Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur meet at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday to kick off the 2015 Audi Cup in Munich, Germany.

For Real Madrid, this two-day, four-team summer tournament, also featuring Bayern Munich and AC Milan, is the third component of their ongoing pre-season campaign, following stints in the International Champions Cup in Australia and China.

In both stops, Los Blancos were successful, clinching the trophy on each occasion and losing just once in four games, when a scoreless draw with AS Roma in Melbourne was decided on penalties. Under the new management of Rafa Benitez, Real’s progression this summer has been intriguing (see here and here), and Tuesday’s meeting with Spurs represents another important step in the club’s transitional phase ahead of the new season.

For Tottenham, meanwhile, this trip to Munich comes at the back end of a long pre-season campaign that has visited Australia, Malaysia and the U.S. Against Sydney FC and a Malaysia XI, the north Londoners emerged triumphant, but they enter Tuesday’s clash with Real Madrid following a 2-1 defeat to the MLS All-Stars in Colorado on Thursday.

Under manager Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs are also in a period of transition, with the club’s squad seeing some significant changes in the transfer market following the arrivals of Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer and Kieran Trippier—a trio who have come in amid the exits of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Benjamin Stambouli, Vlad Chiriches, Lewis Holtby and Younes Kaboul, among others. Roberto Soldado, Emmanuel Adebayor and Aaron Lennon could soon follow suit, too.

But the element of this match that’s perhaps more interesting than any other is Gareth Bale coming up against his old club for the first time since his record-breaking move from White Hart Lane to the Bernabeu in 2013. What sort of reunion will it prove to be?

Match Details

Date: Tuesday, August 4

Time: 5:15 p.m. BST (12:15 p.m. EDT, 6:15 p.m. local)

Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany

TV Info: Premier Sports (UK), ESPN2 (U.S.), beIN Sports (Spain), ZDF (Germany)

Live Stream: Premier Player (UK), ESPN Player (U.S.), beIN Sports CONNECT (Spain), ZDF Livestream (Germany)

Team News 

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema will be absent for Real Madrid in this Audi Cup, with the club’s official website announcing the Portuguese “suffered lower back pain during the latest training session” and that the Frenchman “overloaded his right thigh in the last session.”

Ronaldo’s absence will likely afford a chance to Denis Cheryshev on the left side of Benitez’s 4-2-3-1, while Jese will likely come in for Benzema at the head of the attack.

The pair of superstar forwards are the only names missing for Real Madrid, with Benitez’s squad as follows:

Keylor Navas, Kiko Casilla, Ruben Yanez, Raphael Varane, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo, Daniel Carvajal, Alvaro Arbeloa, Danilo, Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Denis Cheryshev, Isco, Asier Illarramendi, Marco Asensio, Martin Odegaard, Jese, Lucas Vazquez and Borja Mayoral.

Tottenham also announced their squad for this tournament Monday, and it’s essentially the same group the club took to the U.S, with Soldado, Adebayor, Lennon (uncertain futures) and Andros Townsend (injured) absent from the 23-man group listed below:

Michel Vorm, Hugo Lloris, Luke McGee, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Eric Dier, Federico Fazio, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer, Jan Vertonghen, Nabil Bentaleb, Ryan Mason, Harry Winks, Dele Alli, Mousa Dembele, Tom Carroll, Josh Onomah, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Nacer Chadli, Harry Kane.

Predicted Lineups

Players to Watch

Inevitably, all eyes will be on Bale on Tuesday as the Welshman comes up against his old side for the first time since moving to Real Madrid.

However, the interest surrounding Bale will centre on more than just his Tottenham reunion; with Ronaldo and Benzema missing, it’s an ideal opportunity for the former Spurs star to lead Benitez’s attacking quartet, and he looks as if he’ll do so while continuing in his new role in the hole behind the striker.

Behind Bale, defensive midfielder Casemiro is another Real Madrid player to watch closely.

Having started both of the club’s games in China against AC Milan and Inter Milan, the Brazilian looks to be among the fringe players most likely to rise to prominence at the Bernabeu in 2015-16.

A more rugged central option than Kroos or Modric, Casemiro is a strong ball winner and effective tackler, a player who seemingly enjoys the game’s grittier elements. At this stage, the 23-year-old looks to be the man Benitez will turn to when the manager wants to add a defensive edge to his new side, and another strong performance here would likely confirm that status.

