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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, Ezek lx or NeRObutBlanco.
It’s Matchday!!!
Los Blancos travel with a very thin squad to Valladolid with just 12 first team players for La Liga matchday 24 at the Estadio José Zorrilla (Saturday, 9:00pm CET). Here is the 19 man squad picked for the game
✅ Our 19-man squad for the match against @realvalladolidE!#RealValladolidRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/qh2xGrXCgR
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) February 19, 2021
It is almost certain that Mariano will start upfront with Asensio and Vini Jr while Lucas will be operating at right back. Real Madrid need to win to stay in the title hunt after Atletico dropped points midweek.
Benzema is a major doubt for the game against Atalanta.
As reported by Lucas Navarrete, Real Madrid will be without striker Karim Benzema when they face Real Valladolid this Saturday and the attacker could miss next week’s clash against Atalanta in the first leg of the Champions League’s Round of 16. Marca also reported that the striker could be a major doubt for the game against Atalanta. More tests on Sunday will provide clarity on Benzema’s status for the game. Time to press all the panic buttons.
Galacticos!!
There’s a new documentary on the Los Galacticos that will air this month on ESPN. Having lived through this period I have mixed emotions about the whole project and it’s more a case of “what could have been”. One thing is for sure I couldn’t take my eyes off Real Madrid during that period and I for one can’t wait to watch this documentary. Here are the trailers.
A new documentary about one of the most incredible periods in Real Madrid’s history.
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 17, 2021
Galacticos starts February 24 on @ESPNPlayer pic.twitter.com/fOr6A70anx
Real Madrid win LaLiga 2003 & the players at dinner refused to celebrate at Cibeles & City Hall after being told they can't go up to the statue.
— M•A•J (@Ultra_Suristic) February 19, 2021
Hierro pointed his finger while saying that & Florentino snapped, "Don't raise your finger! I'm not a referee"pic.twitter.com/ynJpGkUn7n
Haaland will be easier to sign than Mbappe.
AS reported that negotiations with PSG are extremely difficult, meanwhile Borussia Dortmund is on good terms with Real Madrid. Dortmund’s CEO Watzke is a huge fan of Perez and his career. Ødegaard being a personal friend of Haaland makes negotiations easier. Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola has no relationship with Florentino Perez, but he strengthened his relations with Jose Angel Sanchez (Real Madrid’s CEO) in recent months. Raiola wants to start working with Madrid and Haaland is the perfect player for it.
The report goes on to state that “PSG are willing to offer Mbappe €36M, a figure Real Madrid won’t be able to match. Meanwhile Haaland’s salary is currently €4M and Real Madrid will be able to pay him €12M without any problem”. Duncan Castles, journalist at the Sunday Times meanwhile believes that BVB are ready to sell Real Madrid target Erling Haaland this summer for around €100M.