Real Madrid & Barcelona News

BREAKING: Valverde questionable against Villarreal

Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde is questionable to face Villarreal this Saturday, coach José Mourinho announced during today’s pre-match press conference. Mourinho did not disclose Valverde’s issue, but it looks like the Uruguayan midfielder could sit this one out as Real Madrid get ready for a crucial stretch of the 2026-27 season. In other news, Eder Militao will also miss the upcoming games even though he’s already rejoined the squad in training. The Brazilian defender needs to keep improving his conditioning in order to make sure he stays healthy and fresh when he officially comes back from his injury. Real Madrid will face Roma in what’s expected to be a tough away game in the Champions League next Wednesday, so Mourinho will need to start using the depth at his disposal this month.

Scouting Villarreal: Real Madrid’s first rival after the international break

VILLARREAL, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Renato Veiga of Villarreal CF is challenged by Yanis Musuayi of Levante UD during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Villarreal CF and Levante UD at Estadio de la Ceramica on September 20, 2026 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) | Getty Images Villarreal have played seven league matches so far this season under Iñigo Pérez with two wins, two draws and three defeats. They scored 13 goals and conceded 12. Of their goals, three were penalties, and one was an own goal. Villarreal created 13.9 non-penalty expected goals (npxG), 1.98 per match, the third most in La Liga. They scored nine non-penalty goals, 4.9 fewer than those chances were worth. Their best run came in their sixth and seventh league match, when they averaged 3.14 npxG per match. Among the players, Ayoze Pérez had the most npxG (3.6, one goal), ahead of Georges Mikautadze (2.8, one goal) and Alberto Moleiro (1.6, two goals). They conceded 8.5 npxG, 1.22 per match, the ninth fewest in La Liga. They let in 11 non-penalty goals, 2.5 more than those chances were worth. Their best run came in their third and fourth league match, when they conceded 0.65 npxG per match. Their defensive actions (tackles, interceptions, recoveries, clearances and blocked passes) came on average 36.9 meters from their own goal line, the fourth highest in La Liga. Their centre-backs received the ball on average 40.2 meters from their own goal line, the sixth highest in La Liga. Villarreal had a field tilt of 67.0% (their share of all the final-third passes in their matches), the second highest in La Liga. They had the bigger share in six of their seven matches. Over the season they controlled 14 of the pitch’s 24 zones, meaning they had more than 55% of the touches there, and their opponents controlled three. Their PPDA was 9.8 – meaning – opponents made 9.8 passes for every tackle, interception, challenge, blocked pass or foul Villarreal made outside their own defensive third. That was the second lowest in La Liga; the league as a whole recorded 12.1. A lower PPDA means a more intense press. They completed 511 open-play passes per match, the second highest in La Liga. Of the passes they received, 29.0% arrived in the final third, the second highest in La Liga. Their most-used formation was 4-4-2, and the two players who passed to each other most were Pape Gueye and Renato Veiga, with 84 passes between them. Villarreal’s completed passes added 13.7 expected threat (xT) over the season, 1.96 per match, the most in La Liga. Pape Gueye added the most (1.47), ahead of Renato Veiga (1.33) and Alberto Moleiro (1.18). They took 109 non-penalty shots, 15.6 per match. Their average shot came from 16.8 meters, the third shortest in La Liga. They also scored three penalties. Across 696 minutes, including stoppage time, Villarreal were winning for 141 minutes (20.3%), level for 364 (52.3%), and losing for 191 (27.4%). Their time spent winning was the 14th most in La Liga.

Mbappé Exit Talk Grows as Real Madrid Criticism Intensifies

Mbappe Real Madrid criticism is growing in France, as Daniel Riolo says an end-of-season exit should not be ruled out. The post Mbappé Exit Talk Grows as Real Madrid Criticism Intensifies appeared first on Football España.

Asencio: “I made a mistake, I apologize”

Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio talked to AS and shared his feelings after having surgery to repair a fracture on his tibia. “It all started a year ago, and since January the fracture had been holding up with conservative treatment. The pain was getting worse. I was suffering, but I couldn’t stop because the team was above everything, and I always look out for this club and for this badge. But there came a point where the fracture was bigger, and I saw that I had to have surgery. Mourinho’s visit gave me a shot of energy. In those moments of doubt, when you’re racking your brain thinking about how the recovery is going to go and how long I’m going to be out of the game, having Mou come to see me and show me that closeness we’ve all seen in the locker room since the start of the season is really comforting. Mou is approachable, humble, kind, and ambitious. Mou is a great person on a human level, besides being a great coach,” he said. Asencio also addressed his DUI case, which happened this past summer. “That was a really tough time. Several situations in my life piled up, and within a short period of time. Mou’s not wrong. He was absolutely right. In the end, people comment on what’s public and what they see. I made a mistake. I admitted it then and I admit it now, I’ve apologized and I’ll keep apologizing. I’m a 23-year-old kid and I’ve made mistakes, just like anyone can at that age. But I have to be aware of where I am. I’m at Real Madrid, and that can’t happen again. I’m fully aware of that and I’m only focused on turning this situation around. I’m the one most hurt by this. I dream of turning everything around and winning titles with this club and this jersey, hopefully for the rest of my career. That’s why these kinds of situations won’t happen again,” he said. You can read AS’ full interview with Asencio here.

'Amazing' Kane targets 100 international goals

Striker Harry Kane says he could reach 100 goals for England after equalling his country's appearance record of 125, drawing praise from team-mates Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham.

How Alonso could solve Chelsea's familiar problems

Chelsea made a thrilling start to the season under Xabi Alonso but after being beaten at Arsenal, blows against Hull and Brentford have set them back.

Jude Bellingham hails 125-cap Harry Kane as England’s best-ever player

Captain scores twice in 3-0 win over Czechia Kane equals Peter Shilton’s appearance record Jude Bellingham called Harry Kane England’s best-ever player after the captain equalled Peter Shilton’s record of 125 caps during Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Czechia in the Nations League. Kane, who is only nine off a century of international goals after scoring twice in another fine display, was the star attraction as the Wembley crowd watched Thomas Tuchel’s side close on a spot in March’s quarter-finals. England’s record goalscorer showed why he is in the running for the Ballon d’Or and the way the Bayern Munich striker passed another milestone earned him rave reviews from Bellingham. Continue reading...

Daily Thread: 06 October 2026

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. The end of the break Today, are the last games of the current FIFA break. Real Madrid players in action today are Bellingham and Trent vs Czech Republic and Cucurella and Huijsen vs Croatia. One of the best thing for Real Madrid out of this break has been Camavinga’s performances under Zidane. Yesterday vs Belgium, he had 89% pass accuracy, 8 recoveries, 4 interceptions, 6 defensive contributions, 11 passes into final third • 0 fouls committed. This international break was worth it for the sole reason that we saw Camavinga get some much needed confidence from Zidane — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) October 5, 2026 AS’ interview with Davide Ancelotti AS has released an hour-long interview with Davide Ancelotti, who is the Lille’s manager. I haven’t watched it completely yet, but Davided discussed interesting points about Real Madrid, such as Vini’s reaction in the El Clasico last season, and how Kroos departure affects the team, etc. It’s worth checking it out. Issues with Mbappe? Once again, Mbappe is on the spotlight, but not from his performances. 🚨⚠️At #realmadrid, they’re starting to get fed up with #Mbappé. Critical voices about the Frenchman’s behaviour are growing louder, with many believing that some of his recent decisions have been driven purely by self-interest. [@IvanMartinCu] — Mohamed✆ (@BlancoInsight) October 6, 2026 🚨💣#Mbappé has confided in people very close to him that he’s NOT HAPPY at #realmadrid! It’s nothing to do with his future. He’s talking about what he’s going through at the club right now. He feels the PROJECT is NOT SERIOUS. [@JorgeCPicon YT @madridistahoy] 🤐 — Mohamed✆ (@BlancoInsight) October 6, 2026

Eduardo Camavinga plays 88 minutes in France’s comeback win vs Belgium

Eduardo Camavinga played 88 minutes in France’s 4-1 win over Belgium to end their international break on Monday night. Camavinga started in a midfield three with Kone and Akliouche and played more minutes than either of them, in a generally impressive performance. Camavinga did not register a goal or assist, but his passing was generally tidy, completing 63 of his 71 passes. The Real Madrid man had 89 touches, and wandered into the right-hand side on more than one occasion, as he was able to help France progress the ball forward. Defensively, Camavinga completed one tackle, one clearance, four interceptions and eight recoveries, and was pretty important in making sure France dominated the ball. It was a good international break for Camavinga as he played in all four games under Zinedine Zidane, including two starts, and looked like a much better player than when he first arrived at camp. Camavinga will now return to Madrid, thankfully without any injury.

England hammer Croatia and Manchester City get their appeal on: Football Weekly – podcast

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Robyn Cowen as England thrash Croatia 7 (seven) nil Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts and join the conversation on email. On the podcast today: a brilliant performance from England. The front four of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon and Jude Bellingham dominate an admittedly poor Croatia. It’s a statement win for Thomas Tuchel, who has been under some pressure since the World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina. Continue reading...

Manchester City v Arsenal: Women’s Super League – live

⚽️ WSL updates from 4.30pm BST ⚽️ Read Moving the Goalposts | Follow us on Instagram GOAL! West Ham 0-2 Chelsea (Walsh 80) An emphatic finish from Keira Walsh has clinched all three points for Chelsea. Beth Mead starts against her old club, one of three changes to the City side that drew with Real Madrid in midweek. Sam Coffey and Niamh Charles also come into the team. Out go Laura Brown, Mary Fowler and Kerstin Casparij. Continue reading...

Top 10 players: Croatia 0-7 England

RIJEKA, CROATIA - OCTOBER 03: Jude Bellingham of England celebrates after team mate Morgan Rogers (not pictured) scores his team’s seventh goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Croatia and England at Stadion HNK Rijeka on October 03, 2026 in Rijeka, Croatia. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) | Getty Images England provided eight of the top 10 players for progressive passes. Jude Bellingham played 18 progressive passes, more than any other player. Bukayo Saka made 10 progressive carries, more than any other player. Croatia supplied five of the leading 10 players for completed take-ons. Franjo Ivanovic completed five take-ons. Luka Vuskovic completed 97.4% of his passes, more than any other player. Jude Bellingham contributed 0.946 xT from open-play passes, the highest figure in the match. He also recorded 18 progressive passes, the highest figure in the match. Alongside that, he added eight key passes, the highest figure in the match. Three of England’s seven goals. Those contributions came over 92 minutes for England. Harry Kane had a long ball completion rate of 50.0%, joint third in the match. He also recorded nine progressive passes, joint fourth in the match. He added 0.233 xT from open-play passes, sixth in the match. Luka Modric recorded one key pass. He had two take-ons, joint sixth in the match. He also added eight progressive passes. Those contributions came over 56 minutes for Croatia.

Yáñez settles five-goal Madrid derby for Castilla

Real Madrid Castilla beat Atlético Madrileño 3-2 as Yáñez’s winner settled a five-goal reserve-team derby after late penalties and drama. The post Yáñez settles five-goal Madrid derby for Castilla appeared first on Football España.

Kane and Saka double up as England school Croatia in historic Nations League rout

It had all the edge of a pop concert in the stands but England looked ready to steal candy from a baby. The 6,200 Croatian under-14s allowed inside Stadion HNK Rijeka were invited free of charge and this was a priceless footballing experience. England ripped Croatia to shreds to take a firm grip on second place in their Nations League group, boosting their hopes of reaching next year’s quarter-finals, and anyone supporting the home team could at least find consolation in watching Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham combine to devastating effect. Perhaps the ticket should have come with an adult age rating. This was grisly viewing for the locals but Thomas Tuchel delighted in England’s most complete performance since surging to a 4-2 win over Croatia at the World Cup. Kane marked his 124th cap with his 88th and 89th international strikes and had plenty of help. Three assists and a goal decorated a scintillating display from Bellingham and Tuchel found satisfaction in the other members of his ruthless front four getting on the scoresheet. Continue reading...

Carlos Espí replaces Ferrán Torres in Spain’s list

Real Madrid striker Carlos Espí has been called up by Luis de la Fuente to replace Ferrán Torres in the Spanish national team during the rest of the FIFA break. Espí scored five goals for Spain’s U21 team just a few days ago and that earned him the nod to replace Torres. The striker will join Real Madrid defenders Marc Cucurella and Dean Huijsen, who are also with the Spanish national team during the break. It will be interesting to see if Espí is given the chance to play some minutes and make his debut for his country. Spain will face the Czech Republic in Oviedo tonight and then will wrap up this FIFA break by visiting Croatia on Tuesday.

Eduardo Camavinga plays 15 minutes in France’s draw vs Italy

Brussels, Belgium - September 28: Eduardo Camavinga of France controls the Ball during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Belgium and France at Stade Roi Baudouin on September 28, 2026 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga came on as a substitute for the outgoing Rayan Cherki in France’s 1-1 draw with Italy at Stade de France on Friday. France went ahead after a belter of a goal from Michael Olise in the second half, before an error from Lucas Da Cunha allowed Alessandro Bastoni to score the equaliser. Camavinga came on, and shortly after, Dayot Upamecano was sent off with a second yellow, which forced France on the back foot. However, Camavinga did have a good cameo, as he took two great shots from outside the box to force Gianluigi Donnarumma into brilliant saves. He also had some good passes and a few defensive interventions. Before the red card, Camavinga was playing a bit further up the field, but had to drop back a little afterwards. France play their final game of the international break against Belgium on Monday night, and Camavinga would hope to get more minutes.

Güler once again Türkiye’s best player in a losing cause

Turkey's midfielder #10 Arda Guler (C) fights for the ball with Belgium's defender #04 Brandon Mechele (L) and Belgium's midfielder #20 Hans Vanaken (R) during the UEFA Nations League, League A - Group 1, football match between Belgium and Turkey at the Maurice Dufrasne stadium, in Liege, eastern Belgium on October 2, 2026. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images The trend continues: Arda Güler has little-to-no-help, Türkiye continues to create chances, Türkiye’s continues to misses chances, and Türkiye continues to spiral defensively. That’s three straight losses now for Vincenzo Montella, and along the way, they’ve been outscored 8-1, sitting dead last in Group A of the UEFA Nations League. Güler doesn’t deserve the blame, though, and the general consensus is that he’s been a bit of a one man show through these three games. He was one of the best players on the field vs France, had an incredible second half vs Italy, and his wizardry continued tonight against Belgium in a 3-0 loss. Tonight’s match was back-and-forth and very easy on the eyes if you’re a neutral. Belgium and Türkiye took turns taking punches throughout the 90 minutes, and what essentially separated the two teams for the majority of this game was: Poor finishing from Türkiye, and two throwback golazos from Kevin de Bruyne. Güler’s touches and verticality under pressure were so good in this game, that even the Belgium fans audibly groaned at some of the stuff he was doing. Can't even put it into words some of the stuff Güler is doing on the ball in this game. Can't post the clips here either due to copyright stuff. Just know that even the Belgium fans are groaning — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) October 2, 2026 Güler played as a right central midfielder on paper, but behind the ball, he formed one of the two forwards in a 4-4-2 through stretches of this game. Primarily, though, he operated on the right half space, while roaming as a 10 horizontally just outside of Belgium’s box. He had eight shots — seven of them outside the box and the one from inside was after some great dribbling past his man to create space from a tight angle. Güler ended the game with the most key passes of anyone on the field (five), the most completed dribbles (five), and drew the most fouls (six). Türkiye’s next game is against Italy on October 5th.

Shaw earns Man City draw with late Real goal dramatically disallowed

Bunny Shaw and a dramatic last-gasp decision from the referee ensured Manchester City took a point off Real Madrid with a 1-1 draw in the Women's Champions League.

Man City hold on to claim draw against Real Madrid

Khadija Shaw scores a superb equaliser before Real Madrid have a late goal chalked off as the sides play out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Joie Stadium.

Drama as Real Madrid denied late winner vs Man City LIVE!

Manchester City 1-1 Real Madrid: Women’s Champions League – live

⚽ Champions League updates from the 8pm BST kick-off ⚽ Live scores | Ballon d’Or power rankings | Email Daniel We’re playing injury time in the two early games, in which it’s Austria Wien 1-0 inter and Køgø 5-1 Servette. Also going on: Continue reading...

Yemen and football in the face of civil war: ‘It would be very nice to give the world a different headline’

Noureddine Ould Ali is staying positive despite a difficult situation at home and tough opponents at the Gulf Cup The Yemen national team coach, Noureddine Ould Ali, chose not to reach for a good old-fashioned football excuse for his team’s 1-0 loss to Qatar in the Gulf Cup on Saturday, despite a clear penalty that was not given his way. The defeat meant the Reds crashed out of the eight-nation regional tournament, currently taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a game of the group stage still remaining. There are other factors that the Algerian coach could list for a defeat against a team that was at the World Cup in the summer. Qatar also have the Aspire Academy, state of the art stadia and a former Spain and Real Madrid coach – Julen Lopetegui – in charge. Yemen have none of those things and have not played a home game since 2012, a 2-1 win over Palestine in Sanaa. Continue reading...

Courtois: “Some things get called in other stadiums, but we don’t get those same calls”

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois talked to Onda Cero last night and shared some of his thoughts about the controversy surrounding the referees and the club. “I don’t think there’s some kind of conspiracy or anything like that, I’m not that cynical. There are things you see in other fields that get called, but they don’t get called for us, quite the opposite, they call things against us and not in our favor. The COVID year when we lost the League there were four handballs… Atlético gets one VAR call, then we get a penalty disallowed that’s a penalty for Sevilla… There are things you say… I don’t understand, they come to explain things to us and the next week they do the opposite,” he said. Naturally, he was also asked about the Negreira case. “Everyone is waiting for the sentence about that trial, it is a very serious and big case,” he added. Courtois also explained why he thinks Mbappé should win the Ballon D’Or. “It’s gotta be for Mbappé; everyone’s blown away by his speed, by his goals. The Ballon d’Or has to be for the best, not for the one who’s won the most. By that logic, Carvajal should’ve won it two years ago,” he added.

OFFICIAL: Arda Güler is Real Madrid’s player of the month for September

ELCHE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 15: Arda Guler of Real Madrid CF celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Elche CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on September 15, 2026, in Elche, Spain. (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images Arda Güler, 21, was named Real Madrid’s player of the month for September 2026. The club announced the player winning the prize on its social media. Güler has enjoyed a great start to the season, being one of Real Madrid’s most influential players. His chance creation numbers have been incredible to start the campaign. 👏 ¡Enhorabuena, @10ArdaGuler! ✨ Jugador Cinco Estrellas · Septiembre ⚽ @FutbolMahou pic.twitter.com/7t7OdFivCB — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 30, 2026 The player is currently with the Turkish national team during this three-week-long international break. Güler and Türkiye suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of France, now led by former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, and Italy. They will play Belgium and Italy – both games away from home next. At the beginning of the season, Güler’s place in the Real Madrid starting XI was under doubt. Real Madrid are heavily loaded upfront, with Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Yan Dioamande and Jude Bellingham behind them as a number 10. However, Arda Güler has claimed his place and gelled rather well with Jude Bellingham in the attacking midfield positions.

‘I like him as a No 9’: Bellingham a striking alternative for England, says Tuchel

Head coach sees Real Madrid man as an option up front Kane praises Alexander-Arnold’s impact and work rate Thomas Tuchel’s hunt for alternatives to Harry Kane has led to him identifying Jude Bellingham as an option at No 9 for England. Kane continued his remarkable scoring record in the 2-0 win against Czechia in the Nations League on Tuesday, moving to 87 goals in 123 international appearances with a late strike in Prague, but he has little cover up front. There is no prospect yet of Tuchel having to consider life without Kane. The England head coach backed the 33-year-old striker to last another decade at the highest level, tipped him to reach a century of international goals soon, and said England cannot expect to produce a replica of their greatest forward. However, there is concern over whether England have enough depth in attack. Continue reading...

OFFICIAL: Real Madrid confirm Asencio’s surgery

Real Madrid have confirmed Wednesday’s reports suggesting that defender Raúl Asencio was going to require surgery to repair a fracture on his shin, confirming that the defender will go under the knife on Thursday. Our player, Raúl Asencio, will undergo surgery tomorrow due to a stress fracture in the tibia of his right leg. Source: Realmadrid.com Asencio will miss up to four months as he recovers from this surgery. The Spanish defender experienced pain and discomfort during the second half of the 2025-26 season, but he played through it and that ultimately led to this outcome. Real Madrid’s depth for the defensive line is almost gone just two months after the start of the campaign. Dean Huijsen will be suspended for the team’s next game following the red card he saw against Atlético de Madrid while Ibrahima Konaté is also injured, which means that Rüdiger is the only center-back available for Mourinho and the coaching staff.

Gilberto Mora’s Possible Summer Exit Draws Real Madrid Interest

Gilberto Mora’s possible summer exit has attracted Real Madrid, Benfica and Borussia Dortmund, but no offer or negotiations are reported. The post Gilberto Mora’s Possible Summer Exit Draws Real Madrid Interest appeared first on Football España.

Asencio very close to undergoing surgery, would miss three months -report

Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio is still experiencing discomfort on the shin injury which was already bothering him last season and is set to have surgery to repair it, according to a report from MARCA. The defender would be out for at least three months, per that same report. Asencio hasn’t made his season debut for Real Madrid yet and he was hoping to get some minutes now that Huijsen is suspended and Konaté is injured. However, the small fracture on his shin is still there and he will need to go under the knife to recover from that injury. That means that Rüdiger could be Real Madrid’s only available center-back when Los Blancos face Villarreal right after the FIFA break. If that ends up being the case and Konaté can’t recover in time from his own injury, Aurelien Tchouameni could start alongside Rüdiger in the back line.

Top 10 players: Czechia 0–2 England

England's Trent Alexander-Arnold during the UEFA Nations League, league phase, group A3 match at the Fortuna Arena, Prague. Picture date: Tuesday September 29, 2026. (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images England had all top 10 players for xT created from open-play passes. Trent Alexander-Arnold generated 0.555 xT from open-play passes, more than any other player. Anthony Gordon made nine progressive carries, the joint-highest figure in the match. Czechia supplied four of the leading five players for long-ball completion. Stepán Chaloupek completed 50.0% of his long balls. Ladislav Krejcí played 19 progressive passes, the joint-highest figure in the match. Trent Alexander-Arnold contributed 0.555 xT from open-play passes, the highest figure in the match. He also recorded a long ball completion rate of 58.3%, the highest figure in the match. Alongside that, he added three key passes, second in the match. Anthony Gordon contributed nine progressive carries, the joint-highest figure in the match. He recorded four key passes, the highest figure in the match. He also added 43 touches in the final third, the highest figure in the match. Those contributions came over 80 minutes for England. Elliot Anderson contributed 105 touches, second in the match. He also recorded 0.225 xT from open-play passes, third in the match. He had 32 touches in the final third, fourth in the match.

Gordon and Kane fire England to Nations League victory against 10-man Czechia

Anybody can lose to Spain. But when England did so at Wembley on Saturday, it served to turn up the temperature for this trip to Czechia. England have form for finding it difficult at this compact stadium. Remember the European Championship qualifier here in 2019 when they lost 2-1? It was not easy at first. Thomas Tuchel shuffled his pack, making the surprise decision to start Jude Bellingham among the substitutes. It was all a little angsty and Czechia, for whom this is the dawn of a new era under the Spaniard Santi Denia after their World Cup wipeout, dared to dream of another upset. Continue reading...

Czechia v England: Nations League football – live

⚽️ Nations League updates, 7.45pm BST kick-off in Prague ⚽️ Live scores | Follow us over on TikTok and Instagram There are four changes for England from Saturday’s defeat, three in defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Trevoh Chalobah, Lewis Hall and Morgan Rogers replace Jarell Quansah, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly and Jude Bellingham. Czechia (4-3-3) Kovar; Chaloupek, Hranac, Krejci, Slama; Cerv, Sulc, Sadilek; Radosta, Hlosek, Karabec. Continue reading...

