Open Thread: January 23, 2021.

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, YoSnail or Oscnar.

It’s Matchday!

Matchday 20 sees Real Madrid take on Alavés away at the Mendizorrotza Stadium (9pm CET / 3PM EST). Alavés are a team in trouble, sitting in 17th place and one point above relegation territory. They sacked their manager, Pablo Machin, earlier this month in favor of Abelardo Fernandez. They were, however, unable to gain much of a bounce from the switch, losing 5-0 in the Copa del Rey to Almeria and 2-1 at home against Sevilla.

Listen in to the Managing Madrid Podcast with Kiyan Sobhani and Jose Perez, in which they consider Alavés, Martin Odegaard’s going out on loan, as well as other topics.

Lucas Navarrete covers the squad for the match.

It is also up on Real Madrid’s official twitter:

Friday Training at Real Madrid City

Our goalkeepers were doing some small and regular ball training to work on coordination as well as reflex save training:

Power, technique and accurate shot placement were on display in the finishing drills:

Matt Wiltse: “Decisions to Define a Decade”

This article thoughtfully covers the tense relationship between two central demands madridistas will be keenly aware of following the return of Zidane in November 2019, which seems to mark our current era. Namely between, on the one hand, building a team that we can envision claiming titles in future seasons and bringing the penetrating attack we have been waiting for, and, on the other hand, the intense demand at this particular club to win hardware every season or face dire consequences. One further aspect overshadows all discussion of these issues. It is one that is not often presented directly to supporters: the urgent necessity of the club and president Perez to adjust and compete economically with the likes of Bayern, Liverpool, Manchester United, PSG, etc. in order to stay in the top echelon of football. Perhaps this economic consideration may shed light on the personnel decisions the club has been making this season and will make in the future. Read it all.

Zinedine Zidane: We hope for a rapid and complete recovery

Thoughts and prayers go out to Zinidine Zidane and his loved ones after his positive test for COVID-19. Hala Madrid!