Real Madrid deny Pochettino statement regarding alleged training accommodation approach—Comunicado Oficial

Real Madrid made an official announcement on their website and social media denying a statement made by Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino earlier on Saturday.

Pochettino made the following statements in an interview with El Partidazo de COPE prior.

“Ahead of the final, we will train at Valdebebas and sleep in a nearby hotel.”

“I asked Florentino to let us sleep in the sports center, but he told me that I can only sleep there when I become the coach of Real Madrid.”

Real Madrid immediately came out in denial of this. They said that Liverpool and Tottenham are both scheduled to train separately at Valdebebas ahead of next weekend’s Champions League Final. And the only requests that had been made were to use the training grounds and changing rooms, which were granted. The club statement said:

“Real Madrid C. F. wants to make it clear that it is completely false that this request has been made. Our club has always shown its absolute availability to meet all the requests made by UEFA, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Club Atlético de Madrid, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur.”

“All requests submitted to Real Madrid have referred solely and exclusively to the use of the training pitches at Real Madrid City and the changing rooms. And all of them have been granted by our club.”

It seemed that Pochettino was only making a lighthearted joke, probably since he had been linked so much with the Real Madrid job prior to Zidane returning. Nevertheless, Real were quick to get this response out and deny Pochettino’s comments.

Jose Mourinho speaks on state of Real Madrid ahead of summer

Movistar TV’s Noemí de Miguel interviewed former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho at the Monaco Grand Prix about the upcoming summer for his former club after a season of many changes.

“They have changed their coach. “They will make a big investment [this summer].

“There have always been cycles at Real Madrid. In the big teams there are always cycles. They started one a few years ago and they ended it with the most recent Champions League.”

“Now they will sign, sign well, and they will have fantastic players to go forward.”

There’s a sense of positivity from at least Mourinho when it comes to Real Madrid after this season. He seems assured, as many are, that Real will spend big cash this summer to overhaul the team.

Should Real go back to success next season, the cycle at least only stopped for one season in-between. The club will be going into this next cycle with Zidane at the helm, the same as it was with the cycle a few years ago Mourinho alluded to.

New Hazard reports come to light—ESPN FC

According to ESPN, their sources have told them that Chelsea are asking for around £130 million for Eden Hazard. They also say that Real Madrid are not going to go further than £88 million, since Hazard is entering the last season of his contract. The article does state that any deal will likely be closer to a £100 million valuation.

The report also states that Hazard wants any deal done prior to June 4, when he joins his native Belgium for the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

So if this report is true, then Hazard can be expected to join relatively soon should a deal come to an agreement. Even if it isn’t around June 4, talks will likely heat up after next week’s Europa League Final.

It’s always been rumored that a deal would be done for Hazard around £100 million, so it isn’t a crazy valuation. He’s certainly worth the money given his elite skillset, even with his contract expiring after the upcoming season.

At least for now, a deal seems like it’s not close to being finalized and more patience will be required. It’s going to be a long summer of rumors and reports, hopefully paying off with Hazard and possibly more.