For Tottenham, Kane will undoubtedly be the side’s biggest drawing card in Munich, following his spectacular breakout season in the Premier League in 2014-15.

For Kane, this will be his first match against one of the heavyweights from the continent, given the absence of Champions League football at White Hart Lane in recent seasons. Interestingly, it will also come against the outfit that was reported to be scouting him at various junctures last season, per Pete Jenson of the Daily Mail.

Further back in Tottenham’s lineup, another man to watch will be new signing Alderweireld.

Not surprisingly, the Belgian was a hit in the Premier League last season at Southampton, with the formative years he spent at Ajax (technical proficiency) and Atletico Madrid (defensive principles) providing him with a delightfully rounded skill set for a modern centre-back.

Now in north London, the 26-year-old will be looking to settle quickly into his new club and will want to cement his position in the middle of Pochettino‘s back four this pre-season.

Odds (via OddsChecker)

• Real Madrid: 2-5
• Draw: 15-4
• Tottenham Hotspur: 6-1

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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has fears over the reception he may receive from Red Devils fans on the first day of the Premier League season amid his ongoing links with a move to Real Madrid.

According to Spanish outlet Marca‘s Ruben Jimenez, United fans are “baying for blood” over the ongoing De Gea transfer saga, while the mooted Sergio Ramos swap-deal that seems to be dead in the water has also riled them up.

The Old Trafford outfit kick off their 2015-16 Premier League campaign at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, and De Gea could be in for a frosty reception should he be playing.

However, he may well not turn out for a number of reasons, not least because the Spaniard may already be gone, as he could complete his transfer to the Bernabeu this week. He could also refuse to play amid fears over the reception, and Real are unlikely to want to see him appear for United ahead of his imminent move to Madrid, per Jimenez’s report.

Talks over De Gea’s transfer are expected to accelerate now that pre-season is drawing to a close.

While United boss Louis van Gaal is resigned to losing De Gea and wants him out as soon as possible, the Old Trafford hierarchy are refusing to lower their asking price of €40 million (£28 million), per Jimenez. 

While the 24-year-old De Gea has only one year left on his contract at Old Trafford, Real may yet be forced to pay such a fee if they want to snap him up.

Per Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe, he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and Real’s current crop—Keylor Navas and Kiko Casilla—are not up to scratch for a side seeking La Liga and Champions League glory in the coming term:

De Gea proved last season he is truly a world-class goalkeeper, his numerous superlative performances often responsible for handing United three points or saving them one.

It now seems clear he wants the move to Madrid—his birthplace and home to previous club Atletico—but United are not going to let him go without a fight.

Indeed, the Manchester Evening News‘ Samuel Luckhurst suggests United need to keep hold of him no matter what if they wish to challenge for the title:

But the Real transfer machine is formidable, and they usually get their man, president Florentino Perez a particular connoisseur in the art of confirming a deal late in the transfer window, per Marca‘s Olivier Martinez. 

Ronaldo—the Brazilian one—finally made his switch from Inter Milan to the Bernabeu in the dying hours of the transfer window in the summer of 2002. Meanwhile, Gareth Bale‘s deadline-day move in 2013 was also the culmination of protracted negotiations. 

The De Gea transfer could yet be a last-minute deal, as it has already been drawn out longer than many expected.

With United holding firm over their asking price, Real may have to shell out some significant cash, but it will be worth it to claim the services of one of the world’s best goalkeepers this summer. 

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Liverpool are apparently poised to land Barcelona winger Adama Traore, but according to reports, the Blaugrana are keen to include Philippe Coutinho as part of any potential deal.

Focusing on Traore first, according to Sport (h/t Joe Rimmer of the Liverpool Echo), the 19-year-old will head to Merseyside for a medical ahead of making a move. The piece claimed a host of young players could leave the Catalan club after Barca B’s relegation to the third tier of Spanish football.

Here’s a look at the kind of quality Traore could bring to Anfield:

The teenager is certainly an exciting talent. Blessed with searing pace and a thunderous shot, Traore is one of the most highly rated players currently developing at the Masia academy. As such, it would be a big surprise to see Barcelona let the youngster leave the club on any kind of permanent deal.

But what would be even more peculiar would be Liverpool agreeing to include Coutinho as part of any deal. Metro cited “reports in Spain” that claim the Brazilian could be key to completing a transfer for Traore and stated it’s “not known” whether Reds boss Brendan Rodgers would be willing to entertain any offers for the former Inter Milan man.

