The changes needed at Real Madrid

It all started in the summer when someone could have bet their life on Real Madrid president Florentino Perez not allowing both Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo to leave the club. There was hardly any time for celebrating the third Champions League title in a row as Ronaldo hinted at his departure just after the match ended. Here is some change we need to see in the Spanish capital.

Soon after all the celebrations ended at the Cibeles fountains and the Santiago Bernabéu, Zizou resigned as the coach of Real Madrid. None of the two pillars of Real Madrid that helped the team win three Champions League in a row were adequately replaced by the club and eight months later, Los Blancos are out of all competitions in March.

Real Madrid, the most decorated club in the world and the defending European champions were knocked out in the round of 16 by a young Ajax side. The world erupted into celebration as the moment they were waiting for for the past three years finally arrived.

A year ago, if someone had said Ajax would end Real Madrid’s Champions League run, I would have just laughed it off.  A team that was just easing past every European giant on Wednesday nights defeated by a bunch of inexperienced youngsters? No way.

Real Madrid was beaten black and blue in front of their loyal fans; we, as fans, were cornered and Ajax delivered punch after punch and sadly – unlike last season against Juve – there was no Ronaldo to get back up after so many hits and land the knockout punch.

Just one week drastically changed the entire season. Just a week ago things were fine; Real was yet to play Barcelona for a spot in Copa del Rey final after coming away with a 1-1 draw at Camp Nou, there was a bleak chance of winning the league, and hosting Ajax up 2-1 after the first leg looked like a guaranteed spot in the quarterfinal.

Finally, manager Santiago Solari has been exposed. He was not impressive with the Castilla team and it was reactionary by Perez to give him a big contract on the basis of three games. Solari was tactically inept from the first game to the last.

We never saw an exact attacking structure, players had no idea what to do after arriving in the final third, and was dependent on an 18-year-old youngster to create chances. On top of all of that, he had problems with Isco who did not even make the bench against Ajax but an inexperienced Fede Valverde did.

The team needed Isco to get out of the hounding press from Ajax and he was dearly missed. Madrid could’ve easily made use of his dribbling skills and control in tight spaces. Solari’s time at Madrid is all but over, but may be allowed to coach until the end of the season. Florentino Perez and Butragueno will surely be planning for the next season and the changes that are needed at various levels.