Real Madrid News

Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has claimed that the outgoing Bavarian boss is almost certain to replace Jose Mourinho in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has revealed that current Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes is “99 per cent” certain to return to Real Madrid this summer.

Jose Mourinho will take charge of his last game on Saturday for the Blancos, against Osasuna, while the Bavarians boss will attempt to achieve an unprecedented German treble in the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on the same day.

With Mourinho en route to Chelsea and Pep Guardiola stepping into Heynckes’ shoes at the Allianz Arena, Tymoshchuk has suggested that Heynckes will return to the Santiago Bernabeu in the coming weeks rather than consider retirement.

“There is a 99 per cent chance that Heynckes will train Real Madrid,” he said to Russia 2.

Heynckes spent a single season at Madrid and lifted the Champions League with the Spanish side, but he was fired after failing to perform domestically as the club finished fourth in the table.

Tymoshchuk confirmed that he would be leaving the Allianz Arena this summer but refused to reveal his destination, while insisting that Arjen Robben – who scored the Champions League-winning goal in the final – is set to stay at Bayern.

“Robben told me he’s certain to stay in Bayern,” the Ukrainian added. “And I’m leaving. I can’t say where until Monday. Not [Borussia] Dortmund for sure!”

Our tipster sees his advice on Bayern Munich winning the Champions League from September paying off and advises over the action this weekend

We were treated to a superb climax to the season in the Champions League last weekend. Bayern Munich triumphed at Wembley over German rivals Borussia Dortmund and are on the verge of securing an historic treble this week. Well done to all readers who followed my advice on Bayern Munich at 16/1 (17.0) to win the competition in September.

Jupp Heynckes’ men have already been installed as favourites to retain the Champions League trophy at 4/1 (5.0) . With the arrival of new additions to the squad and Pep Guardiola as coach, the stage is set for the German champions to be a dominating force in Europe over the next few years.

Attention now turns to end-of-season friendlies, but don’t dismiss them entirely. I always say you need a good reason or angle to get involved in friendlies. Sometimes they do provide opportunities for punters and it is naive to dismiss their potential for profit completely.

There are a number of things I look out for in approaching friendlies. Venue is very important. Look out for teams who are travelling huge distances at this time of year to play in a friendly. In particular, European nations travelling to a different continent after a long hard season. They are out of their comfort zone and familiar environment. Many of the players are tired after a draining season and they are vulnerable in these cases. Mass withdrawals, injuries and appetite for the game are other factors to watch out for.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Real Madrid and Barcelona will be keen to end their Liga campaign on a high. They are both around 1/4 (1.25) to see of Osasuna and Malaga respectively. With these prices prohibitively short, we can back them to score in both halves at a combined 7/5 (14/10) .

Zaragoza look very short in the market to overcome Atletico Madrid. They are evens (2.00) to record a much needed win to ensure La Liga survival. However, Diego Simone’s men are anything but accomodating and can be backed at 13/8 (2.63) on a draw no bet basis.

Selection One

Selection Two

Sign up for up to £250 in free bets

Thank you to all who have signed up to www.jdfootballbetting.com. It is an all year round service and we will be very active in the market June and July. You can join for a special price this weekend. You can contact me on jdfootballbetting@live.com or subscribe to www.jdfootballbetting.com. 

The ex-Blancos midfielder believes the coach had outstayed his welcome at the Liga club but insists his compatriot was not necessarily wrong to drop Iker Casillas

Former Real Madrid midfielder Luis Figo believes that Jose Mourinho deserved to be ditched by the Santiago Bernabeu side.

The Portuguese will part ways with the Blancos in June after three years in charge, having joined from Inter in the summer of 2010 and taken the club to three Champions League semi-finals, one league triumph and one Copa del Rey trophy.

However, his fall-out with a number of high-profile Madrid players – most notably captain Iker Casillas – has contributed to his exit from the Bernabeu dugout, and Figo believes it is the right time for his compatriot to move on as he nears a return to the Premier League with Chelsea.

“It was to be expected,” he told reporters at a charity event. “I believe it is right for them to bid farewell [to Mourinho].

“Some people will not like it, others will think it’s the right thing, but the reality in life is you cannot please all the people. The fans should try to be fair and wait to see what happens next.”

Mourinho’s benching of Casillas in favour of January signing Diego Lopez has resulted in a lengthy dressing-room dispute but Figo thinks the facts have been exaggerated and that the coach had legitimate reasons for his actions.

“They are my friends,” he said of Mourinho and the Spain goalkeeper. “They are of the age to be able to work things out.

“Mourinho’s decisions were professionally and technically sound. You might not like it but [as a player] you have to accept and take it in the best way possible for the good of the club.”

Madrid face Osasuna on Sunday in their final game of the Primera Division season, having already secured second place behind champions Barcelona.

The Blancos president insists everything possible will be done to extend the Portuguese superstar’s current contract

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has declared that the club would not be willing to sell Cristiano Ronaldo for any amount of money this summer.

The Blancos attacker has scored 34 times with one game to go in the Liga season and was crucial in seeing the side reach the Champions League semi-final stage for the third conseutive campaign, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.

Having expressed his unhappiness earlier in the season and with compatriot Jose Mourinho leaving the club, Ronaldo has been linked with a summer departure from Santiago Bernabeu, but Perez is adamant that even an offer as large as €1 billion would not convince the Spanish club to sell their prized asset.

“I will do everything in my power to renew his contract,” he told Cadena Cope. “He has two years left on his contract, he is the best player in the world and we would like to give a boost to the team by keeping him as a leader and an emblem.

“I would not sell him for €1bn. We are not a selling club. He is a winner and he wants to win titles and Real Madrid are the right club for it.

“When he said he was sad, he talked to me and I told him I would do everything possible for him to be happy.”

Real Madrid have secured second spot in La Liga and will play their final game of the season – and Jose Mourinho’s last as head coach – against Osasuna on Saturday.

The club president said of the outgoing Portuguese: “I give him a B+ for his time at Madrid – we have been a bit annoyed by some results. As time goes by, though, we realise that the work of Mourinho has been very positive.”

“People are what they are. He lives all with so much passion and so much demand that sometimes things happen [regarding fallouts with players].”

The striker would like to be at the Blues next season, but admits he may have to consider other options if it is unlikely he will be a regular fixture in the manager’s plans

Romelu Lukaku has revealed he will hold talks with the new Chelsea manager to decide where he plays his football next season.

Jose Mourinho has agreed to return to Stamford Bridge and one of his first tasks will be to decide the fate of the Belgian who scored 17 Premier League goals last season.

Lukaku is set to hold showdown talks with the Blues amid serious interest from numerous Premier League clubs and he insists his dream remains to play for Chelsea, but admits he may have to go elsewhere once again to fulfil his immediate need for first-team football.

“My future is up to me and the manager,” he told talkSPORT. “First we need to have a conversation about what his plans are and then we’ll go from there.

“I’m ready to go there and do my best because my first ambition is to play at Chelsea, but I have to be realistic.

“I’m 20 years old and I need to play, so we’ll see what will happen. I’m very proud to be a Chelsea player. I’ve had a very good season on loan and I will go back and show my qualities.

“Hopefully I will stay there but in football you never know. We’ll have to see what will happen in the future.”