Real Madrid

Donny van de Beek is reportedly set to join Real Madrid from Ajax at the end of the season for a fee in the region of €55 million.

According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf (h/t Marca) on Wednesday, Los Blancos will finally sign the midfielder after showing interest in him last summer.

The 22-year-old impressed for the Dutch champions during their run to last season's UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Real Madrid have reportedly agreed a €55M fee with Ajax for the transfer of Donny Van de Beek in June 🇳🇱 (De Telegraaf) pic.twitter.com/OkuktN0vER

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 15, 2020

The Dutch international's passing style will excite fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Spanish giants reportedly beating Manchester United to the signing.

Van de Beek's versatility allows him to feature in both defensive and attacking roles in midfield, and he has eight goals in the Eredivisie and Europe this term after netting 12 last season.

However, it's the Dutchman's creativity that Zinedine Zidane will hope to harness. Van de Beek has 17 assists to his name since the start of the previous campaign.

The player is said to have been of interest to Real since impressing when Ajax eliminated them from the Champions League knockouts in 2018-19.

Real's midfield could soon be revamped, with the futures of Luka Modric and Isco in question, per Marca.

Van de Beek is ready to take the next step in his career, and a switch to a rebuilding Real will provide a suitable stage.

Zidane has re-established his team as title challengers this season. However, the long-term quality of the squad will be solidified by signings of Van de Beek's ability.

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard has said moving to the club has helped him to find "pleasure" in training again. 

The Belgium international made the move to the Santiago Bernabeu last summer, having spent seven seasons with Chelsea. In his time with the Blues, he developed into one of the best players in the Premier League and departed Stamford Bridge as a club legend.

At Chelsea, his final two managers were Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri. Speaking to Sport/Foot (h/t AS, via Max Winters of the MailOnline), Hazard said working under new coach Zinedine Zidane has helped spark his enjoyment of training again.

"Our training [at Real Madrid] is always with the ball, working on movement and patterns," he said. "When you meet Italian coaches, like me [Conte and Sarri], you have much less pleasure. It is more framed and repetitive. You find pleasure in victory. I spent three years with Italian managers so rediscovering this pleasure does me good."

AS shared the front page featuring Hazard and provided further lines from the interview in question:

Buenos días! "Zidane loves his players". Eden Hazard, still out injured, is the focal point of today's front page after a recent interview in which he discusses the Madrid coach, his weight and the "winning culture" at the club. pic.twitter.com/kQ13D9o4mF

— AS USA (@English_AS) January 15, 2020

While Hazard arrived at Madrid with a reputation as one of the best players in the world, it's been a disappointing start to life at the club.

His debut was delayed due to injury, and Hazard took a while to perform to his best when he did return to fitness. Just when he had started to find his rhythm, the Belgium international was hit with another injury blow and is currently sidelined due to a crack in his foot.

It means Hazard has been limited to just seven La Liga starts for his new club, with one goal and one assist to his name in the Spanish top flight so far.

On his 29th birthday, BT Sport looked back at some of the winger's best moments for the Blues in European competition:

Happy Birthday to some of the best feet in the game 🔥

Eden Hazard turns 2️⃣9️⃣ today 🎂pic.twitter.com/ailPIh5U3r

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 7, 2020

Squawka Football provided the numbers behind what was an exceptional seven-year stint with the Blues:

Eden Hazard's Chelsea career by numbers:

🔵 352 games
🔵 110 goals
🔵 81 assists
🔵 6 trophies

Leaving as a club legend. pic.twitter.com/mOuK7A5sBL

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 7, 2019

His final season at Chelsea was under Sarri, who was renowned for his meticulous tactical approach and structure. Hazard was the one player within the setup who was afforded consistent freedom, and he delivered, notching 16 goals and 15 assists in the Premier League.

Hazard said he's frustrated he's not been able to reach those levels in Spain yet. "The first two months, what I did was not enough," noted the Madrid star. "I said to myself: 'I can do better.' I really felt better after. I don't do everything right, but I try. The first two months, I said to myself: 'You are new, be simple.'"

Madridistas will be hoping Hazard can get up to speed quickly when he returns from injury and give the team a boost as they chase major honours in 2020, with the club in contention for La Liga and still in the UEFA Champions League.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale appears to be in contention to feature in the team's clash with Sevilla on Saturday after returning to training this week. 

Per Marca, following the team's success in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, they returned to Valdebebas on Tuesday to prepare for their upcoming La Liga fixture.

Bale was involved in the session having missed the trip to Saudi Arabia, with the Wales international previously sidelined with a respiratory infection. 

Marca reported both Sergio Ramos and Luka Jovic are doubts for the Sevilla match due to knocks, "and the pair worked inside the club's facilities alone." "Karim Benzema trained on the field by himself, both with and without the ball while Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard remain sidelined," the report continued.

Madrid clinched the Super Cup in Jeddah after beating their rivals Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout, following a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes.

Given Benzema, Hazard and Bale—arguably manager Zinedine Zidane's best forward line—all missed the game due to injury, it was a fine effort from Los Blancos to win the prize.

Having Bale back will be a boost for the coach, as Madrid enter what is set to be a crucial spell of the season. The Wales international is no longer a guaranteed starter for Los Blancos, but he remains capable of deciding matches with a surging run or a swing of his left foot.

Bale hasn't enjoyed the best of relationships with the Santiago Bernabeu crowd this season:

Zidane sends on Bale for Rodrygo, with most of Bernabeu begrudgingly acknowledging that they need someone to score...

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) December 22, 2019

Speculation has also continued to simmer this January regarding a possible transfer for the player after he was strongly linked with a move away from Madrid in the summer.

However, Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett recently clarified that the 30-year-old would be staying put with Real:

Gareth Bale had been linked with a move to the @MLS but looks likely to remain at Real Madrid 👀#ITVFootball pic.twitter.com/qkHMG4Pq0b

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 9, 2020

After a slow start to the season, 2019-20 is shaping up to be a potentially prosperous term for Madrid; they are joint leaders of La Liga alongside Barcelona and into the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, where they will play Manchester City.

Although Bale isn't the most popular figure at the Bernabeu, there'll be an appreciation that someone with his experience and quality will have a big role to play if Los Blancos are to add to their Super Cup win this year.

Unionistas de Salamanca have no intention of moving their Copa del Rey match against Real Madrid to a bigger stadium, despite questions regarding the suitability of their small ground.

Vice president Roberto Pescador told Radio Marca (h/t Marca's Angel Rodriguez) the match will be played in their modest 4,000-capacity venue unless they're forced to change locations: "We will play at Las Pistas, unless they force us otherwise. We will not move things around."

Unionistas play in the tiny Estadio Las Pistas del Helmantico, located directly next to the much larger Estadio Helmantico of rivals Salmantino:

Unionistas de Salamanca CF will play Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. This begs the question, will the match be played at the 3,000 capacity Estadio Las Pistas del Helmántico, or across the road?https://t.co/22z4cnuBa7 pic.twitter.com/ReQpeRItOD

— Estadios de España (& @estadiosspain.bsky.social) (@estadios_Spain) January 14, 2020

Las Pistas has limited facilities and a large running track, seemingly making it ill-suited for modern football. Unionistas do not plan on using the ground for much longer, with plans for a new stadium on the table.

The club was founded in 2013 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the Spanish football ladder. But despite their early success, hosting Los Blancos on January 22 will undoubtedly be the biggest match in team history so far. Drawing their formidable opponents meant a lot to the Unionistas players:

Unionistas are in Segunda Division B—the Spanish third tier.

This is how they reacted after drawing Real Madrid in the last 32 of the Copa del Rey 😱🎉

(🎥 @UnionistasCF)https://t.co/sKdLtlFKpb

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 14, 2020

Per Gol TV (h/t Marca), one of the players was caught joking with his team-mates during the wild celebrations, saying Real manager Zinedine Zidane "must be s--ting himself right now out of fear."

Unionistas play in the Segunda Division B Group 2, the third tier of Spanish football. They played their first match in 2014, won their first promotion in 2015 and have enjoyed two more promotions since.

Achraf Hakimi has said his heart is split between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid after a successful spell on loan at the Bundesliga club.

He told Ruhr Nachrichten (h/t Sam McEvoy for MailOnline) that he is uncertain where he wants to play his football once his Dortmund loan expires at the end of the season.

"My heart is divided between Madrid and Dortmund," said the 21-year-old, who joined Real's youth setup as an eight-year-old. "It is still six months until the summer; there are still a lot of games. What I can say is that right now, I am very happy to be at Borussia Dortmund. I feel very comfortable."

Hakimi joined the Bundesliga side in July 2018 and has gone on to establish himself in the Dortmund starting XI. He made 28 appearances last season before seeing his season end prematurely due to a broken metatarsal.

