Real Madrid are the undisputed kings of club football but there's still work left to be done
Disclaimer: This article is the opinion of the author. It doesn't reflect Sportskeeda's views.
A Cristiano Ronaldo-less Real Madrid won their first trophy in the 2018-19 season as they defeated Al hosts Ain 4-1 in the final of FIFA Club World Cup. They claimed their third consecutive FIFA Club World Cup and broke their own records in the process.
Despite their failures in Spain, Los Blancos has maintained their superiority in Europe with their spectacular success in both the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup. They have won both these trophies three consecutive times and are undisputed leaders of the world at the moment.
Real Madrid enjoyed unprecedented success over the last few seasons and last night was no different. They were dominant from the first minute to the last and gave their opponents zero chance of mounting a comeback.
The current Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric's stunning strike gave Real Madrid the early lead and there was no looking back for them since the first goal. Even barring the goal, Luka Modric performed in his usual amazing manner and showed the world why he won the coveted prize.
Sergio Ramos led Real Madrid as he was flawless in defence and maintained his usual habit of scoring headers in the finals with his superb goal. Criticised or not, he along with these crop of players will always be remembered for another historic landmark.
Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, Real Madrid endured bit of slump in form as they had a rocky start to the season. After the departure of former coach Zinedine Zidane, Julen Lopetegui was appointed and even he was sacked earlier this season.
Of course, they missed the greatest goalscorer of their club and the likes of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were not enough to fill in his shoes. Even the new signing Mariano Diaz has failed to impress so far. There is no doubt that despite their dominance, Real Madrid must strengthen their squad and step up.
The likes of Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric getting into their usual form is good news but there is still lack of shape at the back. The defensive system is not up to the mark and even in their two wins in the Club World Cup, they have failed to keep a clean sheet.
When going forward, Real Madrid has struggled with their creativity and looked toothless at times. After significant departures of key players, the squad depth is still poor due to lack of efficient forwards.
Evidently, there's still work needed to be done from coach Santiago Solari and Real Madrid board. But Los Blancos are slowly getting back to their best which is a major sign of trouble for their rivals as they have constantly proved their mettle at the biggest of stages in club football.