Brahim Diaz scores in Morocco’s 2 – 0 win over Lesotho

Brahim Diaz of Morocco during the FIFA World Cup USA 2026 quarter-final match between France and Morocco at Boston Stadium, Boston, United States, on July 9, 2026. (Photo by Waleed Ibrahim/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images I will be honest, this one was not easy on the eyes. Morocco’s possession hovered between 80-90% throughout the game, and the majority of their passes were in the middle third. Lesotho couldn’t do anything except for defend and sit without the ball, and, to make it worse from a visual experience, the stadium was virtually empty and quiet — mostly because it was played in South Africa as Lesotho do not have a CAF-approved stadium. Respect to a small contingent of Lesotho fans who did their best to keep the vibes going. With that out of the way, we’ll focus on Brahim Diaz’s performance. Brahim Brahim was deployed on the right wing of a 4-2-3-1, but he operated mostly in the right half space as the wing was given to right-back Zakaria El Ouahdi who made overloads. Space was tight, so Brahim sometimes ran out of room to dribble, but he also used his wizardry to get out of some really cramped positions: This touch from Brahim. Ouf. pic.twitter.com/gWdWW2b4yM — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 29, 2026 Just before half-time, Brahim scored a decisive goal: GOAL: Brahim Diaz scores vs Lesotho just before half time pic.twitter.com/434GtXYNZK — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 29, 2026 That goal was huge. Yes, Morocco may have won anyway, but there was no guarantee of it. Although they controlled everything on the field, they struggled to score, only had five shots on target, and both Ounahi and Saibari missed big changes. It wasn’t until the 82nd minute where Ounahi scored to ice the game after Lesotho opened up their defense a bit. In his 69 minutes on the field before being replaced by Soufiane Rahimi, Brahim completed 79% of his passes and had one ball recovery to go with his goal. I would not consider this his best game by any means (he made some poor passes in transition and lost possession 18 times), but he was decisive. With the win Morocco sit top of Group A in African Cup of Nations qualifying.

Arda Güler’s Second Half Surge Not Enough As Türkiye Lose To Italy (1-4)

BURSA, TURKIYE - SEPTEMBER 28: Arda Guler of Turkiye celebrates after his teammate Baris Alper Yilmaz scored a goal during the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Turkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Turkiye on September 28, 2026. (Photo by Serhat Cagdas/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images Something strange happened in tonight’s Group A match between Türkiye and Italy. In the first half, one team was played off the park, and the other ascended — and the gap between two teams looked more akin to a youth team going up against a World Cup powerhouse. Italy played their best half, maybe in years, and Türkiye looked horrendous. For Arda Güler’s part, there’s not much he could’ve done to change the outcome of those first 45 minutes. Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella set up the team far too passive and defensively loose. The 3-4-3, on paper, really played out into a 4-4-2 mid-block with zero pressing and laughable tracking. It was the same play, over and over again, that broke them: Italy would play one pass through Türkiye’s first line of defense, and from there, they had an open man with every ensuing pass. Once they carved through the middle without resistance, they would play the ball to the open wide man — typically Michael Kayode making the overload — and get a dangerous chance in the box. Montella also got very poor production from both of his wing-backs. Zeki Çelik made two errors on Italy’s first two goals; and Ozan Kabak was constantly scrambling defending the switch with little-to-no-help from Eren Elmalı on the left. Türkiye went down 0-3 at half-time after being terrible on both ends. Their offense was completely non-existent, as their entire build-up was resorted to giving the ball away prolifically in their own third in the face of a very aggressive Italy press. Is anyone watching this prime Italy performance? Had to triple check to make sure I'm not watching a historical replay from 2006 — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 28, 2026 The second half was wildly different than the first half. Türkiye made three changes and brought their line higher up the field while pressing with more intent. Italy, naturally, dropped deeper and relied on transition football with the bulk of their damage already done. But, as they say, too little, too late, etc. While Türkiye scored within 90 seconds of the second half, three minutes later, Altay Bayındır committed a terrible giveaway which Pio Esposito eventually scored from. Although Türkiye did enough, creatively, to score multiple goals in the second half to get themselves back into the game, their finishing wasn’t good enough. Güler, who had a terrific second half, had one of his assists disallowed for offside, and some of his brilliant plays resulted in nothing. Güler just dribbled through four players, passed his way out of a 5th, and Aktürkoğlu missed an open net. A metaphor of Türkiye in this era — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 28, 2026 Poor guy doing everything he can https://t.co/XUDtBo5HVR — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 28, 2026 In his 90 minutes on the field, Güler had the most touches of anyone on the field (100), the most shots of anyone on the field (four), the most dribbles of anyone on the field (four), and drew the most fouls of anyone on the field (five). Türkiye play against Belgium next, with zero points to show for after two games. Türkiye did enough to score multiple goals in the second half. Pulled their line higher at half-time, pressed with more intent, and created some good chances. Güler heavily involved in everything. But, hard to overstate how horrendous they were in the first half. Loose mid-block… — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 28, 2026

Eduardo Camavinga plays 90 minutes in France’s win vs Belgium

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 28: Eduardo Camavinga of France shoots during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 Group A1 MD2 match between Belgium and France at Stade Roi Baudouin on September 28, 2026 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Gabriel Calvino Alonso/BSR Agency/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga played the entire match in France’s 1-0 win over Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday night. In the second match of France’s four during the extended international break, Camavinga was the only Real Madrid player to still remain in the squad after injuries to Ibrahima Konate and Kylian Mbappe sent the two back to Madrid. Camavinga played alongside Lucas Da Cunha in the midfield, just behind Akliouche. The Frenchman completed 62 out of his 66 passes on the night, and created three chances for his teammates in an impressive, solid display. He also had one tackle, one block, two clearances, one interception, five recoveries and won six of his 11 duels. Camavinga also completed three of his four long-range passes. Zinedine Zidane must have liked what he saw from the midfield duo, as they worked quite well together. Camavinga would hope to start yet again in France’s next match: a contest against Italy at home.

Jude Bellingham’s World Cup haul earns second England award

Jude Bellingham wins England's Player of the Year award again after scoring seven World Cup goals during the Three Lions' run to third. The post Jude Bellingham’s World Cup haul earns second England award appeared first on Football España.

Final assessment cleared as Militao’s Real Madrid return nears

Eder Militao return moved closer after the Real Madrid defender passed his final physical assessment, but conditioning work remains. The post Final assessment cleared as Militao’s Real Madrid return nears appeared first on Football España.

Militao almost ready to rejoin Real Madrid squad in training

Real Madrid defender Eder Militao has reached a major milestone in his return to action after passing his final physical assessment with Dr. Lasse Lempainen, the specialist who performed surgery on his severe proximal hamstring tendon injury in late April 2026. Lempainen himself confirmed said milestone with a post on his social media. “Great day in Madrid with @edermilitao and the medical and performance staff of @realmadrid. A full day dedicated to his return as Éder continues to progress according to plan following surgery for his severe tendon injury. It was a pleasure for us to contribute our expertise and experience to his return to play process, with the ultimate goal of helping him safely return and perform again at the highest level. Many thanks to Éder and all of the Real Madrid staff for the excellent collaboration and a very successful day. Returning to the field is a milestone. Returning to your highest performance level is the goal.” Militao could rejoin his teammates in training fairly soon, although he will definitely need to spend some time improving his conditioning before he can actually play for Real Madrid this season.

Nations League: Kylian Mbappé injured after scoring France winner in Turkey

France beat 10-man Turkey 1-0 to start Zidane era Italy 0-2 Belgium, Georgia 0-1 Northern Ireland Kylian Mbappé limped off with an apparent knee injury, moments after scoring France’s winner against Turkey in the Nations League on Friday. The Real Madrid striker rifled in a low shot in the 55th minute after he was set up by Michael Olise. Soon after his record-extending 67th France goal, Mbappé sat on the ground and grimaced as he rubbed the area around his left knee. Continue reading...

Kylian Mbappe scores, gets injured in France’s win vs Türkiye

KOCAELI, TURKEY - SEPTEMBER 25: Kylian Mbappe of France reacts as he sustains an injury after scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Türkiye and France at Kocaeli Stadium on September 25, 2026 in Kocaeli, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) | UEFA via Getty Images Kylian Mbappe scored a good near-post goal from the left side of the box, but got injured in the process as France started the Zinedine Zidane era with a 1-0 win over Türkiye on Friday. Eduardo Camavinga also came on as a substitute in the second half. Mbappe, as he was gearing up for the shot that resulted in the goal, stretched his leg awkwardly and felt something immediately after. He tried to continue but couldn’t, and was subbed off for Desire Doue shortly after. In a really tough game for both teams, it was a goalless first half, with few clear-cut chances, and Mbappe was not as involved as he would have liked to be. The game opened up a bit more in the first few minutes of the first half, and some good pressing from Zidane’s side allowed Mbappe to get his first goal under his new manager. Camavinga looked tidy and calm on the ball, and hopefully, he will be able to have a bigger role in the next two games in the break.

Carlos Espi plays just 16 minutes and Jacobo Ramon scores in Spain U-21’s 2 – 1 loss to Finland U-21

Carlos Espi centre-forward of Real Madrid and Spain during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and Real Madrid at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on September 15, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images It was a rough outing for everyone involved for Spain today, as Finland, who are second in UEFA Euro U-21 qualifying in Group A, shaved three points off them, and are now just two points shy of first place — which is occupied by Spain. Carlos Espi did not start this game, nor was he able to change the outcome when he entered the field in the 74th minute for former Real Madrid player Iker Bravo with Spain down 2-0. Bravo was deployed on the right wing today, and when Espi entered the field, he effectively formed a 4-4-2 with Gonzalo Garcia (who started this game over Espi), playing alongside him at the top. It was one last desperate attempt from head coach David Gordo to put some targets in the box and whip some crosses in. That tactic worked to some extent late, as Spain did eventually score a consolation goal when Alex Valle whipped in a cross to Jacobo Ramon: pic.twitter.com/80DCYA6Y29 https://t.co/XDJPdxyXdn — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 25, 2026 But Spain were very underwhelming for the majority of this game. They initially conceded in the first half when Xavi Espart was beat on the wing before the cut-back found Otto Rupoit who Marc Bernal failed to track. Then in the second half, a nightmarish clearance attempt from Valle at the far post led to Finland’s second goal. Throughout, Spain played narrow, with Chema Andres and Bernal in the middle, with little outlets to hit ahead of them and Gonzalo isolated far from the play. Most of Spain’s build-up consisted of u-shaped possession which Finland’s organized mid-block became more than comfortable with. Spain’s next game is against San Marino on October 1st.

Turkey v France, Italy v Belgium, and more: Nations League clockwatch – live

⚽ Updates from Friday evening’s Nations League games ⚽ Live scoreboard | Read Football Daily | Mail Michael Of all the new international appointments, the most eye-catching is probably Jürgen Klopp with Germany, which feels both a radical and a natural fit for the four-time World Cup winners, who are in desperate need of a hard reset. Klopp was denied a win in his first game in charge against the Netherlands – now managed by Xavi – with Cody Gakpo striking in injury-time to earn a 1-1 draw for the Dutch. The next most exciting appointment is surely France and Zinedine Zidane, who has not stepped into a dugout since leaving Real Madrid (for a second time) five years ago. After winning three consecutive Champions Leagues and a couple of La Liga titles in the Age of Messi, nobody is really sure Zizou is a managerial great, or simply an elite vibesman, who uses his personal aura to instill deference and respect into a talented squad, rather than being a master tactician. Maybe a vibesman is just what France need after the rigidity of Didier Deschamps – Les Bleus are surely the best team on the planet on paper, but have looked clunkier and less cohesive than they should, despite their tournament success in recent years. This opening test for Zidane, away to Turkey, should be enlightening and this is an excellent piece by Jonathan Wilson that expands on those ideas about Zidane. Get stuck in. Continue reading...

OFFICIAL: Konaté injury report

Real Madrid have published a medical report on defender Ibrahima Konaté, who suffered a knee injury during France’s training camp and was forced to return to Valdebebas. Following the tests carried out today on our player Ibrahima Konaté by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a collateral ligament injury in his right leg. Awaiting progress. Source: Realmadrid.com While the report appears to be very serious, reports published in the Spanish press suggest that Konaté hasn’t been ruled out for Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Villarreal on October 10th. Los Blancos will be without Dean Huijsen then, so Konaté‘s presence could be crucial against a quality team like The Yellow Submarine.

