By Tim Stannard

1) Madrid reportedly making summer move for Hazard

It’s been far too long…too long without Real Madrid splurging on players that the side didn’t really need just for the kicks and to annoy Barcelona. The pricey purchases of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez now seem to be placed in the distant past. But all that might change in the summer in what could turn out to be a world record-breaking transfer, or simply a story to fill three months of emptiness without a major tournament as a distraction. Probably the latter.

But it’s worth running with the story from Monday’s ‘Marca’ in Spain that the Chelsea leadership are not averse to the idea of Real Madrid talking to Eden Hazard’s people over a big money move to the Santiago Bernabeu, something that was reportedly attempted last summer. Of course, whether or not the club actually needs the bolshy Belgian, when the likes of James and Isco are already kicking their heels on the bench is irrelevant.

2) James takes on media ahead of another crucial Colombia clash

SCANDAL! By lovely coincidence, James is the subject of a story that technically shouldn’t be big, but is with the Colombian who has had more familiarity with subs than a New York sandwich addict telling the local media what he thought of them through the means of a finger. And the Madrid man wasn’t suggesting that he thought they were number one.

The gesture pretty much sums up a tense relationship between press and players over dodgy form from Colombia in the World Cup qualifiers, with the Cafeteros only overcoming lowly Bolivia last Thursday with a James penalty. The footballers have the chance to disappoint all over again on Tuesday and receive the same treatment back from the fans as the team takes on Ecuador in a clash between fourth and fifth. That game is live on beIN SPORTS at 4:50PM ET / 1:50PM PT, jammed in the middle of a day of Super Tuesday action. Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for all the latest CONMEBOL news.

3) Dutch look to past to lead Oranje to future

Indeed, Super Tuesday begins with a friendly between the Netherlands and Italy in a clash that is now of massive importance, as it arrives just days after Danny Blind was fired as the Oranje coach after a 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

The hunt has now begun for a replacement with Louis Van Gaal being taken on board in a role as Technical Director. The Dutch are currently fourth in their qualifying group, six points off the top of the table and in danger of missing out on a consecutive major tournament. Netherlands vs Italy starts the day at 2:35PM ET / 11:35AM PT with the USA taken on Panama exclusively on beIN SPORTS wrapping things up live at 10PM ET / 7PM PT.

4) Potential Barca boss rules himself out of running

There is one less rider in the stakes to be next Barcelona boss. Former ‘B’ team coach and current Real Sociedad manager, Eusebio Sacristan, has ruled himself out of a position he was probably never going to get by claiming that “I owe my loyalty to Real, who believed in me and give me support."

5) Miami looks ahead to big names on Monday

Monday’s play is almost underway in the sunny Miami Open. The Round of 16 phase is underway, with the top draw on the men’s side being the now number one seed, Stan Wawrinka going up against Malek Jaziri in the evening session and Roger Federer facing a much-anticipated clash against Juan Martin del Potro. All the big hitters are present and correct on the women’s side of the draw with Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams all in action.

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