The 2026 World Cup is almost here. After years of build-up, dramatic qualifiers and numerous good - and bad - news stories surrounding FIFA's flagship finals, players and coaches from around the world are completing their last preparations after descending on the United States, Mexico and Canada for the biggest international football tournament to ever have been staged.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are set to face off in the Champions League quarter-finals. However, a nightmare scenario looms for Real Madrid, particularly in the second leg.
Real Madrid have been dealt a significant triple blow following their 1-0 home defeat against Getafe on Monday. The Disciplinary Committee officially handed down punishments to several key members of Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad. The most high-profile case involved Argentinian starlet Franco Mastantuono, who saw red during the match. Despite Los Blancos’ efforts to overturn the decision, the league’s governing body has remained firm, leaving the Spanish giants short-handed for their upcoming fixtures.
Real Madrid’s La Liga title mission grew significantly more difficult following a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Getafe. Trailing Barcelona by four points with 12 rounds left, their task is steep. Adding to the challenge, Franco Mastantuono received a straight red card for dissent, while Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras earned suspensions for the Celta Vigo trip.
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after sharing offensive content to the Asian community. The 20-year-old Spain international sparked immediate backlash after reposting an image on his Instagram that featured derogatory comments. The controversial post, which has since been scrubbed from his profile, included a picture of an Asian person accompanied by captions that Chinese netizens slammed as racist.
Real Madrid were handed a bitter blow ahead of their Champions League encounter against Olympiacos on Wednesday, with the club announcing that Thibaut Courtois and Dean Huijsen have been ruled out of the game. The 33-year-old goalkeeper, who remains one of the first names on the Madrid team sheet, has been diagnosed with gastroenteritis.
Real Madrid have suffered another setback as Dean Huijsen has withdrawn from Spain duty due to muscle discomfort, raising concerns of a relapse of the soleus injury he suffered in October. The defender has been sent back to Madrid for tests, joining Kylian Mbappe and Eduardo Camavinga as the latest Los Blancos players to return early from international duty.
Spain defender Dean Huijsen is set to undergo a scan after being left out of the matchday squad for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia through groin discomfort. The European champions are now sweating on the Real Madrid centre-back’s fitness ahead of their final qualifier against Turkey next Tuesday after he experienced the issue in training.
Dean Huijsen has stepped forward to defend Lamine Yamal and Vinicius Jr, insisting both stars face unfair levels of scrutiny as media pressure intensifies around Barcelona and Real Madrid. The 20-year-old Madrid centre-back discussed the growing noise around Spanish football, calling for balance as the national team head into crucial World Cup qualifiers without the injured Yamal.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was in contact with Real Madrid through his entourage last season regarding a potential free transfer in the summer. Van Dijk rejected offers from several other clubs, including Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, as his priority was to join Madrid. However, the Spanish side chose to look elsewhere and instead signed defender Dean Huijsen.
Real Madrid centre-back Dean Huijsen has leapt to the defence of his team-mate Vinicius Junior following his temper tantrum during the 2-1 win over Barcelona. The Brazilian was enraged after being asked to come off in the second half by Xabi Alonso, with the reaction drawing significant backlash. Huijsen, however, blamed the media for making a "huge fuss" over the incident.
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