The Morocco international has returned and been a regular in the current campaign, contributing six goals and six assists.

His performances have seen him named the African Youth Player of the Year for the second year running, beating out Nigerians Victor Osimhen (Lille) and Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal):

Achraf Hakimi is the 2019 African Youth Player of the Year! 🏆

Much more to come from this young star 🌟#CAFAwards2019 pic.twitter.com/t3YqOrE2b5

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) January 7, 2020

Regular football has allowed Hakimi to develop into one of the most exciting young full-backs in Europe, and his versatility means he can play on either flank or further forward in a more attacking role.

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe has been impressed with the youngster:

Few better sights in football right now than Achraf Hakimi steaming down the wing.

Played as a right winger this weekend and so much good came from his flank. Not putting him in defence shores #BVB up on the other end too.

— Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) November 4, 2019

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc told Ruhr Nachrichten (h/t Perform via AS) that he would like to keep Hakimi for longer:

"According to the contract, he will return to Real Madrid in the summer because his contract will take effect on July 1. Our contacts are himself and Real. Of course we would like to see him with us longer, that's clear too. But we cannot influence it alone. I think Achraf knows very well what development he has taken with us."

Hakimi has also reportedly attracted interest from Bayern Munich. The German champions are prepared to make an offer, according to Jose Felix Diaz at Marca.

He told Spanish TV channel Vamos (h/t AS) in May that it would be a "dream" to return to the Santiago Bernabeu, but his latest comments suggest he is no longer quite as certain. Hakimi made nine appearances for Los Blancos in 2017-18 and became the first Moroccan to receive a UEFA Champions League winner's medal despite not being in the squad for the final.

Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola appear to be blocking his path to the first team at Real, and his chances of regular football look significantly brighter at Dortmund than back in Madrid.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has called manager Zinedine Zidane "a blessing from heaven" after Los Blancos beat Atletico Madrid on penalties to lift the 2019 Spanish Super Cup on Sunday. 

Zidane's side drew 0-0 against rivals Atletico after 120 minutes but were dominant 4-1 victors in the penalty shootout at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Perez lavished praise on his manager after the game, per Marca: "He has plenty of trophies, and we're very happy for him. I hope that he wins more trophies. Zidane has a loving relationship with Real Madrid. He decided to rest for a year, and now he's returned with renewed energy. Zidane is a blessing from heaven."

Midfielder Federico Valverde was sent off in the 115th minute for denying Alvaro Morata a clear goalscoring opportunity as the last man, and his team-mates ensured the sacrifice wasn't in vain:

Real will hope Sunday's triumph signals a rebirth of their trophy-winning exploits under Zidane, who clinched three consecutive UEFA Champions League medals in his first stint managing the Spanish powerhouse.

The Frenchman left the Real dugout in May 2018 but was lured back to the club less than one year later after Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari each failed to meet expectations in Madrid.

Football blogger Zach Lowy highlighted the impact Zidane has had since he returned to the Santiago Bernabeu in March 2019:

Real Madrid went from European champions to a season of chaos and a closed cycle, to being a top 4 team in football again with a rock-solid defense, an effective midfield balance, and a plethora of elite young talents. Credit to Zidane for building another powerhouse again.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) January 12, 2020

Zidane, 47, inherited a squad no longer boasting the talents of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo—now at Juventus—and with some of its most established stars looking past their best.

However, Real once again look imperious after the result against Atletico extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches in all competitions and resumed Zidane's silverware spree:

Nine finals for Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid boss.

Nine wins 💪 pic.twitter.com/J8RAJ1OQ76

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 12, 2020

Sunday's title was the first Los Blancos have lifted since their triumph at the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup a little more than one year ago.

Solari was at the helm when Real beat Al-Ain 4-1 to clinch that trophy in Abu Dhabi, though it was Zidane's most recent Champions League triumph that got the team there.

Real will resume La Liga duties at home to Sevilla on Saturday when they hope to climb above Barcelona, alongside whom they currently sit level on 40 points.

Zidane has been blessed to have only coached Real during his managerial career, though it's Los Blancos who will be grateful should he succeed in bringing more trophies in his second spell.

Federico Valverde said he had no choice but to bring Alvaro Morata down in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

Real Madrid midfielder Valverde was red-carded deep into extra time after chopping down Morata. The Atletico Madrid striker was through on goal and poised to strike before Valverde made his tactical foul.

