The Spanish Super Cup has increased the wrinkles of a Real Madrid that has “a full belly”. Those led by Carlo Ancelotti, who was notably annoyed by the fact that they described the team’s performance as “ridiculous”, did not compete against Barcelona. Y That is the worst symptom in a team that is defined by its competitive gene. A defeat against Barcelona, due to the way it happened, in which many see signs of a change of cycle.
However, this white drift is not punctual. Real Madrid have lost four of the last ten games they have played, the same ones they have won. Half of them before the World Cup. To this is added another argument that dismantles the importance of wear and tear in Qatar. In the final with Barça, the Catalans had 17 players who were in the World Cup against 13 Real Madrid. Which dismantles the alibi of the post-world physical downturn and points to Antonio Pintus.
An unbalanced squad
There is also a management problem, since when Carletto turned to the bench in Riyadh he met players like Hazard, Mariano, Nacho or Ceballos. Footballers who have lost prominence to the point of being relegated to the most absolute insignificance. Some due to lack of performance, like the Belgian or the striker, and others due to a technical decision, like the defender or the midfielder. With Modric exhausted, he is surprised that the coach did not count on Ceballos anymore, in whom he has declared that he trusts. It is also difficult to explain the disappearance of a Nacho who has always shown reliability, both when getting off the ball and leading the defense. The arrival of Rüdiger has relegated him, but the German has shown that beyond his physical performance he is not a suitable player to play from behind, nor is Militao. Management that points out to Ancelotti himself that not so long ago he was capable of making the team play beyond its possibilities.
Also there is an obvious imbalance in the design of the template. Benzema does not have a forward relief, partly because the player himself was never a friend of having a natural relief. In the middle, after the departure of Casemiro, there is only one anchor: Tchouaméni. And being injured, the team is orphaned because Kroos has never had the legs or elbows to assume that role, even though Carletto has improvised with him. It is added that the sides have become vulgarized. Injuries hamper a Carvajal who Lucas Vázquez replaces as a patch, while Mendy no longer hides his limitations with the ball at his feet. A structural imbalance that puts the focus on the offices of La Castellana.
The problem is exacerbated by a fierce calendar for the whites on this January slope. Real Madrid will play 17 matches in 60 days, with eight weeks of matches during the week and on Sundays, which prevents him from recovering players. Super Cup, League, Cup, Club World Cup, Champions… There is no truce for the whites, who this week, while digesting the painful defeat against Barcelona, will face Villarreal at the La Cerámica stadium and Athletic at San Mamés on Thursday Sunday at 9:00 p.m.
No signings
has no intention Florentino Perez to go to the January market to strengthen the team, that, however, if must undertake a profound restructuring in summer. Seven players are free in June (Modric, Kroos, Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano, Nacho and Ceballos).
Of them only Mariano would seem expendable. Kroos, Modric and Benzema make up the backbone of the team after 35, Asensio and Ceballos are irrelevant at present although they should be decisive in the future, and Nacho’s versatility has been very useful in the last fifteen years.
For Ancelotti, the Ferrari has become a Twingo overnight and he is beginning to have problems getting the most out of it. There are those who find similarities between this second season of the coach and the second course of his first stage in Madrid. He then ended up without titles and was fired a year before his contract ended. Ancelotti once again has two years left on his contract and should win a title this year to avoid history repeating itself. The question is whether he will be able to return to squeeze a team with wrinkles in his spine and a full belly.
