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Spanish champions Real Madrid suffered another massive setback in their pursuit of a second consecutive LaLiga Santander title as they dropped two precious points at home to Real Sociedad. Los Blancos needed an 89th-minute winner from winger Vinicius Jr to avoid a fifth league loss in 25 games for Zinedine Zidane's side, who now sit third in the table behind Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
Ahead of their upcoming blockbuster clash against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano, here is a look at some of the latest Real Madrid news.
Zinedine Zidane admits tactical change could have hurt Real Madrid
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has admitted that his change of set-up at half-time could have potentially hurt his side during the 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad. The Blancos hosted La Real at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano and the French coach switched to a three-at-the-back system at the break, after which Portu was left unmarked in the box to score the opener.
Zidane was asked about his change after the game, and the manager said upon being pressed on the matter;
"I changed it because I wasn't happy with our pressing. If you've asked me and that's now three times, then yes, maybe. We had to change things because, after an hour, the team was a bit tired. Sometimes we have to change things. In the end, you try to find things to change the dynamic."
Vinicius Jr bagged an equaliser in the dying embers of the game to spare Real Madrid's blushes, but the two dropped points could prove costly in the context of the title race.
Real Madrid could sell Gareth Bale permanently
After leaving Spain on a dry loan spell to his former club Tottenham Hotspur, there is now a possibility of Real Madrid making Gareth Bale's move permanent, as per reports. The Welshman was infamously frozen out at the Santiago Bernabeu and was pushed towards the exit door, paving the way for a return to North London.
With Real Madrid looking to massively cut down their current wage bill and Bale not being a part of Zinedine Zidane's plans, the club will be more than happy to sell him to Spurs according to The Express. Getting his £600,000-a-week wages off their bill would help them in their pursuit of Kylian Mbappe, said to be valued at £135m, and other priority targets.
While Bale struggled to settle back at his former club under Jose Mourinho, he has been in good touch in recent weeks and shone in a 4-0 rout of Burnley at the weekend, scoring a brace and grabbing an assist as well.
Real Madrid to sell Raphael Varane to Manchester United
In what could become one of the transfer sagas of the summer, Raphael Varane's future at Real Madrid is growing increasingly uncertain. The French star has long been one of the most vital players to Los Blancos' dominance in Europe and is one of Zidane's untouchables in the line-up. However, he could be in a tricky situation this summer, due to a contract that expires in 2022.
An exclusive report from the MEN claims that Varane is unhappy with the salary he has been offered to renew his deal in comparison to the higher earners at the club, due to which he could seek a move away from Real Madrid.
For this reason, Los Blancos could cash in on Varane, who turns 28 next month, in the summer as opposed to letting him walk away for free the year after. This could be a massive blow for Real Madrid as Sergio Ramos could also potentially leave the club in a few months.