Denzel Dumfries puts in strong showing vs Germany

AMSTERDAM - Denzel Dumfries of the Netherlands during the UEFA Nations League match between the Netherlands and Germany at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on September 24, 2026, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. MAURICE VAN STEEN / ANP (Photo by ANP via Getty Images) | ANP via Getty Images One of the only good things about the international break from a Real Madrid perspective is that we get to see our players, especially those that struggle at the club, break out of their shell and put in a great shift with their national teams. Best Dumfries game all season and it's not for Real Madrid. — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 24, 2026 Denzel Dumfries is one of those players. Jose Mourinho has entrusted the Dutch right-back with the starting spot, and though Dumfries has worked hard and done well-intentioned things throughout the first few games, his end product has been clunky, and his defense hasn’t been reliable. Maybe you can chalk that up to him being in a new league and needing time to get himself acclimatized — at least that’s what you would hope. Seeing Dumfries today in the Nations League vs Germany was a good reminder of how good he can be: Denzel Dumfries vs Germany pic.twitter.com/gWoN0bTq5D — ‏ً (@marc225_) September 24, 2026 In Xavi Hernandez’s first game in charge (funny enough, against Jurgen Klopp who was making his Germany debut), Dumfries was deployed in his nominal right-back position, and was active as a two-way engine on the wing. The Netherlands were fun to watch, and pinned Germany for large stretches of the game, making them look very ordinary. Dumfries, by nature of the Dutch scheme, was able to get into advanced zones frequently. The above heat map only shows his touches on the ball, but doesn’t show how many times he bombed up the pitch off the ball, creating important overloads and under-loads to create space for Crysencio Summerville on the right: Dumfries was very unlucky not to have an assist in the 65th minute, when he received the ball in the right half space, held off his defender with impressive strength, carried the ball through, and put the ball on a platter for Mexx Meerdink who missed a sitter: Dumfries deserved an assist here. Some great work to hold off his man and get that ball into Meerdrink https://t.co/qfyDOjfJ6A — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 24, 2026 Dumfries ended the night with three key passes and a game-high three interceptions. He read passing lanes well, had timely step-ups, and maybe my favourite bullet point: He was very vocal and combative against the Germans — showing real character throughout the match. Joshua Kimmich ile Denzel Dumfries arasında yaşanan tartışma: pic.twitter.com/9Ajv4Z7sYR — FC Bayern Türkiye (@FCBayernTurkish) September 24, 2026 The Netherlands may feel a little hard done by not to get more than one point in today’s Group B clash. They completely dominated the second half, had more than double the shots (22 vs 10), and had they been more clinical, would’ve won this game. ⏱️ FT: Netherlands 1 – 1 Germany npxG 2.70 — 1.68 xT 1.79 — 1.09 Field Tilt 56% — 44% pic.twitter.com/qjj31Ba8ir — Mehedi Hassan (@MHassanFootball) September 24, 2026

Real Madrid TV rejects Juanma Castaño’s apology as criticism continues

Real Madrid TV presenter Álvaro de la Lama says Juanma Castaño’s apology did not end his wider accusations against the club channel. The post Real Madrid TV rejects Juanma Castaño’s apology as criticism continues appeared first on Football España.

Real Madrid TV revisits referee disputes in Atlético response

Real Madrid TV answers Atlético after the derby by revisiting old referee disputes involving Simeone, Burgos and Arda Turan in an escalating row. The post Real Madrid TV revisits referee disputes in Atlético response appeared first on Football España.

Real Madrid face kick-off warning as derby bans are confirmed

Real Madrid sanctions include a kick-off timing warning, while Dean Huijsen and two staff members receive one-match domestic bans after the derby. The post Real Madrid face kick-off warning as derby bans are confirmed appeared first on Football España.

Konaté suffers knee sprain, leaves France’s training camp

Real Madrid center-back Ibrahima Konaté Konaté has suffered a minor sprain to his right knee and left the French national team’s training camp. Manchester United’s Leny Yoro will replace him in Zinedine Zidane’s squad. The French national team announced the following: “In agreement with the coaching staff, and following a cordial exchange between the medical staff of the French national team and Real Madrid, the player is once again available to his club as of today.” Konaté should have more than enough time to properly recover from this minor injury, so he should be ready to face Villarreal in the first game after this FIFA break.

Monthly Dossier: September, 2026

Real Madrid's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho gives a press conference at the Ciudad Real Madrid training ground in Madrid on September 7, 2026 ahead of the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Real Madrid’s latest outing stood apart from the rest. The 2–1 defeat in the Madrid derby against Atletico produced 0.38 npxG, their lowest figure across these eight games. In August and September, Real Madrid have taken six wins and two defeats from eight matches. They are generating 2.35 npxG per 90, compared with 1.60 last season. Shot volume has risen from 16.6 to 17.6 per 90. That improvement has come with less passing – open-play passes are down from 463 to 416 per 90, and final-third passes from 109 to 86. They are creating more without increasing their circulation of the ball. The balance of their passing threat has shifted. The left of the final third led last season; central areas in the final third now provides the largest contribution. Passing xT from central areas in the final third has risen from 0.17 to 0.32 per match. Passing xT from the left of the final third has fallen from 0.33 to 0.22 per match. Opponents are completing more passes between their defensive interventions in the PPDA zone. PPDA has risen from 11.4 to 14.1. Recorded second-ball wins have fallen from 3.9 to 2.6 per match. Opposition npxG remains close to last season’s level, at 1.09 per 90 against 1.13. In league chance creation, 2025-26’s leading chance creator was Arda Güler with 70 chances created (3.06 per 90), 14 of them big, and 7.17 xA. He leads again in 2026-27, now on 28 chances (7.1 per 90) from 354 minutes. The 2026-27 most-used starters include seven of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella and Trent Alexander-Arnold are now in that group. Madrid lead the touch count in seven of 24 active zones, while opponents lead in seven. In the defensive third, three zones favour them and three favour their opponents. In the middle third, two zones favour them and one favour their opponents. In the final third, two zones favour them and three favour their opponents. With the scores level, they have played 331 minutes and generated 2.35 npxG per 90 while allowing 0.67. The balance of chances is in their favour in this state. Their field tilt is 57%, giving them the larger share of completed final-third passes. Arda Güler has supplied the most passing threat during these minutes, contributing 1.01 xT. When chasing the game, they have played 61 minutes and generated 0.35 npxG per 90 while allowing 1.88. The balance of chances is against them in this state. Their field tilt is 30%, leaving the opposition with the larger share of completed final-third passes. Dean Huijsen has supplied the most passing threat during these minutes, contributing 0.14 xT. Due to the limited time, the rates remain especially sensitive to individual chances. While protecting a lead, they have played 364 minutes and generated 2.38 npxG per 90 while allowing 1.32. The balance of chances is in their favour in this state. Their field tilt is 40%, leaving the opposition with the larger share of completed final-third passes. Vinícius Júnior has supplied the most passing threat during these minutes, contributing 0.84 xT. 2025-26 includes 38 league matches and 14 European matches. 2026-27 includes seven league matches and one European match. The balance of competitions differs between seasons, so the combined comparison also reflects the opponents faced.

OPEN THREAD | SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Welcome to The Daily Merengue! THESE ARE YOUR MODS: Ezek XI, Valyrian Steel, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho MENTAL What will it take for these guys to snap into better form? EARLY LA LIGA PREDICTIONS 🚨 José Mourinho when asked if Real Madrid can still win La Liga: “If they leave us in peace, calm… then there’s time”. pic.twitter.com/orrbN40bhu — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2026 REFS If La Liga refs were the best in the world. I’d shut up, even at their mistakes. But they do have blood on their hands, asides from bribes. VALVERDE’S INJURY This could be an early turning point for our season. Although it’s quite shocking that Fede and Tchou have played together for many years but are currently struggling to find equilibrium.

I was close to joining Liverpool in 2016 - Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe says his mum was a "big fan" of Jurgen Klopp and wanted her son to move to Merseyside.

OFFICIAL: Real Madrid call for La Liga president Javier Tebas to step down

Real Madrid have published an official announcement attacking La Liga president Javier Tebas, who publicly addressed the controversy that occurred during Sunday’s match against Atlético de Madrid. In light of the statements made by the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas Medrano, Real Madrid C. F. wishes to express the following: Our club considers it intolerable that the president of LaLiga uses his institutional position to continue discrediting and attacking Real Madrid in the manner he does during each of his public appearances. It is very concerning that someone responsible for representing and protecting the interests of all LaLiga clubs remains obsessively focused on Real Madrid, turning our club into the constant target of his public attacks. His latest remarks are especially serious and incomprehensible, unbecoming of a responsible executive, as they are based on an article by an independent journalist in a digital publication. However, he reacts against our club, even going so far as to evaluate our sporting strategy, which is utterly inappropriate and irresponsible. It is entirely surprising that the president of LaLiga dedicates his time and personal platforms to consistently attempting to discredit Real Madrid publicly, rather than contributing, as his position demands, to fostering trust in the institutions that are supposed to ensure the impartiality of the competition. By doing so, he continues to damage the image of our competition and Spanish football worldwide. Given this inappropriate and persistent behavior, we believe that the professional football competition in Spain urgently needs a leader capable of managing it and realizing its full potential with the fundamental duty of neutrality. It requires someone who understands the nature of their role, as the president of LaLiga is not the owner of the competition but a manager serving the clubs that comprise it and entrust him with its leadership. The clubs need someone who serves this mission with honesty. Source: Realmadrid.com

Tebas about Madrid Derbi controversy: “I understand the complaints, not the methods”

La Liga president Javier Tebas talked to the press and shared his thoughts about the controversy surrounding Sunday’s Madrid Derbi between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid. “I understand the complaints, not the methods. Real Madrid did not lose because of those plays. Huijsen’s red card is surely the right call, then in the play with Bellingham Romero touches the ball first, so that’s not a red card. The one with Kang In and Valverde you could show a red card; it might appear to be a red card, and if you show it, it would be fine. But the play unfolded with such speed that I understand what happened, and that is all,” he said. Tebas went on and criticized Real Madrid TV’s videos about the referees. “We called out Real Madrid Television’s behavior a while back, and after yesterday, we’ve got to keep pushing for ethics. It’s an unfair and cruel way to pressure the referee,” he added.

Paper trail of protests: José Mourinho plays the hits in Madrid derby defeat | Sid Lowe

Facing Diego Simeone 13 years on, José Mourinho brought a print-out and paranoia. Some things don’t change. Some people don’t, either There were many questions to emerge from the Madrid derby, which Atlético won 2-1 in front of 70,514 very, very noisy people at the Metropolitano on Sunday afternoon, even if not the one José Mourinho was asking. Like: what year is this? Or: what was Dean Huijsen thinking? Why always Arda? And whatever happened to Vinícius Júnior? How come Koke is still the best? And how long before Giuliano Simeone actually bursts, his atlético insides exploding across the pitch? Above all though, you were left wondering: where did Real Madrid’s manager get a printer from? And how did he get the bloody thing to work? You could still hear the singing outside when Mourinho turned up in the press room, laid down his glasses and sat. In his hand was a piece of paper. Thirteen years after his last derby, on the Santiago Bernabéu night when Madrid lost the Copa del Rey final and a 13-year unbeaten run against their neighbours, Diego Simeone had defeated him again. The stage was new – this stadium didn’t exist then – but his adversary was somehow still the same man, still dressed in black, and the scene was a bit like old times, a classic. Mourinho unfolded the paper and held it up. “We can save ourselves the bother of the press conference,” he said, “because the story is right here.” Continue reading...

Uruguay window in doubt as Fede Valverde awaits ankle tests

The Fede Valverde injury remains unclear after severe left-ankle trauma in Real Madrid's derby defeat, with further tests to determine his outlook. The post Uruguay window in doubt as Fede Valverde awaits ankle tests appeared first on Football España.

Huijsen Red Card Swings Madrid Derby Atlético’s Way

The Madrid derby saw Atlético Madrid beat Real Madrid 2-1 after Dean Huijsen's red card left Mourinho's side with 10 men in a heated clash. The post Huijsen Red Card Swings Madrid Derby Atlético’s Way appeared first on Football España.

The set-pieces: Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid

Real Madrid's German defender #22 Antonio Ruediger (L) heads to scores his team's first goal during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on September 20, 2026. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Atletico had three corners and one attacking free kick, producing four shots from two restarts. Set pieces supplied 0.26 of their 1.46 npxG for the match. Three attempts came after the initial contact, while one came in the first phase. Real Madrid reached one of the four tracked deliveries first; Atletico won the initial touch on the remaining three. Atletico’s two deliveries were sent to the six-yard box, their most frequent delivery location. Dávid Hancko supplied two of their four attempts. With a lead to protect, Atletico had four attacking restarts, producing four shots. Real Madrid had nine attacking free kicks and one corner, producing three shots from three restarts. Set pieces supplied 0.16 of their 0.38 npxG for the match. The danger came entirely after the first touch: every attempt was a follow-up, with none coming straight from the delivery. Arda Güler took four restarts, two of which led to a shot. Five deliveries were sent centrally, their most frequent delivery location. Aurélien Tchouaméni supplied one of their three attempts. While chasing the game, Real Madrid had five attacking restarts, producing one shot. Their set-piece shooting return was two attempts before the interval and one in the second half. Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty for Atletico. Antonio Rüdiger scored following a free kick for Real Madrid.

