Open Thread: February 4, 2021

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.

Updates ahead of Huesca.

According to ‘Marca’, Real Madrid player Nacho Fernández tested negative in the latest coronavirus tests, so he could return to training on Thursday with the rest of the group. With Militao suspended and Ramos coming back from an injury the defender could start this weekend. Meanwhile most of the squad trained again at Real Madrid City while Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Rodrygo and Valverde worked inside the facilities as well as on the pitch.

Guti: “I think I have the doors of Madrid closed.

José María Gutiérrez believes he’ll never return to Real Madrid in a working capacity. Guti is determined to establish his coaching career, but believes the job at Real Madrid has passed him by.

“I think I have the doors of Madrid closed. Not for my part, for theirs,” says Guti, pointing directly to the club. “As a coach, they didn’t give me the opportunity to show in Castilla that one day I could make the leap to Real Madrid.

“It was the right time to leave. I had already been two years in Juvenil A. The first was very good and the second not so much, I needed a greater challenge. I didn’t leave because they didn’t give me Castilla. I am leaving because Real Madrid and Castilla had their benches occupied and I wanted to continue advancing in my career.

“If I had continued one more year at Juvenil A, I would have taken a step backwards.”

Will Gareth Bale occupy a non EU spot next year?

Marca has reported that when Bale returns to Real Madrid next season, he will occupy a non-EU spot in the squad because of Brexit, that’s another problem for Real Madrid alongside his massive wages. Spurs don’t appear to even consider signing him when his loan ends and the player is clear about not terminating his Real Madrid contract.

Jese: Mbappe idolises Ronaldo and would love to join Real Madrid.

Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe would jump at the chance to join Real Madrid, according to his former team-mate in the French capital Jese.

“He would love to go to Real Madrid,” the forward explained to El Partidazo de COPE on Wednesday. “His idol has always been Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He loves Madrid and I am sure he will play there one day.”

The 22-year-old forward’s current deal expires at the end of the 2021-22 season, and if negotiations do not prosper PSG would be forced to choose between cashing in on one of their most valuable assets or risking a free transfer 18 months from now.