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The Giants in White Win Against a Struggling Levante at Home

January 17, 2026 / Admin / 0 Comments

Real Madrid Starting XI

Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Bellingham; Mbappé, Gonzalo, Vinicius

Levante U.D. Starting XI

Ryan; Toljan, Dela, Matturro, Manu Sánchez; Vencedor, P. Martínez; K. Tunde, Carlos Álvarez, Losada; Etta Eyong.

It has been a turbulent week to say the least for Real Madrid as they face a period of unsteadiness. Both shocking and unexpected news broke Monday afternoon when Real Madrid manager and the club both mutually agreed to part ways. This came off the back of much controversy surrounding the loss to Barcelona in the Supercopa Final on Sunday. Players refused to give Barcelona a guard of honor at the request of Xabi. It was at this moment that it was clear Xabi Alonso had lost the dressing room.

Millions were wondering who will replace Alonso. Well, it didn’t take long to replace him as Madrid appointed Castilla manager Alvaro Arbeloa, a teammate of Alonso’s both at Liverpool and Real Madrid.

To the majority, Arbeloa is widely unknown, but to the club, he is special. He began his managerial stint at the Under 14’s side in 2020. From there he moved onto Juvenil A (Under 19s) where he won a treble. He then took the helm at Castilla where he helped develop players to go onto the First Team such as Gonzalo Garcia. While he has success with youth players, he now faces his first true test with a locker room full of world class players.

Match Notes

There is a lot on the line today for Arbeloa and the Real Madrid fans. Match-week 20 in La Liga play sees Levante coming to the Bernabeu at 14:00pm Saturday afternoon. It has been almost two weeks since Real Madrid last played at home and what a wild two weeks it has been away. A Supercopa final loss to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia with dressing room controversy that ultimately culminated in Xabi Alonso and the club parting ways Monday night.

Arbeloa absolutely can’t afford to lose today his first game in charge saw the squad losing to La Liga 2 side Albacete. This was an utter embarrassment and not how any manager wants to start their managerial career. Fans are outraged with not only the result, but both the manager and players. As Real Madrid welcomes a struggling Levante side who are 19^th in La Liga currently anything but a win is unacceptable, especially if they look to close in on league leaders Barcelona.

Can Madrid break down Levante’s shape? It is a slow first half. Mbappe barely misses a volley in the 33rd minute. Now in the second half the match picks up speed. Mbappe finally delivers with a penalty in the 56th minute. And not far behind is Raul Asencio scoring a goal with a magical header from a corner kick. Mastantuono in the 78th minute tries to take the lead to 3-0, but his shot comes in a little too high, hitting the crossbar. Three more attempts for a goal proved unsuccessful for Madrid. The whistle blew just before the 95th minute with Madrid clinching the victory 2-0.

Castilla vs Barakaldo, Huge 2-1 Victory!

December 3, 2025 / Admin / 0 Comments

Lineup

Fran González, D. Jiménez, Joan Martínez, Valdepeñas, Manu Serrano, Cestero, Cristian David, Mesonero, Thiago, Palacios, Lamini, Yáñez, Leiva, and Álvaro Ginés

Atmosphere

These fans are more passionate than any MLS fan could dream to be, the city depends on their club. To support the youth club in this manner is incredible. This city lives and thrives on the success of their football club, and it starts from the foundational roots.

Kickoff

These guys know how to ball. I mean seriously know HOW TO BALL. Fluid movement, quick passes, this first half is going to be dominant for them. All great attacking play starts from the back, so number 15, everything you go on to touch will be gold. Readers, this MAN is one to watch. His name is Joan Martínez Lozano, and this man will go right to the very top.

My prediction of Castilla dominance faded around the 20th minute of the first half as Barakaldo started to put their foot on the gas. The game became more physical where the middle of the pitch would be the key factor to separating these squads. After a beautiful buildup and creative passing, the first goal was finally scored in the 44th minute. The youngsters of Madrid finally broke the compact Barakaldo back line.

Let’s jump into the second half now, because it started out as cinema. Back and forth play from both sides and more grit was shown. While Castilla looked great, Barakaldo came out the stronger of the two. There was a ferocity to the squad that wanted to even the score which is exactly what happened in the 52nd minute. The answer was exactly what I mentioned earlier would control the pace of this game, great midfield play.

“OH, MY GOODNESS” is what everyone should be saying after the stop the goalkeeper made in the 63^rd minute. The Castilla goalkeeper played a sensational game until the final whistle. Without his efforts, the match could have very well ended in a draw.

Working on the write-up for the post match story

As the second half dragged along towards the final whistle. Barakaldo continued to turn up the intensity and put more pressure on Castilla. However, despite the resilient pressure Barkaldo placed on Castilla, David Gimenez scored the winning goal in the 73^rd minute of the match.

Throughout the rest of the match, Castilla was able to break the match further with Castilla holding on until the final whistle. It should be noted that Castilla had two men sent off in the final 90’ minutes of stoppage time but still found a way to win. Overall, what an incredible match and the boys of Castilla did an excellent job hanging on to get a crucial three points.

Photo Taken from RealMadrid.com via Jesús Troyano

Mbappe Looks to Continue Promising Start Off a Madrid Golden Boot

November 3, 2025 / Admin / 0 Comments

Saturday, November 1st, by Sullivan Grant

Orange boots, strong presence, and jeers which ring out across the stadium for the Real Madrid Golden Boot winner. One of the highest accomplishments for a player in the club of this stature

With a player surrounded by so much controversy regarding one of the most historic moves since Eden Hazard, what were we going to expect from him. Well, the 2024/2025 season proved to be an iconic one. Exceptional goals from around the pitch, strategic wing play, and all-around quality of positioning himself, it seems his hold for a move to Madrid is what most players of his caliber want.

With an already fantastic start to the 2025/2026 season, he tied first as the leading scorer in Champions League football and first in La Liga with 11. He is far beyond anything or any talent we have seen since Cristiano Ronaldo.

Watching the first 15’ minutes of the game Saturday night between Los Blancos and Valencia, it is clear to see his impact across the pitch. The space and disruption he creates up top is hard for teams in both domestic and European play to stop. Xabi Alonso has found himself arguably more of superstar in Mbappe at Madrid than he was at PSG.

It’s a special privilege to take a penalty kick, and 99% of the time guarantee it will be a goal if Mbappe is behind it. While he has not always been stark from the spot for Madrid sometimes he is bound to miss.

We fast forward again to the 33^rd’minute of the matcha and guess who scores again, Mbappe. He is now at 13 goals in La Liga and looking a future star for this club if he is not already. There is not enough you can say about this player as he is fantastic.

It would go remised without saying that Xabi Alonso’s tactics have carried over from Germany to each player within the squad. His charismatic demeanor and intuition of understanding the game in football is exactly what Perez wanted.

What a lackluster start to a terrific first half performance! As viewers we are spoiled when 3 goals and a dominant performance occurs within only 45’ minutes. At the turn of the 50^th’ minute, Valencia looked to finally have their feet on the ground when it comes to this match. It may have taken a whole half of football, but this struggling La Liga side no longer looks vulnerable, rather threatening.

Mbappe continues to look threatening, yet one begins to wonder why Real Madrid takes their foot off the gas when it comes to second half play. Backward passes afford a luxury for Los Blancos rather than a switch of play to send someone through on goal.

An article focused on Kylian Mbappé must come to an end when he is subbed off. In the 78^th minute after a spectacular performance, Mbappe was subbed off. What a clear difference maker this player is. Real Madrid, tail boned by the performance of Mbappe, was able to finish with a win that keeps them top of the table, pressuring Hansi Flick and Barcelona to do more. For Madridistas what an amazing win, for Valencia fans relegation looms.

