'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou named Vinicius Junior as his favorite Real Madrid player. "The Predator" recently visited Los Blancos' training facilities as the Madrid giants are conducting their pre-season in the United States.
Ngannou is currently under contract with MMA organization PFL. However, he is set to take on Tyson Fury in a boxing match next to make his debut inside the squared ring.
The Cameroonian, though, spent some off time visiting Los Blancos players like Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, Luka Modric, Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Vinicius Junior and more.
Ngannou was asked to name his favorite Real Madrid player. He replied:
"Vini."
Apart from that, the knockout machine expressed his delight at getting to watch one of the best clubs in the world from that close, saying:
"It's quite exciting. To be so close, it's different from watching it on social media."
Courtois, meanwhile, cracked a joke, telling Ngannou:
"You are stronger, I am bigger."
Carlo Ancelotti thinks Real Madrid's squad has improved
Real Madrid lost one of their legendary players in recent times, Karim Benzema, at the start of the season as the Frenchman completed a lucrative move to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.
The team, however, have completed a marquee signing in the form of Jude Bellingham. Apart from that, players like Fran Garcia and Arda Guler have also joined the Madrid giants.
Carlo Ancelotti recently made a bold claim as the Italian thinks that the Madrid giants have improved their squad despite losing Benzema. He said (via Football Espana):
“Bellingham is a great interior with something we were missing: the ability to arrive in the box. The squad has improved. I want to try something new. If it doesn’t work out, we have the old system, which gave us so many successes."
He further added about the entire team:
“I think the squad has improved despite having lost a legend like Karim Benzema, to whom we wish the best.”
Los Blancos have the perfect mix of youth and experience in their side, and by forming a proper team chemistry, they can thrive under Ancelotti next season.
