2 months ago
Real Madrid are all set to take on Rayo Vallecano in their fifth La Liga match of the 2026/27 season in a little over an hour at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having lost their previous league game to Real Betis, the Merengues will be eager to get things back on track and close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who are three points clear.
With kickoff not far away, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Rayo Vallecano.
And the biggest headline is that marquee summer signing Yan Diomande makes his first start for Real Madrid.
The €140 million arrival from RB Leipzig has been drip-fed minutes off the bench so far by the manager, but has been thrust into the team tonight, replacing Brahim Diaz on the right flank.
#madrid #take #betis
Having lost their previous league game to Real Betis, the Merengues will be eager to get things back on track and close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who are three points clear.
With kickoff not far away, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Rayo Vallecano.
And the biggest headline is that marquee summer signing Yan Diomande makes his first start for Real Madrid.
The €140 million arrival from RB Leipzig has been drip-fed minutes off the bench so far by the manager, but has been thrust into the team tonight, replacing Brahim Diaz on the right flank.
#madrid #take #betis
2 months ago
According to MARCA, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is eagerly awaiting the best version of Bernardo Silva.
The Portuguese midfielder, who arrived in the summer, is expected to become a key figure in a Real Madrid side that is still searching for greater control and creativity in midfield.
Tuesday's UEFA Champions League meeting with Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu highlighted what many see as the major weakness of Mourinho's new Real Madrid.
The lack of control in midfield turned the match into a chaotic contest, with the Merengues ultimately surviving thanks in large part to another outstanding performance from Thibaut Courtois.
While the forwards were guilty of wasting several opportunities, Real Madrid struggled to manage the game for long periods.
#madrid #midfield #bernardo
The Portuguese midfielder, who arrived in the summer, is expected to become a key figure in a Real Madrid side that is still searching for greater control and creativity in midfield.
Tuesday's UEFA Champions League meeting with Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu highlighted what many see as the major weakness of Mourinho's new Real Madrid.
The lack of control in midfield turned the match into a chaotic contest, with the Merengues ultimately surviving thanks in large part to another outstanding performance from Thibaut Courtois.
While the forwards were guilty of wasting several opportunities, Real Madrid struggled to manage the game for long periods.
#madrid #midfield #bernardo
2 months ago
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, Ezek Ix and yours truly, Valyrian Steel.
Como are up and running in the UCL.
#shoutout
Como are up and running in the UCL.
#shoutout
2 months ago
After suffering a disappointing loss to Real Betis in their last La Liga game, Real Madrid are returning to their favorite competition, i.e., the UEFA Champions League, today, on Tuesday. The Merengues will be facing Inter Milan in the opening match of the competition, and would naturally be looking to start their campaign with a win.
To win this game, and the entire competition, Los Blancos would need their superstars to play at their best level. The team will once again be relying a lot on the forward Vinicius Junior, who was also a key contributor in their last two UCL triumphs.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the Brazilian talked to Real Madrid media ahead of the UCL opener against Inter Milan. Vinicius **** ured that this campaign is going to be different than the last two, and his team is ready to go all the way:
"I hope number 16 comes. We are ready for it. This is our competition. We haven't done well in it for the past two years. Our first objective is to finish among the top eight. We are always excited about the Champions League. This season is going to be different from the last two Champions League campaigns, and we are going to win it."
Meanwhile, the winger also recognized how difficult the match against Inter is going to be:
#Competition #madrid #Milan
To win this game, and the entire competition, Los Blancos would need their superstars to play at their best level. The team will once again be relying a lot on the forward Vinicius Junior, who was also a key contributor in their last two UCL triumphs.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the Brazilian talked to Real Madrid media ahead of the UCL opener against Inter Milan. Vinicius **** ured that this campaign is going to be different than the last two, and his team is ready to go all the way:
"I hope number 16 comes. We are ready for it. This is our competition. We haven't done well in it for the past two years. Our first objective is to finish among the top eight. We are always excited about the Champions League. This season is going to be different from the last two Champions League campaigns, and we are going to win it."
Meanwhile, the winger also recognized how difficult the match against Inter is going to be:
#Competition #madrid #Milan
2 months ago
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, Ezek Ix and yours truly, Valyrian Steel.
Inter at the Bernabeu.
Well maybe it's not fair to judge based on the number of midfielders missing.
#shoutout #juninho #ezek
Inter at the Bernabeu.
Well maybe it's not fair to judge based on the number of midfielders missing.
#shoutout #juninho #ezek
2 months ago
Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name!
Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho.
Writer's Prelude. The Jose Juninho Era will continue.
"If I'm hated at MM [Barcelona], it's their problem but not mine. Fear is not a word in my DT [football dictionary." — Jose Mourinho
View Link
#mods
Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho.
