How Ancelotti Made Madrid Champions of Spain

11 months ago

It was supposed to be a year of rebuilding. From moving on the old guard, speeding up the youthful blood, and setting the stage for the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, among others, for next season. It is not often that one season is expected to be unfamiliar for Real Madrid, but that is the curse of Real Madrid, who are expected to be champions at the end of each season.

Atlético Madrid looked inevitable at the end of last season and were likely the favorites to defend the Spanish champions title. Los Blancos Although she managed to exceed the highest expectations, and took a record number 35 in the Spanish League title with a score of 4-0 Beat Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu by at least four matches.

How did this transformation happen? Here is the story of the Spanish League season in which Real Madrid won and how it became the Spanish champion for the 35th time, which is a record.

quiet summer

Madrid spent much of the summer trying to convince Mbappe to leave PSG this year instead of the following year. It didn’t work out for the Parisiens to interpret the most talented and tactically flawed front line in the game’s history. The club had a big departure as well with defensive players Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leaving the club for much less than their real value.

The two big signings of Florentino Perez are David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga, the 18-year-old who has cost around 30 million euros. Alaba has been a world defender for nearly a decade now, and Camavinga may have been the only highly-rated player in Europe, but it was still a quiet summer by Madrid and Perez standards.

Courtesy: David Alaba/Twitter

The main arrival, or rather, the return to the Spanish capital was Carlo Ancelotti. Don Carlo has spent the past few seasons on a journey of self-discovery between hippies and Alaska with Napoli and Everton But he returned to the role that seemed most suitable for him. – At the biggest club in the world, he looked unsatisfied with his raised eyebrows at the bewilderment of not being allowed to walk above the opponent.

Quick start

In the world of Guardiola, Klopp and Pochettino, Ancelotti was seen as a conservative choice. Someone who brings stability before excitement. These concerned views quickly dissipated in the first weeks as Real Madrid began the season with exceptional attacking style.

Real scored three or more goals in four of their first six league games, riding the Brazilian wave for Vinicius Junior. Three times in his first six games for Real Madrid.

The winger has not yet been Ancelotti’s most productive attacking player. In the same period, striker Karim Benzema scored eight goals and provided seven assists to mark the beginning of his brilliant career. Benzema was irresistible, orchestrating the attack as an experienced captain, and he would hold the Pichichi Cup soon enough for the first time in his career at the age of 34.

building blocks

Offensive fluency came in exchange for a defensive guarantee. With both hearts initially gone, it took a while for Eder Militao to acclimate to Alaba. Real Madrid kept only two clean sheets in their first eight matches, and the defense was still fragile in late October when they traveled to the Camp Nou. .

The first Clasico was arguably one of the worst in modern history, but it didn’t matter to the Blancos followers. Alaba made himself an instant favourite by scoring the first goal in Barcelona, ​​and Lucas Vazquez’s late goal ensured Real Madrid had bragging rights over their fierce rival.

Lucas Vazquez celebrates after scoring against Barcelona
Lucas Vazquez celebrates after scoring against Barcelona (Photo: Real Madrid / Website)

This win marked the start of an 11-game unbeaten streak. During this period, Real Madrid added defensive stability to their game. They have conceded only six goals in these 11 matches which included major victories over Atletico Madrid, Seville and Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid was backed by the poor level of their rivals. Atletico have lost all the defensive composure that has made them a reliable team in recent years. Barcelona went through one revolution in the summer and then another in the winter. Seville & Co. She looked bright in points but didn’t have the resources to challenge the title.

winter blues

The return from a short winter break saw a slight drop in level as Real Madrid won only two of their next five matches, slipping on points to the likes of Getafe and Elche. This period coincided with injury problems for Benzema and Finicos and gave Sevilla a glimmer of hope in the delay of the shipment.

The Frenchman returned in mid-February in the shape of his life. He scored in four consecutive league matches along with his UEFA Champions League tournaments. However, he was left out of the biggest match of the year – his second Clasico against Barcelona in late March.

Barcelona that hosted Madrid in October and the one that visited in March were two completely different teams. Xavi’s men were miles ahead of their opponents that night, and the 4-0 defeat remains a huge disgrace to Madrid’s great season.

It was a one-off only, as Ancelotti’s team returned to the winning ways with four wins on the trot, One against Espanyol being the fifth to bid farewell. They also advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League, and the first leg against Manchester City saw a lively display of _____.

The old guard stands tall

Obviously, Madrid was at an inflection point in the summer. They had to decide whether to stay with the likes of Ramos, Kroos, Varane and Modric or undergo a complete turmoil and build the team around Vinicius and his teammates. Hindsight shows that they chose common ground and it worked perfectly.

Benzema’s championships have already been discussed. It was Modric’s best moment in the Champions League but the Croatian’s contributions to the league cannot be understated. Toni Kroos continues to be one of the most consistent players in Europe and no one wants to play against his midfield and Casemiro.

Those who left struggled. Sergio Ramos was barely seen at the Parc des Princes while Raphael Varane’s poor performance was hidden by England’s disdain for their best defender, Harry Maguire. Real Madrid have had their strategy and their assessment of the people and it has paid off this season.

new kings

Although Ancelotti did not fully rely on the veterans, he used this campaign to give important playing minutes to young players for the years to come. Vincos and Rodrygo were included in the starting line-up, while Fede Valverde and Camavinga played heavily.
Combine this with the impending arrival of Mbappe and the highly anticipated signings of Pogba or Haaland, and it looks like Madrid is looking frightening for next season already. They still have to play it in the Champions League this season, but Ancelotti and his men are looking to win it all in May 2023.

At the moment, Real Madrid is the champion of Spain and the party is not stopping tonight in the capital.

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