This morning I rolled out of bed real early, still rubbing my sleepy eyes. See, I knew today’s massive Real Madrid vs Alaves clash was happening, and folks were buzzing hard about player news. Big game, gotta know who’s playing! I brewed some strong coffee first, spilling some – clumsy, right? Needed that caffeine kick.
Grabbed my usual notebook – got grease stains on it, messy I know – and fired up the laptop. Went straight to my favorite Spanish footy gossip spots, the usual ones where whispers fly early. Started scrolling, hunting for anything official about the squads.
First thing I saw: Thibaut Courtois. Man, tough news. Still out. Big hole in goal. Had to scribble that down quickly: “Courtois OUT“. Felt bad for the guy, injuries suck. Then, boom! News about Vini Jr. popping up everywhere. Seems the lad took a slight knock last time out. Heart skipped a beat, thinking “Oh no, not him!”. Digged deeper, reloading pages constantly.
Relief! Most reports were saying Vini was likely fine, maybe just a rest thing. Wrote down: “Vini Jr. – Looks OK, prob starting? Check later.“
Then my hunt continued:
- Mendy: Found conflicting stuff. One site says he trained alone yesterday, another says he’s match-fit. Made me scratch my head. Jotted: “Mendy – ??? Training reports messy. 50/50?“
- Bellingham: Rock solid. Zero doubts there. Just wrote “Bell – PLAYING“. Easy.
- Alaves Stuff: Remembered to look at the other side. Heard Omorodion got kneed in training earlier this week? Alaves site was weirdly quiet on details. Noted: “Omo – Rumored knock? Silence official. Be careful.“
Spent ages piecing it together, coffee gone cold by then. Official lists not out yet, just leaks and training whispers. Felt like solving a puzzle with half the pieces missing. Refreshed pages until my finger got sore!
Finally, mid-morning, the first reliable feeds started confirming: Courtois definitely out (obviously), Vini declared fit and ready to rumble, Mendy officially in the squad – guess he pulled through! Massive relief. Confirmed Jude is good to go. For Alaves, Omorodion was listed as doubtful officially, leaning towards not playing. Cleared that up.
Organized my scribbles into something readable:
- REAL MADRID: Courtois (OUT), Lunin (Starting GK). Vini Jr. (FIT, starting). Mendy (IN Squad). Bellingham (GOOD).
- ALAVES: Omorodion (DOUBTFUL, probably out). Rest main team fit?
Posted this update on my blog just now, sharing the messy journey. Feels good getting it out there before kickoff! Took way longer than I thought it would, honestly. Now? Time to cook lunch and watch the drama unfold later. Should be a cracker!
