A three-pronged plan to get Real Madrid back on top
It is no secret that Real Madrid were on one of the highest points in their history before Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo left rather abruptly in 2018. It’s no secret that they’ve fallen off quite a bit, either.
The Frenchman’s return has led to some stability and hope, but they are still far from reaching the all-conquering form that was the hallmark of his previous managerial spell. Here are three steps they should follow to regain that lost glory and, more importantly, sustain it.
#3. Understand that Galacticos are important
For the last few years, Real have swayed further and further from their famous, swashbuckling way of negotiating the transfer window. The first wave of Galacticos, as they came to be known, included Zidane, Ronaldo, David Beckham, and Luis Figo.
The second one consisted of Cristiano, Angel di Maria. Real, it seems, enter every new decade of the 21st century with a bang, and they are well on course for the 2020s having already signed Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic for a combined €160m.
They’re not done, however. On paper, an attack of Hazard, Benzema, Bale, Jovic, Vinicius and Rodrygo looks threatening, but there are obvious issues on and off the field. Benzema and Bale are inconsistent, while Hazard is coming off an injury-stricken debut season; all three are past their physical prime.
Jovic is yet to nail down a regular role and Vinicius and Rodrygo are too raw to be relied on regularly. Hazard’s weight problems, Bale’s contract and wages, and Jovic’s brush with the law for escaping isolation, only make matters worse.
This, and the loss of a free-scoring Ronaldo, has led to the last couple of seasons being some of the worst in front of goal for Los Blancos in their history. Madrid’s frontline needs serious investment, and as it happens, there are some fine replacements up for grabs in the near future, none of whom are more perfect than a certain Kylian Mbappe.
The 21-year old forward is tailor-made for the Bernabeu: he is quick and direct, widely popular already, and shows up when it matters most, not to mention young and a childhood fan of the club and its top scorer. Mbappe could be the Ronaldo-replacement Real Madrid have been looking for for so long and his versatility means he can be utilised on the wings or through the middle.
He’s the kind of player that defines an era and that’s exactly the superstar Los Blancos need right now. PSG’s struggles in the Champions League seem to be playing on Mbappe’s mind as he has been reluctant to sign a contract extension, and he could well be on his way to Spain in the next season or so.
Adding just one superstar won’t be enough though, and Florentino Perez might have to look for another forward, a defensive midfielder to cover for Casemiro and a centre-back to replace Sergio Ramos if his wunderkinds don’t live up to expectations. Jadon Sancho, Erling Håland, Eduardo Camavinga, Dayot Upamecano, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Milan Škriniar are some players who can be realistically targeted.
#2. Out with the old, in with the young
The spine that carried Real Madrid to four Champions League titles in five years, including an unprecedented three-peat, was formed more or less of Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric, KToni Kroos, Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale. This core group of players touched heights that none before them did and played some of the world’s best football.
They ushered in one of Real’s most trophy-laden era, no doubt, but they are also the ones who are keeping the team from progressing further and moving on.
All on the wrong side of 30, and having won all that is before them, they simply don’t have the physical and mental endurance remaining to compete at the highest level. It’s perhaps tragic to see the mighty fall, but sports, like time, wait for no one, and the old must make way for the young.
This is not to say that they should be discarded and sold in the morning, no. They should be gradually eased out of the first eleven as their apprentices take their places. Zidane and Florentino Perez have carefully cherry-picked some of the best young talents over the last few years, and it’s time they bore fruit.
Eder Militão and Benjamin Mendy should be given more minutes and Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Reguilon should be brought back to provide additional options as Ramos and Marcelo make way. Fede Valverde has already proved his worth this season and the return of Martin Ødegaard and Dani Ceballos, along with the arrival of a new DM, should rejuvenate the midfield sans Modrić.
While Rodrygo should be better off with a loan move that gets him plenty of minutes, Vinícius is ready to feature in tandem with the big names upfront and start fulfilling his potential. Jovic’s case is a bit less straightforward as he desperately needs to build back his confidence and might do well with a loan move.
Failure there, however, would all but end his career in the white jersey which might tempt him into staying and giving it another go. Madrid’s shrewd business means they barely need to look outside their roster to replace their ageing legends and all that without even bringing into discussion players like Andriy Lunin, Reinier Jesus, Brahim Díaz and Takefusa Kubo.
#1. Stick to a manager and a philosophy
The hot seat at Real Madrid has always been a metaphoric revolving door with immediate success given priority over developing a long-term project. This hunger has brought many laurels to the club, but it’s time they consider supporting managers for longer and allowing them to instil a lasting philosophy.
Gone are the days when Real could simply outscore their opponents in high-scoring matchups and call it a day. The emergence of financially strong and competitive clubs like PSG, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid means the playing area has been levelled at the pinnacle of European football and teams can ill afford to overlook structure in favour of an all-out attack.
Without Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid have been unable to break down even smaller yet disciplined teams like Ajax. Their defending has always been suspect but without their star talisman and in a much more competitive environment, Los Blancos must prioritise a structured defence and a disciplined build-up.
Such an approach can also prove useful in ending Barcelona’s dominance in the league as many experts are of the belief that over 38 matches, a resilient defence is more important than a blistering attack. Diego Simeone would surely agree.
A similar approach towards stability and patience can be seen at current top-dogs Liverpool where Jurgen Klopp has been given plenty of time to address the shortcomings and mould a team in his image with the correct players and system.
Barcelona’s fabled positional play and the long reigns of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are some other examples of the effectiveness of loyalty to managers and systems. In Zidane, Perez looks to have found his own Guardiola and must treat him accordingly.
Zidane commands respect from players all around and has proven himself as a tactician and, more importantly, a winner. He’s also a great scout of talent having recognized Raphaël Varane, Isco, and Federico Valverde much earlier than their breakthrough.
His presence was an important factor in Hazard’s arrival, and players like Mbappe are still drawn to him. Zidane has already made the team’s defence far less leaky than it was in the first half of the season, and it’s imperative to continue in the same vein.
If, for some reason, Zidane decides to step down as he did in 2018, Madrid should be all over Mauricio Pochettino. He’s expressed his desire to work at the Bernabeu and possesses the perfect blend of talents to succeed there. He’s a masterful tactician and man manager who employs a beautiful yet structured way of play. His stint at Tottenham also proved that he’s great at working with limited funds and getting the best out of his squad. He’s fresh off a Champions League final appearance as well.
The rise of players like Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Eric Dier is a testament to his faith in the youth and his last batch of signings, Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso further prove his eye for talent.
There’s also the added chance of some of his ex-players following him to Madrid. Real should do all they can to keep hold of Zidane, but if it isn’t meant to be, they have got an excellent back-up in Pochettino.