As we can see here, courtesy of WhoScored.com, Coutinho is a key creative player for the Reds:

There seems to be very little in the story too. After all, while Traore is a player who has plenty of potential, it’d be puzzling if the Reds gave up their standout performer from 2014-15 in an attempt to land him.

Big things will be expected of the Brazilian this season. In a squad that has been given a major facelift for the second consecutive summer—with James Milner and Roberto Firmino joining Coutinho in Liverpool’s midfield—the fan favourite is expected to thrive.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell took a look at some potential business the Reds might conduct before the transfer window closes:

With Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard gone, the club needs a new talisman, a role Coutinho will likely be keen to assume. Encouragingly, as we can see here, courtesy of Selecao Brasileira, the 23-year-old looks to be in fine form during pre-season:

Securing Traore on loan would be a strange move for the Reds. The point of these types of deals is to give the youngsters playing time, but Rodgers already has plenty of attacking options, meaning it’s be difficult to see when the Barca man would be needed. Everton, who are also keen on the player, according to Metro, would seem a much more natural fit.

As for Coutinho going the other way? There’s no chance of that happening this summer. You can see why Barcelona would be enamoured by the intricate Brazilian, but with the start of the Premier League season just days away, Liverpool likely wouldn’t entertain any offers for Coutinho, who could establish himself as the most important player at the club.

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The ball sits flat on the pristine green turf. Around three yards away stands Cristiano Ronaldo, shark eyes looking into the middle distance, pose fixed, arms out but pointed downward either side of his torso. Up he strides, making that perfect but almost unnatural contact that provides no spin.

Ronaldo’s victim, the ball, lurches toward the goal and before the man between the posts can blink, let alone move, the ball nestles in the back of his net.

Except, these days, only the first part of that is regularly seen at the Santiago Bernabeu. Too often these days Ronaldo’s free-kicks land in the goalkeeper’s hands, into the wall, wide of the goal or over it.

It has become an issue at the club, with many fans calling for someone else to take these dead-ball situations, with Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez popular shouts. There’s also Isco and Sergio Ramos, among others, who can take a mean free-kick.

But Ronaldo, Bale and James are the team’s poster boys and at Real Madrid, with their galacticos policy, that’s an important factor to take into consideration. Despite this, their sheer ability with a dead ball is enough to accept these three players being the first choices.

Ronaldo’s free-kick statistics can be interpreted in two ways. Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid’s official website goes for a positive spin. After he scored from one against Eibar in April, the club published a news story highlighting his success.

It was his 17^th goal from a free-kick in La Liga, taking his tally for Madrid to 25 in all competitions. The club wrote: “Since moving to Spain, in the 2009-10 season, he has become La Liga’s top free kick marksman. His register of 17 goals far exceeds the tallies of Messi (12) and Benat (7).”

That is, of course, impressive. Ronaldo has scored plenty of excellent free-kicks for his club. But it doesn’t tell the whole story. That goal against Eibar—helped in part by Xabier Irureta’s shoddy goalkeeping—actually ended a horrible run for the forward.

Ronaldo had gone an astonishing 56 efforts without finding the net for Los Blancos, the best part of a calendar year. The Eibar strike, on April 11 2015, was his first goal from a free-kick since April 29, 2014, against Bayern Munich.

The month before he ended his drought, the Daily Mail published an article highlighting his recent lack of success from free-kicks. Pete Jenson explained:

Ronaldo has sent 21 of his efforts straight into the wall and placed 14 high or wide of the target; while keepers or posts and crossbars have done for the rest. Gareth Bale has only scored once this season but it is Real’s only goal scored from a free-kick. …

Bale scores a free-kick every 9.5 attempts while Ronaldo’s ratio is one every 15.6 attempts. Bale also came out ahead of Andrea Pirlo who scores one every 10.5 attempts and Leo Messi who scores every 14 times he takes a free-kick.

So what’s the problem with Ronaldo? Some suggest his knee is a problem. According to Goal, Brazilian set-piece expert Marcos Assuncao thinks the player may be holding back so as not to aggravate it.

“A knee injury can affect things. I had a problem in my right knee and had difficulties because of that. When I was going to hit the ball, the knee movement, with the impact, caused me pain,” he said.

“If he has this problem, it may be also affecting his way of hitting the ball. This problem changes some movements and the ball can go over the crossbar or hit the wall—he may be avoiding impact and pain.”

