Many construction sites: Ancelotti’s emergency solution to save the royals

Real Madrid
Many construction sites: Ancelotti’s emergency solution to save the royals

Real Madrid are producing a lot of headlines on and off the pitch these days – especially negative ones: at 900 million euros, the mountain of debt has accumulated, the season ended for the first time in over ten years without winning the title, the team is outdated and the successful coach of the past years, Zinédine Zidane, left the club in dispute. The image that the largest and most dazzling club in the world is giving these days is terrifying.

Now, with coach Carlo Ancelotti, an old acquaintance is to lead the Madrilenians back into calm waters and to the splendor of bygone days. But whether this succeeds is in the stars. The problems of the club are manifold, one disaster report follows the next. First there was the embarrassing debacle over the Super League, which Real president Florentino Pérez was supposed to preside over in the same position. An elite league with 15 permanent members and five other teams was planned to qualify for one season each. After massive public criticism from all over Europe that this only served to reduce debt or increase profits and no sporting competition, the plans were shredded again within a very short time – with proper image damage.

Further setbacks followed: first, the Spanish record champion was eliminated in the Champions League, then Real lost the title fight for the Spanish championship against city rivals Atletico in mid-May and finished the season only in second place. Shortly afterwards, Spain’s national football coach, Luis Enrique, announced that there would not be a single Madrid player at the upcoming European Championship – a tournament without royal participants for Spain, there has never been. Enrique nominated only 24 players, 26 would have been possible. = = References = = = = external links = = * official website Even seasoned professionals such as Marco Asensio or Isco left Enrique. As a former Barcelona coach, he was even accused of personal motives in the Spanish capital.

The love affair ends

The next low point was reached when the club officially announced at the end of May that Zinédine Zidane was quitting as coach in Madrid. The resignation hit the leadership apparently unprepared, even if some in the environment had expected it. For 20 years now, “Zizou” has been working for the Madrilenians in various roles. As a coach immortal made him the three consecutive won Champions League titles. Real Madrid and Zidane, that seemed to be an eternal love affair.

Zidane had resigned after the three titles because his squad had “needed a change to remain victorious”, but was back on the sidelines after only nine months. The team was not very often victorious among his successors, but success did not return with Zidane’s return. After this title-less season came to a break, Zidane attacked club patron Pérez head-on in an open letter: “I would have liked that my relationship with the club and the president in recent months would have been slightly different than that of other coaches. I do not ask for privileges, of course not, but a little more memory,” wrote the Frenchman.

Many transfers, little success

Another problem: De club management proved in recent years not a happy hand with the transfers. Eden Hazard was bought for 115 million euros, Luka Jovic for 63, Rodrygo and Reinier for a total of 75 million euros. None of these transfers have paid off so far, Reinier and Jovic have now been released on loan again. Rodrygo has scored three goals in 33 games this season, Hazard has missed 59 games due to injury since joining and has scored a total of only five goals in two years in all competitions – the equivalent of 23 million euros per goal. Vinicius Júnior, signed in 2018 for 45 million euros as the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo, has also scored a measly seven goals in 82 league games since his arrival.

An important goal, the rejuvenation of the team, Zidané did not succeed last season either. This is urgently needed. The tribe of the team, which has been playing together for years, is outdated. The triple middle field still preferably consists of Modric (35 years), Kroos (31) and Casemiro (29). In the storm, there is no way past Benzema (33) and in defense Varane (28), Carvajal (29) and Ramos (35) are set, if they are fit.

Rejuvenation urgently needed

At the end of the season, Zidane tried to focus on youth, on the last day of the season half the starting eleven was 25 or younger, but that was due to the many injuries. Whether the young and expensive hopefuls like Éder Militão or Federico Valverde are so good that they can replace old regulars is open to question. Only Ferland Mendy replaced Marcelo as left-back.

It is therefore still doubtful whether a transfer like that of striker Kylian Mbappé can be financially supported in view of the tight budget. However, David Alaba arrives and most likely succeeds club icon Sergio Ramos, whose contract expires on 30 June. Alaba does not cost a fee, but will be 29 years old at the beginning of the season.

So it was not surprising that the latest spectacular news from the Real universe with Carlo Ancelottis also concerned a new contract. As already announced, the 61-year-old will succeed Zidane as coach. With him as assistant coach, Ancelotti won the long-awaited tenth Champions League title seven years ago. In the final starting eleven at that time: Ramos, Varane, Carvajal, Modric and Benzema. Optimism and rejuvenation look different.

Sources: REUTERS, “transfermarkt.de”