Just Real Madrid News

The question for Jose Mourinho to answer is whether he really wants to leave Real Madrid having just won the Copa Del Rey, or is it more important to him to assert his authority. We will know on Friday when Real Madrid and their city rivals Atletico run out onto the Bernabeu pitch for the Spanish cup final.

Mourinho publicly slammed his Portuguese central defender Pepe after Pepe said that Iker Casillas deserved more respect than he was getting. Mourinho replied by saying that Pepe was only upset because he had lost his place to the 20-year old French defender Rafael Varane.  ......Read more...

It seems to be the worst kept secret in the world that Jose Mourinho will not be the manager of Real Madrid next season, although there has been no official announcement. I don’t know what he is trying to do, but Mourinho’s comments to the Spanish press have been getting more and more bizarre, while the players and coaching staff are also starting to say things that are normally kept behind closed doors.  ......Read more...

Jose Mourinho and his Real Madrid players are not expecting any miracles in La Liga. With 15 league games left, Barcelona are 16 points ahead and so Madrid have given up on retaining the title. All of their effort will now be concentrated on the Champions league and the Copa Del Rey.

With the visit of Manchester United to the Bernabeu on Wednesday firmly in mind, Mourinho has not included Xabi Alonso, Varane, Marcelo and Di Maria in the squad. These players are not really injured but have small niggles that Mourinho does not want to risk aggravating.  ......Read more...

Jose Mourinho knows that Real Madrid must win against Valencia in the Bernabeu tonight. It is only the first leg in the quarter-finals of the Copa Del Rey, but Valencia are a tough opponent at any time, and have already held the Spanish champions to a draw at home in the league this season. Valencia are in good form and are only seven points behind Madrid in the league table.  ......Read more...

Real Madrid have had plenty of problems with injuries this season, especially in defence, but it is disciplinary issues which are causing Jose Mourinho problems this weekend. Two of the most important players for the Spanish champions are unavailable for the trip to Pamplona to play Osasuna.

Christiano Ronaldo has been the most influential player by far for Los Blancos this season, but he received his fifth yellow card of the season against Real Sociedad last weekend so is suspended for today’s match. At least Mourinho has his two other strikers, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, available after the Argentinean has recovered from his hamstring problem.  ......Read more...

There will be just one of the regular first choice defenders on the pitch when Real Madrid attempt to get the Primera Liga campaign back on track against Real Sociedad today. Alvaro Arbeloa is the only one who is not injured or suspended for this vital game, and he will probably play out of his normal position.

Because both left backs, Marcelo and Coentrao are not fit to play, Arbeloa will play in that position. Essien may be called upon to fill in at right back, as he has done for Mourinho before. Pepe and Albiol are also injured, while Ramos is suspended, so the youngster Varane and the veteran Carvalho will be the central defenders.  ......Read more...

There was talk of turmoil at Real Madrid before this local derby, as Real sat 14 points behind Barcelona at kick off and would have been 11 behind Athletico had they lost. They never looked like losing, however, and the 2-0 scoreline flattered Diego Simeone’s side. Ronaldo hit the woodwork twice and should have had at least a hat-trick rather than a single goal.  ......Read more...

Earlier in the season, after Christiano Ronaldo had refused to celebrate his two goals for Real Madrid against Getafe in La Liga, the story came out that Ronaldo was unhappy. He stated that the club were well aware of his feelings and there was a lot of media speculation about what the problems between club and player were.  ......Read more...

It was a crazy night for many reasons on Sunday in Valencia. Real Madrid travelled to the ground of Levante without their two recognised strikers, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, due to injuries, Christiano Ronaldo was put into the `9` position, while the young striker, Alvaro Morata, was on the bench.

The pitch was almost unplayable due to a thunderstorm, and the ball kept stopping in puddles of water. Players were slipping and sliding everywhere, evening up the contest in favour of Levante. It was Madrid who made the best of the conditions in the first half, Ronaldo getting the opening goal. Earlier in the game, the Portuguese wizard had to have attention after David Navarro caught him with an elbow, producing a nasty cut above the eye and a swelling that made it more and more difficult for Ronaldo to see properly.  ......Read more...

Real Madrid have some injury worries for the crucial Champions League game against group leaders Borussia Dortmund. With the left backs Marcelo and Coentrao out, Mourinho will be glad to have his right back, Arbeloa, available but will play him at left back tonight. Sergio Ramos will play at right back, as he used to do for Sevilla, and 19-year old Varane will partner Pepe in the centre.

Dortmund have good attacking power, with Reus, Gotze and Lewandowski, so Mourinho will be keen to keep them on the defensive, but he will have to do it without the French international Karim Benzema. The striker has a hamstring problem, so the central striker role will fall to Gonzalo Higuain.  ......Read more...