Real Madrid set to fire youth coach after he sends open letter to Barcelona: Reports
Real Madrid's recent decision to allegedly terminate their youth coach Adria Diaz has been attributed to an open letter he penned to Barcelona.
Diaz, who formerly served as a coach for Barca's youth team from 2015 to 2019, conveyed his gratitude to the Catalan club upon his departure. His heartwarming note, which detailed his emotional journey and support from the Catalan side during his mother's fight against cancer, apparently has not sat well with the Madridistas.
Before linking up with Real Madrid, Diaz took up roles as an analyst at clubs like Sabadell and CD Lugo. On joining Real Madrid, he was designated the role of assisting Sergio Lopez with the under-17 squad.
Yet, according to The Athletic (via Mirror), his heartfelt message to his former club has become the unforeseen stumbling block in his career at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The letter highlighted Diaz's emotional attachment to Barcelona, with some parts stating (via Mirror):
"It's been four years since I joined this club, I still remember that call I received telling me that I was joining the club of my dreams… I couldn't believe it… I would be FC Barcelona's coach… In these four years, what I really take with me are not the successes achieved or lost [leagues, tournaments], but the possibility of going all over the world to represent the club of my life, nobody can take that away from me.
He added:
"On the other hand, this experience has made me grow in every sense of my life, because now I am a better COACH and above all a better PERSON. Last, but not least, THANK YOU to my family and friends for helping me and especially to a very special person in my life, my mother, who in these last three years has made me see that the most IMPORTANT thing in life is to put the FOCUS on what depends on you."
Although Real Madrid are reportedly compensating Diaz for the remainder of his contract, rumors are rife about his potential move to Leganes' academy. There are also contrary suggestions that the move to Leganes was orchestrated by Madrid as a mitigative measure, following his dismissal.
Meanwhile, the first team seems unfazed by these off-field controversies, maintaining their top position in La Liga. However, they trail last season's table-toppers Barcelona by only a slight margin.
Under Carlo Ancelotti's guidance, Madrid's solitary defeat this season was inflicted by city rivals, Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid and Barcelona lose interest in Nico Williams, with Premier League clubs setting their sights on him
Spanish titans Real Madrid and Barcelona have cooled their pursuit of Atletico Bilbao's Nico Williams. This has cleared the path for English clubs to reportedly make their move.
The allure of Williams has magnified due to his impending contract situation at Bilbao. With the prospect of departing the Basque club on a free transfer next summer, the race to acquire his services has intensified.
Such a scenario, where a talent like Williams becomes available without a transfer fee, is naturally enticing for major clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, as per Spanish publication Sport (via TeamTalk), the likelihood of Bilbao letting their star player depart without any compensation is minimal. This has led to the reduced interest from the Spanish heavyweights, shifting the spotlight onto Premier League clubs instead, with Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion interested.
With a record of 21 goals from 117 club appearances and two goals from 10 international caps for Spain, Williams' credentials are evident. At just 21, his potential is immense, making the tussle for his signature understandable.