Mourinho prints out 'red card' incidents after Real lose derby

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho prints out screenshots displaying two incidents he believes should have resulted in Atletico Madrid dismissals.

OFFICIAL: Fede Valverde injury report

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Federico Valverde of Real Madrid CF and Kang-in Lee of Atletico de Madrid in action during the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium on September 20, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images Real Madrid have published a medical report on midfielder Fede Valverde, who suffered a strong tackle from Kang-In Lee which went unpunished by the referee. Following the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a severe trauma to his left ankle, sustained during this afternoon’s match. Valverde will undergo further tests in the coming hours. Source: Realmadrid.com Valverde was able to finish the game for Real Madrid but he could potentially miss the upcoming FIFA games for Uruguay if the tests reveal an ankle sprain of some sorts.

Jonathan David earns Atlético precious win over 10-man Real Madrid in fractious derby

Diego Simeone said it had been a special week in Madrid, a “tremendous energy about the city”, and it closed the way he wanted. He had enjoyed the Formula One, he said, and he had enjoyed going to see Shakira. He enjoyed this even more, at least he did by the time the last of many, many blows on the referee’s whistle brought it to an end, sending him sprinting up the tunnel punching the air. Two-nil up against 10 men through goals from Álex Grimaldo and Jonathan David, seemingly in control, a late strike from Antonio Rüdiger awoke old ghosts and brought tension to the final minutes, but they had done it. “A lot has happened in Madrid this week but this was the only thing that mattered in his mind and mine,” Atlético’s goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, said. José Mourinho’s first derby back ended in defeat and recriminations: he turned up at the press conference with a picture of two moments in which he felt that Atlético players – Lee Kang-in and Cristian Romero – should have been sent off, and insisting that the story of the derby was there. And yet there are other questions: over the way Dean Huijsen gave away the penalty and got the red card that tilted the game against them, and the way Real played. How little they did until that moment when, briefly, they appeared to have a lifeline. Continue reading...

Atletico beat 10-man Real in thrilling LaLiga derby!

Highlights of the La Liga match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

Atletico win feisty Madrid derby against 10-man Real

Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid in a feisty derby to move above their rivals into second place in the La Liga table.

CONFIRMED lineups: Atlético de Madrid vs Real Madrid, 2026 La Liga

SEVILLE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: A detailed view of the Puma LaLiga match ball before the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Real Betis Balompie and Getafe CF at Estadio La Cartuja on September 17, 2026 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Atlético de Madrid in La Liga. View this post on Instagram STARTING LINEUPS: Atlético de Madrid starting XI (TBC): Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Grimaldo, Hancko, Pubill; Baena, Simeone, Koke, Hjulmand; Lee Kang-In, Lookman Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella, Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Vinicius, Güler; Mbappé HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/20/2026 Time: 16:15 CEST, 10:15am EST. Venue: Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

Atlético de Madrid vs Real Madrid 2026 live stream: Time, TV channels and how to watch La Liga online

Real Madrid visit Atlético’s Estadio Metropolitano in the first Madrid Derbi of the season. Los Blancos will need to make a statement and earn the three points if they want to truly bounce back from their somewhat concerning performance against Elche, but Simeone’s team always put up a big fight in front of their fans. PREDICTED LINEUPS: Atlético de Madrid predicted XI: Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Grimaldo, Hancko, Pubill; Baena, Simeone, Koke, Hjulmand; Lee Kang-In, Lookman Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella, Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Bellingham, Vinicius, Güler; Mbappé HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/20/2026 Time: 16:15 CEST, 10:15am EST. Venue: Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

Destiny Arrives ~ El Derbi Madrileño | Sept 20th, 2026

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 Derbi Day 🚨 SQUAD FOR ATLETICO. pic.twitter.com/Xy0WWSv8Hk — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 19, 2026 José’s men enter the cauldron of the Mattress Makers in the first big game of the season. For anyone wondering just how much the team has improved, this match will show all that and more. It comes just before the international break and like a true grudge match has not sympathies for momentum or form guides. It’s a game all on its own. It still carries the weight of 3 points and Liga ambitions, yet very little of that seems to enter the mind once the game kicks off. 🚨 Mourinho: “Derby tomorrow? A derby always has something extra. Derbies are about history, culture, and the passion of fans, players, and coaches. But ultimately, it is a match worth three points.” pic.twitter.com/DGlTMm6Kxo — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 19, 2026 Nowhere To Hide Real Madrid have their toughest away match of the season nice and early. There’s no hiding from the Mattress Makers. This is their biggest game of the season and they will not relent. They simply have to be beaten. A tall order for a Real Madrid side still trying to understand how to manage a game and increased pressure from opponents. Redemption Arc? Dean Huijsen had a difficult first season at Real Madrid. There may be many reasons for this but he is looking increasingly settled under José Mourinho. The Derbi will test and show just how far he’s come. It is not merely a technical test. It is a battle of wills and character when the cross-town rivals bring out the drums and insist that none shall dance at the Wanda. Dean has a wonderful opportunity stamp his authority as a genuine top class centre half, the future of Real Madrid’s back 4. This will not be his last opportunity but it comes at a time when his star in the all-white strip is beginning to rise. Might Makes Right Fede Valverde has the responsibility to lead the side this season, on and off the pitch. The Uruguayan made a mess of it at the first time of asking, last season. He now has an opportunity to bring some legitimacy to that armband on his left arm. It’s not about dressing room sing-alongs. It’s about dressing room mentality that spills over onto the pitch. The fight, the hustle, the desire to stand and fight alongside a fellow soldier when you feel the heat around the corner. This is what a leader has to bring out in his teammates. He has to show it. The words are fleeting but the actions echo! Vini Vidi Vici

Atlético de Madrid vs Real Madrid, 2026 La Liga: Predicted lineups

First Madrid Derbi of the season and it’s a crucial one. Will Real Madrid survive what has lately become a nightmare away match at the Metropolitano? PREDICTED LINEUPS: Atlético de Madrid predicted XI: Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Grimaldo, Hancko, Pubill; Baena, Simeone, Koke, Hjulmand; Lee Kang-In, Lookman Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella, Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Bellingham, Vinicius, Güler; Mbappé Mourinho will likely deploy Valverde and Silva in the double pivot, although Tchouameni could also start if the French midfielder is physically ready to start two games in just a handful of days. Vinicius, Bellingham, Güler and Mbappé will almost certainly lead the offensive line. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/20/2026 Time: 16:15 CEST, 10:15am EST. Venue: Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

Real Madrid Juvenil A win the Intercontinental Cup at the Bernabéu

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 19: Carlos Diez of Real Madrid lift the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup 2026 trophy after winning their match against CD Santiago Wandere during the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup 2026 match between Real Madrid C.F. and CD Santiago Wanderers at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 19, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) | UEFA via Getty Images Real Madrid’s Juvenil A side beat Santiago Wanderers’ U-20 team 3-1 on Saturday afternoon to win the Intercontinental Cup at the Bernabéu. It drew the largest crowd for any youth game in history, with 52,117 people turning out to watch the Juvenil A win yet another trophy. In doing so, they became the first team in Spanish football history to win the league, the UEFA Youth League, the Cup De Campeones and the Intercontinental Cup in the same season. Goals from Dani Yanez, Fran Santamaria and Roberto Martin were enough to defeat eight-man (yes — eight) Santiago Wanderers. Yanez’s brilliant free kick from an acute angle opened the scoring in the first half, before Mario Rivas’ costly error at the back allowed the visitors to equalise just after half-time. Yanez was then involved in the second goal too, as he played a beautiful pass to Jesus Fortea, who crossed the ball across goal for Santamaria to score. After missing the penalty through Yanez in stoppage time, Real Madrid had yet another chance to score, which was put away by Martin — once again created by Fortea after dribbling past two defenders. Here are the highlights from the contest:

Assessing Atletico’s numbers ahead of the Derby

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 16: Alex Baena of Atletico de Madrid celebrates his team fifth goal during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and CA Osasuna at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 16, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images After six matches into the LaLiga season, Atletico are creating just a bit more attacking threat than last season, with npxG created at 1.39 per 90 compared with 1.30 across last season’s 38 games. At the other end, they are allowing 0.88 npxG per 90, down from 1.10. They are scoring 2.20 goals and conceding 0.94 per 90, compared with 1.55 and 1.10 respectively last season. 2025-26’s leading chance creator was Julián Álvarez with 46 chances created (2.10 per 90), nine of them big, and 4.57 xA. In 2026-27, it is Álex Baena with 12 chances created (2.67 per 90), and 1.02 xA. The 2026-27 most-used starters include six of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Ademola Lookman, Lee Kang-In, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo and Morten Hjulmand are now in that group. The centre-backs are receiving the ball at much the same height as last season. They are winning 5.7 second balls per game, down from 6.3. Their main source of passing threat remains the right flank in the final third, which accounts for 25%, down from 26% last season. Passes from the left flank in the final third contribute 18%, down from 24% last season.

Chelsea's defensive woes continue as Brentford win derby

Chelsea's defensive and set-piece woes continued under Xabi Alonso as Brentford claimed an emphatic 3-0 victory in the west London derby.

Trent Alexander-Arnold recalled by England but with a warning from Thomas Tuchel

Real Madrid player must help improve defensive solidity Scott, Hall, Lewis-Skelly and Calvert-Lewin selected Thomas Tuchel has told Trent Alexander-Arnold he must bring defensive solidity to the England squad after giving him a surprise recall for the upcoming Nations League matches. The head coach has selected the Real Madrid right-back only once before – for the games against Andorra and Senegal in June last year. Tuchel made headlines when he did so by urging Alexander-Arnold to focus on the defensive side of his game or risk a slip that could undermine the team’s World Cup campaign. Continue reading...

Dread It.. | 18th Sept, 2026

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 El Derbi Madrileño is looming large and Los Blancos are about to face their annual visit to the dentist. The Mattress Makers will be keen to take advantage of an arch rival still finding their feet early in the season. This is Atletico’s biggest game on the calendar. The game they live for. They generally play their best games against us regardless of form. It’s not so much about the quality of players they have at their disposal but the existential nature of the brutal encounter. This game could be the match Mourinho needs to light a fire under his players. The team will have to put in a complete performance to take 3 points at the Wanda. ❗️The last time Real Madrid played against Atletico away. Real Madrid have only won ONE (September 2022) of the last 7 games at the Metropolitano in La Liga. pic.twitter.com/Y45kTzqC8w — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 17, 2026 The players have been positive this season so far, taking the loss to Betis on the chin and carrying on. The Derbi is different. You don’t get to just forget about it. A bad result will be talked about all the way to the end of the season. It can also have the effect of dropping us further back behind the high flying Catalans. 3 points off the pace is already flirting with disaster. A Real Leader 🚨 Kylian Mbappé: "Team trophies are being prepared now. You have to build the foundation of your team, the collective level, the core group, and everything. We're in the process of building our victory for the second half of the season." pic.twitter.com/1ovI5dXsrl — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) September 17, 2026 Kylian shows a keen understanding of the team’s current situation. He has looked relaxed and really enjoying his football this season. He does not expect to win every game immediately just because Mourinho is the coach. If the rest of his teammates share this feeling that they should work hard now to be prepared for the key part of the season. A Potential Midfield 3 Mourinho is still too conservative to try and dominate or compete for possession against teams that are good at it. Practice makes perfect. We are practicing counter attacking football and when we meet a team that isn’t susceptible to counter attacks we will struggle to fumble our way out of a wet paper bag. Tchouameni, Jude and Arda have complementary strengths. Jude is the balance. He is excellent on both sides of the ball and he can do special things on top of that. Both Arda and Jude can carry the ball effectively. Arda is the “on-the-ball” player, who can control possession. Tchouameni is the defender in midfield. The trio gives us, defence, pressing, passing, press resistance and possession. It’s not perfect but it’s balanced enough to give us control of the ball.

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Spurs and Villa meet in desperation derby and Andoni Iraola faces test on south-coast return Premier League top scorers: check the latest standings Chelsea have not won this west London derby since Brentford’s first Premier League season. Each visit since October 2021’s 1-0 win, Ben Chilwell the scorer, has been a draw. This season has continued the divergence between the clubs’ respective approaches, Brentford’s solidity and continuity compared to Chelsea attempting their latest reboot. Kevin Schade, after two well-taken goals at Bournemouth, will fancy facing a defence not yet attuned to Xabi Alonso’s configurations. Only one team has won a Premier League title with a defensive trio: Chelsea’s last title team, in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte. Alonso’s attack has been rather more successful, presenting another challenge for Jannik Schuster. Replacing Nathan Collins, the 20-year-old central defender had a tough examination from Bournemouth’s Evanilson on his first Premier League start, emerging with credit. For Chelsea, João Pedro has registered three goals and three assists, but doubts surrounding his fitness could lead to Danny Welbeck’s first league start. John Brewin Brentford v Chelsea, Friday 8pm (all times BST) Tottenham v Aston Villa, Saturday 3pm Continue reading...

