Missing out on any LaLiga title represents a poor season by Real Madrid’s high standards, but finishing second by 10 points to old rivals Barcelona will demand a response from Los Blancos.
With star forward Karim Benzema leaving this summer, Real Madrid need to recruit to fill the void but, with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, the outfit from the capital have the ability to get back to the top of Spanish football in the near future.
Benzema’s Final Season Ends In Disappointment
It’s not the way Benzema would have liked to see his time at the Santiago Bernabeu come to an end, as Real Madrid played second fiddle to rivals Barcelona in LaLiga. Their European hopes were also dashed in the semi-finals, as they lost to eventual Champions League winners Manchester City. It was no disgrace to lose to a City side that dominated the Premier League this season and are 8/13 in the betting for tonight’s football markets to retain the title next term. However, the manner of that defeat, in a 5-1 aggregate loss to Pep Guardiola’s side, will have also been a bitter pill to swallow for Ancelotti and his players.
Real were hopeful Benzema would stay at least one more season at the Bernabeu, but the veteran striker has decided to take up a new challenge in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad. It means Los Blancos will have to do without a forward who managed to score 19 LaLiga goals in 24 appearances in the competition last term. The Ballon d’Or winner will be hard to replace at the club, but at the age of 35, perhaps it is the right time to look for the new focus of the Real Madrid attack.
Ancelotti Can Get Real Madrid Back On Track
If any manager knows how to turn things around at the Santiago Bernabeu, then it’s Italian tactician Ancelotti. The 64-year-old, who is enjoying his second spell in the Spanish capital, helped Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League final last season and win the LaLiga title. They were not a million miles away from retaining the European crown this term but just came up against a Man City side that found their rhythm at the business end of the campaign.
Ancelotti and Real Madrid’s hierarchy will be working on recruitment over the coming months before the rigours of a campaign challenging on multiple fronts returns. Barcelona had a big summer of recruitment 12 months ago and it helped add the quality that was required to surpass Real Madrid at the top of the LaLiga standings. The arm wrestle between these two great clubs has been going on for decades and at this moment, the Blaugrana have their noses in front.
Retaining the LaLiga title is harder than winning it in the first place. Real Madrid look to be ready to start a new chapter without Benzema, as they aim to challenge for the Spanish crown once again with Ancelotti at the helm.
By Alejandro Fernandez