Real Madrid

Real Madrid announced Wednesday that longtime defender Sergio Ramos will be leaving the club this summer.

The club said that "an institutional act of tribute and farewell to our captain" would be held on Thursday followed by a press conference with Ramos.

Ramos is a Los Blancos legend. His success at the club speaks for itself:

16 seasons
671 appearances
101(!) goals

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 La Liga
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Champions League
🏆🏆 Copa del Rey
🏆🏆🏆🏆Spanish Super Cup
🏆🏆🏆 UEFA Super Cup
🏆🏆🏆🏆 FIFA Club World Cup

It was a hell of a run for Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid 🌟 pic.twitter.com/OIUXNayfqW

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 16, 2021

It's hard to imagine Real Madrid without Ramos patrolling the back. It's hard to imagine a different player donning the armband, or the rivalry between Los Blancos and Barcelona not featuring him trying to slow down Lionel Messi. 

Over the years, a number of excellent players have come and gone from the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Marcelo have been regular fixtures. Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Iker Casillas ultimately moved on. Through it all, there's been Ramos. 

His centre-back pairing with Raphael Varane over the past decade has played a huge role in Real Madrid's immense success, both domestically and in Europe. 

Sergio Ramos is an all-time great, not only in the history of Real Madrid but also in the history of football.

That's how great his legacy is.

— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) June 16, 2021

Granted, Ramos' reputation is not spotless. His detractors have long labeled him as one of the game's dirtiest players. 

"If you put all of the situations of Ramos together then you will see a lot of situations with Ramos," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told reporters in 2018 after accusing Ramos of a "ruthless and brutal" challenge on Mohamed Salah in the Champions League final that resulted in the star forward dislocating his shoulder. "The year before against Juve he was responsible for the red card for [Juan] Cuadrado. Nobody talks about that afterwards."

But there's no doubting his longevity, talent or success at Real Madrid. When you think Los Blancos, his name and face inevitably come to mind. 

Cristiano Ronaldo is keeping his options open this summer with Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester United reportedly among those contacted to "gauge interest in a transfer, according to Rob Dawson of ESPN.

The 36-year-old has one year remaining on his contract at Juventus and is holding talks with the club about his future. He has reportedly already spoken to new manager Massimiliano Allegri.

A move away from Juventus is possible, per Dawson, although the new club would have to match the club's asking price. The Italian club initially spent £105 million to acquire Ronaldo from Real in 2018.

The forward has thrived individually in his three years with the club, scoring 101 goals in 133 matches. He had 36 goals across all competitions this past season.

Ronaldo also helped Juventus win Serie A titles in 2018-19 and 2019-20, although the club dropped to fourth in the table this past season. The team has also struggled in the Champions League, losing in the round of 16 in each of the last two years after a quarterfinal loss in 2019.

The Portuguese superstar could be looking for a new location where he can add to his five Champions League titles. He won four with Real Madrid during his nine years with the team and one with Manchester United, where he spent six seasons earlier in his career.

A return to either of these clubs would likely make them contenders to win the European title in 2021-22.

Real Madrid reached the semifinal this past year before losing to eventual champion Chelsea. Many of his former teammates remain with the club, including Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos.

Manchester United lost in the Europa League final on penalties to Villarreal, but qualified for the Champions League after finishing second in the Premier League. He could create an exciting pairing alongside Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes.

Paris Saint-Germain would be more unfamiliar, but an attack that includes Ronaldo, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe would arguably be the best in the world. It could help PSG finally get over the top after coming close to a UCL title in the past two years.

Carlo Ancelotti has returned to Real Madrid as manager after previously holding the job from 2013 to 2015, the club announced Tuesday.

👋 #WelcomeBackAncelotti
👉 @MrAncelotti pic.twitter.com/yY5NKF5tsd

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) June 1, 2021

David Ornstein and Greg O'Keeffe of The Athletic first reported the completion of an agreement between the two sides.

The 61-year-old spent the past year at Everton in the Premier League but terminated his contract with three years remaining, per Fabrizio Romano.

Ancelotti led Real Madrid to a UEFA Champions League title in 2014 but was let go in 2015 after his second season without a La Liga crown.

The manager's extensive career also includes time at top European clubs Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Napoli. He won two more Champions League titles at Milan, and his resume boasts first-place finishes in Serie A, the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

The stint at Everton wasn't quite as successful. The Toffees finished 10th in the EPL last season while failing to qualify for any European competition in 2021-22.

