Copa del Rey

Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme has made the acquisition of Erling Haaland a cornerstone of his campaign, challenging incumbent Florentino Perez ahead of the June 7 election.

Álvaro Arbeloa, the outgoing interim manager of Real Madrid, reportedly offered his services to Bayer Leverkusen but was turned down by the Bundesliga club. Leverkusen's ongoing search for a new head coach faces multiple challenges, impacting potential player acquisitions.

Real Madrid is reportedly considering a former Bundesliga coach as a contingency plan, should their primary target, Jose Mourinho, not be secured for the coveted managerial position. Mourinho remains the overwhelming favourite for the role.

Atletico Madrid faces a mounting injury crisis ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal, with midfielder Pablo Barrios the latest casualty after limping off during Saturday's La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao.