Hala MadridXtra

🚨 JUST IN: Endrick joining Lyon on loan this January is very close to happening. A paid loan of €800,000 is being discussed, with penalties to pay if he plays fewer than 25 matches.

Real Madrid will cover part of his salary.

Only detail left to settle is Real Madrid wants to include a recall clause in case of injury to a striker until January 31, while Lyon want to reduce the clause to January 15.

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🗣️ Toni Kroos: “Arda Güler has a really fine touch, which he’s already used very effectively this season. That’s why I hope he keeps getting consistent playing time because that’s the only way he can improve. I’m sure he’ll be able to make his mark at the club for many years.”

🗣️ Toni Kroos: “Arda Güler my successor? He’s a different type of player. His best position is clearly more attacking than mine, so it’s not about me being replaced at all. But I’m generally happy for him because he's a good guy.”

🗣️ Toni Kroos: “I’m happy that Arda Güler is getting significantly more minutes this year because he’s earned it on the pitch and he’s a player you can rely on for the future.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “Xabi Alonso is doing really well at Real Madrid. He did really well at Leverkusen and I hope the best for him, because I’m a Real Madrid supporter.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “Xabi Alonso is a good profile for Real Madrid.

I was sure about him being a good manager, but he’s also a good profile for a Real Madrid manager.

Was I involved in choosing him? Absolutely not. But he’s a good profile because he knows the team and I was sure because he had a really good view of the play when he was a player. He was a fantastic midfielder.”

“People say there are questions marks on Jude Bellingham (in England media), what’s he like?”

Carlo Ancelotti: “No question marks. Why do you have to put question marks on Bellingham? I never had a problem with him or an attitude. He’s really professional, very serious, works hard in training. No complaints at all.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “Jude Bellingham is a fantastic player. If I have to compare, it’s like Kaká, this kind of player. Really talented, physically very strong, fantastic in arriving to the box at the right time. He did really well & still doing really well.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “I try to talk to all the players in the same way.

But I don’t want to explain to all the players why they’re not playing. But the player that’s used to playing, I have to explain to him why he’s not playing.

I can treat the player that’s used to playing different than to the player that’s most of the time on the bench.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “I try to have a relationship with the person, not the player, because if you ask the player ‘who are you?’, they’re used to saying ‘I’m a player’, not ‘a person who plays football’.

Sometimes a manager has to make a decision that is only a professional decision, but the professional decision sometimes affects the personal relationship.

For example, if I put a player I have a good relationship with on the bench, the day after, he won’t say ‘Hello’ to you because I put him on the bench, but I put on the bench the player, not the person, and that’s not easy for a player to understand.”

🗣️ Carlo Ancelotti: “Managing egos? I think it’s important to have players with ego in the squad, but the individual ego must not be more than the team goals.

Two weeks ago in a Brazil press conference, I said I don’t want to put players that want to be the best player in the World Cup, I want players who want to win the World Cup.

Individual ego is important to reach the goals of the squad. And I have to say, it’s not difficult to manage top players because they’re usually the most professional players. One of the most professional players was Cristiano Ronaldo. Another one with an ego and a strong personality is Sergio Ramos, but it’s a good ego for the team.”

🚨 Carlo Ancelotti: “Real Madrid’s results have been SPECTACULAR so far. What more can you ask Xabi Alonso for?”