Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled at Real Madrid, and his career at the club could take another unwanted turn after Jose Mourinho overlooked the right-back for Sunday's victory over Sevilla.
Real Madrid secured an impressive 4-1 win against Sevilla, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice, Arda Guler finding the net, and Yan Diomande continuing his fine run.
However, Alexander-Arnold's absence from the starting XI for the second game stood out. He didn't even get minutes off the bench.
Mourinho opted to deploy midfielder Fede Valverde at right-back, leaving actual right-backs Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries on the bench.
The decision raises further questions about Alexander-Arnold's standing in Madrid.

#sevilla #trent

If you look at Deshaun Watson's final numbers from Cleveland's 34-10 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday, you might be able to talk yourself into some positives.
After all, Watson was 16-of-22 for 205 yards with a touchdown and an interception — good for 9.3 yards per attempt and a 97.7 passer rating.
But if you watched the game, you'd know 46 of those yards came on a garbage-time touchdown to Denzel Boston against the Jaguars' backups. You would've seen Watson fire an interception to end Cleveland's first drive, almost throw another to end the second, and then get strip-sacked on the third. You would understand that most — if not all — of Jacksonville's five sacks on Watson happened because he was dropping so far back that the offensive line couldn't form a cohesive pocket. You might've been baffled by how often he was trying to change a call at the line of scrimmage too late in the play clock.
Cleveland's first drive had gotten off to a solid start, with the team moving the ball before Watson's interception. After that, the unit was off the rails with no sense of rhythm.
But Watson said postgame that the pick didn't rattle him.

#interception

Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 4–1 at the Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé delivering two goals and an ****** ist, Álvaro Carreras making an electric start, and Arda Güler producing a spectacular cameo off the bench. The scoreline was convincing, though Rayo's second-half improvement ensured Thibaut Courtois still had plenty of work to do.
Thibaut Courtois — 8
Made six important saves as Rayo grew into the game in the second half. Madrid's attacking output will get most of the attention, but Courtois was still required to intervene regularly and delivered when called upon.
Denzel Dumfries — 7
Defended well on the wing and finished with three tackles. Nearly added a goal with a towering header from an Arda Güler set piece. A solid contribution at both ends.

#half #real #vallecano

Fans will get to see two of the better defenses in the NFL face off in Jacksonville as the Browns fly in to face the Jags in week one. It also happens to be the first game back since October of 2024 for Deshaun Watson, a player who has found immense success over the course of his career vs. the Jaguars.
First though, let's discuss this vaunted Cleveland defense. If not for their putrid offense, this might have been the best unit in the NFL last season. The Browns led the NFL by allowing just 22.6 yards per drive, ranked fourth in yards per play (4.8), and fifth in pressure rate (38.1%).
They also happened to lead the league with 117 tackles for loss on the season.
It's no secret that much of that success can be attributed to one Myles Garrett, but don't overlook who Cleveland got in return for this generation's best pass-rusher. Jared Verse knows how to rush the passer. Since 2024, Verse ranks only behind the previously mentioned Myles Garrett and the Jaguars' very own Josh Hines-Allen in pressures with 157 to his name.
In the secondary, the Browns have a familiar face at cornerback in Tyson Campbell. Following the trade, Campbell actually put together a solid season, allowing a 51% completion rate and eight PBUs. His teammate Denzel Ward also allowed a completion rate under 60%. This is a tough team to find success through the air against, allowing just 167 passing yards per game.

#season #rate

Florida basketball senior guard Denzel Aberdeen is taking his case to return to the basketball court to the judicial courts.
Aberdeen has filed a temporary injunction for a fifth season of eligibility to play for the Florida Gators, according to a report from the Field of 68.
"Denzel Aberdeen, a senior at Florida, should be allowed to compete as a student-athlete under the NCAA's 5-in-5 rule," Aberdeen's attorney, Jesse Panuccio, said in a statement provided to the Field of 68. "But the NCAA has announced an unwritten exception to its rule that strips Class of 2022 students from this policy, even though they competed for years against fifth-, sixth-, and sometimes seventh-year seniors who received Covid-era eligibility waivers. The NCAA's decision violates its contractual commitment to fairness to all student-athletes, and we have sued to vindicate Aberdeen's rights and get him back on the court as he finishes his degree at UF."
As a member of the Class of 2022, Aberdeen wasn't grandfathered into the NCAA's new 5-for-5 rule, which allows for college athletes to play for five seasons within five years of eligibility.
On July 31, a Colorado court ruling by U.S. District Court judge Charlotte Sweeney (Tyson, Wisne v NCAA) granted an extra year of eligibility to Aberdeen and every athlete in the 2022 class without requiring an NCAA waiver. But on August 22, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay in the Wisne ruling, which now places the onus back on athletes to fight for their NCAA eligibility in state courts.

#class

The Cleveland Browns open the 2026 NFL season on Sunday when they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It is a big day for the Browns as it will be the first time defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg is calling the shots on defense, the first time Todd Monken will work an NFL sideline as a head coach, and the first time quarterback Deshaun Watson will start a game since October of 2024. (How long he remains in that role is very much to be determined.)
Cleveland comes in with a completely rebuilt offensive line, two shiny new rookies in wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, and defensive end Jared Verse taking over for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Expectations and hope are not high for the Browns, especially with the club starting the season with consecutive road games. But Cleveland has won three in a row against the Jaguars, including the past two times they were the road team, so Sunday may go better than expected.
It is the Browns and Jaguars to open the season, and here is everything you need to know about the game.

#Browns #cleveland #sunday #game

With the culmination of the summer transfer window a couple of weeks ago, La Liga has officially announced the salary cap for the teams in the first and second divisions of Spanish football for the 2026/27 season.
And, once again, Real Madrid have the highest salary cap, at €832 million, increasing from €761 million which was set in the summer of last year, setting a new record.
The salary limit is the maximum amount that the club can spend during the season after the operations carried out in the summer.
It includes the expenditure on players, the manager, and the coaching staff, along with the expenses on the reserve team, the youth academy, and the other sporting areas.
Real Madrid splurged the cash on six new signings this summer, bringing in Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Carlos Espi, and Marc Cucurella.

#diomande

Former ****** nal and Manchester City fullback Bacary Sagna believes Inter Milan are "the perfect club" for England stars John Stones, Djed Spence and Curtis Jones.
Sagna argued that Inter Milan is the club in the Serie A that most resembles a Premier League club in terms of how they play.
Furthermore, Sagna, revealed that he is an Inter Milan and was close to joining the club. However the move never materialized and Sagna suggested this was a what-if moment in his career.
The former France international also praised Inter Milan's now former Sporting Director Piero Ausilio, who recently departed the club after 28 years.
Subsequently, Sagna backed Djed Spence to not only succeed at Inter Milan and the Serie A, but also deemed the England star as being better balanced than Denzel Dumfries who joined

#Inter #former

For the second year in a row, the Cleveland Browns double-dipped early at a key offensive position in the NFL Draft. In 2025, Cleveland took Quinshon Judkins in round two and took Dylan Sampson in round four. This year, Cleveland took wide receiver KC Concepcion in round one and followed up with Denzel Boston in round two. Similarly to 2025, a 2026 rookie has seemingly locked down a starting role in this offense.
The staff over at ESPN went through and gave the rookie outlook for all 32 NFL teams, and noted that Concepcion is going to be a real weapon for this offense and wants to get him the ball early and often:
Concepcion has been a dynamic addition to the Browns' offense. Coach Todd Monken is using Concepcion in a role similar to the one he created for Zay Flowers in Baltimore, with plenty of motion and a variety of touches. Monken envisions a versatile role for Concepcion as a rookie -- possibly as a punt returner, too. "We've got to find a number of ways to get him the ball with his explosiveness, his quickness, his contact balance," Monken said. "He's going to be a real weapon for us."
Boston also got plenty of praise, with ***** ysts saying his "contested-catch ability and reliable hands" should have him playing the X receiver next to Concepcion. Overall, there is a lot to like about what Cleveland is building on offense.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns rookie WR seems to have locked down a starting role

#Browns #rookie #took

After leaving out punter JK Scott on their initial 53-man roster on Sunday, the Chargers quickly added him back to the roster.
The team announced that they have signed Scott.
In a corresponding move, the Chargers placed linebacker Denzel Perryman on the injured reserve to start the season.
Perryman will miss at least the first four games of the season.
Scott has spent the last four seasons with the Chargers. There was a chance that the Chargers were going to bring him back, given that the initial decision to leave him off the roster meant they had no punter.

#roster #four

Real Madrid will take on Malaga CF in a little over an hour in Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having started the new campaign with back-to-back wins over RCD Espanyol and Real Sociedad under new manager Jose Mourinho, the Merengues will be eager to maintain their strong start.
With kickoff not far away, Mourinho has announced the Real Madrid starting lineup that will take the field against the newly-promoted La Liga club today at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having fielded the same starting XI for the first two games, the Real Madrid boss has opted to make some changes to the team today.
Three of the changes come in defence, where Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, and Marc Cucurella all start, replacing Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Alvaro Carreras, respectively.