Writer's Prelude. The Jose Juninho Era will continue.
"If I'm hated at MM [Barcelona], it's their problem but not mine. Fear is not a word in my DT [football dictionary." — Jose Mourinho
View Link
#mods
2 months ago
Real Madrid kept up their winning run at the start of the new La Liga season by beating Malaga last night with a 4-0 scoreline. Before that, they had defeated Espanyol 1-2 away from home and Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Keeping in view the quality in their squad, the win against La Real must have been valued more by the Merengue players and fans in general. However, one individual who would value the win against Malaga more must be the goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, as this game brought him his first clean sheet of the season.
Overall, the Belgian star did not have a lot to do in the last night's game. He had to make only a single save, even though the visitors appeared threatening at some points in the game. As Diario AS has reported, the goalkeeper also talked to the media after the game, and commented on his first clean sheet of the season and some aspects of the Real Madrid team.
The Belgian veteran came up with a fair ****** ysis of the game against Malaga:
"The first half was very good. In the last five or ten minutes, we dropped too deep and they created chances. We didn't play as well in the second half; we had several chances, but we gave them too much of the ball. The fourth goal means the game ends well. 4-0 is a good result."
#belgian
Keeping in view the quality in their squad, the win against La Real must have been valued more by the Merengue players and fans in general. However, one individual who would value the win against Malaga more must be the goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, as this game brought him his first clean sheet of the season.
Overall, the Belgian star did not have a lot to do in the last night's game. He had to make only a single save, even though the visitors appeared threatening at some points in the game. As Diario AS has reported, the goalkeeper also talked to the media after the game, and commented on his first clean sheet of the season and some aspects of the Real Madrid team.
The Belgian veteran came up with a fair ****** ysis of the game against Malaga:
"The first half was very good. In the last five or ten minutes, we dropped too deep and they created chances. We didn't play as well in the second half; we had several chances, but we gave them too much of the ball. The fourth goal means the game ends well. 4-0 is a good result."
#belgian
2 months ago
After their wins against Espanyol and Real Sociedad, Real Madrid played their third game of the new season against the newly-promoted Malaga side. The Merengue team lived up to the expectations they had raised with their last game's performance against La Reale, as they scored another four goals in this match to win it 4-0.
Jude Bellingham was inarguably the best player on the pitch in this game, and once again showed his lethal form. He scored an amazing solo goal a few minutes into the first half, and then forced another own goal from a Malaga defender. Beyond the goals, his overall performance on the pitch was also excellent.
As Diario AS has reported, the Englishman also talked to the press after this game and commented on his personal form and his team's performance. Talking about the match against Malaga, the midfielder was still somewhat unsatisfied despite the good result:
"The first half was a great game, but the last 20 minutes… absolutely terrible, I think. I don't know why, but we weren't good."
Bellingham highlighted one particular aspect that is allowing him to shine on the pitch:
#pitch #scored
Jude Bellingham was inarguably the best player on the pitch in this game, and once again showed his lethal form. He scored an amazing solo goal a few minutes into the first half, and then forced another own goal from a Malaga defender. Beyond the goals, his overall performance on the pitch was also excellent.
As Diario AS has reported, the Englishman also talked to the press after this game and commented on his personal form and his team's performance. Talking about the match against Malaga, the midfielder was still somewhat unsatisfied despite the good result:
"The first half was a great game, but the last 20 minutes… absolutely terrible, I think. I don't know why, but we weren't good."
Bellingham highlighted one particular aspect that is allowing him to shine on the pitch:
#pitch #scored
2 months ago
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
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
2 months ago
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
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
2 months ago
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Kung_Fu_Zizou, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Felipejack.
Here we go: Real Madrid signed Oscar Naasei from Granada. The fee is €2M.
At home: Inter, PSV, Leipzig, Lask
Away: **** nal, Roma, Shakhtar, Aek Athens
The calendar of these UCL games will be released tomorrow.
#rmcf #valyrian #juninho
Here we go: Real Madrid signed Oscar Naasei from Granada. The fee is €2M.
At home: Inter, PSV, Leipzig, Lask
Away: **** nal, Roma, Shakhtar, Aek Athens
The calendar of these UCL games will be released tomorrow.
#rmcf #valyrian #juninho
3 months ago
The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of the mods you'd totally go swimming with: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Kung_Fu_Zizou (AKA KFZ), Juninho, Ezek and, of course… yours truly.
Well well well… Los Blancos come away with a win—a hard fought one at that. Espi is gonna be front page, due to … well, being the savior.
Now, this isn 't quite usual for me, but here it is: I'm already aboard the Espi hype train.
Shifting our focus to a player outside of yesterday's protagonists…
I feel for Trent— I really do. Man's got a point to prove despite being a bonafide superstar of the game. This treatment, as described, is …just bad; low level. We know who he can be and I do believe in the man. Hopefully, he'll be closing mouths this seasons.