Despite his dismissal, Valverde was still named MVP for the final, a game Real won 4-1 on penalties, with Thibaut Courtois saving Thomas Partey's spot-kick.

Valverde offered his apologies afterwards, per Omnisport (h/t Yahoo Sports UK): "I apologise to Alvaro Morata. I know it's not good what I did, but I didn't have any other option."

While his employment of the dark arts might have upset some, Valverde received an unlikely endorsement from Diego Simeone. The Atleti boss defended the 21-year-old's actions, telling reporters: "I think the award for the best player makes perfect sense because Valverde won the game with that action. It was the most important play of the game."

However, not everybody was impressed by Valverde's behaviour being rewarded:

To make it clear: Valverde was clearly one of best players on pitch, and he did what he had to do to stop Morata, but, in our humble opinion, it sets a terrible example to give the MVP to a player who's been sent off like that. We'd have given it to Courtois.

— AS USA (@English_AS) January 12, 2020

With the trophy in hand, Valverde's apologies may ring hollow in Morata's ears. After all, the player had taken what many would consider an underhand route to winning.

However, Valverde also emphasised how hard he's worked to attain his success this season:

🤩💬 Our MVP of the final, @fedeevalverde: "It’s something you train for, you work for, you fight for..."#RMSuperCopa | #Supercampeones pic.twitter.com/OPOVOMrLEo

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 12, 2020

The Uruguay international has been a breakout star. His performances have earned him regular minutes even in a midfield as loaded as Real's.

Los Merengues still boast arguably the most balanced central trio in Europe. Casemiro is the archetypal enforcer at the base, while Luka Modric remains a conductor with few equals in the middle, and Toni Kroos is productive between the lines.

Refreshing this ageing group, Modric is 34, while Kroos is 30, has been a looming headache for manager Zinedine Zidane. Yet Valverde is easing the problem thanks to his increasingly assured performances.

His active displays during the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia have offered further evidence of his rapid development:

1 - @realmadriden's Federico Valverde has attempted (15) and completed (10) more dribbles than any other player in the 2020 Supercopa de España. MVP. pic.twitter.com/MCsTjOHTMh

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 12, 2020

Federico Valverde vs Atletico

76 passes
91% pass accuracy
2 shots
1 key pass
8 dribbles won
1 tackle won
1 aerial won
9/15 duels won

Red card & filthy foul - yes, but he just had to do that.

Another very good performance overall. Zinedine Zidane is creating a monster. ⚪️🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/OXOmUFTRy2

— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) January 12, 2020

Real are still ageing at other positions beyond midfield. Leading scorer Karim Benzema is 32, while skipper and key defender Sergio Ramos is 33.

Valverde's emergence as a potential midfield talisman will save Real a fortune on the transfer market. He already looks like a player Zidane can build around as he attempts to construct a younger, winning team.

Thibaut Courtois earned lofty praise from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez after his heroics during the penalty shootout against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.

Courtois saved decisively from Thomas Partey to help Real win Sunday's final in Saudi Arabia. Atleti also saw Saul Niguez hit the post from 12 yards, with Los Blancos eventually winning 4-1 following a 0-0 draw after extra time.

Skipper Sergio Ramos converted the decisive penalty, but Perez was content to talk up Courtois in the aftermath:  

Florentino on TV "Courtois is the best keeper in the world, and he showed that day. Fede Valverde also played an extraordinary game today."

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) January 12, 2020

Courtois merited the praise after the way he came through in clutch moments. The quality of his performance was obvious even during normal time when the former Chelsea man made two terrific stops to deny Alvaro Morata and Partey.

Morata might have won it deep into injury time, but he was cynically brought down by Federico Valverde. The latter was sent off for the professional foul, but he had ensured penalties would be needed to separate the two rivals from the Spanish capital.

Courtois later explained how he'd prepared to face Atletico's penalties. He told Marca (h/t Football Espana's Feargal Brennan): "I looked at their previous penalties on the bench with the coaching staff. Saul surprised me a little with his penalty, but I knew where Thomas would put his. It was still difficult, as he hit it hard, but I am happy to make the save."

The man who won La Liga as a loan star with Atletico in 2014 also felt Real's belief was the difference during the shoot out:

💪🚫 This is what @thibautcourtois had to say after his title-winning performance in the Spanish Super Cup final! #RMSuperCopa | #Supercampeones pic.twitter.com/lZa3cd3Lo6

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 12, 2020

Courtois is naturally upbeat, but the 27-year-old hasn't had it all his own way since joining Real in a deal worth around £35 million back in 2018. The Belgian endured some rocky moments, including briefly losing his place to Alphonse Areola earlier this season, per Goal's Rik Sharma.

Yet as Sharma pointed out, Courtois' career with Los Merengues has now been revived. There's also an element of revenge for Courtois, with Sharma describing how Atleti fans put garbage and "soft toy rats" around the player's plaque at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Courtois may have answered his critics, but whether he justifies Perez's claim he's the best on the planet at his position remains open to debate. Former Atletico ace David De Gea is an elite shot-stopper, but mistakes have crept into his game during recent seasons with Manchester United.

Since the start of the 2018/19 Premier League season, no player has made more errors leading to goals (6) than David de Gea.

😳 pic.twitter.com/OMKXfcAX0V

— Squawka (@Squawka) December 22, 2019

However, Atleti's current No. 1 Jan Oblak would be a popular choice for world's best among many:

Jan Oblak 🤯🤯🤯

🔴⚪️ The @Atleti star turns 27 today 🥳#UCL | #HBD pic.twitter.com/6SDoNoBqlx

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 7, 2020

Meanwhile, Liverpool's Alisson Becker and Manchester City's Ederson would surely also feature in the conversation.

There are a lot of talented goalkeepers at the summit of the game, but Courtois has the hardware to back his talent. Lifting silverware with Real adds to a career haul that's included Premier League and La Liga titles.

Few teams would pass up the chance to have Courtois act as their last line of defence. 

Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard is reportedly planning to return from his ankle injury in February.

According to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, Hazard is targeting the derby with Atletico Madrid on February 1 for his comeback.

Hazard suffered a microfracture in his ankle while playing against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League in November, and both he and Real are said to be treating his return with caution so as to prevent a recurrence of the injury.

Hazard was initially set to return to action on January 18. The delay in his comeback means he'll miss a home tie with fourth-place Sevilla and a trip to Real Valladolid, who sit in 14th.

The Belgian has scored just once in 13 matches for Los Blancos, as well as returning four assists, but his form was improving prior to his injury.

Real finished 2019 with three consecutive draws in La Liga without him, so his return will be an enormous boost to their prospects of winning the title.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will contest a unique overseas derby on Sunday in the 2020 Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.

The La Liga giants will battle it out in Jeddah after defeating Valencia and Barcelona, respectively, in the semi-finals.

Los Blancos convincingly overcame the Copa del Rey holders 3-1 in the last four, and Los Colchoneros scored two dramatic late strikes to defeat the Spanish champions 3-2.

                     

Date: Sunday, Jan. 12

Time: 9 p.m. local, 6 p.m. GMT, 1 p.m. ET

TV Info: ESPN Deportes

Live Stream: ESPN3

                    

Preview

A Madrid derby outside of Spain's capital is a rare event, but the tension and focus will still be there when the old adversaries clash on Sunday.

The four-team format has added a fresh angle to the Spanish Super Cup. However, the decision to host it away from Spain has been met with disapproval.

According to Ben Nagle of MailOnline, Saudi Arabia spent £102 million to bring the Supercopa to the country in a three-year deal, and the move has drawn criticism from supporters, the Spanish media and La Liga President Javier Tebas.

The game itself is expected to be competitive, with Real and Atleti always desperate to grab the bragging rights against one another.

After a relatively shaky start, Zinedine Zidane's team have hit an impressive level of consistency, going 15 games unbeaten in all competitions.

They were too good for Los Che at the King Abdullah Sports City, with Toni Kroos' outrageous goal direct from a corner the highlight of the first semi-final.

Real have only suffered one defeat in 19 league games this term, and their joint-best defensive record of 12 goals against proves they have rediscovered their ability to shut out opponents.

The form book usually goes out of the window in derbies, and Atleti will pay little attention to Real's recent endeavours.

Diego Simeone's team were pulverised by Barca in the second semi-final, maintaining little possession, but Atleti's famous counter-punching saw them score twice in the last 10 minutes.

Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa were the instigators of success against the La Liga holders, and the forwards will be relied upon to repeat their goalscoring exploits against Real.

Atleti have won the Supercopa twice in their history. Real will be attempting to claim the trophy for an 11th time on Sunday.

If Real's midfielders dominate in the manner they did in the last four, with Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco pulling the strings, it will be difficult for Atleti to resist their neighbours' undeniable quality.