Real Madrid round-up: Morata, Asensio, Bale, Kroos, Bernabéu
Real Madrid are set to present their "new signings", Morata and Asensio, this week, while Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos are ready to return to action in the Bernabéu Trophy
Real Madrid to present "new" signings
Real Madrid has decided that it is to present “new” signings, Alvaro Morata and Asensio, to the fans and media this week. Youth team product Morata was brought back to the Bernabéu for €30m this summer after a two-season spell at Juventus, while Asensio – who was signed from Mallorca in 2014 but then loaned straight back to them the following season before spending another year at Espanyol in 2015-16 – has impressed Zidane so much upon his return that Real Madrid has decided to keep hold of him (quite possibly at the expense of Isco or James).
Neither player have had an official presentation before, and with both now guaranteed to stay at the club, Real Madrid wants to give them the welcome back it feels they deserve. There are two options: present the players on Tuesday before the Bernabéu Trophy match against Stade de Reims, or organise something on Monday at the pre-game press conference. The club is yet to announce which it’ll be.
Bale and Kroos to play in Bernabéu Trophy
Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos have been ruled fit and ready to face Stade de Reims in the Bernabéu Trophy on Tuesday night, which will act as Los Blancos’ last warm-up game before the start of La Liga next Sunday (away at Real Sociedad, 20:15 CET). The two players only returned to training on 6 August after reaching the semifinals of Euro 2016 with their respective nations, forcing them to miss the club’s preseason tour of North America and the UEFA Super Cup win over Sevilla.
However, having worked hard over the past week in training, Bale and Kroos will both be wanting to get some match fitness back in time for the new season, so will certainly play at least some part of the friendly (which has been organised to commemorate Madrid’s first ever European Cup win 60 years ago against Stade de Reims).
Thousands of tickets left for friendly
On the subject of the Bernabéu Trophy, the stadium looks like it’s only going to be partially full on Tuesday night (22:00 CET). On Sunday, three days before the game, 32,000 seats were left unsold, despite the relatively reasonable price of tickets (ranging from €10 to €50).
Perhaps the slow sales are down to the lack of a new gálactico signing this summer, or maybe it’s just because of the late evening kick-off on a midweek night. That said, last year 70,000 fans watched Real Madrid take on Galatasary in the same friendly fixture.