#thread #valyrian
Well well well… Los Blancos come away with a win—a hard fought one at that. Espi is gonna be front page, due to … well, being the savior.
Now, this isn 't quite usual for me, but here it is: I'm already aboard the Espi hype train.
Shifting our focus to a player outside of yesterday's protagonists…
I feel for Trent— I really do. Man's got a point to prove despite being a bonafide superstar of the game. This treatment, as described, is …just bad; low level. We know who he can be and I do believe in the man. Hopefully, he'll be closing mouths this seasons.
#thread #valyrian
3 months ago
There is no doubt that Real Madrid have had a very exciting summer transfer window, with the addition of up to six new players, and also the return of Jose Mourinho as the team's head coach. However, one aspect that might leave some of the fans not fully satisfied is the lack of reinforcements in the midfield.
The Merengues have signed a highly experienced and reliable midfielder in Bernardo Silva, but as Mourinho himself put it in a recent press conference, the signing of Rodri Hernandez, who ultimately decided to sign for Barcelona, would have been the icing on the cake.
Although Los Blancos were unable to land the World Cup MVP, they might still land another midfielder, albeit one who is significantly far below the level of the former Manchester City star for now, before the transfer window closes.
This possible signing is the Racing Club midfielder Sergio Martinez, who recently made his debut in La Liga and has been linked with Real Madrid in recent days. He has been enjoying interest from other clubs as well, including from Barcelona, Villarreal, and Atletico Madrid, but according to Diario AS, has decided to sign for the Merengue club, despite them offering him only a reserve team place for now.
The report claims that the move can be finalized after Martinez plays the La Liga game between Racing and Getafe this weekend. In his first game in the top division, he scored a wonderful goal that turned out to be the goal of the Matchday 1.
#midfielder #mourinho #club
The Merengues have signed a highly experienced and reliable midfielder in Bernardo Silva, but as Mourinho himself put it in a recent press conference, the signing of Rodri Hernandez, who ultimately decided to sign for Barcelona, would have been the icing on the cake.
Although Los Blancos were unable to land the World Cup MVP, they might still land another midfielder, albeit one who is significantly far below the level of the former Manchester City star for now, before the transfer window closes.
This possible signing is the Racing Club midfielder Sergio Martinez, who recently made his debut in La Liga and has been linked with Real Madrid in recent days. He has been enjoying interest from other clubs as well, including from Barcelona, Villarreal, and Atletico Madrid, but according to Diario AS, has decided to sign for the Merengue club, despite them offering him only a reserve team place for now.
The report claims that the move can be finalized after Martinez plays the La Liga game between Racing and Getafe this weekend. In his first game in the top division, he scored a wonderful goal that turned out to be the goal of the Matchday 1.
#midfielder #mourinho #club
3 months ago
The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of the mods you'd totally go sunbathing with: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Kung_Fu_Zizou (AKA KFZ), Juninho, Ezek and, of course… yours truly.
Well, actual-match-day anyway…
The reported XI by diario makes sense, but…
Uh… Now, about Mourinho and leaked XI's…
I mean, I can see why we would consider changes in personel after such a wave—well, waveS—of injuries. But does anybody know this one?
#thread
Well, actual-match-day anyway…
The reported XI by diario makes sense, but…
Uh… Now, about Mourinho and leaked XI's…
I mean, I can see why we would consider changes in personel after such a wave—well, waveS—of injuries. But does anybody know this one?
#thread
3 months ago
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
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
3 months ago
Real Madrid are set to return to La Liga action tomorrow, on Saturday, when they face Espanyol for the matchday 2 of the new league season. However, this will be their first game, because their matchday 1 fixture was postponed because of the World Cup.
The Merengues have brought a lot of changes to their team during the summer, and the fans are understandably very excited to see their team play. The most prominent and influential of these changes has been the arrival of Jose Mourinho, who has taken over from Alvaro Arbeloa as the team's head coach.
As MARCA has reported, the Portuguese coach today addressed the first press conference of his second stint at Real Madrid, and talked to some length with the journalists. He answered up to 20 questions, and spent 42 minutes interacting with these journalists.
The Portuguese manager started by praising Espanyol, who have already played their first game of the La Liga 2026-27 campaign:
"It's a good team. Teams that have had the same manager for a long time are well-prepared teams. They play well and with ambition. I really liked their first match, and there they are, with three points in the table and their fans happy. We're prepared for what we're going to face."
#real #madrid #espanyol #face
The Merengues have brought a lot of changes to their team during the summer, and the fans are understandably very excited to see their team play. The most prominent and influential of these changes has been the arrival of Jose Mourinho, who has taken over from Alvaro Arbeloa as the team's head coach.
