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- In two brief paragraphs, ESPN's Phil Ball concludes that Ancelotti's men were somewhat fortunate to beat Real Betis and that Xabi Alonso's absence in midfield was noticeable. Ball applauds Ancelotti's decision to start Diego over Iker and acknowledges that the manager's project deserves some time to get it's act together before writers like himself get too critical.
- ESPN Real Madrid blogger Nicholas Rigg dishes on Isco's MOTM display against Betis and touches on the performances of players like Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Casemiro. According to Rigg, Karim Benzema was booed by some of the Bernabeu faithful despite scoring Madrid's first.
- Sami Khedira rested on Monday and will undergo medical testing today to examine his left knee. Khedira left the pitch injured during the second half and was replaced by Casemiro. We at Managing Madrid wish him a speedy recovery and sincerely hope it's nothing serious.
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As we eagerly await the return of legend Raúl Gonzalez Blanco to the Santiago Bernabeu this Thursday, take a look at some highlights from his most recent interview:
On Gareth Bale: "Bale is a marvelous player who can contribute greatly to Madrid, but his price is too high.Tottenham overestimates Bale's price."
On Mourinho and Ancelotti: "Mourinho completed a good performance with the team and Ancelotti is one of the best managers in the world and will win titles this season."
On a sold-out Bernabeu: "Thank you to all the supporters in Madrid and I hope those watching will enjoy the game, most of all because I will play one half with Al Sadd and the other with Madrid."