschamps #league #titles

On Thursday afternoon, a French ultrarunner hustling through the remote mountains of Washington State reached the Canadian border and tagged the northernmost end of the Pacific Crest Trail, completing the 2,600-mile route in record time.
Aurélien Sanchez, 35, set out June 7 from the U.S.-Mexico border with the goal of setting the so-called fastest known time on the famous wilderness trail, which weaves through mountain ranges in California, Oregon and Washington.
It's a competitive record, having fallen three times in the past decade and been unsuccessfully attempted by ultrarunners and speed hikers on several more occasions. The record Sanchez had to beat - 46 days, 12 hours and 50 minutes - was set in 2023 by Belgian ultrarunner Karel Sabbe, who covered nearly 57 miles per day on average.
According to Sanchez's GPS tracker, he completed the mammoth trek from Southern California to the Canadian border in
45 days and about 15 hours, coming in roughly one day earlier than the previous record.

#canadian #sanchez #trail

Real Madrid open to selling Aurelien Tchouameni to Manchester United, ******* nal eye John Stones and Ezri Konsa, Chelsea favourites for Kerim Alajbegovic, Yan Diomande back on radar of Premier League clubs and Daizen Maeda set for Ipswich Town move.
La Liga giants Real Madrid are open to selling 26-year-old France defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni to Manchester United. (Sun)
AS Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, 25, and Brighton's 22-year-old Cameroon international Carlos Baleba are also being considered by Manchester United as they aim to strengthen their midfield. (Sky Sports)
Bournemouth's 27-year-old United States midfielder Tyler Adams, valued at about £35m, is also an option for Michael Carrick's side. (Mail)
Former Manchester City defender John Stones, 32, and 28-year-old Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa are among ******* nal targets as the Gunners turn to the England duo after an injury to France defender William Saliba, 25. (Sky Sports)

#midfielder #arsenal

Will Man United sign Aurelien Tchouameni? Why Real Madrid midfielder now looks like attainable transfer target originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Another year, another transfer window where Manchester United attempt to sign midfielders.
Except this time, they're actually getting them.
Michael Carrick made it clear that strengthening the heart of the team was a priority, and they have already brought in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. Their next target would appear to be Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid.
Rumours of interest in Tchouameni surfaced before the 2026 World Cup, but nothing really came of it. However, recent reports indicate United's interest never really went away and, in fact, they may now be in a stronger position to strike what would likely be one of the biggest deals of the window — perhaps one that even rivals the fee Chelsea paid for Morgan Rogers.

#transfer

Not too long ago, Aurelien Tchouameni was reportedly close to signing a contract extension at Real Madrid that would have sealed his long-term future at the club.
There were widespread rumours that Tchouameni had already agreed a deal with Real Madrid, especially amid interest from Manchester United.
But as it stands, Real Madrid have yet to officiate the deal while Man United have continued to push for the signing of the Frenchman.
Tchouameni’s injury derailed his World Cup campaign, though he featured in the semis. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Now, according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, it appears Real Madrid have made a crucial decision in regard to Tchouameni’s future.

#tchouameni #real

On this La Liga Tier Members-only episode of the Managing Madrid Podcast, Kiyan Sobhani, Lucas Navarrete, and Sam Sharpe — along with La Liga Tier Members live on the call — discuss:
The case for and against signing Rodri
A discussing about the development of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga
The best double pivot options at Jose Mourinho’s disposal
And a ton more.

#Managing #madrid #kiyan #sobhani

Real Madrid approach every summer under a spotlight bright enough to illuminate every corridor of Valdebebas, every whisper in the boardroom, every tactical preference of the coach. This window already carries that familiar sense of theatre, yet the mood around the Bernabeu feels particularly instructive. There is movement, there is patience, and there is a clear idea emerging of what the club believe the current squad can yet become.
According to The Athletic, the biggest immediate development has been the departure of Fran Garcia, with Real Betis set to pay close to €4million and Madrid retaining a 50 per cent sell-on clause. It is tidy business, practical rather than dramatic, and significant chiefly because it continues a process of reshaping around the fringes of the first-team group.
The report notes that Fran Garcia is the fourth departure since the end of last season, following the exits of Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Dani Ceballos. That matters because Madrid's summer, at least so far, has been defined less by flamboyant recruitment and more by recalibration. At a club where expectation often demands a marquee storyline, this is a more deliberate piece of squad management.
Photo IMAGO
At the heart of that strategy lies one of the clearest statements of intent in the entire piece, "midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, 26, signed a new contract until 2031." In a market that can lure clubs into unnecessary restlessness, that renewal feels substantial. Tchouameni is not simply retained, he is reaffirmed. He represents physical authority, positional intelligence and a degree of midfield control that elite sides still require when knock-out football tightens and games become contests of nerve as much as imagination.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been one of the stars of this summer’s World Cup. The Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder has returned to his dominant best and has played a key role in Spain’s progression to the final of the 2026 World Cup. Spain booked their place in the final of the tournament with a dominant 2-0 win over tournament favourites France overnight. Rodri put in a masterful display in midfield to help Spain beat a powerful French outfit. In the process, Rodri’s performance against France was a reminder that Manchester City must extend his contract with the club.
The midfield battle loomed as the decisive factor in Spain’s World Cup semi-final against France. With Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise starting for France, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot started in midfield for Didier Deschamps’ side. In midfield, Spain started Rodri and Fabiàn Ruiz in midfield with Dani Olmo also dropping into midfield.
Simply put, France were overmatched in midfield. A first-half penalty from Mikel Oyarzabal and a second-half strike from Pedro Porro would seal a 2-0 win for Spain. As would an outstanding performance from every Spanish player on the pitch. At the heart of it all was Rodri, who was absolutely brilliant in midfield.
Rodri was at his imperious best in last night’s World Cup semi-final. He dictated the tempo of last night’s match with support from Fabiàn Ruiz and his teammates. Manchester City’s midfield general covered the pitch exceptionally well, routinely snuffing out the threat of the French. Rodri’s ability to read the game and contain any danger was superb. In possession, Rodri was his composed self as the occasion never phased him.
Rodri’s performance last night was reminiscent of his best displays for Manchester City. He has rightly earned the plaudits that his performance deserved. If anything, Rodri’s display was a reminder that he remains by far and away the best number six in world football by some distance.

As we enter the business end of the 2026 World Cup with only four nations remaining, the first of the semi-final ties sees France take on Spain. Both powerhouses of the European game were rightfully amongst the bookies' favourites before the tournament got going.
France have been arguably the standard setters in the World Cup to date, blending defensive solidity with high-octane attacking football. Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has been one of their shining lights alongside William Saliba in the back four.
Moving into the middle third, former Borussia Mönchengladbach talent Manu Koné has deputised for Aurelien Tchouameni. Bayern Munich's Michael Olise continues to pull the strings from a central position, while ex-BVB star Ousmane Dembélé compliments Kylian Mbappé nicely.
Spain, by contrast, have been a fraction underwhelming in an attacking sense. Nonetheless, they continue to march forth with their strong defensive discipline proving to be the backbone of their success – they leaked their only goal to Belgium thus far.
Although their talisman Lamine Yamal has been quiet by his lofty standards, the winger showed signs of improvement in their quarter final success. Meanwhile, former Dortmund man Mikel Merino continues to deliver game-defining goals off the bench as of late.

Manchester United have all but completed a deal for Chelsea's Antony Santos after news of a move broke rapidly last week.
Nonetheless, their transfer market activity has been a frustrating experience so far.
After missing out on numerous targets such as French star Aurelien Tchouameni, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, Manchester United have had to move down their list.
The club is said to be keen on players like Joao Gomes, Alex Scott, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Manu Kone.
Manchester United had believed they had wrapped up a deal for the Brazilian in June when they agreed a fee with Atalanta before the World Cup.

France has been undoubtedly the best team in the tournament so far, consistently putting in top shelf displays in almost every game.
While the attack has been the biggest driver of this success, their midfield has worked well too, with Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot forming a solid pairing in the middle of the park – the pair is set to be reunited for the semifinal against Spain.
In light of Rabiot's successful World Cup, the player is now eyeing a move away from AC Milan, with Real Madrid earmarked as a potential destination.
Rabiot has been consistent in this World Cup. (Photo by Kevin C. ***** /Getty Images)
According to Miguel Serrano, Real Madrid received an offer in the past week to sign Rabiot, with the proposal arriving at the club's offices through an intermediary.