As MARCA has reported, the Portuguese coach today addressed the first press conference of his second stint at Real Madrid, and talked to some length with the journalists. He answered up to 20 questions, and spent 42 minutes interacting with these journalists.
The Portuguese manager started by praising Espanyol, who have already played their first game of the La Liga 2026-27 campaign:
"It's a good team. Teams that have had the same manager for a long time are well-prepared teams. They play well and with ambition. I really liked their first match, and there they are, with three points in the table and their fans happy. We're prepared for what we're going to face."
#real #madrid #espanyol #face
3 months ago
Although the six signings made by Real Madrid would excite the fans the most, another very prominent aspect of the club's transfer market activity has been the sales of youth academy talent which have provided them with a very significant cash injection, reaching up to €200 million.
The most notable of these academy players and graduates who have undertaken moves away from the Merengue club this summer include Gonzalo Garcia, Nico Paz, Cesar Palacios, Victor Valdepenas, and Mario Martin. Meanwhile, Los Blancos have also earned money from the sales of players like Victor Munoz and Alvaro Rodriguez, other La Fabrica graduates on whom they had sell-on clauses.
However, these departures, and the earnings they entail, have not yet come to an end. As Diario AS has reported, another youth academy player, Jacobo Ortega, has now completed his move away from Real Madrid, as he joined the Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg Alsace in exchange for €10 million. Los Blancos will keep 30% of the player's rights and have already confirmed his departure.
This is another very good piece of business from the Merengues, as the youngster becomes the club's most expensive sale of a player who had not yet made his debut with the first team. Ortega was still registered with the Real Madrid C team, but had already shown his talent and potential by being the top-scorer in the UEFA Youth League last season.
Jacobo Ortega has now signed a five-year contract with Strasbourg, and at 20 years of age, has taken a very important step in his career. Hopefully, he will continue to develop at the French club and turn out to be an important player for them going forward. The youngster still has several years of growth and development ahead of him, but if everything turns out well, he can become a top-level forward in Europe, and maybe return to Real Madrid one day.
#madrid
The most notable of these academy players and graduates who have undertaken moves away from the Merengue club this summer include Gonzalo Garcia, Nico Paz, Cesar Palacios, Victor Valdepenas, and Mario Martin. Meanwhile, Los Blancos have also earned money from the sales of players like Victor Munoz and Alvaro Rodriguez, other La Fabrica graduates on whom they had sell-on clauses.
However, these departures, and the earnings they entail, have not yet come to an end. As Diario AS has reported, another youth academy player, Jacobo Ortega, has now completed his move away from Real Madrid, as he joined the Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg Alsace in exchange for €10 million. Los Blancos will keep 30% of the player's rights and have already confirmed his departure.
This is another very good piece of business from the Merengues, as the youngster becomes the club's most expensive sale of a player who had not yet made his debut with the first team. Ortega was still registered with the Real Madrid C team, but had already shown his talent and potential by being the top-scorer in the UEFA Youth League last season.
Jacobo Ortega has now signed a five-year contract with Strasbourg, and at 20 years of age, has taken a very important step in his career. Hopefully, he will continue to develop at the French club and turn out to be an important player for them going forward. The youngster still has several years of growth and development ahead of him, but if everything turns out well, he can become a top-level forward in Europe, and maybe return to Real Madrid one day.
#madrid
3 months ago
The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of the mods you'd totally go swimming with: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Kung_Fu_Zizou (AKA KFZ), Juninho, Ezek and, of course… yours truly.
Los Blancos play Schalke as part of their.. well, good string of friendlies. Let's see what we see from the boyz today. Hopefully, something to have us head into the season with some optimism.
What's your phyche heading into the season? Optimistic? Not?
Well… If we can be patient and nurture the kid, he can go a long way. Should be a worthwhile investment which also covers a specific gap in our roster.
#merengue #valyrian #steel
Los Blancos play Schalke as part of their.. well, good string of friendlies. Let's see what we see from the boyz today. Hopefully, something to have us head into the season with some optimism.
What's your phyche heading into the season? Optimistic? Not?
Well… If we can be patient and nurture the kid, he can go a long way. Should be a worthwhile investment which also covers a specific gap in our roster.
#merengue #valyrian #steel
3 months ago
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
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
3 months ago
Ex-Real Madrid star David Alaba has taken to social media this week, to send a message of encouragement the way of Blancos starlet Dean Huijsen. This comes after the latter made the call to take over ownership of Alaba's squad number for the seasons ahead.
Huijsen is fresh off seeing his prominence in Spain's capital reiterated on Monday. After a somewhat hit-and-miss debut campaign in the colours of Real Madrid, the 21-year-old was nevertheless handed an iconic jersey number.
As confirmed by the player himself, Huijsen is Los Merengues' new no.4.
Drawn on his selection by the media on Monday evening, the former Juventus talent admitted that his inspiration was none other than Sergio Ramos.
As alluded to above, though, a day on, Huijsen has received a personal message from the player to have donned the no.4 even more recently than Ramos.
#real #david
Huijsen is fresh off seeing his prominence in Spain's capital reiterated on Monday. After a somewhat hit-and-miss debut campaign in the colours of Real Madrid, the 21-year-old was nevertheless handed an iconic jersey number.
As confirmed by the player himself, Huijsen is Los Merengues' new no.4.
Drawn on his selection by the media on Monday evening, the former Juventus talent admitted that his inspiration was none other than Sergio Ramos.
As alluded to above, though, a day on, Huijsen has received a personal message from the player to have donned the no.4 even more recently than Ramos.
#real #david
3 months ago
Real Madrid will play their penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer tomorrow when they take on Deportivo La Coruna in the Teresa Herrera Trophy match.
The Merengues will lock horns with the newly-promoted La Liga club at Estadio Riazon, returning to the Teresa Herrera Trophy after 13 years.
Ahead of the trip to Galicia for the friendly tomorrow, manager Jose Mourinho has announced the squad list of Real Madrid players who will be at his disposal for the match.
And, in what comes as a bit of a surprise, new summer signing Yan Diomande has not been called up for the trip.
After his arrival last week, the Ivorian winger, who cost €140 million including add-ons, was left out for the friendly against Ferencvaros, and it was widely expected that the 19-year-old would make his debut against Deportivo.
#real #deportivo #teresa #herrera
The Merengues will lock horns with the newly-promoted La Liga club at Estadio Riazon, returning to the Teresa Herrera Trophy after 13 years.
Ahead of the trip to Galicia for the friendly tomorrow, manager Jose Mourinho has announced the squad list of Real Madrid players who will be at his disposal for the match.
And, in what comes as a bit of a surprise, new summer signing Yan Diomande has not been called up for the trip.
After his arrival last week, the Ivorian winger, who cost €140 million including add-ons, was left out for the friendly against Ferencvaros, and it was widely expected that the 19-year-old would make his debut against Deportivo.
#real #deportivo #teresa #herrera
3 months ago
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou
Pre-Season was swallowed up by the Club World Cup last summer. This summer it has been disrupted by the World Cup. The desire to continuously invent football matches for eyeballs and revenue will always risk the quality of the game. The players who did not go to the World Cup or those who exited early will all have a decent pre-season. The players who went deep into the tournament not only have a shortened pre-season but will be back on international duty before long. The argument that the players are rich is one I will always find utterly unconvincing. What is noticeable is the decline in the quality of football and footballers in general. Managers desperately trying to reduce the game to automatisms in order to cover-up the dearth of unique individual quality in the game. Stats creating an Americanisation of the beautiful game. I do not know Maradona, Zidane and R9's stats. They're practically irrelevant to the beauty of the game. That aspect of the game is increasingly greyed out and becoming near impossible to access. I digress.. This is a mixed pre-season for Mourinho. He has had a chance to take a look at some of the youngsters and also the likes of Camavinga, Trent, Fede and Arda Guler. What he has not had the chance to do it have a look at a potential starting XI for the season with all his best players available. There are two friendlies remaining before La Liga kicks off for the 2026/27 season and Mourinho will still be intuiting his best XI for the season by then. The names are easy but the balance.. well, that's an entirely different matter altogether.
A true baller..Turkish Delight? The kid is awesome and has surpassed the expectations of many by merely still being at the club given every challenge he has faced every single season since his arrival. Arda Güler is a unique profile in the Real Madrid squad. He is a purely technical player while also having tactical awareness to make up for his physical short-comings.
Arda's story is one of perseverance. It is difficult enough to make it at Real Madrid without major obstacles but Arda has had to overcome injuries and lack of trust as well as rife competition in the squad. He has seemingly come out the other side, looking increasingly like the fabulous footballer we imagined upon his arrival in 2024. Mourinho will have to find a way to use Arda without upsetting the proverbial apple cart.
Thiago was seemingly in the window shop until apparently Jose Mourinho insisted that he remain at the club.
