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Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.
As another international break descends, the fixture congestion debate was given significant reason to rear its head again, after Dani Carvajal suffered one of the most gruesome injuries seen for a while. He tore three types of tendons and ligaments against Villarreal on Saturday night, and will miss a year of action.
Meanwhile Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior are missing Brazil duty with injuries, while Kylian Mbappe was fit enough to start against Villarreal in their 2-0 win, but not to travel for France duty, causing no shortage of ire in his home nation.
Of course that has raised questions about the right-back position at Real Madrid. Los Blancos insist they will not sign a replacement for Carvajal, and while it does seem it would be for next summer, it has only increased links to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The latest in Spain is that Real Madrid are optimistic about signing him if he can resist Liverpool’s attempts to make him stay, and reports appear to suggest contract talks have been postponed with Liverpool this week.
Raul Gonzalez has been told by #RealMadrid that this season will be his last in charge of the Castilla side. (Marca) pic.twitter.com/oWmcx9uY7r
— Football España (@footballespana_) October 10, 2024
On the other flank, Los Blancos and Barcelona are being linked with a move for Benfica’s Alvaro Carreras. The 21-year-old Spanish youth international is formerly of Manchester United, and they have a buyback option on the left-back, but if the Clasico duo do go after him, they may want to act sooner rather than later. The pair are also believed to be battling for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah. As with Alexander-Arnold, the German international is just three months away from being able to sign a contract.
Real Madrid stayed within three points of the rampant Barcelona, who have 10-goal Robert Lewandowski fresh off a hat-trick in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Alaves. That was after the worst Champions League night in Spain’s history, as Girona lost to Feyenoord, Real Madrid to Lille and Atletico Madrid to Benfica.
Los Colchoneros struggled mightily in Lisbon, losing 4-0, and could only manage a draw aat Real Sociedad. They have the best defence in the division, but despite Alexander Sorloth, Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann up front, have five draws from nine games, even if they are undefeated.
Meanwhile Pedro Porro has been speaking positively about a move to Madrid while on Spain duty, where not all of La Liga’s managers have the weekend off. There is also the curious situation where Carlo Ancelotti could end up lecturing Diego Simeone on management this weekend, as part of the UEFA Pro Licence process.
More must-reads:
- Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba suspended for skipping MLS All-Star Game
- Los Angeles FC's shrewd transfer moves could make it a contender for MLS trophies
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Marcus Rashford Exit Allows Man Utd to Pursue Newcastle Target Amid PSG Doubt
ESPN reported on Friday that Marcus Rashford’s departure has opened up some financial flexibility for Manchester United, and Kolo Muani is reportedly on the club’s shortlist. Kolo Muani has made it clear he does not want to stay at PSG and has been offered to several teams, including Newcastle and Manchester United, both of which are in need of a striker. PSG is willing to accept a loan deal that includes a mandatory purchase option set at €50 million. Meanwhile, Juventus, where Kolo Muani spent the second half of last season on loan, faces financial challenges that make signing him permanently difficult.
Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Training camp kicked off this week in Miami Gardens, and the energy is electric. This is the beginning of the journey—and a long season ahead—for these players. It’s the time when optimism runs high, when every player on the field believes they have a shot to make an impact, and every fan believes this might just be the year. But as we all know, this part of the calendar doesn’t come without a price. Unfortunately, Day 1 brought some tough news. Cornerback Artie Burns and offensive lineman Byron Matos both went down with potentially season-ending injuries. It’s a brutal blow—especially to two position groups that already had question marks coming into camp. Burns was expected to compete for valuable snaps in a secondary trying to find its post-Ramsey identity. And Matos, a former basketball player turned promising developmental lineman, had been turning heads with his athleticism and work ethic. These are the gut-punch moments that make camp so bittersweet. You can feel the season coming into focus—but also see just how fragile it can be. Injuries like these don’t just hurt individual careers; they test the depth, chemistry, and resilience of a team. And while it’s heartbreaking for the guys who go down, these moments also open the door for someone else to step up. Because that’s what camp is all about—opportunity. Maybe it’s Cam Smith rising to the challenge in the DB room. Or maybe it’s Erik Ezukanma fighting for a role on the team. Whatever it may be, every rep matters now. Every play is a chance to prove you belong. But what I wanted to focus on most was a theme we’ve already seen emerge early on: accountability. Not only did players make it a point to sprint after practice today for all the mishaps and penalties, but we also heard that same message echoed in their words. Especially when Tua mentioned that Tyreek Hill is still working on regaining the respect and trust of his teammates, that shows this is serious to the team—and that no individual is more important than the whole. While some may see it as excessive or old news, I think it’s a great thing to hold each other accountable, both in the spotlight and on/off the field. If the team is serious about a culture change and putting football over ego, this is what we need: players and captains demanding more from one another. You also look at a player like Zach Sieler, who is a true professional through and through. While he could easily “hold in” and sit out drills to prove a point to the front office about his current contract, he’s instead out there with the team—especially the younger guys—showing them how to go about the game the right way. He’s setting a standard, and you know he’s going to hold his teammates to that same standard. Whether it all pans out in the end is another story—and of course, it’s still way too early to tell. But so far, these guys seem locked in. And more importantly, they’re practicing what they preach.
Concerning Injury Update on Atlanta Falcons WR Darnell Mooney
Optimism is high for the Atlanta Falcons heading into 2025, but it doesn't take long to get a sobering reminder of how quickly things can go up in smoke when the injury bug bites. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney was a key weapon in the Falcons' arsenal in 2024, and he's expected to have an even bigger season with new starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s ability to stretch the field and utilize Mooney's speed. Their ability to work on communication and timing suffered a setback on Thursday, the first day of training camp, when Mooney left the field after hitting the ground hard while attempting a catch. WSB's Zach Klein was the first to provide an injury update on the Falcons receiver on Friday evening. "NFL league source tells me Falcons WR Darnell Mooney has a shoulder injury and will (miss) most of training camp," Klein reported on X. Speculation about the severity of Mooney's injury started earlier on Friday afternoon when Ian Rapoport broke the news that the Falcons were signing former Pro Bowl receiver DJ Chark to a one-year deal. The Falcons had a roster spot open after waiving cornerback Kevin King on Thursday, and they do need more depth at wide receiver. The hope was that Mooney's injury and Chark's signing weren't related. Alas, we don't believe in coincidence in Atlanta. If Mooney only misses most of training camp, he shouldn't be too far behind when it comes to getting ready for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Could Chark still find a spot on the 53-man roster? Mooney's injury is going to give him an opportunity. Mooney was an outstanding free agent signing by general manager Terry Fontenot prior to the 2024 season. On the surface, it looked like an overpay to give a player with 900 combined receiving yards the previous two seasons a 3-year, $39 million contract. However, Fontenot was willing to gamble that Mooney's struggles were quarterback-related in Chicago, and going from Justin Fields to Kirk Cousins and eventually Michael Penix Jr. would help him flourish. Fontenot was right. By season's end, Mooney's $13-million-per-year deal looked like a bargain. Still just 27 years old, Mooney is entering his prime, and the Falcons are looking forward to pairing him with Penix for an entire season. That pairing is going to have to wait a few weeks while he recovers from an injury sustained on the first day of camp.
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