Why Aren’t Real Madrid Storming La Liga?
by Joe Bartle
In the summer of 2009, Real Madrid sent shockwaves around the world by spending an estimated £252 million pounds. After FC Barcelona dominated Spain in 2008-2009, winning an unprecedented treble, Florentino Pérez felt it was essential to topple the Catalan giants.
But well over midway through the season Real are not where Pérez wants them to be. They are behind Barcelona in La Liga, are currently losing 1-0 from the first leg of the Champions League against Lyon, and were astonishingly knocked out of the Copa Del Rey by Segunda Division B village side Alcorcón. But why haven’t Real Madrid performed up to expectations this season?
The team hasn’t gelled – you can’t expect to sign over 7 first team players and expect them to suddenly gel, and this is where Florentino Pérez has made his mistake. He wants instant success and he will not get it this way. A better way of doing this would be to gradually sign players, giving them time to gel. But unfortunately for Real Madrid fans, Pérez is determined to get the Galactico era back to the capital, which is unlikely to work.
Underperforming stars – after spending hundreds of millions on players, the fans, and the board quite reasonably expected the stars to perform. But this truly has not been the case. €35m Karim Benzema has most certainly not hit the form that saw him be one of the most feared strikers in Europe. Although he has scored 7 goals in La Liga, the fans do not feel he is good enough for the Real Madrid team – perhaps another costly mistake by Real? Also, Kaká is nowhere near the same player he was at AC Milan. He has been pleading for time and patience, but only time will tell if the Madridistas will give him this.
Finally, in my opinion, the world’s best player – Cristiano Ronaldo. The confident Portuguese trickster has been playing very well, but has also unfortunately been on the sidelines for quite some time. You don’t really expect to pay €94m for a player that is injury prone. Fortunately for Madrid fans, when he has been playing, he’s been exceptional. One thing he does need to work on is his temper, after receiving two red cards for Real thus far.
The right manager? – one thing you have got to be to take on the Real Madrid managers job is brave. The Real Madrid board is famously the most impatient in the world. With managers such as Bernd Schuster, Carlos Queiroz, Guus Hiddink, Fabio Capello and Alfredo Di Stefano all lasting no more than one season, even after winning a trophy, surely you’d have to be mad to take the manager’s job at Madrid. But Manuel Pellegrini thought it was the right career move for him, which I for one, am highly critical of. At Villarreal, the Chilean had solid foundations for a team that was quickly progressing to challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid for the La Liga crown.
But the bright lights of Madrid was something Pellegrini simply couldn’t refuse, and unsurprisingly, he is under pressure like most of the previous managers. Arsene Wenger has famously turned down Real Madrid many times, citing the fact that he would like to make his own transfer decisions as the main reason. It seems despite Real’s impressive recent form Pellegrini will go the way of the Schusters and Capellos of this world and be sacked at the end of the season no matter what trophies he delivers.
So will Real Madrid finally storm La Liga and run away from Barcelona in the title race? Or will they crumble like they have in previous seasons after spending significant amounts of money? We’re about to find out.
Manuel Pellegrini, Real Madrid, Spain, Spanish Primera DivisionShare This Post!
About Jonathan F
The boss of this here... Creator and Editor of Just-Football.com and world football analyst, watcher, freelancer and all-round enthusiast. Write for FourFourTwo, have also written for ITV, When Saturday Comes and others. Open to offers.
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"crumble like they have in previous seasons"?
fyi: they've won two la ligas in three seasons.
and perez doesn't count on a major trophy this season, he's allready said that before the season started. real are not financially depended on winning a trophy this season. they will continue to rebuild the team come summertime, trophy or nor.
please learn more about spanish soccer before you write comments and articles.
your article is superbly stupid. Inform yourself prior writing such stupidity.
1) Perez said he is not expecting trophies this year.
2) Benzema has been injured for half of the season, and with Higuan in form he can't play. Kaka is the best player recently again after recovering from injury.
3) This is the most stupid. " €94m for a player that is injury prone.". Next time put your ankle against Marsielle and we will see for how long you get sidelined. Also just tell me when he was sidelined for many months except for the operation he had in his ankle 2 years ago. Ronaldo always had his moments of madness even with Man. Utd.
4) Pellegrini is here to stay.
5) We have once again been hit with injuries including Pepe whom he is our master in defense.
Again inform yourself prior you write anything.
@Anonymous #2 – regarding your point 4) 'Pellegrini is here to stay' – I very much doubt that.
Marca have already begun their anti-Pellegrini campaign and what they want they usually get with regards Real Madrid.
Even though in my opinion Pellegrini is doing a fantastic job and gelling well a potentially awesome team (I disagree with Joe that the 'team hasn't gelled'), the bottom line is Real Madrid are notorious for short-sighted decision making.
I'll be amazed if Pellegrini makes it past this season, no matter the outcome.
The short answer is surely that Barcelona are really good, as they were last season. Madrid have earned 2.5 points per game this season – compare that to major European league leaders Chelsea (2.2), Inter (2.2), Bayern (2.2) and Bordeaux (2.1). Unfortunately for them, Barcelona have been just a little better, only losing once in the league.
Exactly, that is yet another valid reason – arguably the greatest performing club side in history also happen to play in the same league!
I happen to think Real are doing really well and actually have a sneaky feeling they will pip Barca to win La Liga.
Jonathan
Very valid points in terms of the impatience by the board and fans is concerned as is shown in the past but it does not go to say that the same process would be followed now. Making a newspaper report/rumour as part of a point making would be ridiculous. (re: Pellegrini's job)
The gap between Barcelona and us is two points so won't be called as unachievable and nor can the away loss to Lyon be called as a dent in form as a win away by a slender margin wouldn't be much of a problem to be very honest.
Now this weekend would play a very crucial role as we have Sevilla (4th in the league table) on Saturday and Lyon on the weekday for Champions League. Two very significant games. Things would be clearer then.