Although his style looks similar, minor changes can cause big differences in results. If Ronaldo is modifying his technique to suit how his body feels, it may be having an impact.

De jure, the Portugal star shares free-kick duty with Gareth Bale, with the latter taking opportunities on the right, because it suits his left foot, and vice versa. De facto, Ronaldo takes the vast majority of set pieces, including ones in central areas.

Bale scored as many free-kicks as Ronaldo last season despite taking far fewer, with the Welshman burying one against Espanyol as he tried to stake his claim to take more of the set pieces.

At his previous clubs, the Welshman was known as a free-kick wizard. At just 17 he scored his first senior goal for Southampton, in the 2006-07 Championship season, against Derby County.

He carried that on at Tottenham, where his prowess from free-kicks grew further. Bale uses similar technique to Ronaldo, striking the ball without any spin.

“The main thing when I’m running up is I hit the ball as flat as possible with no spin. I open my foot right up. I hit the ball exactly where I want, right in the middle,” he explained in a Lucozade video, h/t the Daily Mail.

“I then have to try and hit it so I’m not curling the ball. I want to get the flight of the ball to move and make it difficult for the keeper.”

According to WhoScored statistics (h/t SkySports) released after Ronaldo finally scored against Eibar, Bale is more accurate than his rival.

Ranking 35 players across Europe’s top five leagues who took more than 10 free-kicks last season, Ronaldo is only 25^th in the list, while Bale is 19^th. And now there is a new contender on the scene.

James scored from a free-kick against Getafe toward the end of last season and continued to show off his talents on the club’s recent preseason tour.

Sealing a comfortable 3-0 win over Inter Milan in the International Champions Cup, James netted his side’s final goal with an exquisite effort, curled into the top left corner. He had previously gone close with another good one in the same game.

Asked about the club’s free-kick situation after that match, Rafa Benitez replied, per Sport: “Cristiano took them in the first half and James did in the second. We’ll see what happens later on.”

This seems to leave the situation open for the season ahead, with the new man seemingly yet to decide who gets to take the set pieces. But who should?

The reality of the situation is that all three players have something to offer. Bale and James use the left foot, while Ronaldo bludgeons it with his right. Keeping the trio in contention for the set pieces means opposition walls and goalkeepers have less of an idea about who will take them.

Ronaldo shouldn’t be stripped of the duties, but he should be forced to share them out more evenly with his team-mates.

If one of the three then starts to prove he can score on a regular basis, then that player should take priority. Of course, the ego game may dictate that this is not how the situation will unfold.

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Manchester City‘s Stevan Jovetic has sealed a move to Inter Milan after signing a one-and-a-half-year loan with the idea of making it a permanent transfer, per Manchester City.

The move brings to an end a two-year spell for the striker at the Etihad Stadium following his £22 million move from Fiorentina in 2013.

Jovetic’s short-lived City career was plagued by injury, and he made only nine starts for the Sky Blues in the Premier League last term, per WhoScored.com.

However, the Montenegro international is a natural goalscorer, and five seasons in Serie A with Fiorentina should stand him in good stead at the San Siro.

Inter are looking to return to the top of Italian football in the upcoming season after finishing a lowly eighth in Serie A in 2014-15.

Jovetic is just one of several decent purchases the Nerazzurri have made this summer that should give Inter fans some hope of future improvement under manager Roberto Mancini, per David Amoyal of Gianluca Di Marzio’s website:

The 25-year-old Jovetic merely needs a stretch of uninterrupted fitness to prove he is the player City believed him to be when they paid more than £20 million for him.

In Serie A, where he flourished as a youngster in Florence, he could find his form and be a terrific asset for Inter both as a goalscorer and a creator.

Eurosport suggests how Jovetic may fit into the new-look Inter setup:

City will likely be relatively happy to have moved him off their wage bill as his impact has been limited at the Etihad despite his potential.

Jovetic now has an opportunity at Inter to prove he is no flop, and it will be interesting to see how he fares next term.  

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The 2015 International Champions Cup is drawing closer to its end after several exciting matches, lots of clashes between big sides and a number of fantastic goals being scored. Before it all finishes, we have another enticing clash in China as Real Madrid take on AC Milan.

Real started off in Australia before heading over to China, where they have already beaten Inter Milan comfortably by a 3-0 scoreline. This game, against another Milan side, will be their final participation in this year’s ICC.

AC Milan are similarly involved in their last game, having also beaten Inter Milan—a 1-0 win thanks to a stunning Philippe Mexes goal.

