Real Madrid finished second in last season’s La Liga, and usually, the teams who finish second try to strengthen their squad and challenge for the title next season. Los Blancos did not get into a challenge for the Spanish crown, though, because they simply did not need to, as no other team came their way.
We are only in the first week of May and the title races generally conclude around the last week, but as a quick look at history will suggest, Real Madrid have always done things as they pleased, and have found great success in doing so.
After losing the title to arch-rivals Atletico Madrid last season, the boys in white had every reason to fall apart like a house of cards, crumble under pressure and lose their composure. Their inspirational manager, Zinedine Zidane had left the club, and so did captain Sergio Ramos.
To add to their worries, Real Madrid’s defensive wall Raphael Varane also departed for newer pastures, and back at the helm was Carlo Ancelotti, who might have won many accolades in the past but was only managing an uninspiring Everton team in his previous stint.
Everything seemed to be working against them but Real Madrid turned things around, and in quite a fashion. They defeated RCD Espanyol 4-0 on Saturday to clinch their 35th La Liga title in April itself – ensuring they can relax in the league competition from now onwards and throw all eggs into the UEFA Champions League basket.
Check out how Real Madrid won their 35th La Liga title:
BALLON D’OR WORTHY SEASON FOR KARIM BENZEMA
Football is a team sport where individual contributions are not of great significance, said the football purists, but little did they know that Karim Benzema will emerge as an anti-thesis. The French striker has been a consistent goalscorer for Los Blancos for a while now, but after this season, it will not be surprising if you find his picture beside the word ‘consistency’ in your dictionary.
The 34-year-old has netted 26 goals in his 30 La Liga appearances, while on the contrary, not a single striker has even come close to the 20-goal mark. Overall, Benzema has scored 42 goals in as many appearances so far, which is his best return in a single season, including his time in Olympique Lyonnais.
ANCELOTTI FINDS THE KEY TO UNLOCK VINICIUS
There is a common phrase in modern football – ‘Unlocking a player.’ There is an enormous talent on display across all major leagues, but only those who ‘unlock’ their potential make it to the assemblage of the very best.
Ever since Vinicius Junior joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018, fans have been in awe of his talent. However, the Brazilian wonderkid lacked the finishing touch big time, since prior to this season, he had never scored over 6 goals per season for Real Madrid.
With the Kylian Mbappe deal not going through at the start of the season, Ancelotti had only one option left at his disposal – to transform uncut gem Vinicius into a finished piece of glittering article, and that they did quite effectively.
Vinicius has so far scored 14 goals in 32 La Liga appearances this season, and like Benzema, he too is enjoying the best ever campaign of his career. Across all competitions, the 21-year-old has netted 18 goals in 47 matches.
QUALITY IS NOT ALWAYS EXPENSIVE
Real Madrid are not particularly a Moneyball team. They have a knack for splashing the cash on big names, but given current finances and future aspirations, the club was forced to spend wisely in the last summer transfer window. In fact, they did not spend anything at all when they signed free agent David Alaba, and it has turned out to be a fantastic addition to their squad.
The Austrian defender paired up with Eder Militao in central defence – thereby not letting Real Madrid fans miss either Ramos or Varane. Alaba has been a key figure in what is one of the most resolute defensive contingents in the league, and despite not playing in an advanced role, he has managed to chip in with two goals and three assists in the league.
OLD TREES BEAR FRUITS
Real Madrid’s midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will collectively score a century next season – that is, their current combined age is 98. However, one would not say that by looking at their performances as they played a key role in Los Blancos’ success for the umpteenth time.
Casemiro, the tireless workhorse, has missed only five La Liga games – of which he was rested in only one match while he was either suspended or injured on the other occasions. Luka Modric has played 25 of Real Madrid’s 34 matches, and he too has rarely been benched if not for injury. Toni Kroos, on the other hand, missed the first seven matches because of a pubis bone irritation, but since then, he has played in 24 of the 27 matches.
Together, the trio has made 78 appearances so far out of a possible 102, and whenever they have been on the pitch, there has not been a single word said or written about commitment that is on a negative note. Though their job primarily is to control the tempo in the middle of the park, which they certainly have done, the ‘terrific three’ have also given 12 assists and have netted four goals.
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