Perfection! Real Madrid Remains Unbeaten in Champions League Play With Help From Bellingham

October 31, 2025 / Admin / 0 Comments

Exhilarating is an understatement to describe the atmosphere on a Champions League night in the gorgeous city of Madrid. There is truly unlike anything in the world of sport that compares to a UCL night at the Santiago Bernabéu. It is evident that the club’s success in the competition brings a desire for fans to attend these matches if possible, or even just be within the proximity of the stadium to watch at a local pub. It is a spectacle to behold whether a fan of football or not.

With the new format of the Champions League competition, stakes have never felt higher. Clubs play more teams than they did in the previous group stage, with more weight held in each match. This match in particular however, holds more controversy over the course of previous years. For those not familiar with the timeline of late between these two clubs in the competition, maybe the final in the 2016/2017 season rings a bell. Real Madrid laid an absolute beatdown on Juventus in the final, 4-1, against arguably one of the strongest Juventus sides within this past decade. Fast forward to the following season, Real Madrid knocked Juventus out of the competition again in the quarterfinals winning on aggregate.

This match had much anticipation for both sides heading into the match. Whether it was the prior history as mentioned before, the victory Madrid had in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer against Juventus, or the fact that both sides were playing with new managers hired within the last year, many questions surrounded the quality of both these squads. With two talent ladened rosters, it was going to be a thriller, that was until the game kicked off.

Both clubs initially made a hot start with intensity flaring, but come the 15th minute, energy began to lack on both ends of the pitch. This all changed around the 25th minute when Dušan Vlahović changed the trajectory of the game for Juventus. He spread the defensive line Real Madrid was holding freeing up more space on the pitch. This amplified space on the pitch came to fruition when a ball played up top sent Vlahović through on goal with only Courtois to beat. By what felt like a miracle in the eyes of a neutral fan, but more so confidence for Madridistas, Thibaut Courtois made an exceptional save to keep Juventus out of goal. Shortly after this chance, the halftime whistle was blown and both sides entered the tunnel with nothing to separate the two.

“HALA MADRID!” the fans ring out across the stadium as the second half begins. Something changed in the dressing room for the boys in white as they came out with a vengeance. I haven’t spoke much about Bellingham until this point, but WOW did he make a difference towards the end of the first half and opening the second. His ability to create space within the middle of the pitch caused nightmares for Juventus. This cool and controlled chaos Bellingham brings to the middle of the pitch is what has made him so successful in his first three seasons at the club. With Jude pulling defenders more centrally, this allowed Vinicius Jr., Mbappe, and Valverde to create spaces out wide for insightful balls through.

Finally, in the 57th minute of the match, Vinicus Jr. was able to rifle a ball from outside the 18 yard-box which ricocheted off the post. Just when Madridistas thought a chance came up just short, who else but Jude Bellingham to find himself in another great field of space to finish with an easy tap-in.

For the remainder of the second half Madrid had their foot on the gas creating havoc for Juventus. This continued up until the final 15 minutes of the game when Juventus made some key changes on the cusp of stoppage time. With a hefty amount of stoppage time at the end of the match, things began to look a bit shaky for Real Madrid, however they tightened up with changes of their own to ultimately see out the match until the final whistle.

While as beautiful the scene was post-match in the stadium, the real story laid within the post match press conference. Igor Tudor was the first manager to speak, and he was met with some challenging questions. He was already on the hot seat as a manager, but this match was one of the nails in the coffin for his managerial stint at Juventus.

The night came to a close when Xabi Alonso spoke to the media speaking highly of both Arda Guler, Bellingham, and Cortouis, who all had stellar performances. Ultimately it was Los Blancos who came away with a superb victory to continue building momentum in what has been an incredible campaign under Xabi Alonso until this point.

Belligol is Back!

October 23, 2025 / Admin / 0 Comments

Tap In Merchant, Possibly! Results, They Matter!

BANG! That’s what they like to see. Football feeds entertainment and that’s exactly what Jude Bellingham provides quietly on the pitch.

He might not be the flashiest, but his impact is insurmountable. Florentino Perez is a hound when it comes to scouting talent, and man did he do so when it came to this player. The middle of the field is the most important part. Those that control and create properly make scouting directors’ foam at the mouth.

