Real Madrid

After being reappointed Real Madrid manager Monday, Zinedine Zidane oversaw his first training session, part deux, Wednesday. The Frenchman’s first order of business will be to hammer 18th-place Celta Vigo at Real’s recent house of horrors, the Santiago Bernabéu, on Saturday. 

The18 has exclusive footage of Zidane’s return to Valdebebas, and we’re willing to share it with you for a small price — one minute of your precious time.  

Only 284 days after shocking the footballing world by stepping down as manager of Real Madrid days after securing a third straight Champions League title, Zinedine Zidane has again been named Los Blancos coach on a contract running until June 2022.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos intentionally picked up a yellow card late in the first leg against Ajax to earn himself a suspension for the return leg so he’d be ready to go in the quarterfinals. Real Madrid won’t make it to the quarterfinals.

And this might be the end of the Real Madrid dynasty as we know it.

We here at The18 are as excited about the final season of Game of Thrones as anyone. But forget about that trailer HBO put out on Tuesday for a moment and watch this David Neres goal vs Real Madrid.

Ajax lost the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie with Real Madrid despite looking the better side for much of the game. 

Take away the knowledge that, at 15 years and 253 days, he’s the youngest international footballer in Norway’s history and, at 16 years and 157 days, the youngest debutant in Real Madrid history, and you’re left with a more appropriate picture of Martin Ødegaard: A 20-year-old playmaker that immediately passes the eye test with his sublime technical skills and game-changing flair. 

Lionel Messi turned one billion seconds old on Saturday. The Argentine maestro sometimes feels like he’s one billion years old with his sage, sanguine, muted reactions on the pitch. 

Despite being the target of every opponent’s defensive tactics, regularly subjected to physical play, Messi rarely loses his cool. His only red card in his career came in his first ever appearance with Argentina. 

Barcelona’s quest for a fifth straight Copa del Rey title will be decided on May 25 at the Estadio Benito Villamarín after Wednesday’s 3-0 semifinal second leg victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. The aggregate score remained 1-1 going into the second half, but a Luis Suarez brace and Raphael Varane own goal in the space of 23 minutes granted Barcelona passage to the final at the expense of its El Clásico rival.