Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.
Real Madrid made it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and extended their lead to seven points at the top of La Liga this week, but it’s been bad-tempered in the Spanish capital.
Los Blancos looked as if they had completed another glorious comeback against Valencia at the weekend, when Jude Bellingham headed home in the 99th minute, but instead he ended up being sent off. Referee Jesus Gil Manzano adjudged that Bellingham’s repeated shouts of ‘It’s a f***ing goal’ were too aggressive for him, and he has a two-game ban to think about his actions.
Bellingham will not serve a longer 4-12 game ban for calling Mason Greenwood a r*pist during Real Madrid’s win over Getafe last month, as the professional lip-reader could not establish clearly whether he had abused the Manchester United loanee, or said ‘rubbish’.
Meanwhile Vinicius Junior scored the goal that put Real Madrid past RB Leipzig in Europe, but after escaping a red card for his altercation of with Willi Orban, the Brazilian was hit with consistent criticism from the Spanish capital.
Pedja Mijatovic wants #vinijr to cut out the histrionics. pic.twitter.com/y4Hhv3kPZM
— Football España (@footballespana_) March 7, 2024
Greenwood has been linked to Barcelona this week in Spain, although there are doubts about their ability to afford him. They will first be focused on getting a manager and then sales. This week it was reported that star central defender Ronald Araujo could be available this summer, after interest from Bayern Munich in the winter. Certainly he might be the player that would attract the biggest offer.
Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique are the dream managers for Barcelona reportedly, but have been ruled out. Information coming out of Germany claims that the size of the offer will not be the priority for exiting Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel. Linked with a return to Chelsea, and posited as an option for Manchester United, Tuchel will reportedly prioritise Barcelona this summer.
Elsewhere in the weird and the wonderful of Spanish football, Real Betis teammates Aitor Ruibal and ex-West Ham midfielder were caught saying that they couldn’t let Chimy Avila get into fights with opposition Athletic Club. Mikel Merino’s Real Sociedad were eliminated by Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain we mean, and had to deal with a strange approach from referee Michael Oliver at the end of the match.
He must have done something right though, as he has been linked with Juventus and Atletico Madrid this week. Spain defender Robin Le Normand has also been mentioned as a target for Los Rojiblancos.
