Friday’s Real Links: Flying Luka!

Friday’s edition of ‘The Real Links’ features updates on Real Madrid players on international duty, Angel Di Maria says he nearly joined Barcelona, and some crazy fan antics in Greece. Let’s jump in!

Goal of the Day

I know it’s nothing special, but this goal has huge implication in the World Cup qualifying playoff. In the opening leg of the playoff with Greece, Luka Modric expertly put away this penalty to open the accord just 13 minutes in.

Luka was phenomenal playing as an attacking midfielder, finishing with an 8.2 match rating as his Croatian side rolled to a 4-1 win at home.

Props to the midfield maestro, Luka.

Real Madrid Links

Sergio Ramos calls out Cristiano Ronaldo for comments about team

Uh oh.

Could there be a bit of turmoil brewing in Madrid? A couple days ago Cristiano Ronaldo made a comment about Real Madrid missing the likes of Pepe, James Rodriguez, and Alvaro Morata.

Sergio Ramos does not agree.

“I do not agree with Cristiano,” he told Cadena SER. “I think it’s an opportunist opinion. When we won two Super Cups [UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa de Espana], nobody missed anyone.”

“I would place more of the emphasis on injuries. The team is stronger when we’re all together. I don’t miss anyone. No one. The squad has changed, of course, but some contribute some things and others have another role.”

Yikes.

Zidane, Del Piero, Xabi Alonso and Kaka meet up in Russia

This is just the best group of guys I’ve seen in one picture together.

So many feels.

Eden Hazard wants to play for Zidane at Real Madrid

Much like David de Gea, the rumors of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid never seem to go away.

Early Thursday, the Chelsea midfielder said it his ‘dream’ to play under Zinedine Zidane. Especially at Real.

“Everyone knows the respect I have for the man,” he said. “For the player he was and for the coach he is, he was my idol. Of course, I don’t know, what will happen in my career in the future, but to play under him would be a dream.”

The 26-year-old was quick to backtrack on his comment, finishing with: “At this time, though, I’m happy at Chelsea. I still have a lot of things to do at Chelsea, and I’m focused on Chelsea.”

We will see about that Mr. Hazard.

Documentary about Bernabeu premiers at the stadium

President Florentino Perez and the director of the film Ignacio Salazar-Simpson attended the premiere of the documentary, Bernabeu, Thursday night at the stadium named after the man who was the president of the club for 35 years.

Projected onto four giant screens and with fans filling one half of the stadium, received incredible support and is set to be released today.

I’ll have to go check it out.