Real Madrid’s derby fallout now includes confirmed suspensions, with Dean Huijsen and Pedro Machado both set to miss the return to league action against Villarreal. The international break also offers time to address the tactical concerns raised by Jorge Valdano and Álvaro Benito, while Éder Militão continues his recovery at Valdebebas. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé has discussed working with José Mourinho, David Alaba is approaching a move to Italy, and Madrid remain among the clubs following Manchester
United prospect JJ Gabriel.
Huijsen and Machado handed one-match suspensions
Dean Huijsen and Mourinho’s assistant Pedro Machado have each received a one-match suspension following their dismissals in Sunday’s derby. According to the RFEF disciplinary ruling reported by Mundo Deportivo, both will miss Real Madrid’s match against Villarreal on October 10.
Huijsen was sent off after conceding the penalty against Giuliano Simeone, while Machado’s punishment follows his involvement in the halftime confrontation in the tunnel. The committee classified the assistant’s offence as conduct contrary to good sporting order.
Madrid also received a formal warning over their delayed return to the pitch after halftime. The referee’s report recorded that the second half began five minutes late because of the delay.
Mbappé: “It is a privilege to play under Mourinho”
Kylian Mbappé has continued his series of interviews with a conversation with BILD, discussing Mourinho’s leadership, previous transfer opportunities and the difference between Antonio Rüdiger’s on-field persona and his personality in the dressing room.
Asked what makes Mourinho distinctive, Mbappé highlighted the coach’s intelligence and his relationship with the players.
“He is simply ‘The Special One’. José Mourinho is simply very intelligent, which is why he has achieved so much success in his career. He is very close to us players and takes a great interest in us. He is a leader; he knows perfectly how to motivate us. It is a privilege to play under him.”
Liverpool, Dortmund and the decision to stay in France
Mbappé also revisited Liverpool’s efforts to sign him during his time at Monaco. While the prospect of playing for Jürgen Klopp appealed to him, he said his preference for remaining in France ultimately determined his choice.
“Yes, that’s true. It was something special, but great. And, honestly, I would have loved to switch to him back then. I wasn’t ready to leave my country yet. I wanted to go back to my hometown, Paris. I had only played one year at Monaco and I needed to feel comfortable in a familiar environment. That’s why I went to PSG.”
Borussia Dortmund were another club that explored the possibility of signing him. Mbappé stressed that declining those opportunities should not be interpreted as a criticism of the clubs involved.
“There were many clubs, including Dortmund. But it’s difficult for me to talk about it. Because when you reject a club, it often gives the impression that something wasn’t right. But that wasn’t the case at all. They were all great clubs, but you can only choose one. And as I said, at that time I preferred to stay in my hometown.”
Why he will not encourage Olise to leave Bayern
Asked about speculation linking Michael Olise with Madrid, Mbappé praised his France teammate but said he would not advise him to leave Bayern Munich.
“I’ve been aware of the speculation. But I know that feeling very well: when I played for PSG, there were countless rumours. And I think it would be disrespectful to advise a player to leave. It would be unfair to Bayern. Especially because Bayern is a fantastic club where Michael can achieve great things. But one thing is clear: any club in the world would love to have Michael Olise.”
Rüdiger away from the pitch
When asked whose name he would choose for a Germany shirt, Mbappé immediately selected Rüdiger. He then explained why the defender’s approach during matches does not tell the whole story about him.
“Antonio Rüdiger, of course. As my teammate at Real Madrid, this decision is very easy for me. I think many fans consider him a bit crazy. But that’s simply his style of play. Antonio is the perfect example of why you can’t judge people solely on their performance on the pitch. Sure, on the field he’s crazy, the way he tackles, the way he moves. But in the dressing room he’s completely different. A kind and approachable person.”
Mbappé was also asked whether he could envisage following Cristiano Ronaldo’s example and continuing to represent his country at 41.
“Let’s be honest, considering which country I play for: France will never let me play until I’m 41,” he said, laughing. “But Cristiano proves that if you’re physically and mentally fit, you can play at this high level for a long time. In my case, however, I don’t think it’s possible.”
Valdano and Benito examine Madrid’s recurring tactical problems
Jorge Valdano and Álvaro Benito have assessed Madrid’s performances under Mourinho, focusing on the issues they believe the team must address during the international break. Speaking on Movistar Plus Deportes, Valdano argued that the pause presents an opportunity to shift attention towards problems within Madrid’s control.
“There are 20 days in between, either the possibility of continuing to talk about the referees or the possibility of correcting some of the problems that Real Madrid has, and which are being repeated a lot,” Valdano said.
“In the four matches they have played away from home, they lost two and won two after the 90th minute. The team continues to suffer from pressure problems, and in the first half, until the ball went through Güler, there was no clarity in the game.”
Benito, meanwhile, questioned whether sustained control through possession suited the characteristics of Madrid’s likely starting lineup. He argued that a more reactive approach could work, but only if it rests on reliable collective defending.
“You can control the game in two ways: through possession or by being reactive, right? By countering when you don’t have the ball. You can also control the game by defending very well, winning the ball back a lot, and counter-attacking. I think that controlling the game through possession will be practically impossible for Real Madrid because of the profile and nature of the players they have in a hypothetical starting eleven. Even if you put Bernardo in, the other 85% are vertical, fast players… chaotic, right? They kind of reign in the chaos.”
For Benito, the question is whether Madrid can establish the defensive cohesion needed to make that approach effective.
“They can indeed be an ultra-competitive team by countering, but for that you also need a cohesive team that defends well in order to win the ball back and counter-attack. And I think Real Madrid can be that team because of the nature of the players they have, but at the moment they aren’t.”
Alaba approaches Udinese move
David Alaba is nearing a move to Udinese after reaching a verbal agreement with the Italian club, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Austrian defender, whose Madrid contract expired in June, is undergoing the medical and administrative steps required to complete the transfer. The agreement has not yet become a formally announced signing.
Udinese have already offered a social-media hint, posting an image of a white chair—a reference to Alaba’s celebration after Madrid’s Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in 2022.
Alaba joined Madrid from Bayern Munich in 2021 and contributed to league and Champions League successes. A serious knee injury in December 2023, however, interrupted his time at the club and limited his involvement during the latter part of his spell. A completed move to Udinese would give him a new club after five seasons in Madrid.
JJ Gabriel’s future involves a contest over representation
Real Madrid’s reported interest in JJ Gabriel is developing alongside competition to represent the Manchester United youngster. According to AS, Ali Barat and Jorge Mendes are the leading contenders to become the trusted representative of the player and his family as he approaches his 16th birthday on October 6.
The report says both agents have spent months building relationships with Gabriel’s camp. Madrid and Barcelona are among the clubs interested in the forward, with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich also following his situation.
Gabriel’s recent visit to Barcelona does not, according to the report, establish that he has agreed to join the Catalan club. Madrid, meanwhile, are examining the details of a potential operation rather than treating the signing as settled.
His birthday is being presented as an important point in those discussions, but turning 16 does not automatically permit an unrestricted international transfer. Any move would still need to satisfy FIFA’s rules protecting minors, including an applicable exception and the required advance approval.
Video: Militão continues his recovery at Valdebebas
Éder Militão has shared footage of his rehabilitation work at Real Madrid City as he attempts to return to action. The defender is running on the pitch and working with the ball during the international break, although his recovery remains separate from confirmation that he is ready for competitive matches.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Militão hopes to be available during October, but Madrid’s coaching and medical staff intend to avoid taking risks with his return.
Video: RefCam footage offers another view of the derby
Footage from Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias’s referee camera has been released following the derby, capturing his interactions with players and his perspective on incidents that prompted Madrid’s complaints. The sequence includes exchanges surrounding Kang-in Lee’s challenge on Fede Valverde.
The footage follows the CTA’s public review on September 22, which concluded that Kang-in should have been sent off and that VAR should have intervened. The committee separately supported the yellow card shown to Cristian Romero and the decision to dismiss Huijsen.
Video: Gonzalo revisits his Madrid teammates
Gonzalo García’s Madrid past features prominently in a question-and-answer segment with Fulham, including a question about the toughest player he has faced in training. The striker repeatedly returns to his experiences and former teammates at Madrid during the interview.