The match in Shanghai kicks off at 1 p.m. BST (8 a.m. ET), and our coverage starts shortly beforehand.

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Real Madrid will look to claim their second trophy of the pre-season on Thursday, when Los Blancos meet AC Milan in the final match of the Chinese leg of this summer’s International Champions Cup in Shanghai, China. 

After emerging victorious in the Australian leg of the tournament with a dominant 4-1 victory over Manchester City, Rafa Benitez’s men continued their good form in Guangzhou on Monday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Inter Milan.

Thursday’s clash with the Rossoneri is Real’s last before returning to Europe for the Audi Cup, and it will be the latest step in an important pre-season for the Spanish giants. 

Indeed, Madrid are undergoing a significant transitional period under Benitez at present, with the former Napoli boss currently introducing a new system, style and philosophy to the outfit he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti.

After an uninspiring scoreless draw with AS Roma in Melbourne to open this tour, Benitez’s critics were gaining voice. But consecutive victories since featuring flowing football have generated a certain sense of optimism around Los Blancos. 

Thursday’s outing represents a chance to build upon that. 

Date: Thursday, July 30

Time: 1 p.m. BST / 8 a.m. EDT / 8 p.m. local

Venue: Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, China

TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Fox Sports Go (U.S.)

Team News

After sitting out Real Madrid’s meeting with Inter Milan on Monday, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric should be available to Benitez against AC Milan, with the club’s official website reporting that the pair joined the rest of the squad in Wednesday’s open training session in Shanghai. 

The Frenchman and Croatian had picked up knocks against Manchester City in Melbourne, and the club opted for caution on Monday at this early stage of the campaign for two major stars. Both, though, could feature on Thursday. 

Additionally, James Rodriguez can be expected to make his first start of the pre-season in this clash. The Colombian has only recently joined up with the squad after being given extra time off following the Copa America, and he made a second-half substitute appearance against Inter in which he scored with a stunning free-kick.

The only Madrid player still struggling with an injury issue is Asier Illarramendi, who suffered a muscular strain while training in Melbourne and is expected to sit out this meeting with AC Milan. 

Predicted Lineup

Players to Watch

“Keylor Navas ‘locks down’ no. 1 spot… for now,” ran a Marca headline on Wednesday, the Madrid-based daily commenting on the Costa Rican’s delicate position in front of Kiko Casilla and amid the ongoing speculation of David De Gea’s potential arrival from Manchester United. 

Thus, this pre-season is particularly important for Navas, the former Levante shot-stopper still needing to convince Benitez of his worthiness for the No. 1 position following a season largely spent on the sidelines in 2014-15. 

Thursday’s clash is another opportunity to bolster his case.

It will also be intriguing to watch Gareth Bale in action against AC Milan.

Thus far this pre-season, Benitez has used the Welshman in a central role in the hole behind the main striker, clearly wanting to afford Bale greater freedom than that which he saw from his right-sided berth under Ancelotti last season.

So far the positional switch has produced mixed results, with the former Tottenham Hotspur star putting in some encouraging but hardly spectacular displays.

For Bale to make the role his own, he’ll need to start showing he can be a match winner with the greater responsibility. Could this clash with Milan be the first time we see him thrive centrally?

Odds (via OddsChecker)

Real Madrid: 4/9

Draw: 7/2

AC Milan: 11/2

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This summer has already been a fascinating one in terms of the transfer moves made by Premier League clubs. 

Crystal Palace signed Paris Saint-Germain’s French international midfielder Yohan Cabaye. 

Stoke City agreed a fee for Inter Milan’s Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri. That ambitious move failed, but the Potters did manage to pick up Ibrahim Afellay. 

Further up England’s food chain, Liverpool and Manchester United have been active, while Chelsea and Manchester City have also brought in some big names. 

In isolation, Tottenham’s moves have been productive. 

The sales of Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Benjamin Stambouli and Younes Kaboul streamlined Mauricio Pochettino‘s squad, while the additions of Kieran Trippier, Kevin Wimmer and Toby Alderweireld are so sensible that they were described as “not Tottenham” in the Guardian.

Long-suffering Spurs fans will see the joke and will be pleased to see their club moving away from such an unfortunate, if well-deserved, reputation. 

Emmanuel Adebayor’s move to Aston Villa now seems to be a certainty after he was spotted at the Midlands club’s training ground, according to Sky Sports.

Vlad Chiriches also appears poised to exit White Hart Lane after the Daily Mail confirmed he had arrived at his Napoli medical. 

Aaron Lennon has been rumoured to be returning to Goodison Park (via the Mirror), where he enjoyed a successful loan spell last summer. Meanwhile, Roberto Soldado appears to be the subject of one of the least likely bidding wars in football history, with three La Liga clubs keen on his signature, according to the Daily Mail.

A summer that could see the departure of as many as eight fringe players should be, and is, cause for celebration in north London, but Spurs are playing a dangerous game. 

Should all the proposed departures take place, Spurs will have a squad of just 23 players. 

This includes the untested Dele Alli and Alex Pritchard, the unreliable Mousa Dembele and the seemingly unready Tom Carroll. 

Tottenham’s first team is strong and their substitutes are adequate, but there is little else beyond that. 

Even an average amount of injuries would be disastrous. 

The club are reportedly working on remedying this issue.

Everton‘s reportedly “disillusioned” James McCarthy could be on the way, according to the Mirror. So could Saido Berahino, despite ex-Baggies boss Alan Irvine’s insistence that he is “not ready” for the step up. 

The signing of an able assistant to Harry Kane should have been Spurs’ first priority this summer. The young Englishman is brilliant but cannot be expected to hit the 30-goal mark in consecutive seasons. 

His output will almost inevitably fall in the coming campaign, so Spurs must find other sources of goals. There has been little obvious progress in that direction, though.

The Telegraph reported several days ago that a Tottenham delegation had headed to Germany in search of talent with Timo Werner, Christoph Kramer and Sven Bender all reportedly being targeted. 

If Spurs were to pull off the signing of Berahino, Kramer or Bender, their starting lineup would inevitably change. 

With the season getting under way in little more than a week, Spurs are in danger of kicking off their campaign with an incomplete squad. 

Pochettino is a manager with a specific vision, and players take even longer than usual to adapt to his style. 

Tottenham’s rivals arguably stole a march on them during this summer’s transfer window. 

While Spurs were able to shed much of the so-called “deadwood” and make some key improvements to their defence, Liverpool and Manchester United took great leaps forward. 

Tottenham may be rewarded for their persistence.

Their starting lineup against United on the opening day could be identical to the side that played in the League Cup final against Chelsea in March. 

Spurs spent much of last season developing their squad, and the blossoming of partnerships and chemistry was their reward. 

Cohesion will beat superior talent more often than not, but Spurs’ late-window moves could throw even that advantage away. 

Spurs have taken a risk by not making any major signings, but they could be taking an even greater one if they do end up making significant late moves. 

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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has responded to the claims of Montserrat Seara, Rafa Benitez’s wife, that the new Real Madrid coach has made a career of cleaning up the Portuguese manager’s wreckage at Europe’s top clubs.

“Real are the third of Jose Mourinho’s old teams (that) Rafa has coached,” Seara told newspaper La Region (h/t Sky Sports). “We tidy up his messes! If you think about it, of course you end up crossing paths. There are only a few world-class clubs out there.”

Responding bluntly, Mourinho suggested Benitez has only ever directly taken over from him once. Although the press were amused, Mourinho didn’t appear to be, reported Sky Sports:

The lady is a bit confused. I am not laughing. Her husband went to Chelsea to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he went to Real Madrid and replaced Carlo Ancelotti. The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter Milan, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time.

Mourinho then seemed to take a shot at Benitez’s appearance: “For her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think she needs to occupy her time, and if she takes care of her husband’s diet she will have less time to speak about me.”

The barbed retort is based on a decade of rivalry between the two tacticians. Former Liverpool manager Benitez was an irritating foe of Mourinho’s during the latter’s original spell with Chelsea, defined by a dramatic 2005 Champions League semi-final clash at Anfield, in which Luis Garcia scored a controversial goal in front of the Kop.

It’s still debated whether the ball crossed the line, but alas, Liverpool progressed to the Istanbul final and went on to secure an historic 3-0 comeback against AC Milan. Mourinho has previously claimed “the linesman scored.” The goal can be seen below:

A couple of years down the line, and once the Reds had ended Chelsea’s quest for the Premier League title, Benitez said: “Me and Jose were really good friends until Liverpool started beating them,” reported Liam Prenderville of the Mirror.

