Open Thread: October 26, 2020.

Hola Madridistas!

The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football. Feel free to discuss the topics presented here, or start your very own discussions! The Open thread will be posted every day by one of the mods: Valyrian Steel, Felipejack or Oscnar.

Hazard is back with the team!

Yesterday, Hazard returned to training with the rest of the team. Moreover, he is included in the squad list for the next game, tomorrow, against Borussia Monchedgladbach. The Belgian was not expected to return until the end of next month but could now feature against Gladbach.

More on Ramos.

Marca reported that Ramos has scored 23 penalties in a row. The last time he has missed a penalty was on May 2018. For AS, Ramos is Los Blancos’s most decisive player, but his contract ends next summer. Real Madrid is offering only one year, but Ramos is asking for 2 years. AS’ cover features “Ramos - 100 reasons to renew”.

An early look at Borussia Monchengladbach.

Borussia Moenchengladbach have done well in the Bundesliga so far and are currently in fifth place in the standings. The German outfit nearly shocked Inter Milan last week and can trouble Zinedine Zidane’s resurgent outfit. Gladbach will again be without the services of Andreas Poulsen, Denis Zakaria and Laszlo Benes through injury, while Mamadou Doucoure is also a doubt due to a muscular issue.

Valentino Lazaro is back in training after recovering from a calf problem, but the on-loan Inter attacker has not played since the end of August due to a calf problem.

Marcus Thuram, Alassane Plea, Jonas Hofmann and Florian Neuhaus were all left out of the starting XI against Mainz at the weekend but should return to the side for this game.

For Los Blancos Dani Carvajal, Martin Odegaard, Mariano Diaz and Alvaro Odriozola have all been left out of the squad, while Nacho has also not been included due to the knock that he picked up against Barca, meaning that Lucas Vazquez is expected to start at right-back.

Isco’s comment about Zidane.

AS reported a comment from Isco picked up by Movistar+’s ‘El Partidazo’ program. The midfielder complained to his teammates that if Zidane needs to take him out of a game, he does so around 50 or 60 minutes, sometimes even at half-time. But if Zidane needs to substitute in Isco, he does so at 80 minutes. The former Malaga man is clearly not happy about his playing time.

Real Madrid do not lose in La liga with Mendy starting.

Lost in all the talk of Ramos returning to the lineup, is the defensive stability that Ferland Mendy brings. Marca reported that Real Madrid have never lost a single game when Zidane has named Ferland Mendy in their starting line-up. Mendy has registered 17 victories, six draws and no defeats in his 23 starts in LaLiga.