#back #start

Trent Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool for a discount £10m deal in summer 2025.
The 27-year-old brought the curtain down on a glorious reign at his hometown club in favour of the riches on offer at Real Madrid.
Trent let his contract run down and right before it expired Madrid pounced in a bargain move. But things haven't gone to plan for the England international.
Last season was a write-off owing to problems with Trent's form and fitness.
The situation deteriorated to such an extent that the 15-time European champions saw fit to sign Denzel Dumfries in a summer deal from Inter Milan.

#trent #deal #alexander

The worst position group for the Cleveland Browns last year was arguably the wide receiver group. GM Andrew Berry took on the ****** ignment to improve this group and get them out of the hole of being ranked #32 last year. In case you are scoring at home, that is dead last.
In the April draft, Berry selected KC Concepcion of Texas A&M in Round 1, and then with his very next pick he chose Washington's Denzel Boston.
RELATED: 2026 GAVE FANS WHAT THEY WANT
Each NFL club usually retains five or six receivers. For the Browns, Jerry Jeudy and the two rookies are a lock. The coaching staff really likes the development of Isaiah Bond. That leaves two spots.
Berry signed Tylan Wallace from the Baltimore Ravens, who is a receiver but was inked for his return skills. But still, he would count as one of the six spots.

#last

Real Madrid appear increasingly likely to finish the summer transfer window without another signing, with club director Emilio Butragueño reinforcing Jose Mourinho's message that the current squad is effectively complete.
Los Blancos have already been among the busiest clubs of the summer.
Six new players, namely Yan Diomande, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konaté and Carlos Espi, have arrived to reinforce Mourinho's options.
That activity has left Real Madrid with a crowded squad, and the challenge now is not finding another player in the transfer market but creating room for one.
The problem is that no member of the current group is keen to leave.

#summer

Jose Mourinho is beginning to form a clearer picture of his preferred Real Madrid defence, with the Portuguese coach reportedly identifying the back four that currently gives him the greatest sense of security.
According to Defensa Central, Mourinho's conclusions have evolved as the weeks and early matches of the season have progressed.
While the Real Madrid manager remains aware that his team has defensive issues to address, he is already looking towards the combination he could trust for the biggest matches ahead.
As things stand, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella are believed to be the four defenders leading the race for those positions.
Dumfries has made the strongest case at right-back, with the Dutchman beginning to pull ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the battle for a starting role.

#real #beginning #jose

The Arizona Cardinals have two new injuries to starters to know about. They held a joint practice on Wednesday with the Green Bay Packers leading up to their preseason finale on Friday. Two starters previously healthy were not out there.
Right guard Isaiah Adams didn't even make the trip to Green Bay. He has a knee injury of some sort, but, per head coach Mike LaFleur, it isn't serious. "We kept him back," he said on Wednesday. 'He'll be day-to-day. He's got a little bit of a knee."
He was not on the field on Monday in Arizona, either. Jon Gaines was in there at right guard instead.
Cornerback Will Johnson also didn't practice on Wednesday. His injury is not known. That gave Max Melton and Denzel Burke, both battling for a starting job opposite Johnson to be on the field at the same time.
The day-to-day nature of Adams' injury is interesting with the context that he didn't even travel with the team.

#didn 't #right

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

One of the first signings that Real Madrid made at the beginning of the summer transfer window was agreeing a deal with Inter Milan to sign Denzel Dumfries.
Although the signing was not officially announced until after the Netherlands' World Cup campaign, he was one of Madrid's first bets for the new project.
Los Blancos had seen Dani Carvajal leave at the end of last season and needed a right-back for the vacant slot.
The club already had Trent Alexander-Arnold in that position, but the Englishman had endured a difficult first season in Spain.
Now, according to Mario Cortegana on the Athletic, the 30-year-old has a good chance of making Jose Mourinho's starting XI in the league opener despite being signed primarily to compete with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

#first #alexander #Milan

Real Madrid do not have long left before the new La Liga season officially gets underway, and Jose Mourinho will be keen to get off to a winning start.
The Portuguese tactician has had a productive pre-season period despite many players returning at different times.
Jose has also welcomed as many as six new players into his fold, with players like Carlos Espi and Denzel Dumfries in particular already making an impression.
Now, according to Javi Herraez on El Larguero, Mourinho has already established the core of his Real Madrid starting XI.
Thibaut Courtois, Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Yan Diomande and Jude Bellingham are viewed as Mourinho's fixed starters.

