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Real Madrid are preparing to host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday (October 5) on matchday three of the UEFA Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's men are atop Group F with a 100% win record.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos could face competition from Liverpool for a Leicester City midfielder. Elsewhere, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has opened up on Eden Hazard's role in the national team.
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On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on October 5, 2022:
Real Madrid face Liverpool competition for Youri Tielemans
Real Madrid will face competition from Liverpool for the signature of Youri Tielemans, according to Calciomercato via Caught Offside.
Los Blancos are overseeing a revamp of their midfield, as Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are on the wrong side of 30. Tielemans has emerged as an option, with his contract with Leicester City set to expire next summer.
Madrid are plotting a Bosman move for the Leicester midfielder. However, the Reds also have their eyes on the Belgian, as manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to add more quality to the middle of the park.
Roberto Martinez opens up on Eden Hazard situation
Roberto Martinez has said that there are questions about Eden Hazard's place in Belgium's World Cup squad. The Real Madrid forward has struggled with lack of form and injuries since joining the club in 2019. He has dropped down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Speaking to RTBF, as cited by Marca, Martinez said that while Hazard is one of the best in the world, his fitness remains an issue.
"Hazard is still a very important player for the national team; that's for sure. His experience, his influence on opponents, his ability to take out a man, to create danger... In this profile he is still, in my opinion, one of the best in the world. But now we have to ask ourselves if he can still play 90 minutes or seven games in a very short period of time," said Martinez.
Martinez went on to speak in depth about Hazard's role in the national team.
"It is very different, and his situation can change a lot in the next five weeks. Everyone knows that Eden has played very few games for a long time, and that has consequences. We will take stock of his situation as the World Cup approaches and see what role we can give him," said Martinez.
He added:
"I don't see him as a No.9 or even behind the striker. He has to play on the left and come into play from there. I also don't see him as an impact player coming off the bench. He is a player who has to carry the rhythm of the game from the start. We know exactly what we can expect from him."
Hazard has appeared four times this season and has scored one goal.
Carlo Ancelotti prioritising Champions League over La Liga
Carlo Ancelotti prefers a Champions League triumph to a La Liga win. The Italian guided Real Madrid to a European double last season and is expected to repeat the feat this campaign.
Speaking ahead of the Shakhtar game, Ancelotti said that the premier European tournament is the most important.
"I would always want to win the Champions League. The league is important, but the Champions League is the most important. They’re different. In one, you play 38 games, and in the other, much fewer. Sometimes it’s just a 180-minute tie. That’s where every little detail counts," said Ancelotti.
Ancelotti also refused to talk about luck, insisting that it's important to concentrate on the small details instead.
"It’s not good luck or bad luck. Talking about luck sometimes hides the problems you have and takes away from your opponents. If I say that we were unlucky against Osasuna, then I’m hiding the fact that we struggled when we had the ball and that they played well," said Ancelotti.
He added:
"It’s important to talk about the little details; in the Champions League you can concede three goals in a few minutes; it’s happened to me before. It can happen to you in a semifinal. You can control these little details by being mentally strong. Real Madrid are the team that have done that the best."
Los Blancos have won all but one game this season.
