Real Madrid clinch 4-1 win against Leganes in training match; teenager Thiago Pitarch shines
Manager Xabi Alonso fielded a formidable 4-3-3 formation, blending first-team regulars with fresh talent. The starting XI featured Thibaut Courtois in goal, a defensive line of Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Raul Asencio, and debutant Alvaro Carreras.
In midfield, Fede Valverde, Dani Ceballos, and Brahim Diaz provided creativity, while Kylian Mbappe, donning the No. 10 shirt, joined Vinicius Jr. and Gonzalo Garcia up front.
Notably, Carvajal, back from a serious knee injury, captained the side, signaling his return to form.
The match also saw an experimental move, with David Alaba tested in a pivot midfield role, adding versatility to the squad. This line-up could foreshadow the one to face Osasuna in the La Liga opener on August 19 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Leganes struck first through a goal by youth player Sule, catching Real Madrid off guard. However, the home side quickly bounced back. Despite only five days of training, Real Madrid's attack overwhelmed Leganes, resulting in a comfortable 4-1 win. While details remain limited due to the private nature of the match, according to ESPN's report, teenage sensation Thiago Pitarch, who trained with the first team this week, capped his appearance with a goal, marking him as a name to watch.
Real Madrid's focus extends beyond the game, with transfer plans already in motion for 2026. The club is eyeing three free agents whose contracts expire in 2026: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate, Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano, and Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. Konate is the top defensive target, with pre-contract talks possible in January if no new deals are signed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Newcastle United vs Atletico Madrid LIVE streaming info: Where to watch pre-season friendly?
English Premier League side Newcastle United will face La Liga's Atletico Madrid for its final pre-season friendly match on Saturday. The Magpies are coming into this fixture after a 2-2 draw with Spanish outfit Espanyol. Newcastle opens its Premier League campaign against Aston Villa on August 16. LIVE STREAMING INFO When is the Newcastle United vs Atletico Madrid pre-season friendly match? The Newcastle United vs Atletico Madrid pre-season friendly match will kick off at 8:30 pm IST (4 pm local time) on Saturday, August 9, at the St. James Park in Newcastle. Where to watch the Newcastle United vs Atletico Madrid pre-season friendly match LIVE? The Newcastle United vs Atletico Madrid pre-season friendly match will be streamed live on the official Newcastle United website and app.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Business Standard
Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen back as captain after medical clearance
Barcelona says Marc-Andre ter Stegen will return as first-team captain after announcing on Friday that the goalkeeper had authorized the club to send his medical report to the Spanish league. The announcement came after Ter Stegen criticized suggestions he was to blame for Barcelona's inability to register new players, insisting that his back surgery and recovery timeline were fully approved by the club. The disagreement led to the 33-year-old Ter Stegen being stripped of the club's captaincy on Thursday. But that changed Friday. The club announces that the player Marc-Andre ter Stegen has signed the authorization necessary for the club to send La Liga the medical report relating to his surgery, Barcelona said in a statement. The disciplinary case has been closed and the player is captain of the first team once again with immediate effect. The club had opened a disciplinary proceeding against the goalkeeper on Tuesday after discrepancies about the recovery time for the lower back surgery that Ter Stegen successfully underwent last week. Barcelona needed him to sign the injury report so it could be sent to the Spanish league in order to clear some salary-cap space and allow the club to more easily register other players without breaching financial fair play rules. Ter Stegen said ahead of the surgery that the recovery time would be about three months. The club did not give an official timetable for the recovery process, saying only that the operation was successful" and that his recovery will determine when he can return. The club signed Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garca in June. Its other goalkeepers are veteran Wojciech Szczesny and Iaki Pea. Ter Stegen missed nearly all of last season because of a ruptured tendon in his knee, and in 2023 he missed about two months because of another back operation. Pea and the 35-year-old Szczesny started in place of Ter Stegen last season. Barcelona, the defending Spanish league champion, arrived back in Spain on Tuesday after completing a preseason tour in Asia.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Slot says Liverpool title favourite due to last season's triumph, not spending spree
Liverpool manager Arne Slot said it is completely normal for his side to be viewed as favourite to retain its Premier League crown, citing last campaign's success rather than its close-season transfer activity. Liverpool, which won the Premier League last season to secure a record-equalling 20th English title, has bolstered its squad with the arrivals of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and others. The Merseyside club, however, has also had Trent Alexander-Arnold leave for Real Madrid, Luis Diaz move to Bayern Munich and Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen, while its Portuguese forward Diogo Jota died in a car crash last month. 'It's completely normal that we are one of the favourites, because we won it last season,' Slot told reporters ahead of Sunday's FA Community Shield showdown against Crystal Palace. READ | Slot addresses Isak move ahead of Liverpool's showdown with Crystal Palace 'And we brought in good players. Like all the other teams did, by the way. This is what makes this league so nice.' Liverpool had only signed forward Federico Chiesa from Italian side Juventus in the close-season window last year. 'Every team in the Premier League is spending money. So if we are only favourites because we've spent a bit, I would see that as weird because we've lost a lot as well. But that we are favourites because we won it last season and we played so well, that's clear,' Slot said. 'And the ambitions haven't changed, because the ambition of this club is always to compete for every trophy.' Liverpool, eyeing a 17th Community Shield title, faces FA Cup winners Palace at Wembley.