#club #Football
Pre-Season was swallowed up by the Club World Cup last summer. This summer it has been disrupted by the World Cup. The desire to continuously invent football matches for eyeballs and revenue will always risk the quality of the game. The players who did not go to the World Cup or those who exited early will all have a decent pre-season. The players who went deep into the tournament not only have a shortened pre-season but will be back on international duty before long. The argument that the players are rich is one I will always find utterly unconvincing. What is noticeable is the decline in the quality of football and footballers in general. Managers desperately trying to reduce the game to automatisms in order to cover-up the dearth of unique individual quality in the game. Stats creating an Americanisation of the beautiful game. I do not know Maradona, Zidane and R9's stats. They're practically irrelevant to the beauty of the game. That aspect of the game is increasingly greyed out and becoming near impossible to access. I digress.. This is a mixed pre-season for Mourinho. He has had a chance to take a look at some of the youngsters and also the likes of Camavinga, Trent, Fede and Arda Guler. What he has not had the chance to do it have a look at a potential starting XI for the season with all his best players available. There are two friendlies remaining before La Liga kicks off for the 2026/27 season and Mourinho will still be intuiting his best XI for the season by then. The names are easy but the balance.. well, that's an entirely different matter altogether.
A true baller..Turkish Delight? The kid is awesome and has surpassed the expectations of many by merely still being at the club given every challenge he has faced every single season since his arrival. Arda Güler is a unique profile in the Real Madrid squad. He is a purely technical player while also having tactical awareness to make up for his physical short-comings.
Arda's story is one of perseverance. It is difficult enough to make it at Real Madrid without major obstacles but Arda has had to overcome injuries and lack of trust as well as rife competition in the squad. He has seemingly come out the other side, looking increasingly like the fabulous footballer we imagined upon his arrival in 2024. Mourinho will have to find a way to use Arda without upsetting the proverbial apple cart.
Thiago was seemingly in the window shop until apparently Jose Mourinho insisted that he remain at the club.
#club #Football
3 months ago
The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou
Mourinho continues to face the same struggles that plague every Real Madrid manager. How to find a balance with limited influence in squad construction. Mourinho has received most of what he asked for but as the opening game of the season nears, it is what he did not get that gets magnified and scrutinised. The coach seemingly wanted an entirely new back 4 and has brought in 3 defenders already. He wanted two midfielders and has been forced to settle the one who does not solve the fundamental midfield problem. In attack he has been able to balance the left-leaning dynamic with the addition of a Diamond on the Right. He also recruited a number 9 with the characteristics of a penalty-box striker to give himself more variation in attack. What lingers though, are questions about a CF who is not a natural CF, continuing as the starting CF along with a lack of cohesion in defensive application on the LW, compounded by an inability to press and have any genuine control on or off the ball in midfield. Where Mourinho cannot resolve these issues with personnel changes, he will need to rigid structure to compensate.
The La Fabrica graduate showed a lot of ability last season. He did not walk into a great team but one that was struggling on and off the ball. He ran tirelessly and constantly tried to play with composure, an admirable feature of his game. Thiago's simplicity on the ball was further highlighted by the typical haphazard play of the established midfielders who simply cannot tolerate or comprehend that a game cannot be played at a single pace or simply the pace that suits the opposition.
"Frat brother, real brother, that brother. We just upped the score, give me dap, brother."
#game #cannot #season #wanted
Mourinho continues to face the same struggles that plague every Real Madrid manager. How to find a balance with limited influence in squad construction. Mourinho has received most of what he asked for but as the opening game of the season nears, it is what he did not get that gets magnified and scrutinised. The coach seemingly wanted an entirely new back 4 and has brought in 3 defenders already. He wanted two midfielders and has been forced to settle the one who does not solve the fundamental midfield problem. In attack he has been able to balance the left-leaning dynamic with the addition of a Diamond on the Right. He also recruited a number 9 with the characteristics of a penalty-box striker to give himself more variation in attack. What lingers though, are questions about a CF who is not a natural CF, continuing as the starting CF along with a lack of cohesion in defensive application on the LW, compounded by an inability to press and have any genuine control on or off the ball in midfield. Where Mourinho cannot resolve these issues with personnel changes, he will need to rigid structure to compensate.
The La Fabrica graduate showed a lot of ability last season. He did not walk into a great team but one that was struggling on and off the ball. He ran tirelessly and constantly tried to play with composure, an admirable feature of his game. Thiago's simplicity on the ball was further highlighted by the typical haphazard play of the established midfielders who simply cannot tolerate or comprehend that a game cannot be played at a single pace or simply the pace that suits the opposition.
"Frat brother, real brother, that brother. We just upped the score, give me dap, brother."
#game #cannot #season #wanted
3 months ago
There is no doubt that this has been a summer transfer window of historical proportions for Real Madrid. The Merengues have undergone almost a generational change with six new players already signed, in addition to the change on the bench, with Jose Mourinho taking over from Alvaro Arbeloa.
Only today, on Thursday, Los Blancos completed the most expensive signing in their history, as they landed the RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande for €125 million fixed and €15 million in add-ons.
Meanwhile, there was another operation in which they were engaged, and which had everyone ***** ociated with the club on edge, i.e., the renewal of Vinicius Junior. Despite having been in negotiations for a renewal for several months now, the two parties had been unable to arrive at an agreement. Now, with only a year left on his contract and with ***** nal very keen to land him, the matter had reached a critical point.
Fortunately, everything has ended well for Real Madrid. As MARCA has reported, the club has officially announced that Vinicius has renewed his contract for six more years, and thus will remain with the Merengue club till 2032.
Yesterday's meeting between the club officials and the Brazilian's entourage has proven to be decisive. In this meeting, Los Blancos increased their offer for the player, despite previously having made it clear that they will not negotiate any further over his renewal.
#vinicius #only #million
Only today, on Thursday, Los Blancos completed the most expensive signing in their history, as they landed the RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande for €125 million fixed and €15 million in add-ons.
Meanwhile, there was another operation in which they were engaged, and which had everyone ***** ociated with the club on edge, i.e., the renewal of Vinicius Junior. Despite having been in negotiations for a renewal for several months now, the two parties had been unable to arrive at an agreement. Now, with only a year left on his contract and with ***** nal very keen to land him, the matter had reached a critical point.
Fortunately, everything has ended well for Real Madrid. As MARCA has reported, the club has officially announced that Vinicius has renewed his contract for six more years, and thus will remain with the Merengue club till 2032.
Yesterday's meeting between the club officials and the Brazilian's entourage has proven to be decisive. In this meeting, Los Blancos increased their offer for the player, despite previously having made it clear that they will not negotiate any further over his renewal.
#vinicius #only #million
3 months ago
The Brazilian star Vinicius Junior has already returned to Real Madrid after participating in the World Cup and spending his holidays. With his arrival, the drawn-out operation of his renewal has entered its most decisive phase.
Despite having been engaged in negotiations for several months, the two sides have not been able to arrive at an agreement. In the last few days, the Premier League side ***** nal has been strongly linked with the forward, adding another dimension to this saga.
In such a context, reports emerged some days ago that Real Madrid have let the player's entourage know that their latest offer is the final one, and there will be no new negotiations going forward for his renewal.
However, Diario AS reports that a meeting took place between some club officials and Vinicius' entourage, in which a middle ground was reached. The Merengues increased their offer, while still not reaching the figures demanded by the Brazilian, and the club has made it clear that this offer is not unlimited in time, and they expect a response soon.
Further revealing the terms of this new offer, the report claims that Los Blancos are now offering the winger around €24 million in yearly wages, while he was demanding more than €30 million. Furthermore, they are offering him several bonuses that have convinced the player that his economic remuneration will be enough for his satisfaction.
#real #madrid #renewal #forward
Despite having been engaged in negotiations for several months, the two sides have not been able to arrive at an agreement. In the last few days, the Premier League side ***** nal has been strongly linked with the forward, adding another dimension to this saga.
In such a context, reports emerged some days ago that Real Madrid have let the player's entourage know that their latest offer is the final one, and there will be no new negotiations going forward for his renewal.
However, Diario AS reports that a meeting took place between some club officials and Vinicius' entourage, in which a middle ground was reached. The Merengues increased their offer, while still not reaching the figures demanded by the Brazilian, and the club has made it clear that this offer is not unlimited in time, and they expect a response soon.
Further revealing the terms of this new offer, the report claims that Los Blancos are now offering the winger around €24 million in yearly wages, while he was demanding more than €30 million. Furthermore, they are offering him several bonuses that have convinced the player that his economic remuneration will be enough for his satisfaction.
#real #madrid #renewal #forward
3 months ago
An up-and-coming Real Madrid midfield talent could yet prove to be a key factor in setting the dominoes in motion for Rodri to make his way to the Spanish capital.
The Blancos starlet in question? Jorge Cestero.
Cestero, for his part, is a 20-year-old midfielder, who has long been held in high regard across the Spanish football landscape. This past season, he emerged onto the first-team picture at Real Madrid, ultimately notching three appearances between La Liga and the Champions League.
If the latest word stemming from the Spanish media this week is anything to go by, though, then Cestero could soon see his time in the famed white of Los Merengues brought to a close.
As per a report from transfer market insider Matteo Moretto:
#cestero #champions
The Blancos starlet in question? Jorge Cestero.
Cestero, for his part, is a 20-year-old midfielder, who has long been held in high regard across the Spanish football landscape. This past season, he emerged onto the first-team picture at Real Madrid, ultimately notching three appearances between La Liga and the Champions League.
If the latest word stemming from the Spanish media this week is anything to go by, though, then Cestero could soon see his time in the famed white of Los Merengues brought to a close.
As per a report from transfer market insider Matteo Moretto:
#cestero #champions
3 months ago
Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It's in the name!
Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho.
Writer's Prelude. We'll keep today short.
Cheers,
J
#daily #rmcf #shoutout #ezek
Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho.
