Real Madrid look to repeat European heroics: domestic title slipping away

Darwin Nunez's lovely flip gave Liverpool the advantage after four minutes, and Mohamed Salah pounced on Thibaut Courtois' sloppy clearance after 10 minutes to give Liverpool a two-goal advantage.
The thundering celebrations of Liverpool's supporters, who had raised a flag with the words "Uefa Liars" and loudly jeered the Champions League anthem to vent their wrath about being incorrectly blamed for the chaos at the previous season's final, were about to come to an end.
The Liverpool goalkeeper hacked a clearance directly at Alisson before Alisson imitated Courtois. He clutched his head in pain as the ball looped behind him and into the goal in front of a stunned Kop; Vinicius Junior's superb strike had restored parity in the 21st minute.
As Eder Militao headed in Luka Modric's free-kick two minutes after the half, the game's entire focus was changed.
Real had already taken the lead when Joe Gomez diverted Karim Benzema's shot into the goal. The legendary Modric continued his magnificent performance, and the French attacker calmly added a fifth goal.
Although Liverpool has performed remarkable comebacks in the past, it would be astonishing if they did so in front of Real Madrid supporters.
Dani Ceballos: The resurgent story of sidelined midfielder
At the beginning of this season, something odd occurred at the Santiago Bernabeu: the fans with Real Madrid tickets sang Dani Ceballos' name.
For players who have won numerous trophies at the club throughout the years, receiving that kind of verbal recognition has not been easy. Gareth Bale never accepted it, and Cristiano Ronaldo never really did.
It's not only that Ceballos is Spanish, either. Indeed, the club's supporters weren't happy when they failed to start any Spaniards for the first time earlier this season. Still, Marco Asensio and Isco received different support, even when they were in Ceballos' current situation.
The fact that Madrid is still determining who will make the midfield team for the upcoming season and who won't contribute to the delay in any offer arriving.
They want Jude Bellingham, but they know they can't compete with Manchester City and Liverpool, two of his Premier League pursuers; if the player doesn't decide to play in Spain for less, he won't come.
In the meantime, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric's futures are also uncertain. It's hard to predict how much money will be left for Ceballos.
He should benefit from the eagerness of those with Real Madrid tickets to see him wear a Madrid jersey next season, but much will rely on how other players perform.
There will be one clear taker in Spain if he does become available for free. He started out at Betis, but in 2017, they traded him to Madrid for £14.5 million.
He would fit flawlessly into the fluid style that Manuel Pellegrini adores, and they would take him back in a heartbeat.
The player is a supporter of Betis, so it will be intriguing to note if the prospect of playing in the Premier League attracts his attention. Before Mikel Arteta took his place, Unai Emery signed him to a contract with Arsenal.
If Ceballos sought a comeback, a side with the same goals as Aston Villa would be more suitable than one that was vying for the league title.
In an interview with Sportsmail conducted January 2019, not long after his arrival, he declared, "I'm loving the Premier League, and I'm loving Arsenal." He was initially astounded by how quickly the competition moved.
"I had never seen anything like what I saw at Anfield", the man claimed. "I haven't yet encountered a team that plays or presses better. Really, they literally suffocate you."
He observed it throughout the league; however, Liverpool were the best example at the time. He has benefited from the experience in some ways.
Due to the quantity of pitch, he covers, he has always stood out. Also, it's noteworthy because he moves quicker than many of his competitors in a slower league.
Supporters with Real Madrid tickets went wild when the Los Blancos defeated Villarreal 3-2 to go to the Spanish Cup semi-final against Barcelona. He scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute of the match.
Carlo Ancelotti would have chosen him to play in the two contests with a slightly diminished Champions League role.
But, with Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni both still in Madrid due to illness, Ceballos is essentially a lock to start.
On English soil, he will have plenty to prove because, after parting ways amicably with Arsenal, he sent a message to supporters thanking them for their support and predicting the club will soon win titles under Mikel Arteta.
But when he went back to Madrid, Arsenal supporters were not upset.
At least at Madrid, the fans don't need persuading; if the board is unmoved by the sentiment of the followers, Betis will be happy to sign him after he completes this season at Real Madrid.
Transfer Watch
In order to replace David Alaba, Calciomercatoweb reports that Real Madrid is seeking to sign Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.
Alaba has performed admirably for Real Madrid this season. Still, the club is apparently concerned about his injury history. With Nacho's contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign, they want to recruit Bastoni to improve their defence in the coming season.
Alejandro Grimaldo, a former star for La Masia, is someone Real Madrid is reportedly interested in signing during the summer transfer season.
Currently playing brilliantly for Portuguese club Benfica, the full-back has caught the attention of European teams due to his Champions League exploits. Together with Los Blancos, Juventus, Newcastle United, and Leeds United are interested in the full-back's services.
Jude Bellingham, a midfielder for Borussia Dortmund, is known to be Real Madrid's top transfer target for the summer transfer season.
As Carlo Ancelotti's team looks to make the switch from the old guard of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos to the new-look midfield unit consisting of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, and perhaps Bellingham, the 19-year-old is considered as the final piece of the puzzle.
The prized asset is indeed being courted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester City. However, according to renowned ESPN journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft, Los Blancos have yet to officially offer Dortmund the signature of their prized asset.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid is prepared to extend a contract to Toni Kroos as the German midfielder considers retiring. The Italian journalist continues, saying that Kroos wants to retire at Los Blancos and is debating whether to do so immediately or stay at the Bernabeu for another year.
With Real Madrid's European prospects looking alarmingly likely, Real Madrid tickets are running out quickly. Hence purchasing tickets from official retailers is not the most obvious choice. Reliably third-party sellers can help you source authentic tickets.