Real Madrid began October with confirmation of Raúl Asencio’s surgery, while Castilla are preparing to welcome Jorge Cestero back for Friday’s derby. Those developments bring different priorities for the club: a rehabilitation process for one defender and a return to competition for one of the academy’s leading midfielders. Mourinho, meanwhile, has moved to distance himself from comments attributed to him about Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation with Portugal.
Asencio undergoes successful surgery and receives Mourinho visit
Raúl Asencio underwent successful surgery
on Thursday to address a stress fracture in his right tibia, Real Madrid have confirmed. Dr. Manuel Leyes performed the operation under the supervision of the club’s medical services, with the defender due to begin his recovery process in the coming days.
“Our player Raúl Asencio underwent successful surgery today, performed by Dr. Manuel Leyes, to repair a stress fracture in his right tibia. The operation was supervised by the Real Madrid Medical Services. Asencio will begin his recovery process in the coming days,” the club’s statement read.
According to AS, Asencio had been managing the problem for several months and initially pursued conservative treatment, but the persistence of the injury ultimately led to the decision to operate. The newspaper reports an expected absence of two to three months. Madrid have not announced a return date, so suggestions of a comeback around Christmas or early in 2027 remain estimates rather than a confirmed schedule.
Mourinho visited Asencio in hospital following the procedure. The club confirmed the visit and said the coach checked on the defender’s condition after the operation.
Mourinho rejects attributed Ronaldo comments as “fake news”
José Mourinho has denied making statements about Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation with Portugal, using an Instagram story to label the comments attributed to him “fake news.” Portuguese newspaper O Jogo reported that the alleged remarks had circulated particularly in Brazilian media.
According to MARCA, as reported by GOAL, Mourinho maintains that he has not spoken about the matter and has “no comment” to offer. The report says the Madrid coach wishes to avoid becoming involved and retains respect for Ronaldo, Portugal coach Jorge Jesus and the Portuguese Football Federation. His public intervention was therefore a denial of the attributed statements, rather than an assessment of the situation within the national team.
Cestero set to return for Castilla’s derby
Jorge Cestero is expected to return to Castilla’s squad for Friday, October 2’s derby against Atlético Madrileño at the Alfredo Di Stéfano, according to AS. The report says the club considers the disciplinary episode that kept him out against Alcorcón resolved.
Cestero’s omission followed a disagreement with Julián López de Lerma after the midfielder was left on the bench against Sant Andreu. When asked about his subsequent absence, the Castilla coach described it as a technical decision without publicly detailing the disagreement. He nevertheless emphasized that Cestero remained an important part of his plans.
“We’re focused on player development. We want all the players to be able to showcase their abilities, compete, and be part of the team,” López de Lerma said. “Jorge will be a very important player for us this season.”
His return would provide another midfield option as Castilla seek a response to their draw against Sant Andreu and defeat to Alcorcón. The immediate development is his expected inclusion in the squad, rather than confirmation that he will start the derby.
Mbappé shares his World Cup awards ahead of Ballon d’Or ceremony
Kylian Mbappé posted photographs on Thursday displaying the Golden Boot and Bronze Ball he won at the 2026 World Cup. The awards recognized his position as the tournament’s leading scorer and third-best player, respectively. Mbappé finished the competition with ten goals, retaining the Golden Boot he had won in Qatar four years earlier.
The photographs arrive with the Ballon d’Or ceremony approaching on October 26 in London. MARCA reported that voting closed three days before the post, meaning the images appeared after ballots had been submitted. Mbappé is among the nominees alongside Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and defending winner Ousmane Dembélé.
Mbappé has spoken openly in recent weeks about his belief that this is “a good year to win it,” while also rejecting suggestions of a lasting disagreement with Dembélé.
“I’ve already spoken with him, there’s no problem, he’s a friend,” Mbappé said. Courtois has also publicly supported his Madrid teammate’s candidacy.
Mastantuono reflects on World Cup omission and life in Italy
Franco Mastantuono discussed the disappointment of missing Argentina’s World Cup squad after returning to international action in Wednesday’s 4–0 friendly victory over Bolivia. The Fiorentina player came on in the second half and said that, despite his frustration at being omitted from Lionel Scaloni’s final list, he continued to support the team throughout the tournament.
“It’s tough to be left off the World Cup roster, but I’ve always encouraged my teammates and Argentina to do well. They had an incredible World Cup and made all Argentinians proud,” Mastantuono said.
He is now looking to establish himself during the next stage of Argentina’s development.
“A new process begins, I feel good and I can have an opportunity, but above all I want to work for the National Team,” he said.
Mastantuono also credited Scaloni with giving him freedom on the pitch and spoke positively about the changes that followed his move to Italian football.
“He gives me a lot of freedom to play and I’m grateful for that. I’ve felt very good since I went to Italy and my life has changed a bit. I’ve really enjoyed it,” he explained.
Scaloni, meanwhile, urged patience with Argentina’s younger players. Discussing Leonel Flores, Mastantuono and Nico Paz, the coach emphasized the need to support their development rather than expect decisive contributions in every appearance.
Both league Clásicos will use an exclusive Puma ball
LaLiga and Puma have unveiled a dedicated match ball for both league meetings between Barcelona and Real Madrid this season. Its first appearance will come at Spotify Camp Nou on October 25 at 9 p.m. Madrid time, in the tenth round of LaLiga.
The design combines bright colours, bold shapes and retro-inspired details intended to reference the history of the fixture. Although its appearance is specific to the Clásico, the ball retains the technical specifications of the standard 2026–27 LaLiga match ball, including an eight-panel seamless construction and a textured polyurethane surface.
Mbappé and Ester Expósito reportedly seen in Paris
Reports citing footage circulating on social media have placed Mbappé and Spanish actress Ester Expósito at the Paris nightclub Boum Boum. Ouest-France’s MadeInFoot reported the outing on Thursday, with the images attracting attention during the forward’s recovery from injury.
Mbappé’s confirmed diagnosis is a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of his left knee, according to Madrid’s September 26 medical statement. The club has not specified a return date. The report of the evening out does not establish a breach of the club’s medical instructions.
Managing Madrid Podcast: Gabe Lezra on the rising cost of watching football
Managing Madrid founder Gabe Lezra joins Kiyan Sobhani for a discussion about the rising cost of watching Real Madrid and the wider business of sports broadcasting
The episode examines opposition to the Paramount merger, the consequences of media consolidation for supporters, and whether Florentino Pérez correctly identified the problems facing football’s broadcasting model. Kiyan and Gabe also discuss how much more fans can be expected to pay and whether clubs could eventually sell coverage directly to supporters rather than rely on broadcasters.
The conversation also turns to the public and media response to the Negreira case, alongside the broader question of how football can remain accessible to the people who follow it:
