In this season, which may look hopeless and frustrating, Real Madrid fans should remember the following 10 things to give them perspective and peace.
It can be comfortably said that the 2018-19 season has been a disappointing and forgettable one for Real Madrid, and all their fans. The sentiment is even more profound after two consecutive Clásico loss at the Bernabéu.
Another being the key word here; Real Madrid lost three and drew once in the four games played against their most bitter rivals. They have struggled to score at multiple points during the season, the defense has been shaky, the midfield has been uninspired, and some goalkeeping errors have seeped in here and there.
Tactics and substitutions have left the fans befuddled and a lack of reinforcements in the summer/winter window has left the fans angry.
In the midst of all this mayhem, let’s not get too carried away and lose perspective of what Real Madrid really is. See below to remember why you fell in love with the club in the first place:
- Real Madrid is still the biggest and most successful club in European football history. Sitting pretty at 13 UCL titles, they have almost double of the second-placed AC Milan (seven). The club’s bitter rival, FC Barcelona’s 5 titles pale in comparison to Madrid’s glory when it comes to the most prestigious club competition in the world.
- Before 2017, no team had won back-to-back Champions League titles under the revised format. Real Madrid not only won two in a row, but they also made it one better with three in a row. They are also the only team with four and five straight wins in the older European Cup format. Their record in finals is also incredible.
- Los Blancos are currently sitting on a record of eight consecutive UCL semifinal appearances. The last decade has been one of the most competitive in Champions League / European Cup era; Many historic clubs have suffered and been inconsistent. Case in point being Barcelona, who has been eliminated in the quarterfinals in four of the last five years, despite having Lionel Messi. Real Madrid, however, has maintained and further solidified its European dominance. This dominance is the reason why no one can confidently rule them out this year either, despite the season they have been having.
- Despite their inconsistency in the league and Clasicos in recent years, they are still far ahead of Barcelona in Spanish league also, with 33 titles.
- Real Madrid is currently the highest revenue generating club in the world and one of the biggest sporting brands in the world.
- Despite the ‘GOAT’ claims for Messi over the last decade, Real Madrid holds the record for Ballon d’or trophies, primarily because this was also the era of Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Vinícius Júnior has been the find of the season for the club, his potential being recognized by opposing teams, fans, and media plaudits. The teenager has everything – skill, pace, dribbling, 1v1 positional awareness, and most importantly, the right mentality to conquer everything that comes in his way. With improved finishing, he is a future Ballon d’or winner, who will add more silverware to the already full Bernabéu trophy cabinet.
- Other than Vinícius, Sergio Reguilón, and Marcos Llorente have really announced themselves to the world. It says a lot when they are picked over the veteran masters like Marcelo and Casemiro. To make Madrid fans pick someone else over especially Marcelo is no easy task since he is more than just a left-back, but this boy has been able to do it seamlessly. Vinícius and Reguilón were the biggest Madrid threats in their debut season, in El Clásico just last week. That shows how far they have come and how far they will go in their Madrid careers. They will set that left wing on fire.
- Two other young players deserve a shout-out in this list – Álvaro Odriozola and Dani Ceballos. Both have impressed when given an opportunity. And the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Martin Odegaard, and Rodrygo are yet to join the Madrid ranks. If the word on the street is to be believed, Rodrygo is an even brighter prospect that Vinícius.
- Lastly, we should have known that this season was always going to be rough. Real Madrid lost its best player in Cristiano Ronaldo – it’s not recognized enough that he just didn’t take away those 50 odd goals, but Real Madrid also lost a leader, a motivator, someone who instilled fear in the opposition, and always drew defenders which made room for other players. Its impact has been much bigger than the loss of goals. They did not or could not get adequate replacements in the summer/winter window. They lost manager Zinedine Zidane, who knew just how to get the best out of his players. They also fired their coach mid-season and an inexperienced coach is at the helm now, which leads to uncertainty in the dressing room. This was a transitional year in more ways than one. Ronaldo and Zidane aside, the backbone of this team is aging – Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, and Marcelo. The latter two may leave this summer, Bale as well. The squad will need an overhaul in the summer window, and a dynamic coach who knows how to build a team. Given the above, some of Madrid’s performances shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Some, not all, because it still doesn’t explain losing to Girona at home etc., but you get the drift.
Looking at the above, things don’t seem too bad now. As the common saying goes – form is temporary, class is permanent. Real Madrid has too much class and history to not come out of this shining.