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Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss 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, Ezek XI, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho. SCARIEST OPPONENT In all your years…

The Spanish Referee Committee (Comité Técnico de Árbitros) issued a statement explaining why VAR overturned the penalty call early in the first half of Sunday’s El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, which ended in a 2-1 victory for Los Blancos. “In the opening moments of the match, a Real Madrid player drives into the…

More than simple dishes, tapas are an inherent and dynamic part of the Spanish lifestyle and culture. These small plates, ranging from simple bites like jamón ibérico, olives, or cheese, to complex items like croquetas or seasoned mushrooms, are not usually found on a printed menu. They represent a fluid, communal way of eating and…

Eder Militao – In a Class of His Own How many athletes — let alone footballers — could come back from back-to-back ACL tears, one in each knee, after nearly 24 months out of consistent elite action, and perform at the level Eder Militao has shown this season? The center-back has had ups and downs…

Real Madrid tightened their grip at the top of LaLiga with a 2–1 win over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu, moving five points clear after a purposeful display. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring midway through the first half following a superb through ball from Jude Bellingham, before Fermin Lopez briefly equalized for the visitors. Bellingham…

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni talked to the press right after the team’s 2-1 win over Barcelona in El Clásico. The Frenchman praised the performance from Los Blancos. “We did what he had to do today, performed at a high level and followed our game plan. We deserved the win. It’s true that against Atlético…

Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona (Mbappé & Bellingham). Three huge points. Here is the Clàsico immediate reaction. Coming right up: Player ratings, press conference best bits and an El Clàsico podcast special. After waiting some time for an El Clàsico victory, there seemed to be a consensus among Madridistas that this one should end the dry spell. Real…

The Spanish Football Federation have appointed referee César Soto Grado as the man in charge of Sunday’s El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga —16:15 CET—. Javier Iglesias Villanueva will be the main referee taking care of VAR for this game. Soto Grado was in charge of one El Clásico before, which…

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham talked to the club’s website ahead of Sunday’s El Clásico against FC Barcelona. Bellingham will be expected to feature in the starting XI now that he has improved his form and conditioning after recovering from shoulder surgery. “It’s probably one of the biggest games in the world. As a child,…

Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid show clear identity changes per the data. Spanish outlet, Diario AS, provided insight using Wyscout data compiled by BeSoccer, which showed Madrid’s counter-pressing and control have replaced the need for ground coverage or more running. The team’s recoveries have risen sharply: total recoveries are up from 69.3 to 76.1 per game,…