#real

Hilary Duff penned a tribute to Hayden Panettiere following her death on Sunday at the age of 36.
The actress recalled growing up alongside Panettiere as young stars navigating fame. In the early 2000s, Duff starred in the hit television series Lizzie McGuire, and Panettiere featured in the film Remember the **** ans, acting opposite Denzel Washington. Panettiere would later land her breakout role in 2006, when she played cheerleader Claire Bennet on the popular sci-fi series Heroes.
More from Rolling Stone
Hayden Panettiere's Mom Speaks Out Against Boyfriend Brian Hickerson
Hayden Panettiere's Ex Expresses 'Profound Shock and Grief' After Actress' Sudden Death

#hayden #duff #death #actress

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry knew he needed to rebuild the wide receiver room and add talent after it struggled in 2025. Jerry Jeudy showed some ability but had a bad year holding onto the football, and Isaiah Bond had an up-and-down rookie season, though he showed promise.
ESPN's Ben Solak noted in an article that another wide receiver, rookie Denzel Boston, has shown his physical traits and ability are worth taking note of so far in camp.
"The biggest box for a rookie to check is one of physical benchmarks. Wide receiver Denzel Boston smashes it in this regard. He has clear pro size at 6-foot-4 with a well-built frame, and he knows how to use it. He pushes off with strength, and he attacks throws away from his frame with length and hand size. But it's the smoothness with which he's in and out of his routes that truly stands out. He has shorter strides for a taller receiver, which allows him to gather himself more quickly and sink his weight more easily than other jump-ball specialists. You can tell he'll be a great possession receiver on quick-breaking routes (think Michael Pittman Jr. or Drake London) because of his ability to snap into routes and box smaller corners out from the catch point."
Berry spent two of his top three picks at the position to upgrade the room and help whoever the quarterback ends up being. KC Concepcion was taken in the first round and has shown he is a dynamic playmaker, especially in the preseason opener, but the second guy, Denzel Boston, has really stolen the show at camp.
The Browns are hoping they can step into larger roles than many outside the organization are expecting, especially Boston.

#boston #denzel #room

Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has identified two areas in his squad as being short on numbers heading into the new campaign. That's according to The Athletic, who have this week provided an insight into the latest ongoings behind the scenes in the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid have of course been busy on the transfer front across the summer to date. Amid ongoing efforts to close the gap on arch rivals Barcelona, Los Blancos have reinforced the club's first-team ranks courtesy of six signings.
All of Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Yan Diomandé and Carlos Espí have put pen to paper on terms at Valdebebas over the last couple of months.
As alluded to above, though, the incoming José Mourinho is of the opinion that his squad still features a couple of holes on the depth front. As per a report from The Athletic:
'Mourinho is keen on adding another centre-back and a midfielder, so Madrid are keeping an eye on various positions and players.'

#madrid #real #Athletic

Actress Hayden Panettiere has tragically passed away at the age of thirty-six.
Her representative recently confirmed the heartbreaking news to several major media outlets, sparking an outpouring of grief from fans around the world. The beloved television and film star is survived by her young daughter Kaya, who currently lives overseas with her father.
This sudden and devastating loss has left the entertainment community deeply saddened as they remember her incredible talent and bright spirit.
Panettiere began her incredibly successful acting journey at a very young age, capturing hearts right from the start.
She first appeared on television screens in the popular soap opera One Life to Live when she was reportedly just four years old. Her massive breakthrough role came a few years later when she starred alongside Denzel Washington in the beloved classic film Remember the ***** ans.

#young

Hayden Panettiere, the actor who rose to fame as the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on the hit NBC series Heroes, has died at the age of 36. Her representative confirmed the news on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through Hollywood and among fans who grew up watching her evolve from a child star into a primetime mainstay.
A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death. A cause of death was not immediately released. "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen," her rep said in a statement (via ABC News).
Hayden Panettiere possessed a rare longevity in an industry that often discards young talent. She began her career at just five years old, appearing in commercials before securing a four-year run as Sarah Roberts on the soap opera One Life to Live from 1994 to 1997. She followed that with a role as Lizzie Spaulding on The Guiding Light, making her a daytime television fixture before she reached double digits.
Her transition to film came swiftly. At age nine, she voiced a character in the animated Pixar feature A Bug's Life and appeared opposite Jennifer Aniston in The Object of My Affection. In 2000, she starred as the daughter of Denzel Washington's character in the sports drama Remember the **** ans.
In 2006, Panettiere landed the role that would define her career. Cast as Claire Bennet in Heroes, she became the emotional anchor of the superhero ensemble drama. The show's tagline, "Save the cheerleader, save the world," became a cultural catchphrase.

#claire #life #save

The Cleveland Browns' first preseason game is officially in the books, with head coach Todd Monken's squad dropping the game against the Chicago Bears, 34-10.
While the score tells one story, there were plenty of takeaways from the recent matchup that could shake up the 53-man roster heading into Week One. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Browns' preseason matchup against the Bears.
The Browns' rookie wide receiver duo of KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston was on full display in Chicago this weekend.
Monken was not afraid to unleash Concepcion in his first preseason game, as the most recent first-round pick recorded three catches for 27 yards, while also picking up a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Boston did not see as much action, but still managed to finish with one catch for 15 yards to convert on third down.
While it's the first preseason game of the year, Monken's early usage of the rookie playmakers on offense should be a positive sign for fans.

#preseason

The brass at Real Madrid have been responsible for the best part of half of the spending on the transfer market in Spain's top-flight across the summer to date.
This of course comes as Florentino Pérez and co. continue work towards building a squad capable of wrestling back La Liga supremacy from arch rivals Barcelona this coming season.
Los Blancos, thus far this summer, have secured the signings of six players. Two have come in the form of free transfers, namely Ibrahima Konaté and Bernardo Silva.
The other four, though, have required those in a position of power at the Santiago Bernabéu to open their chequebook.
To tie up deals for Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Yan Diomandé and Carlos Espí, Real Madrid have been forced to part with a collective €225 million. And as since revealed by Spanish outlet Diario AS, putting this outlay into perspective:

#summer #florentino #blancos

The most debated topic in all of football, or so it seems, is the competition for the Browns quarterback position. Saturday was another step toward answering that question.
In the Browns' preseason loss to the Bears, both players got an opportunity to show where they are. The Bears didn't play any of their starters in the first half, and in the second half, the Browns were down a lot of their depth pieces.
The playing field was never level; even so, there are some important takeaways.
Deshaun Watson was scheduled to get the entire first half, and he got off on a really strong start. After Cleveland went three-and-out in their first possession, the offense opened up.
Watson showed some arm strength, connecting well with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. One of his best plays of the first half came on 3rd and four; he checked into a nice man-beating concept and delivered a great throw to Harold Fannin Jr. against the blitz, but Fannin dropped it.

#cleveland

As the Pittsburgh Steelers go another day without coming to terms on an extension with cornerback Joey Porter Jr, other teams around the NFL continue to get their guys paid. On Saturday, it was the Seattle Seahawks and Devon Witherspoon that got a deal done.
Per Adam Schefter, the Seahawks and the three-time Pro Bowler came to terms on a four-year, $132 million deal with $101 million guaranteed.
This comes after the Cleveland Browns and Denzel Ward agreed to an extension worth $31.1 million per year, as well as the Los Angeles Rams coming to terms on a deal with Trent McDuffie on a deal that will pay him $31 million per year.
In terms of what the Witherspoon deal means for the Steelers, Nick Farabaugh of PennLive estimates that a deal for Porter will now be in the neighborhood of four years, $120 million with $90 million in guaranteed money. Porter has yet to take the field in training camp or preseason, as he is on the PUP list with a back injury.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!

#deal #million #terms #seahawks

The Cleveland Browns are one of the few NFL teams that still haven't decided on a starting quarterback for the 2026 NFL season.
Cleveland's quarterback battle will kick into high gear on Saturday, Aug. 15, when the Browns face off against the Chicago Bears in their first game of the 2026 preseason.
For Saturday's game, first-year coach Todd Monken has designated 10-year veteran Deshaun Watson as the team's starter. Watson is expected to play the first half before making way for his counterpart, Shedeur Sanders, at the start of the third quarter.
Monken has yet to tip his hand about who is winning the tight quarterback battle, but Saturday's action should give fans an idea of just how close the competition is.
Cleveland's quarterbacks won't be the only players worth watching on Saturday. Rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are expected to be on the field for the first time in their careers, while Cleveland's new-look offensive line, which features four new starters, will be given an early chance to jell.

#Browns #saturday #battle #year

A member of the summer recruitment drive at La Liga giants Real Madrid is in line for a starting berth in the club's opening fixture of the new campaign.
That's according to Diario AS, who highlight Denzel Dumfries as the player in question.
Defender Dumfries was of course snapped up by the Bernabéu brass earlier this summer, in a cut-price deal from Italian champions Inter Milan. The Dutchman has since gone on to play a leading role for Real Madrid in pre-season, featuring from the off against all of Fiorentina, Ferencváros and Deportivo La Coruña.
And if the latest word stemming from the Spanish media is anything to go by, then this level of prominence is no coincidence…
Dumfries is already understood to have earned the full trust of new head coach José Mourinho. So much so that, as per a report from AS, despite competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold:

#real