Insert Jude Bellingham. A promising young talent rising from the English Leagues, made a strategic move to Borussia Dortmund, a club notoriously known to generate superstars. With great performances and an exceptional impact, his stint at Dortmund led to a blockbuster move to Madrid.

It didn’t take a few seasons for Jude to leave his mark on the squad; his impact was instant. This was evident in the most recent Champions League fixture for Madrid. On a chilly night underneath the Champions League stars, the lights are always bright. Bellingham while out with injury for quite some time, always comes back to shine on the big stage.

A highly anticipated matchup with Juventus laid in front of Los Blancos. The Champions League is a special competition for this club, as they have dominated it throughout history. However, the matches against Juventus hold more weight. Whether it is a final in 2016 or a win in the 2017/2018 quarterfinals of the Champions League, Real Madrid has ruled the Italian side as of late.

Big stage, JUDE is your guy! What started as a sleepy and lackadaisical match ended up being a massive transition back into football for Bellingham.

Through the first half of the match, Juventus looked dominant and insightful. Dusan Vlahovic had clinical chances on goal and one that eclipsed into a massive stop necessary of Thibaut Cortouis’s help.

While Juve looked a quality side, it was Jude Bellingham in his white kit that disrupted the middle of the pitch causing chaos. His ability to find positions in the middle of the pitch creates a headache for any team. This culminated into a severe migraine for the Italian side.

Nothing separated the two sides in the first half, but come the second, Xabi Alonso had to have injected those boys with venom. Real Madrid came out the tunnel and stepped on the pitch with an intensity Madridista fans are used to seeing.

“HEY JUDE!’. Minute 57 let’s talk about it. Piggybacking on the disruption Bellingham was causing throughout the middle of the pitch, the wings opened behind his efforts. Vinicius Jr. and Valverde utilized this to feed the ball into the box or rip shots on goal. With a threatening offensive, finally Vini Jr. came down the flank and sent a ripper of a shot towards goal. BANG, the post rattled an
echo across the stadium. Just when a clinical chance came up short, JUDE, as jeers rang out across the stadium. Bellingham found himself in another great area of the pitch to finish a much-needed goal.

The remaining half of the match saw Real Madrid continually threatening Juventus and Igor Tudor’s job. The whistle finally blew keeping Madrid perfect in Champions League play. What a special player Bellingham is and will continue to be. It wasn’t a blockbuster game, but again Bellingham’s presence on the pitch made a world of difference. If Madridistas are dreaming of a Champions League title this year they shouldn’t dream any longer as Belligol can make it reality.

Real Madrid vs Juventus Post Presser

October 22, 2025 / Admin / 0 Comments

Juventus Manager (Igor Tudor)

“You had two different attacks in the match today that looked very different. What do you need to attack against a more solidified defense?”
- “We are going to struggle against Real Madrid when playing at the Bernabeu, it is a difficult place to play against a great team.
“I want to ask about Vlahovic’s play today with much of the game being played with his back to the goal and defending”
- “I think he played quite well today and was being pressed for almost 60 yards.”
“Could you tell us about the Juve players that asked for a red card against Diaz?”
- “I do not remember seeing this. I would have to watch the game back.”

Real Madrid Manager (Xabi Alonso)

“Three out of three in the Champions league, what would you say about Courtois being one of the best players on your team”
- “Courtois helped tremendously in the beginning of the match before the first goal that helped lead to our best minutes the rest of the game. He is excellent and we are happy with the result.”
“How do you feel about Arda Guler after today’s game and how he has adapted to the position he is playing.”
- “I am happy with his progression, but we want more. He is growing and learning well, but there are some mechanics he needs to improve on.”
“With the match against Barcelona around the corner, would you say your team is ready and where you want it to be at now?”
- “We are exactly where we need to be as a team and are looking to continue preparing for the match this weekend with still some things to improve.”
“How do you teach Bellingham the balance between playing higher on the pitch and also playing exceptional in the midfield”
- “We are looking to help him develop as he was great in both areas on the pitch today. He can succeed when playing in tight positions.”

*END OF INTERVIEW*