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Real Madrid are just over 24 hours away from kicking off their clash against newly-promoted Elche at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium. The Blancos now find themselves behind Barcelona as well as rivals Atletico Madrid in the league table and will look to keep the pressure on both their fierce rivals. Zinedine Zidane's men are then scheduled to take on Atalanta Bergamo in Europe as they defend their 1-0 lead in the tie.
Ahead of the game, here is a look at some of the latest Real Madrid news.
Sergio Ramos drops huge hint over Erling Haaland transfer
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has dropped a massive hint over a potential move for Erling Haaland, saying it could be 'easier' to sign him than Kylian Mbappe. The two young superstars are tipped to be Real Madrid's priority targets come summer as they look to refresh their attack and return to the pinnacle of European football.
When Sergio Ramos was asked which of the two he would sign if he was a coach, he responded;
"[Erling] Haaland or [Kylian] Mbappe if I were a coach? I would like to have both of them, but a coach does not sign. Perhaps, due to the circumstances and the current situation, today I think it would be a little easier to sign Haaland."
The 34-year-old Real Madrid icon added;
"Mbappe is talked about as the Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi replacement, and the circumstances are more complicated. It would never be bad to reinforce Madrid with a 9 like Haaland, who has something that we do not have: speed, hunger, height ... Mbappe has it too, of course, but it would be much easier today to come to terms with Haaland."
The Frenchman and the Norwegian are often talked up as the two players set to define an era of football who can succeed Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi in this regard.
Zinedine Zidane 'does not know' what will happen with Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos' future has been one of the biggest talking points ahead of the summer window so far. The Spanish defender's contract is set to expire come summer and while he is reported to be keen to extend his stay, Ramos is yet to agree to the terms offered by the club.
When asked whether he could provide an update on the centre-back's future, head coach Zinedine Zidane explained;
"I don’t know what is going to happen. We want Sergio [Ramos] to stay here. He is an important player for us and as a coach I can only say that I want him to continue playing here. Will Ramos play until he’s 40? That is what Sergio has said. He is a special player. His intention is already good because he wants to continue playing."
Should he become a free agent this summer, Ramos will have no shortage of suitors as the likes of Manchester United, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and other clubs are believed to be interested in signing the Real Madrid man.
Ramos himself is unsure over his future. Speaking on his future, the 34-year-old revealed;
"I wish I could say something, but everything remains the same. I’m just thinking about coming back and finishing the season in the best possible way. There’s no news about my renewal, as much as I’d like there to be. I’m calm, only thinking about playing again and savouring another title."
Zinedine Zidane comments on Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid reunion
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has remained tight-lipped when asked about a potential reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman branded the Portuguese a 'majestic' footballer and said that Los Blancos still retain a great amount of love for him, but refused to give away much else on the matter.
Reputed Real Madrid journalist Jose Felix Diaz broke the story of a potential return to Spain for Cristiano Ronaldo after a third successive UEFA Champions League elimination with Juventus.
Zidane was asked about a move for Cristiano Ronaldo on the back of these reports, to which he responded;
"You know who Cristiano [Ronaldo] is, what he has done for this club and how much love we have for him. Here he made history, he is magnificent. Now he is a Juve player and I cannot tell you anything about what they are saying. He is a Juventus player and I have to respect these things."
With the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's contract at Juventus set to expire in the summer of 2022, it remains to be seen if Cristiano Ronaldo extends his stay in Turin or returns to Real Madrid, where he spent nine glorious campaigns scoring 450 goals in 438 games.
