Barcelona president Joan Laporta has refused to be drawn into a war of words with Real Madrid following Jose Mourinho's recent complaints about refereeing. Speaking ahead of his side's Champions League opener against Feyenoord, Laporta instead chose to highlight his own club's ambitious targets for the season.
Thibaut Courtois has dropped a bombshell on the Belgian national team by confirming he will not take part in the upcoming Nations League campaign. The Real Madrid goalkeeper reached the decision following a private meeting with new head coach Mark van Bommel, where the two discussed his long-term fitness and role within the squad.
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has offered a blunt assessment of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential as a regular midfielder following his experiment in the Champions League. The England international was deployed in the engine room during Los Blancos' narrow victory over Inter Milan, sparking renewed debate over his best position.
Federico Valverde has conceded that Real Madrid failed to follow Jose Mourinho's tactical orders during their Champions League victory over Inter. Despite securing three points at the Bernabeu, the Uruguay international was highly critical of his team's second-half performance after letting their Italian opponents back into the contest.
Cristian Chivu refused to let a narrow defeat dampen his spirits after Inter fell to a 2-1 loss against Real Madrid in their Champions League opener. The Nerazzurri boss insisted he saw enough quality and character at the Santiago Bernabeu to remain optimistic about his side's European journey this season.
Al-Shamal