Ancelotti will look for more success in his return to Real Madrid, replacing Zinedine Zidane after the former star player resigned last week.

Los Blancos failed to secure a trophy in 2020-21, finishing second in La Liga after losing to Chelsea in the UCL semifinal. The aging roster also has plenty of question marks, with many of its key players from last season all over 30 years old, including Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. 

It will create a challenge for Ancelotti to live up to lofty expectations at the Spanish club.

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, who resigned from the post last week, wrote in an open letter to Diario AS (h/t Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez of ESPN) that he was leaving Los Blancos "because I feel the club is no longer giving me the trust I need, it isn't offering me the support to build something medium-to-long term."

He added that he felt the club's hierarchy was leaking negative news stories to the media.

"That's why it hurt me a lot when I read in the press, after a defeat, that they were going to sack me if I didn't win the next game," he wrote. "It hurt me and the whole team because these messages, intentionally leaked to the media, created negative interference with the staff. They created doubts and misunderstandings."

While Zidane praised his players at Real Madrid—he called them "fantastic lads who were with me to the end... when things got ugly, they saved me with great victories"—he added that he would have "liked my relationship with the club and the president in recent months to have been a little different from that of other coaches."

While he said he wasn't seeking preferential treatment, he noted that for a partnership to last in modern football between a manager and a club beyond a season or two, "human relationships are essential."

“Coming out angry in (February’s) press conference, and pointing to all he and his team have achieved, is not something he often does," says a source. "But he was tired of listening to what was being said, and maybe the club has different priorities than he does."

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) May 31, 2021

Zidane, 48, has had two separate spells as Real Madrid's manager since 2016, topping La Liga once and the Champions League an impressive three times in his first stint before leaving in 2018. Upon his return in March 2019, he led Los Blancos to another domestic title in the 2019-20 campaign. 

The 2020-21 season ended in disappointment, however, as Real Madrid finished second in La Liga behind champions Atletico Madrid, lost in the Champions League semifinals to eventual victors Chelsea and was eliminated in the Copa del Rey round of 32 by third-division side Alcoyano.

"Zidane is one of Real Madrid's all-time greats, and his legend goes beyond what he has done as a coach and player for our club," Real Madrid said in a statement after Zidane announced his resignation last week (via Reuters). "He knows that he is always in the heart of the club's supporters and that Real Madrid will always be his home."

Zinedine Zidane resigned as manager of Real Madrid on Thursday, the club announced via its official website.

The statement read:

We must now respect his decision and express our gratitude for his professionalism, dedication and passion over the years and what he means to Real Madrid.

Zidane is one of Real Madrid’s great icons and his legacy extends beyond what he has achieved as a coach and player at our club.

He is aware that he has a place in the hearts of the Real Madrid fans and that he will always have a home at Real Madrid.

World football insider Fabrizio Romano first reported the news Wednesday.

Zidane returned for a second spell in charge of Madrid in March 2019. 

This season, the club narrowly lost out on a domestic title, finishing two points behind La Liga winner Atletico Madrid. Los Blancos also reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League, where they lost to Chelsea.

Zidane guided Madrid to the La Liga title in 2016-17 and three straight Champions League triumphs during his first spell. He also inspired an impressive turnaround in 2019-20, as the club won 10 straight matches to beat Barcelona to the league title.

Still, ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez reported in December that the 48-year-old was facing pressure when Madrid was in jeopardy of not qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages.

Patience is something Real Madrid managers typically don't get to enjoy.

In perhaps the most famous example, Vicente del Bosque was out of a job almost immediately after the club's La Liga triumph in 2003.

Because of what he has achieved both as a player and manager, Zidane will likely have plenty of clubs inquiring about his availability.

List of managers currently out of work who will be in high demand this summer. Wow.

- Antonio Conte
- Zinedine Zidane
- Max Allegri
- Nuno Espirito Santo
- Eddie Howe
- Joachim Low
- Rafael Benitez
- Christophe Galtier
- Lucien Favre

— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) May 26, 2021

When it comes to his now-former employer, the Frenchman may have gotten out at just the right time.

Eden Hazard has struggled to stay fit, while Karim Benzema (33), Marcelo (33), Sergio Ramos (35) and Luka Modric (35) are all approaching the twilight of their careers. Ramos, the captain, might be out all together, with his contract set to expire in June.

This is an aging squad in need of a refresh, and many of the young stars who were supposed to be the bridge to the next generation haven't fulfilled expectations. Turning over the first-team roster will be difficult for Real Madrid since the ill-fated Super League was supposed to be the mechanism to fund marquee transfers.

Whoever succeeds Zidane is likely coming aboard during a period of transition, which isn't ideal given what club president Florentino Perez typically considers the bar for success.

Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus have openly remained attached to the Super League experiment, and UEFA announced Tuesday that it was commencing disciplinary proceedings against the clubs. 

🚨 UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus for their ongoing involvement in the Super League. pic.twitter.com/iATSJLO7Pg

— GOAL (@goal) May 25, 2021

All other clubs previously connected to the attempted Super League—AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Inter, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham—have publicly cut ties. 

Real Madrid president and Super League maestro Florentino Perez has insisted that the Super League isn't dead, despite just three clubs remaining committed to its implementation. 

"I'm not going to take my time to explain what a binding contract is here. But the fact is, the clubs can't leave," he told AS' Joaquin Maroto in late April. "Some, because of the pressure, have had to say they'll leave. But this project, or something very similar, will happen, and I hope it's in the near future."

The 12 aforementioned clubs had originally agreed to a plan that would essentially remove them from the UEFA Champions League in favor of a yearly competition they were guaranteed to partake in, with the opportunity for a few additional berths for other clubs each season. 

But world football supporters around Europe quickly and comprehensively protested the move, arguing that such a league would only widen an already deep gulf between the financial haves and have-nots in the sport. Additionally, Super League detractors argued that clubs should have to play their way into elite competitions, which the Super League was essentially bypassing. 

For a Premier League team to reach Champions League, for instance, they must finish top-four in the table (or either win the Europa League or Champions League the season prior). No such stipulations would have existed for the founding clubs of the Super League. 

The appeal of those clubs was simple—consistent and substantial financial gain. Whereas top clubs stand to lose major money if they miss UCL qualification, the Super League would have guaranteed them major yearly revenue. 

In the wake of the severe fan backlash, the majority of the Super League clubs pulled out of the arrangement, with just Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus standing firm. It remains to be seen what potential discipline UEFA will levy upon them if they don't back down. 

Zinedine Zidane's future at Real Madrid is up in the air. 

According to ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez, "sources say the feeling among the squad is that Zidane is likely to depart."

If he resigns from his managerial post, Los Blancos are reportedly "considering Massimiliano Allegri and club legend Raul" as Zidane replacements. 

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez is also reportedly being considered for the post should Zidane depart. 

"There are moments when you have to stay, and others when you have to go," Zidane told reporters Saturday, further fueling rumors that he might be on his way out.

Radio station Onda Cero previously reported that Zidane already told Real Madrid's players he would be moving on after the season, while Kirkland and Faez reported that "it was not left 'very clear' to multiple players that a definitive decision had been made."

But Zidane disputed Sunday that he's told his players anything about his future:

Zinedine Zidane: “How can I tell my players that I'm leaving the club at this stage of the season? I’ve not said anything to my players about my future”. ⚪️ #RealMadrid

Florentino is waiting for Zidane ‘official’ decision too, while Real contacted other managers to be prepared.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 16, 2021

Zidane, 48, has served as Real Madrid's manager in two different stints (2016-18; 2019-present), leading the club to two Premier League titles and three Champions League triumphs. 

His first departure came as a shock move, coming off the heels of the team's third consecutive European conquest. 

“I know it is a bit of a strange moment but I think it is the right moment," he told reporters at that time. "This is a team that should keep on winning and it needs a change for that. After three years, it needs another discourse, another working methodology, and that’s why I took this decision.”

“There are complicated moments in the season when you ask: ‘Am I still the right person?' I don’t forget the hard moments too," he added in 2018. "There are lovely moments and we ended with a spectacular moment but there are hard moments that make you reflect."

It's fair to question if Zidane is currently mulling over those hard moments yet again.

While he decides, there's the matter of finishing out La Liga's season. Real Madrid is in the thick of the title race, trailing Atletico Madrid by two points with just one matchday remaining. 

Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid released a joint statement Saturday in response to "threats" from UEFA to distance themselves from the failed European Super League proposal.

"The founding clubs have suffered, and continue to suffer, unacceptable third-party pressures, threats and offenses to abandon the project.

"This is intolerable under the rule of law and Tribunals have already ruled in favor of the Super League proposal, ordering FIFA and UEFA to, either directly or through their affiliated bodies, refrain from taking any action which may hinder this initiative in any way while court proceedings are pending."

