Real Madrid round-up: transfer news, Zamorano, Kroos, Zidane
Today's bitesize Real Madrid news features the anniversary of Iván Zamorano's first appearance for the club, Toni Kroos on Zinedine Zidane, and more.
Real Madrid train for final time before Salzburg trip
Having returned to training on Monday after being given the weekend off by head coach Zinedine Zidane, the Real Madrid squad went through their paces once more on Tuesday morning, in what was their final session before travelling to Austria to take on domestic champions Red Bull Salzburg.
Wednesday night's clash at Red Bull Arena, which kicks off at 19:00 CEST, is Madrid's sixth warm-up fixture ahead of the new season, and will be their first match on Austrian soil since goals by Julio Baptista, Raúl González Blanco and Javier Saviola sealed a 3-2 victory over Lask Linz in July 2008.
Kroos: "It was a tricky moment for Zidane to come back"
Toni Kroos has praised Zidane in an interview in the German magazine Kicker, and acknowledged that the Frenchman was handed a difficult brief when he returned as coach in March. "It was a tricky moment for him to come back - we were completely out of the running," the midfielder said, before adding: "He always wants to improve as a coach and is constantly turning ideas over in his mind."
After a disappointing pre-season period in which Madrid have won just once in five games and suffered the ignominy of losing 7-3 to city rivals Atlético Madrid, Kroos admitted: "We're looking to play better and more consistently than we have. That's what you need to do if you're to challenge for trophies."
Also in the news...
- Nuevo Bernabéu: work continues as roof is ready to fall
- Pogba: Raiola mentions Juve to put pressure on Real Madrid
- United in talks for Eriksen as potential Pogba replacement
Seoane close to Huesca switch
Real Madrid Castilla midfielder Jaime Seoane is on the verge of sealing a season-long loan move to Segunda División club SD Huesca. The 22-year-old Spaniard, who has been in Madrid's youth set-up since the age of nine, was a part of the first team's summer tour to North America and Germany, making substitute appearances in the games against Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Fenerbahce.
On this day...
It is exactly 27 years since Iván Zamorano made his first appearance for Real Madrid, scoring once as Los Blancos secured a 3-1 friendly victory over Hercúles in Alicante. Nicknamed 'Bam Bam', he went on to bag 101 goals in 173 competitive matches for the club, winning one LaLiga title, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup during his four seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu.