5 concerns for Real Madrid ahead of the La Liga season (2021-22)
With Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, Real Madrid are ready to kick start the new La Liga season. Real Madrid had to reluctantly surrender their 2019-20 La Liga crown to neighbors Atletico Madrid after a disappointing showing last term.
Los Blancos finished two points behind eventual champions Atletico Madrid, fighting tooth and nail for the Spanish championship last season.
Zinedine Zidane was rehired in 2019 by the club's hierarchy in an attempt to replicate the Frenchman's first stint with Real Madrid. However, to their dismay, the 49-year-old tactician could only produce two pieces of silverware in his second spell, including a reclamation of the La Liga title in 2019-20.
Real Madrid's recent record in La Liga
Los Merengues have acquired the bragging rights in La Liga by the sole virtue of hard work, winning the Spanish top-flight a record 34 times. Their closest rivals, Barcelona, are comfortably behind with 26 titles to their name. However, Real Madrid are going through somewhat of a dry patch regarding their league form, since the dawn of the current millennium.
The men in white have experienced a tremendous run on the European stage, winning four Champions League titles in the last decade. Nevertheless, Real Madrid have only managed a paltry seven La Liga wins in the past 21 years, failing to clone their continental success at a domestic level.
With the recent departure of Zidane, the second-most decorated manager in the club's history, the Spanish giants are presently at their competitive lowest.
Keeping their current plight in mind, let's take a look at 5 potential concerns that may end up derailing Real Madrid's upcoming La Liga season:
#5 A paper-thin defence
The conclusion of the 2020-21 season saw Real Madrid net their record low of 67 goals in the league. However, a defensive masterclass from their recruits at the back kept Los Blancos' season afloat. The likes of Eder Militao, Nacho Fernandez and veteran Raphael Varane shone in the absence of club-legend Sergio Ramos.
Fast forward two months and the La Liga stalwarts have already bid adieu to the core of their rock-solid defence. While contractual disputes prompted Ramos to leave his home for16 years, his centre-back partner Varane was cajoled by Manchester United's latest project.
To compensate for this colossal loss, Real Madrid initiated the free transfer of Bayern Munich's David Alaba. Even so, the 29-year-old Austrian is primarily a left-back, capable of being deployed in the center.
Dani Carvajal's consistent struggles with injuries, coupled with Alvaro Odriozola's mediocre abilities, complete a problematic defence line. With just seven players competing for the back-four positions, Real Madrid distinctly lack the adequate depth to see off a successful La Liga campaign.
#4 Florentino Perez and his obsession with the European Super League
In April 2021, the concept of a European Super League, comprising the continent's elites, was officially announced with Florentino Perez at its helm. Not only did Real Madrid's president spearhead the infamous operation but also presided as chairperson.
The proposed league was condemned by the entire footballing world, fans and managers alike. Numerous players, including Ander Herrera, James Milner, Patrick Bamford and many more, went out of their way to speak up against the commencement of such a competition.
Amidst all this commotion, Perez held a conference where he disparaged everything that the beautiful game stood for, making comments like,
"We have been working on this for two years. It's a format to prevent football, which is losing interest, from dying. We are not excluding anyone, but everyone can't be there. A Roma-Sampdoria has less interest than a Manchester [United]-Paris Saint-Germain."
In response to the severe backlash, every single club involved with the notorious ESL, barring Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus, parted ways with the competition and issued a public apology to their fans.
However, Perez remains adamant about the fruition of such a league, labeling it the 'future of football'. With Real Madrid and their president at the center of such a grievous controversy, the unnecessary attention could have adverse effects on the club's La Liga season in 2021-22.
Also read: 5 reasons why Barcelona can win La Liga (2021-22)