UEFA announced Friday it reached an agreement with nine of the 12 Super League founding members on "reintegration measures," which included a future commitment to UEFA club competitions.

The statement noted the cases of Barca, Juve and Real Madrid would be referred to the governing body's disciplinary sector for "whatever action it deems appropriate."

Although the holdout clubs said they're offering to "reconsider" their stance, they remain so far unwilling to completely abandon the idea of a lucrative alternative to the UEFA Champions League:

"We are fully aware of the diversity of reactions to the Super League initiative and, consequently, of the need to reflect on the reasons for some of them. We are ready to reconsider the proposed approach, as necessary.

"However, we would be highly irresponsible if, being aware of the needs and systemic crisis in the football sector... we abandoned such mission to provide effective and sustainable answers to the existential questions that threaten the football industry."

The Super League's 12 founding members, which would have been joined by three other permanent clubs and five yearly qualifiers under the proposed plan, sold the idea on the basis the infusion of money could have had a trickle-down effect to help save European football.

It was met with extreme backlash from fans, who saw the effort as a greedy push from owners of the continent's richest clubs, and UEFA, which saw the ESL as a direct threat to the UCL and threatened to ban players who took part from future UEFA and FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

The Super League suspended operations after just two days as clubs quickly backed out amid the widespread criticism, with most issuing apologies to their supporters for the failed effort.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, one of the ESL's staunchest defenders, issued a warning to AS' Joaquin Maroto in late April about the future of European football without a bolder plan than the proposed 2024 Champions League restructure:

"The truth is, no. Not the format, that nobody understands, not the time period, because by 2024...either we fix this before or all the clubs go bankrupt. There will be a mutiny of the teams as they go bankrupt, because the only ones who will survive will be state financed clubs or who have multimillionaire owners, who are willing, for their own entertainment, to lose hundreds of millions [of euros] each season."

Friday's agreement between UEFA and the Super League members who've abandoned the project leaves little chance of it being revived because clubs granted the governing body the right to issue fines of up to €150 million for playing in an "unauthorized competition" (€100 million) or a breach of the "club commitment declaration" (€50 million).

Without that large contingent of high-profile clubs, it's hard to imagine any breakaway effort gaining traction as a true alternative to the Champions League.

So the ball rests at the feet of Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid. They must decide whether to continue to explore their options or come to terms with UEFA to leave the Super League in the rear-view mirror.

Real Madrid advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, dispatching Atalanta by a 4-1 aggregate score.

Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Marco Asensio were the goal-scorers for Madrid in a 3-1 second-leg victory Tuesday night at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Anything is possible for Real Madrid when Sergio Ramos and Benzema are healthy 🔑 pic.twitter.com/JhpIYhyIWp

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 16, 2021

Real Madrid held a slim one-goal advantage after the first leg thanks to an 86th-minute strike from Ferland Mendy. Considering Atalanta have scored the second-most goals (63) in Serie A, the Spanish giants couldn't afford to sit back and let their opponents dictate the tempo of the second leg.

Robin Gosens got into a dangerous position in the third minute, but he sent his right-footed effort straight at Thibaut Courtois.

Rather than representing the start of things to come, the threat Atalanta posed going forward slowly fizzled out.

Their proactive style of play then came back to bite them in the 33rd minute. As the Italian club played it out from the back, Marco Sportiello failed to clear the ball past Luka Modric. Modric laid the ball across to Benzema, who had a straightforward finish for the first goal of the match.

One shot. One goal. Karim Benzema scores his 70th #UCL goal. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/jCgusibWpS

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 16, 2021

Ramos doubled Madrid's lead from the penalty spot in the 60th minute.

Rafael Toloi was whistled for a foul on Vinicius Junior, and the referee awarded Real Madrid the penalty following a video review. The club captain thundered his shot past a diving Sportiello.

Sergio Ramos. Back with a b̶a̶n̶g̶ goal. 💥 pic.twitter.com/zon4izmXRP

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 16, 2021

Sergio Ramos has now scored more CL goals than Ronaldo 🇧🇷 and Miroslav Klose. Get Real Madrid into the World Cup imo

— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) March 16, 2021

Luis Muriel finally got Atalanta on the board in the 83rd minute with a perfectly placed free kick. But Asensio quickly extinguished whatever slim hope of a comeback remained when he beat Sportiello in the 85th minute.

In general, Real Madrid were firmly in control after Courtois' save early in the first half. They finished with 57 percent of possession and limited Atalanta to five shots on target.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side have received plenty of deserved praise for their work in Italy and on the continent. Over the two legs in the round of 16, that attacking verve was noticeably absent.

Atalanta pretty disappointing over the two legs.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) March 16, 2021

Real Madrid aren't the favorites to lift the Champions League trophy in May, falling at least behind Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. However, the club has shown a propensity for going above and beyond in Europe under Zinedine Zidane.

The Madrid squads that reeled off four Champions League titles in five years are historically significant but didn't really possess a defining quality that set them apart from the rest of the competition. They didn't redefine the game in the same way Barcelona did, yet the accolades speak for themselves.

Between that recent history and Benzema's current form—six goals in five matches—nobody should write off Real Madrid's odds of collecting a 14th European Cup.

             

What's Next?

Real Madrid are in action Saturday against Celta Vigo in La Liga. A win would help Los Blancos remain within striking distance of leaders Atletico Madrid, who hold a six-point advantage. Atalanta play Hellas Verona away Sunday in Serie A. They'll look to continue fending off Napoli for fourth place in the table.

Real Madrid ran their winning streak to five matches across all competitions with a 1-0 victory over Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy.

To close out January, Madrid's hopes of winning a league title seemed to be slipping away following a third defeat in four matches. They proceeded to reel off four straight wins and now sit just three points back of leaders Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand.

With Wednesday's result, Zinedine Zidane's squad now have one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals, too, thanks to Ferland Mendy.

The Frenchman broke the deadlock in the 86th minute. Luka Modric laid the ball off outside the 18-yard box, and Mendy used his weaker right foot to curl his shot into the back of the net.

FERLAND MENDY. 86TH MINUTE. ON HIS WEAK FOOT. 😳 pic.twitter.com/oXAD7y8V9J

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 24, 2021

Mendy was front and center for the two biggest moments of the night.

Referee Tobias Stieler made himself a figure of controversy in the 17th minute when he sent off Atalanta midfielder Remo Freuler.

17 minutes in and Atalanta are down to 10. 😳 pic.twitter.com/jKtBecBkVY

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 24, 2021

There's no question Freuler was guilty of a foul when he impeded Mendy. However, many questioned whether the contact on the Madrid left back amounted to a straight red card:

Even Spanish TV struggling to see how that was a straight red...

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) February 24, 2021

Referee Tobias Stieler interprets Remo Freuler’s tackle as a denial of a goal scoring opportunity...such a small margin. It almost seems unfair.

With VAR at refs disposal, he didn’t even double check his judgement call on a monitor. An argument can be made for DOGSO, yes but...

— Nico Cantor (@Nicocantor1) February 24, 2021

How is that a red? DOGSO? #AtalantaRealMadrid

— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) February 24, 2021

The Spanish giants were unable to capitalize on their man advantage for the remainder of the half. Isco's free kick immediately after Freuler's exit went into the wall, and Real Madrid managed just two shots on target in the opening 45 minutes.

In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Toni Kroos found Casemiro on the edge of the six-yard box, but Pierluigi Gollini made a great save on the Brazilian's point-blank header.

The red card, meanwhile, meant Atalanta could ill afford to throw too many men forward, and Duvan Zapata was subbed off with an injury in the 30th minute. Those two factors combined to stifle a club that has scored the second-most goals (53) in Serie A.

Because he doesn't often set his side out to defend, Gian Piero Gasperini will probably be somewhat content Atalanta surrendered only one away.

Zidane, on the other hand, will have mixed emotions. The result speaks for itself, but Madrid's inability to create much of anything in the final third prior to Mendy's goal was surprising given both their recent form and Freuler's red card.

They may yet win, but this feels the most feeble Madrid since the 1970s, which was also when they couldn't sign star foreigners - in that period because of restrictions, as opposed to resources.

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) February 24, 2021

https://twitter.com/TomFornelli/status/1364687425499496458

The performance continued a collective lackluster effort from Spanish clubs in this year's knockout stages.

La Liga has four representatives still alive in the Champions League, which may not be the case for very long.

Barcelona suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain last week, while Sevilla and Atletico Madrid trail by one goal heading into their second legs. Real Madrid at least may be able to carry the La Liga banner in the quarterfinals.

What's Next?

The clubs will meet again at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in Madrid for the second leg on March 16. Before that, Atalanta face off against Sampdoria on Sunday in Serie A action. Only one point separates them from fourth-place Roma. Madrid are back in action Monday, where they'll put their winning streak on the line against Real Sociedad.