BEFORE THE STORM... : 23 JUNE 2024
The Daily Merengue is 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, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou
Turkey were always going to be up against it facing a vastly superior side like Portugal. A 3-0 loss is not the worst thing that could have happened. Arda will have a chance to help Turkey qualify for the Round of 16 when they meet Czechia in their final group stage game.
There’s a lot of magic in those feet. Arda needs to get stronger and to improve his stamina. He might have to go gluten-free. Transformed Novak Djokovic from a talented youngster with fitness issues to record grand slam champion. For now Arda has to find a way to make the difference for Turkey once again.
Silly Season and Other Stories
Nacho - 23 years and counting
Nacho won’t be a one club man but the madridismo spirit is inside his veins. He’s a madridista of the highest order.
How many La Liga titles in 20 years?
Real Madrid have won 8 La Liga titles on all that time. The tide seems to have turned. Real Madrid might go on a tear and win some back to back titles during a period of dominance.
Yoro vs Rudiger vs Militao
Real Madrid is that place. The place where seniority wins you favour only as long as you can deliver. If you lose confidence and get jittery, you quickly find your place becoming increasingly uncertain with every matchday.
Leny Yoro is not expected to walk into the team but he will get chances and if he’s confident and sure-footed, he could become an important player for Don Carlo. For now, he’s the 4th CB. He’s the new Varane. A teenager with a high ceiling and composure already beyond his years.
The Franco Affair
If Real Madrid don’t get him, it will hardly be any different for Chelsea who completed the signing of Estavao and Pedro Lima. Franco Mastantuono will make his way to London if Real Madrid have no room for him. Sigining a 16 year old player brings significant risks with it but it’s become an effective way to navigate a serverely inflated market where European youngsters are regularly quoted at prices around €100m. Soon the South American market will be just as inflated and European clubs will go back to focusing more intensely on their academies.
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Kroos and Rudiger v Switzerland