Writer's Prelude. We'll keep today short.
Cheers,
J
#daily #rmcf #shoutout #ezek
3 months ago
Real Madrid were still without some of their most important players as they faced Fiorentina in their first friendly match of the summer, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Despite the absence of these players, the Merengue team still put on quite an encouraging performance.
However, Jose Mourinho still had to come up with innovative ideas to get the job done without these players. One of the most notable aspects of his lineup was the presence of both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries, two players who are expected to compete for the right-back spot going into the next season.
On paper, the Englishman played as a fullback, while the Dutchman was stationed farther ahead, more as a winger. However, once the game got going, it was apparent that even Trent's role was not that of a traditional fullback.
As Diario AS has noted, he played as a fullback when defending, but when his team had the ball, he slotted in as an extra midfielder, and it looked like Mourinho was aiming to take advantage of his pinpoint passing from the midfield.
This approach resulted in a clear benefit for Real Madrid, as Trent put in a precise ball that Endrick received to score the first goal for his side. Only moments before that, Mourinho could be seen talking with the fullback, and one can see that the coach has some clear ideas on how to utilize the Englishman's skillset.
#still #real #however
However, Jose Mourinho still had to come up with innovative ideas to get the job done without these players. One of the most notable aspects of his lineup was the presence of both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries, two players who are expected to compete for the right-back spot going into the next season.
On paper, the Englishman played as a fullback, while the Dutchman was stationed farther ahead, more as a winger. However, once the game got going, it was apparent that even Trent's role was not that of a traditional fullback.
As Diario AS has noted, he played as a fullback when defending, but when his team had the ball, he slotted in as an extra midfielder, and it looked like Mourinho was aiming to take advantage of his pinpoint passing from the midfield.
This approach resulted in a clear benefit for Real Madrid, as Trent put in a precise ball that Endrick received to score the first goal for his side. Only moments before that, Mourinho could be seen talking with the fullback, and one can see that the coach has some clear ideas on how to utilize the Englishman's skillset.
#still #real #however
3 months ago
This is an exciting summer for Real Madrid as the Spanish team is going into the next season with significant changes in the team. While five new players have already been signed and some new signings are also expected in the coming weeks, the most notable change remains that of the head coach, as Jose Mourinho has taken over from Alvaro Arbeloa.
It was a similar feeling last year, when the Merengues had appointed Xabi Alonso to take over from Carlo Ancelotti. However, that experiment did not turn out to be very successful for Los Blancos, as the Spanish tactician lasted only half a season on the bench before he was dismissed in January, after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona.
After spending the latter half of the last season without a job, Alonso joined the Premier League side Chelsea this summer, and is going to lead the Blues' next project. As Diario AS has reported, he appeared in an interview with The Athletic, and for the first time commented on his difficult time on the Real Madrid bench.
Personally, the former midfielder revealed that he had overcome the disappointment of his failure at Madrid:
"Fortunately, I don't have many scars in my career… Okay, I do have one scar, but it heals. Now that it has healed, I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this new chapter (at Chelsea) just as I did when I started at Madrid."
#madrid #real #next
It was a similar feeling last year, when the Merengues had appointed Xabi Alonso to take over from Carlo Ancelotti. However, that experiment did not turn out to be very successful for Los Blancos, as the Spanish tactician lasted only half a season on the bench before he was dismissed in January, after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona.
After spending the latter half of the last season without a job, Alonso joined the Premier League side Chelsea this summer, and is going to lead the Blues' next project. As Diario AS has reported, he appeared in an interview with The Athletic, and for the first time commented on his difficult time on the Real Madrid bench.
Personally, the former midfielder revealed that he had overcome the disappointment of his failure at Madrid:
"Fortunately, I don't have many scars in my career… Okay, I do have one scar, but it heals. Now that it has healed, I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this new chapter (at Chelsea) just as I did when I started at Madrid."
#madrid #real #next
3 months ago
Real Madrid have managed to successfully register their fourth summer signing, Bernardo Silva, in La Liga for the 2026/27 season.
The Merengues had already completed the registrations of three of their five new signings, with Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Marc Cucurella already being enrolled.
Now, Bernardo Silva's registration is also complete, leaving Carlos Espi as the only summer arrival being left to be enrolled in La Liga.
Real Madrid signed Bernardo as a free agent after his contract with Manchester City expired at the end of the last season.
Courtesy: La Liga
#summer
The Merengues had already completed the registrations of three of their five new signings, with Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, and Marc Cucurella already being enrolled.
Now, Bernardo Silva's registration is also complete, leaving Carlos Espi as the only summer arrival being left to be enrolled in La Liga.
Real Madrid signed Bernardo as a free agent after his contract with Manchester City expired at the end of the last season.
Courtesy: La Liga
#summer
