According to reports, Santiago Solari has just been named the permanent manager of Real Madrid after the best start of any manager in the club’s history.
Santiago Solari has been in the club since he was a player and his managerial career looks almost like an academy player. He started his managing career with the under 15 Real Madrid team in 2015, then quickly hopping the ranks in UEFA competitions to the under 18’s and the under 19’s.
Finally, the following year (2016-’17) he took over for Real Madrid Castilla where he has been until now.
October 29, 2018 his appointment to the Real Madrid Senior team was like a dream debut for a young academy player. He was given a chance to make a difference even if it was only until they found a permanent coach.
Solari took the chance, and he ran with it. The last four matches Solari has managed have resulted in four straight victories, a record for the best start by any manager at Real Madrid. The first three victories also coming with clean sheets Solari ball is gaining popularity and its coming fast.
While maintaining a 4-3-3 formation, Solari has solved a defensive problem with the introduction of some youth products he was working with at Castilla. His use of the youth players is what really sticks out as we see Reguilon filling in for the injured Marcelo, and Vinicius jr. shining in his cameos.
The other thing to look at is how he is dealing with injuries and experimenting with different players in different areas. Dani Ceballos filling in for Casemiro in the game against Celta Vigo after he picked up an ankle injury while Toni Kroos and Luka Modric pushed forward.
Solari has given this team a solution – not to say he has solved all problems – but for now what Solari has been able to do with the players available on the squad is something to note after a disastrous start to the season.
Solari is fighting through many injuries just as Lopetegui was and even a few more as of now. With Isco just returning from injury, Marcelo out, Varane out, Carvajal out, Reguilon out, Nacho out, and Mariano out it is up to the manager to make sure he can rotate the right players or some players can carry more minutes.
This formula is one that very few coaches seem to find, but for now, Solari seems to have it down.