Mourinho’s Inter Milan side won a memorable treble in 2010, but he moved to Real Madrid before having a chance to win the FIFA Club World Cup. Benitez strolled into the job and secured the trophy, but his predecessor claimed it as his own.

“Another thing is also true that should he lift the Intercontinental Cup, he will have only won two games compared to my 13. Therefore it will be my trophy and not his,” said Mourinho, per Prenderville.

The comments go on and on. Mourinho has remained notably prickly during pre-season, even by his standards. He recently told Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to “get a calculator” before moaning about big-spending teams, reported Rob Draper of the MailOnline.

Mourinho and his Chelsea squad are the Premier League’s No. 1 targets for the upcoming season. Every club will try to dismantle the west London side’s success. His defensiveness is likely to continue in a bid to remove the spotlight from his players, which is a strategy that makes his handling of the media fascinating.

There’s no doubt Mourinho will have plenty to say if Benitez departs Madrid without reinstalling Los Blancos as La Liga’s top side. The regular jibes are unlikely to stop, particularly now both managers are in control of teams who expect to win constant silverware.

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Felipe Melo is poised to spurn the advances of Chelsea after it emerged he’s ready to undergo a medical with Inter Milan, while Sylvain Distin has hailed the talents of former Everton team-mate and Blues target John Stones.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will miss out on Galatasaray general Melo after the Nerazzurri agreed a £2.2 million fee for his services, according to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset (via David Wright of the Daily Express).

Melo will undergo a medical “in the next 48 hours” prior to rubber-stamping his move and bringing to an end his four-year association with the Turkish titans.

Mourinho would have been given added hope of acquiring the Brazilian after he was quoted earlier this year lauding the tactician as well as the quality and style of the Premier League, via Wright: “I am a warrior; the English like that. I love Chelsea because I’m a big fan of Jose Mourinho.”

The west Londoners already have one of the most capable central-midfield pivots on the continent, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas starring en route to last season’s Premier League title push.

However, the club may have been alerted to Melo‘s available after he admitted his family were unsettled in Turkey, with Serie A writer Marco Messina providing quotes:

It looks as though a return to the Italian first tier is imminent, though, as the former Fiorentina and Juventus anchor eyes a move to the San Siro.

Despite his apparent love of Chelsea, Melo also sees Inter as a very favourable destination, according to Gala manager Hamza Hamzaoglu, who confirmed his desire to leave the club earlier this week, via Italian website Calciomercato (via Football Italia): “Melo wants to go to Inter. But there must be the right conditions. For now he’s here with us, talks are in progress. Could the transfer be official by Wednesday? At the moment I have no information on that.”

At 32 years of age, Melo doesn’t fit the same profile of peak-level players Mourinho tends to favour.

That being said, the player’s performances in the Super Lig have seen him rake in considerable plaudits of late, with Inter on the brink of booking his services.

Distin: Chelsea Interest in Stones ‘Inevitable’

Chelsea’s interest in Everton‘s Stones sees them chasing one of the most highly tipped prospects in English football, but the youngster’s former Toffees partner Distin has known for some time that the Blues would be coming.

Distin played alongside Stones in the Everton defence for two-and-a-half seasons before departing for Bournemouth this summer but told Sky Sports News HQ that Chelsea’s pursuit is no shock (h/t the Liverpool Echo‘s Kristian Walsh):

He’s young, English, full of qualities and a good guy as well. I’ve often said it’s not enough to have quality on the pitch. Off the pitch you need to be grounded and a good person – and he is. So it’s not surprising a big club has come in for him. It is a compliment and if he carries on the way he has started and keeps working, he’ll end up at a big club, that’s for sure.

He hasn’t played a full season yet. He needs to become a little more experienced, understanding of the Premier League and know a bit more about himself, and then you can speak of it.

Having made his senior England debut in May 2014—not even 18 months after completing his move from Barnsley—Stones is viewed as one of the fastest-rising talents in the land.

After seeing a £20 million bid for the defender turned down last week, Chelsea will reportedly return with an improved £26 million offer, according to the Independent‘s Samuel Lovett.

Richard Buxton of uMAXit Football proclaimed that the Toffees would be showing a serious lack of ambition should they opt to cash in on their star:

Distin enters his 16th consecutive season in English football this term, where he’ll be hoping to give the Cherries a boost in their pledge to retain top-flight status.

A figure so experienced should make for a good judge of character, and while he goes on to note that Stones isn’t yet the finished article, his assessment of the 21-year-old’s ability confirms the potential he possesses.

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