Espí: “I try to help the team in any way I can and I’m very happy”

Real Madrid striker Carlos Espí talked to the press right after scoring the game-winning goal against Elche. The Spanish attacker was visibly excited having scored his second decisive goal for Los Blancos. “I’m very happy, the happiest man in the world. I try to help the team in any way I can, and every time I play, I give my all, so I’m very pleased. Starting like this has been a dream. This doesn’t stop; we’ll keep going because now Sunday awaits us. This is a team effort. Everyone who steps in makes the most of their opportunities and gives their best,” he said. Espí also praised Mbappé after the French star delivered a perfect assist for his goal. “He’s incredible, it’s amazing to see him train and play. In this case, he provided me with the goal, and I’m very happy for him too,” he added. The Spanish striker wrapped up his brief media appearance by previewing Sunday’s Derbi against Atlético de Madrid. “I’m really looking forward to it, very excited. It’s my first derby here, and we’re going all out for it,” he said.

‘It is for every fan who has ever followed us’: Bournemouth’s European debut caps journey from the brink

Club legend Steve Fletcher reflects on the wild rise over two decades to playing Real Sociedad in the Europa League It is 13 years since Bournemouth, a couple of months after finishing runners-up to Doncaster in the third tier, hosted Real Madrid. It was a balmy summer’s day, officially Carlo Ancelotti’s first match in charge, and, a few hours after checking into the Haven hotel on the Sandbanks peninsula, a wave of galácticos took to the pitch: Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Kaká, Karim Benzema, the list goes on. An early, wayward Ronaldo free-kick broke the wrist of an 11-year‑old boy before Madrid ran out 6-0 winners in a bucket-list friendly. Continue reading...

45 Minutes | Sept 16, 2026

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 Real Madrid have mastered the art of playing only 45 minutes of every game this season. So far they’ve scarcely missed the target.  The second half is an opportunity for the opponents to show how good they are and try to level the game or outright win it. Some people might say that’s a fair approach, perhaps an egalitarian approach to professional football competition.  Mobutu Can’t Stop Scoring 🚨🤯 Kylian Mbappé has now scored against 92 teams in his career. pic.twitter.com/lGtgp9BgMf — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 16, 2026 Kylian is in a mood. The Frenchman is made of goals and he is not slowing down. This will be another 50 goal season if he stays healthy.  Vinicius Can’t hit the broad side of a barn 🚨 Vini Jr. on IG: “THE GOALS WILL RETURN. I CANNOT miss so many. Sunday, there will be MORE. HALA MADRID!” pic.twitter.com/QMAnX6Hd8K — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 15, 2026 The Brazilian superstar has worked hard this season but has lost his bearings worse than a misplaced house key. A clean hatrick of chances missed against Elche served to lay the foundations for a nervy second half. He could have given his team a proper cushion going into the second half. One must add, if 2 goals isn’t a comfy cushion against Elche.. Turkish Delight? Arda Güler’s first half performance was mildly enchanting. The hocus pocus of the young Turk had the team playing well. Unlike the previous game, the goals were constructed more than opportunistic. The opening goal from an exquisite free kick seemed to further enhance his growing reputation.  🚨 Mourinho : “Arda Güler is untouchable? No. No one is.” pic.twitter.com/lSx4YJYHPE — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 15, 2026 Arda might have forced his way into a serious role. Mourinho has now declared that nobody is untouchable. A seemingly benign statement but one which will be tested consistently in the coming months Mou Problems 🚨 Mourinho: “I like when my team scores goals. I like when we score 3,4 goals, but I don’t like when we lose control of the games.” pic.twitter.com/0lfk6VkwiZ — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 15, 2026 Mourinho has problems but creating chances isn’t one of them. The manager cannot get the team to defend efficiently. They don’t seem to know what the shape is or how they ought to react to opposition attacks or spells of possession. They simply watch on until Courtois finally fails to make a save.  José started Bellingham on the bench and subbed off Vinicius. The rotations are upon us. Vinicius and Bellingham both seemed to react well, further enhancing the perceived harmony of the dressing room.  The Fall Off If you can’t defend, you might as well squeeze and attack. Real Madrid prefer to ball watch until the game slips away and then suddenly the game is dramatic enough to warrant positive action from the manager and the players themselves.  🚨 José Mourinho: “My only criticism to the players is that they do NOT kill off games when they can. There was ZERO reason to risk dropping points again, we had MANY chances but we let Elche back into it.” pic.twitter.com/TAYemmwQt6 — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 15, 2026 FOOD FOR Thought  Mourinho is transforming a team that has developed a habit of losing over seasons. He has not changed the core of the team. The manager is not promising miracles but believes instead that the team cannot go for months without improvement. This sounds a challenge to the squad. Midway through September, the manager is saying out loud that the team cannot be this bad when we reach the middle of November. The team must be different then. It is a serious challenge for a team that has become uncharacteristically comfortable with losing.

Player Ratings: Elche 2 – 3 Real Madrid

ELCHE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 15: Arda Guler of Real Madrid CF celebrates his team first goal during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Elche CF and Real Madrid at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on September 15, 2026 in Elche, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Player Ratings: Elche 2–3 Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois: 6.5. Only had to make one save, and neither of the goals conceded was his fault. Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6.5. A defensive liability at times, and he failed to stop the cross for Elche’s first goal. But he also offered plenty in possession, particularly in the first half, moving centrally and helping pull the strings in the right half-space. Good offensively, bad defensively. Sounds about right for Trent. Ibrahima Konaté: 7. Strong in the air and the primary outlet when Real Madrid were building from the back. Dean Huijsen: 7.5. Mostly good. Hard to blame him for either goal, and his distribution and willingness to play vertically were both needed. Marc Cucurella: 6.5. Had a very good game until a costly mistake led to Elche’s second goal. Provided useful overloads and created space for Vinícius. Fede Valverde: 7.5. Played two excellent through balls and kept possession well. One of those passes, to Yan Diomande, helped create Real Madrid’s first goal. Aurélien Tchouaméni: 8. Terrific pressing and an excellent reading of passing lanes. Two of his challenges led to big chances that Vinícius missed, and he also contributed some lovely long-range switches of play. Yan Diomande: 8. A difficult performance to grade. There were lapses, including poor tracking on Elche’s second goal and some rash defensive lunges, but his relentless verticality and ability to break lines were hugely encouraging. Assisted Kylian Mbappé in the first half and worked himself into the ground defensively. Arda Güler: 8. Again, deserved at least one assist. Played gorgeous through balls and set up Vinícius twice. Real Madrid lost considerable control after he left the field. Vinícius Júnior: 3. Lost the ball nine times, failed to complete a single dribble, and missed three chances, including two big ones. Kylian Mbappé: 8.5. One goal, one assist, three key passes. Vital. Substitutes Jude Bellingham: 8. Created the winner out of nothing. Beat his man down the wing, carried the ball forward, and played a perfectly weighted through ball to Mbappé. Brahim Díaz: 6.5. Limited involvement, with just 13 touches off the bench on the right wing. Most of Madrid’s play went through Diomande on the left. Carlos Espí: 8. Scored the winner. Enough said. Endrick: N/A. Denzel Dumfries: N/A.

Jose Mourinho: “In these games, we have chances to finish them off, but we don’t”

ELCHE, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 15: Coach Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Elche v Real Madrid at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on September 15, 2026 in Elche Spain (Photo by M Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho spoke to the media after the team narrowly beat Elche 3-2 after giving away a two-goal lead. Mourinho was asked about the near-collapse, to which he said: “It seems obvious to me. It’s easy to understand. These are games that are already decided, where we have chances to finish them off and we don’t. After not finishing them off, we go from having it easy to not controlling the game. We didn’t score. When everything seems easy, you leave things unfinished. The explanation I can find is that if the game seems easy and you don’t put it away, then you drop off, you lose control, you misinterpret what was easy. It can happen. Nothing is easy. The players need to rest; they have a day off tomorrow. If we play badly, from the first minute to the 90th, the concern is huge. If we have periods of brilliance and others that are not proactive, just waiting, without intensity… Of course it’s worrying. But we won.” Mourinho on the game “Three points and nothing more. It’s just like ‘Hala Madrid’ and nothing more. Obviously, after the first half, we all had the feeling that three, four, or five would come in the second. But we lowered the intensity, gave them too much space, and when Bellingham and Brahim came on, I tried to give the midfield some stability because Vinicius and Güler were tired. But just when I was thinking about stability, they made it 1-2, and in these packed stadiums, teams that seem dead… in a flash, they’re back to life. Then came the 2-2. But we have a bench full of talent, and different kinds of talent. I took maximum risks… but a draw isn’t enough. And we scored with a very strong reaction. With that feeling that we couldn’t drop points. The final stretch was incredibly strong. We did it.” Mourinho on Carlos Espi “He’s doing well, he’s contributing to the team. He has an exceptional player ahead of him. Playing with both of them together isn’t easy. Otherwise, we don’t have players on the wings to be fast, and the team loses its balance. With the substitutions at the end, I risked everything. We won, we could have lost, but we had to do it.” Mourinho on whether Arda Guler is untouchable “No, nobody is indispensable. We were losing control when I made the changes. Vini did a very good job defensively, but he was very tired. And Arda, who played in that number 10 position, was also dropping his intensity. I brought on fresh Jude and Brahim when we were 2-0 down, but I sensed we were losing control. That’s what happens to us. And then, we went for the big guns and pulled it off.” Mourinho on conceding goals “I’m concerned about every game, not just Sunday’s. I like my team to score goals, to score every time, except against Betis. I like it. But I like to control games, I don’t like to give anything away. Elche played well, they made changes that altered their formation. We have a bench with many options and in ten minutes we had some very dangerous chances. We scored, we won, three points, nothing more.” Mourinho on Yan Diomande “He’s growing. Physically, you can see he’s got more playing time under his belt. He has a great work ethic, intelligence, and has done a great job.” Mourinho on Aurelien Tchouameni “When the team was playing well, he and Valverde were playing well. They broke the pressure easily, with quality. But the game had two halves, or rather three: one until 0-2, another until 2-2, and another until the end. They did a good job.” Mourinho on unity “The team is united, without a doubt. Motivated. They have camaraderie, commitment. In that respect, they’re untouchable. My only criticism is that we could have killed games and we didn’t. And then, we gave an opponent who seemed finished the chance to make things difficult for us. And we risked two points. We took a risk, and when I made the changes, just as we won, we could have lost.” Mourinho on managing three games in a week “It’s more difficult for other teams that have fewer players and less quality. You ask me, and I’ll tell you how difficult it is for Anselmi, whose squad will have more difficulties than ours and plays on Saturday. We’ll make some adjustments. We changed a lot of players today: only Konaté and Mbappé played the full 90 minutes against Inter, Rayo, and today. Now we have a short gap until the weekend’s match.”

Tracker: Cesar Palacios Levitates Vs West Ham United

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Cesar Palacios of Fulham celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between West Ham United and Fulham at London Stadium on September 15, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images It’s currently half-time in the Elche – Real Madrid game, but that doesn’t mean we’re not keeping tabs on other players under the Real Madrid umbrella. With a heavy schedule, and coming off a draw against Liverpool at Anfield just three days ago, Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa rotated a bit for today’s EFL Cup third round game vs West Ham. Gonzalo Garcia, who started against Liverpool, rested today as Rodrigo Muniz took his place. Cesar Palacios, meanwhile, who didn’t start against Liverpool, started today. Palacios was unplayable. Yes, he did score and did have an assist in the 2 – 3 win away at London Stadium, but it was his composure and elegance that stole the show. You will see it more and more as he establishes himself: Palacios is pure silk. The ball is a magnetized to his boots. Plays with a bounce and instinct you can't teach. — Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) September 15, 2026 Deployed in the left half-space, Palacios floated in multiple positions to help his team escape pressure while pulling strings in the final third. He was quick and silky with his touches, always looking to play quick 1-2s with his teammates and taking minimal touches to play through-passes. He opened the game with an assist to Muniz: CESAR PALACIOS ASSIST pic.twitter.com/2hUiNt1isU — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 15, 2026 Then, in the 37th minute, he received a ball over the top and took a perfect first touch before slotting in a goal at the far post: PALACIOS HAS ALSO SCORED pic.twitter.com/fWzvGErCNS https://t.co/4fiBGVt9P9 — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 15, 2026 In the 93rd minute, Palacios had the opportunity to ice the game with a big chance, but ultimately took too long to shoot, and the angle closed on him. Meanwhile, Manuel Angel made his debut off the bench, Gonzalo Garcia replaced Muniz in the 68th minute, and Franco Mastantuono played 60 minutes in Fiorentina’s match vs Pisa.

CONFIRMED lineups: Elche vs Real Madrid, 2026 La Liga

Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Elche in La Liga. View this post on Instagram STARTING LINEUPS Elche starting XI (TBC): Dituro; Sangaré, Redondo, Chust; Rubén Sánchez, Aguado, Gonzalo Villar, Roy Revivo; Lemar, Germán Valera; Fer Niño. Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Trent, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouameni; Diomande, Güler, Vinicius, Mbappé. It will be important for Real Madrid to establish an early lead so that the key players can stay healthy and fresh for the Derbi against Atlético. Elche have been very poor this season, so Los Blancos should get the three points tonight. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/15/2026 Time: 21:30 CEST, 03:30pm EST. Venue: Martinez Valero Stadium, Elche, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

The Pros And Cons of Real Madrid’s Zonal Block

Jose Mourinho, head coach of Real Madrid CF, greets Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid CF, who has just been substituted, during the LaLiga EA Sports football match between Real Madrid CF and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Estadio Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain, on September 12, 2026. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images In a zonal block, Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid sits in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Most of the time, the front four remain slightly high compared to the rest of the block. Additionally, the wingers and the attacking midfielder operate in a compact shape horizontally. The goal is to force the opposing team into wide traps. Keeping the forwards relatively high out of possession has upside and downside. In a nutshell, it is a double-edged sword. The wingers staying high on a regular basis and not tracking back hindered Real Madrid in the Champions League against Internazionale. It forced Real Madrid’s pivots to shift across to deny the wide overloads Inter tried to generate. However, the space in front of the backline was extremely vulnerable. Not only that, but Inter was able to overload the opposite side. In this example, Fede Valverde shuffled across to cover the space Vinicius Junior was supposed to take charge of. Trent Alexander-Arnold followed the Uruguayan to plug the gap in the half-space. As a consequence, Lautaro Martinez found joy in dropping into the space at the edge of the box: Moreover, Inter committed five players up front, outnumbering Real Madrid’s backline of four. Dean Huijsen had to keep tabs on Marcus Thuram, and Ibrahima Konaté had to swing across and monitor Curtis Jones’s movement. At the end, Denzel Dumfries found himself defending against Augusto and Lautaro Martínez. The Dutch right-back stood still, which allowed Inter striker to dash in and lay off Nico Barella’s clipped pass to Jones: Inter’s goal is a projection to the downside of the high position of Real Madrid’s wingers. At first look, Marc Cucurella and Dumfries were overloaded and pinned inside. Lautaro Martinez tied up Cucurella in the right half-space, so Yan Bisseck could stroll comfortably in the wide channels. Instead of working his way back, Vinicius Jr opted for cutting off the passing lane between Diouf and Bisseck. Hence, the former solved the problem by playing the ball over the Brazilian to bypass him: As a natural reaction, Cucurella pulled off wide to defend Yan Bisseck. But it was late, as Lautaro Martinez exploited the gap between Cucurella and Huijsen, taking advantage of Alexander-Arnold not picking him up early on: Huijsen covered the front post zone, and Konaté marked Bonny. The latter dragged the French center-back across for Augusto to come from behind and guide Lautaro’s cutback home: Football is a game of trade-offs. Coaches work to find a formula to balance risks and rewards. The high position of Real Madrid’s forwards appears to be costly, considering the vulnerabilities that come with such an approach. Nonetheless, there is another part of the truth. Keeping the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé high gave Real Madrid the edge to hurt opponents in transitional moments. According to Opta Analyst, Real Madrid tallied 2.4 fast breaks per match in La Liga. Only Real Betis accumulated more than Real Madrid in this regard. However, Los Blancos underperformed when it comes to finishing off chances. Below, Valverde ran intensely to prevent Petar Sučić from easily controlling the second ball. He pressed Sučić into an error. Jude Bellingham collected the miscued pass and tended to pick up Vinicius. Piotr Zieliński blocked off the pass; however, Bellingham hunted the ball and tackled Sučić, wrapping his legs around him to poke the ball to Vinicius. Yan Bisseck pushing high allowed Real Madrid’s front three to create numerical superiority in the transition against Stones and Bastoni: The last minute of Real Madrid against Malaga saw Dean Huijsen stepping up aggressively on Pablo Martínez, tipping the ball to Vinicius. The latter operating narrow and slightly high put him in a good position to develop the counterattack. Vinicius immediately played the pass to Arda Güler, who scampered the length of the pitch. Güler picked up the moment when the center-back, Ángel Recio, tended to step up to find Vinicius around the left-back, Rafael Garrido Hierro. Recio’s step up offered Güler an opening between the defenders to capitalise on and nip the game in the bud. In the belwo scene, Mbappé targets Pavard from the blindside and Vinicius pounces on him to regain possession and initiate the counterattack. The latter carried forward, whereas Mbappé attacking the space between Bisseck and Augusto forces the pair to focus on the French forward, so Brahim Diaz arrives in open space inside the box and exposes Bastoni’s advanced position. Brahim sets up Bellingham (who arrived late) and Mbappé at the same time. In the last minutes of the game against Rayo Vallecano, Eduardo Camavinga collected the loose ball after Rüdiger blocked the visitors’ shot. Pathé Ciss instantly shut down Bellingham. However, he left space behind his back for Camavinga to continue carrying the ball. Camavinga noticed Arda Guler running into a free island in the center. Rayo Vallecano’s defenders shifting laterally toward Camavinga allowed Arda Guler to set up Mbappé, who finished the chance from his first touch. Deploying the likes of Vinicius, Mbappé, and Güler in advanced defensive positions is detrimental to opponents given the pace, the passing quality, carrying ability, and finishing skills these players offer when they are provided with open spaces to attack. However, it also tips the scales in the opposing team’s favor, as it serves it well in taking advantage of Real Madrid’s defensive woes. The solution may lie between the two situations, as knowing when to drop to support and stay advanced to be ready for the transition might enable Real Madrid to benefit from the two worlds.

Elche vs Real Madrid 2026 live stream: Time, TV channels and how to watch La Liga online

Real Madrid visit Elche’s Martínez Valero just a handful of days ahead of Sunday’s crucial Madrid Derbi against Atlético de Madrid. José Mourinho and his men need to keep gaining confidence and momentum after a solid victory against Rayo Vallecano and Elche should give them a good opportunity to do so, even if Real Madrid have been somewhat disappointing away from the Santiago Bernabéu. PREDICTED LINEUPS Elche predicted XI: Dituro; Sangaré, Redondo, Chust; Rubén Sánchez, Aguado, Gonzalo Villar, Roy Revivo; Lemar, Germán Valera; Fer Niño. Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Camavinga; Arda Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappé. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/15/2026 Time: 21:30 CEST, 03:30pm EST. Venue: Martinez Valero Stadium, Elche, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

Elche vs Real Madrid, 2026 La Liga: Predicted lineups

Real Madrid visit Elche in what should be a manageable game for Los Blancos ahead of Sunday’s Madrid Derbi against Atlético de Madrid. Mourinho could decide to make some rotations in this one, while Arda Güler will likely return to the starting lineup. PREDICTED LINEUPS Elche predicted XI: Dituro; Sangaré, Redondo, Chust; Rubén Sánchez, Aguado, Gonzalo Villar, Roy Revivo; Lemar, Germán Valera; Fer Niño. Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Camavinga; Arda Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappé. Tchouameni could come off the bench, which could improve his conditioning ahead of the Derbi if Mourinho wanted to deploy him in the starting lineup against Atlético. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/15/2026 Time: 21:30 CEST, 03:30pm EST. Venue: Martinez Valero Stadium, Elche, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA)

He Ain’t Heavy.. | September 14th, 2026

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 Jose Mourinho has his work cut-out for him. He has a talented squad, undoubtedly. However, talent, just ain’t enough. The previous two seasons stand as a testament to that very reality. The Good.. Mourinho got in good very early with Vinicius, Mobutu and Nelson Mandela. He has somehow managed to make all three feel very important and has them currently pulling in the same direction. I expect we will see Vinicius putting a few more chances on a plate for Kylian in the upcoming matches. Vinicius and Jude have generally had a wonderful connection on the pitch dating back to the historic 2023/24 season. This relationship was strained obviously over the last two seasons likely due to the formers heavy decline in form. Mourinho knows that having the biggest players pulling in the same direction makes it easier to rally the troops when needed and let cooler heads prevail when the storm descends upon us. Fede Valverde is also seemingly a big fan of the Portuguese manager. Courtois has previously worked with Mourinho at Chelsea and understands how the manager works and the heavy demands he places on players. So far, the players have responded positively and appear keen to make things work by working harder off the ball and sacrificing for the team. Long may it continue. We will need that spirit when the big games arrive. The Bad.. Getting the big players on-side comes at a cost. The cost seems to be that Mourinho has decided certain players are untouchable. That has its pros and cons. The pros are that Mourinho can have a trusted core who are respected by the rest of the squad. The trusted core can be called out collectively to take responsibility and rally the troops out of a trough. The cons are obvious.. These players can become complacent and entitled. They can begin to feel they have a very long rope and that they’re now necessarily above the rest of the squad. Attempting to discipline these players can have disastrous consequences. José has effectively gambled with his time at the club by taking that approach. What is more, adjusting the roles of the chosen ones will likely be met with hostility. The players will not mind adjusting for a game or two but a permanent change will not be welcomed and could cost Mourinho his job. The first test will come when Mourinho benches a healthy Valverde, Vinicius, Kylian or Jude. The first instance will not be an issue but continued rotation of players who cannot imagine the team function without them.. Good luck, Sir! The Story So Far.. Real Madrid are not playing all that well. This is to be expected given all the changes. Turning the boys to men was never going to be a walk in the park. The transition game is improving on both sides of the ball. The weakness is a large, pulsating, red circle: Ball possession, progression and game management. It is still early days and the players are adjusting to their new reality and the demands of their new coach. Let us keep this in the proper context. 5 games, 4 wins and a surprise defeat at Betis. The team has a lot of room for improvement. This relates largely to the ability to control the game both on and off the ball. Chance creation has not been an issue even though putting chances away can be concerning at times, it is far from a serious issue for the team. And yet.. Arda Güler has come a long way. He arrived the same season as Jude Bellingham. It’s a small miracle that he didn’t completely disappear with Jude delivering one of the greatest debut seasons of all time. This coincided with persistent injuries and lack of opportunities for the young Turkish international. However, three seasons later Arda Güler continues to make his case for a consistent starting role. The youngster has a special set of skills which could not be made more evident in his cameo against Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu littered with whistling fans letting forth their ire for the team’s display. Arda took over the game. The only thing missing from Arda’s performance was the superhero music. Arda can play transition football. He can carry the ball, switch play, increase the speed of play and slow it down. He has one of the best first-time passes out there and he does so off of both feet. The games against Inter Milan and Rayo Vallecano not only highlighted a need for more control of the ball but further highlighted the need for Arda Güler in the XI. It seems rather difficult to expect that Arda could do more to stake a claim among the untouchables given the glaring need for his special set of skills.

Bernardo Silva: “There is no doubt about the offensive ability of this team”

Real Madrid midfielder Bernardo Silva talked to Real Madrid TV after the team’s 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and was pleased with the victory and the effort. “We are very happy because the three points are the most important thing. Four goals, a great win, and we are very happy, especially with the first half, but in general with the whole match. Now we prepare for the next one, which is very soon. There is no doubt about the offensive strength and scoring ability of this team. Moreover, here at the Bernabéu with our fans. Today, once again, we were able to create a lot, generate chances, and we are very happy about the three points,” he said. Silva also explained what Mourinho wants to see from him. “Mainly, with the ball, to help a lot in the build-up and provide fluidity to the play so the ball reaches the attacking players in the best conditions, given their dribbling ability. To Vini, Jude, Kylian, and Diomande, it’s very important that the ball gets to them well. Then, without the ball, to also help a lot in pressing and the defensive part, where we have a lot of work to do. I’m trying to adapt, to be the best version of myself to help the team, and I’ll keep working,” he added.

Mbappé Double Helps Real Madrid See Off Rayo Fightback

Real Madrid 4-1 result saw Kylian Mbappé score twice as Madrid overcame Rayo Vallecano's second-half pressure to win in La Liga on Saturday. The post Mbappé Double Helps Real Madrid See Off Rayo Fightback appeared first on Football España.

José Mourinho: “There’s nothing but quality on the Real Madrid bench”

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 12: Jose Mourinho head coach of Real Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 12, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Real Madrid coach José Mourinho spoke after a 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano to praise his team, including impressive substitute Arda Güler, as he said: “Arda makes a big impact when he’s on the pitch. I’m 100% certain that if Diomande hadn’t started today, the first question would have been, ‘Why isn’t Diomande playing?’ There’s nothing but quality on the bench. The line-up changes will be made on a match-by-match basis. Arda has a very positive influence on the team’s play. When he came on, he made all the difference in terms of the stability of our play.” Mourinho on the difference between the two halves “I’d describe the match as a 45-minute affair. In 45 minutes, it was over. I knew the team didn’t have the physical and mental strength to play the second half the way they did. The image that sums it all up is how Bellingham played in the last 10 minutes. Practically everyone made mistakes in build-up play, struggled to press, and with shots on goal… I already knew that. I expected it to be like that.” Mourinho on anything that worries him “I’m happy because we’ve been together for three months, although we can only really count from when we were all here. What we’re doing has a lot of positives. We’re taking it step by step, always trying to improve.” Mourinho on pressure to start Yan Diomande “I’m a bit too old to feel the pressure. In football you can have different squads; sometimes you have to pray that nobody gets injured, other times you’ve got plenty of options. He’ll keep improving bit by bit. He hasn’t been at the top level for long and has a lot to learn tactically. But he’s got incredible potential. In one-on-one situations, with his passing, shooting… He gives us loads of options. He can play where Vini does, on the right; Arda can play there too, or where Bellingham plays. Right now, I want to help him develop.” Mourinho on Vinícius “Physically, he’s in better shape than ever. He’s just a millimetre away from reaching his top speed. His ability to sustain effort is immense. It’s a process he’s getting to grips with. Mentally, he’s very strong; he knows Madrid better than anyone. He plays with a great sense of responsibility, that of representing Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. He’s calm. The goals will come.” Mourinho on the last substitution “Simple. I want to win, and I want to win by as many goals as possible. When you’re 3–1 up with five minutes to go, and Rayo have a very powerful full-back capable of creating danger… At that point, I felt it was best to shut the door. For me, the time for fancy footwork and scoring goals was over. Then we scored the fourth, even better.”

European football: Dortmund win again but Freiburg top after Gladbach rout

Milan come from behind in 2-2 draw with Lazio Kylian Mbappé strikes twice as Real Madrid cruise Felix Nmecha scored twice and Fábio Silva grabbed another as Borussia Dortmund won 3-0 at home to promoted Paderborn to continue their perfect start in the Bundesliga. Dortmund’s win made it three from three in the league this campaign, their best start in 11 seasons, dating back to Thomas Tuchel’s time. Starting up front alongside Serhou Guirassy for the first time this season, Silva converted a clever pass from the Guinean to give the hosts the lead after five minutes. Guirassy had two goals disallowed for offside in the first half but Dortmund were rarely troubled by the toothless visitors, who are yet to score since returning to the top flight. Continue reading...

Immediate Reaction: Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano (Mbappé x2, Carreras & Bellingham). A comfortable win, in the end… Here is my reaction to yet another win. To follow: Player ratings, Mourinho quotes and another podcast. Four wins from five constituted a good start to the season for Real Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano would be another routine fixture to help strengthen that record. Yan Diomande gained his first start at the club, joined by Denzel Dumfries and Álvaro Carreras. Arda Güler and Trent Alexander-Arnold continued to flirt with the bench. Fede Valverde captained Real Madrid. 📋✅ Our starting XI! 🆚 @RayoVallecano pic.twitter.com/W5tcNRLVls — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 12, 2026 Rayo began life attacking down the right hand-side, and tested Thibaut Courtois – before Real Madrid had a penalty which was converted by Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman then linked up with Álvaro Carreras who bagged the second in quick fashion. Jude Bellingham made it three after Vinícius Júnior found him on the edge of the box – before Mbappé hit the post the round off a good first half. Diomande brings such a different look to the right wing. Will be cool to see what he looks like once he's fully integrated. Already winning the Bernabeu over with his defense and dribbling — Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) September 12, 2026 Rayo again started the half in better fashion for the second 45 – as they hit the post from a long-ranged strike, before scoring through the in-form Sergio Camello. Rayo began to chase another goal to make it game on, and came close from another effort from distance. Thibaut was on hand again to parry the shot away. The game was really starting to turn, but Denzel Dumfries had a good chance to kill the threat, forcing an amazing save from a header. Jude Bellingham then had a chance as the game settled down, before Kylian Mbappé scored Madrid’s fourth after being quickly set up by Arda Güler with minutes to spare. Full-time: 4-1 to Real Madrid. Happy with the result?

CONFIRMED lineups: Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano, 2026 La Liga

Real Madrid have published their starting lineup for the upcoming match against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. View this post on Instagram STARTING LINEUPS Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Rüdiger, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo Silva; Diomande, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé. Rayo Vallecano starting XI (TBC): Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; Valentín, Bouaré; Tsitaishvili, Unai López, Álvaro García; Camello. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/12/2026 Time: 21:00 CEST, 03:00pm EST. Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA) Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

We got what we deserved - Alonso on draw with Hull

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso admits his side "got what they deserved" as they drew 2-2 against Hull City at Stamford Bridge.

Hull stun Chelsea with Mohamed Belloumi double before João Pedro rescues a point

Do not make the mistake of assuming this was a backs-to-the-wall effort from Hull. Their remarkable start to the season goes on and a point was the least Sergej Jakirovic’s side deserved after they pushed Chelsea to the limit in an absorbing game. This was the first time Chelsea have dominated possession in a league game this season and it did not lead to anything pretty. Xabi Alonso’s attack was contained for long spells, even though goals from Morgan Rogers and João Pedro ended Hull’s spotless defensive record, and the Spaniard’s side remain a mess without the ball. Chelsea are conceding at a rate of two a game and saw their winless run in home games against promoted sides stretched to five after Mohamed Belloumi twice punished defensive errors during the first half. Continue reading...

Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano 2026 live stream: Time, TV channels and how to watch La Liga online

Rayo Vallecano visit the Santiago Bernabeu just a few days ahead of Real Madrid’s Derbi against Atlético de Madrid. Los Blancos are coming off two tough, physical games against Betis and Inter Milan, so José Mourinho will likely use his depth and rest some players. PREDICTED LINEUPS Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Camavinga, Bernardo Silva; Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé. Rayo Vallecano predicted XI: Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; Valentín, Bouaré; Tsitaishvili, Unai López, Álvaro García; Camello. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/12/2026 Time: 21:00 CEST, 03:00pm EST. Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA) Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano, 2026 La Liga: Predicted lineups

Real Madrid host Rayo Vallecano in what should be a manageable game and a decent opportunity for José Mourinho to make some rotations, as he admitted during the pre-match press conference. PREDICTED LINEUPS Real Madrid predicted XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Camavinga, Bernardo Silva; Güler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappé. Rayo Vallecano predicted XI: Cárdenas; Ratiu, Lejeune, Ciss, Pedrosa; Valentín, Bouaré; Tsitaishvili, Unai López, Álvaro García; Camello. Camavinga, Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler will almost certainly feature in the starting lineup after being suspended for Real Madrid’s match against Inter. Valverde could get some rest in this one. HOW TO WATCH, STREAM LA LIGA Date: 09/12/2026 Time: 21:00 CEST, 03:00pm EST. Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain. Available TV: DAZN La Liga (Spain), ESPN Deportes (USA). Available Streaming: ESPN+ (USA) Managing Madrid has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

Scouting Report: Rayo Vallecano

LEGANES, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 05: Pathe Ciss of Rayo Vallecano is challenged by Yassir Zabiri of Racing Santander during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Rayo Vallecano de Madrid and Real Racing Club de Santander at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on September 05, 2026 in Leganes, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) | Getty Images After four LaLiga matches, Rayo Vallecano are creating less attacking threat than last season, with npxG created at 1.05 per 90 compared with 1.23 across last season’s 38 games. At the other end, they are allowing 1.19 npxG per 90, up from 1.10. They are scoring 1.62 goals and conceding 2.31 per 90, compared with 1.01 and 1.08 respectively last season. The 2026-27 most-used starters include seven of the 11 players in the 2025-26 selection. Unai López, Sergio Camello, Iván Balliu and Jozhua Vertrouwd are now in that group. The centre-backs are receiving the ball at much the same height as last season. They are winning 7.2 second balls per game, up from 6.8. Their main source of passing threat remains the left flank in the final third, which accounts for around 26%, much the same as last season. Passes from the right flank in the middle third contribute 17%, up from 12% last season. It is still early in the season, so these patterns have time to develop.

DAILY THREAD | Sep 10, 2026

MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 7: Players of Real Madrid CF (from L to R) Endrick, Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kylian Mbappe are seen training with his teammates during the training session on day ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 at Ciudad Real Madrid on September 7, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images 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. Well better get used to it. 🚨 Sources inside the coaching staff were surprised about the whistles last night at the Santiago Bernabéu, considering the circumstances. Real Madrid were missing three players through injury, had three more returning from injury and were also without three through suspension.… pic.twitter.com/GC4LCCu2Rp — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) September 9, 2026 Should be a no-brainer. 🚨 CONFIRMED: Thibaut Courtois will reportedly renew with Real Madrid until 2028 SOON. @ellarguero pic.twitter.com/oPnC4XTo1h — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 9, 2026 Not sure about that. 🚨 JUST IN: Jose Mourinho explained to Endrick his plans for him, and was KEY in the decision to STAY. He plans to put Endrick as an alternative to Kylian Mbappé as a striker, and on the right wing. One key factor was that Mourinho does NOT see Bernardo Silva or Fede Valverde… pic.twitter.com/p658KPvdIW — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) September 10, 2026

Mbappe and Valverde strike as Real Madrid edge Inter Milan

Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde were both on the scoresheet as Real Madrid opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan.

Mourinho Sets a Clear Condition for Vinícius Jr’s Support

Mourinho backed Vinicius Jr after Real Madrid's win over Inter, but said the winger must keep working for the team to earn his support. The post Mourinho Sets a Clear Condition for Vinícius Jr’s Support appeared first on Football España.

Mbappé Puts Champions League Glory Ahead of Ballon d’Or

Kylian Mbappé says winning the Champions League with Real Madrid matters more than the Ballon d’Or, calling it his top club goal this season. The post Mbappé Puts Champions League Glory Ahead of Ballon d’Or appeared first on Football España.

Courtois Save Preserves Real Madrid Win Over Inter Milan

Real Madrid win 2-1 over Inter Milan as Mbappé and Valverde score, while Courtois makes a late save to secure victory at the Bernabéu. The post Courtois Save Preserves Real Madrid Win Over Inter Milan appeared first on Football España.

In the middle again - but Mourinho says Alexander-Arnold 'not a midfielder'

Trent Alexander-Arnold started in midfield for Real Madrid's win over Inter - but Jose Mourinho says it is not his best position.

The set-pieces: Real Madrid 2-1 Inter

Real Madrid's French defender #16 Ibrahima Konate (L) vies for the ball with Inter Milan's Argentine forward #10 Lautaro Martinez during the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 8, 2026. (Photo by Thomas COEX / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Real Madrid and Inter produced 10 set-piece shots during Madrid’s 2-1 Champions League win at the Estadio Bernabéu, with seven of those attempts coming in the second half. Madrid had 22 dead balls: 15 goal kicks, four corners, two free kicks and one long throw. They won the first contact from two of their seven deliveries and generated four shots, three of them in the second phase. Those attempts produced 0.26 set-piece npxG from the team’s overall total of 2.96. Their set-piece sequences added 0.01 xT, compared with 0.90 from open play. Inter recorded 21 dead balls, comprising 11 corners, six goal kicks and four free kicks. They won the first contact from seven of 14 deliveries and two of four aerial duels. Inter generated six set-piece shots—three in the first phase and three in the second—for 0.48 npxG from an overall total of 1.76. Their set-piece sequences produced 0.07 xT, compared with 2.28 from open play. Madrid took all four of their set-piece shots while leading. Inter recorded all six of theirs while trailing, having taken three dead balls while the score was level and 18 after falling behind. Six of Inter’s deliveries entered the six-yard box, with four sent centrally, while Madrid directed five of their seven deliveries into central areas.