Champagne Xabi? : 30 June 2025

Beautiful Football Returns to the Bernabeu

The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou

Attack vs Defence

Kylian, Vini, Brahim, Arda, Huijsen and Modric were grouped to together for a practice game and prevailed over Courtois’ side. There’s just too much creativity and Firepower in one team.

New Training Methods?

Xabi and his staff are said to take a training approach which focuses on conditioning the player for their specific role on the pitch. While a mixture of fitness training and ball work is no novelty, it is refreshing to see an improved approach to conditioning at the club. It appears quite similar to boxing training.

If Winners Are Overrated

Gimme some more! Generational Jude! Real Madrid signed a once in generation midfielder and he’s not missed a beat since joining. There is a lot more to come from the Englishman, he’s going to bring silverware to the three lions and win the Ballon d’Or before he hangs up his boots. The combination of desire, football IQ, technical ability and physicality is just extraordinary.

Lil bro carrying big bro.

Arda is Life

The 20 year old Turk is finally getting a chance to show his ability. Like any talented youngster he will have to prove it in the big games to really win people over. A genuine cerebral baller with a natural understanding of the possession game. Arda fits Xabi’s vision of football like glove. He looks better with every game.

Carlo Ancelotti was honest about Arda’s talent but outright refused to trust him even when there was nothing to lose. He just wouldn’t do it. When Ceballos got injured, Carlo found a way to push Arda deeper into the abyss. Instead, Modric played the most minutes of his entire adult life.

La Fabrica Is Alive

Gonzalo Garcia brings us to another head scratching moment under Carlo Ancelotti. There were times Carlo seemed to live in an upside down world. Gonzalo Garcia is holding up the Castilla banner along with fellow graduate, Raul Asencio. It takes a lot of luck for players to make it from the academy to the first team. Poor squad planning is usually the key and other times it’s injuries. Gonzalo Garcia has played 3 brilliant games at the CWC and he looks more confident and composed after each game.

With Kylian Mbappe poised to return against Juventus in the Round of 16.. Real Madrid may yet see dollar signs and ship Gonzalo off just so they can buy him back when they could have kept him.

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