Will the 2021-2022 Real Madrid squad be good enough?

Real Madrid find themselves with a little over a month to go for them to finalize any deals and with just a few weeks left until the beginning of the league campaign, it doesn’t seem like there will be any arrivals at the club other than the possibility of Kylian Mbappe (which is a very small possibility). There will be more departures as the summer goes on with Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, and Brahim all already at new clubs.

With some tweaks here and there, it’s clear to see what our squad will be like for the season and this would be a good time to take a look at all the positions and see just how strong or weak the Real Madrid squad is – not in comparison to other teams but if this team is genuinely good enough to fight for all the available titles in the next year especially the UEFA Champions League and La Liga.

Goalkeepers:

With all the ongoing transfer rumors in the past couple of months, one position that has been completely untouched is the goalkeeping position and for good reason as well. Thibaut Courtois has been absolutely sensational and there is no need to even ponder a replacement for the Belgian and the same goes for his backup. Andriy Lunin is young, hungry, and genuinely a very good goalkeeper. He was unfortunate not to get too many opportunities over the course of last season but we will be seeing him more in the coming year particularly during the Copa del Rey where Carlo Ancelotti will be expected to use him as the starter in the competition.

We saw glimpses of what Lunin is capable of during the recent friendly against Rangers and even though he conceded twice, he came out with some very good saves. He may even be a little better than Courtois when it comes to the distribution of the ball. Both goalkeepers are young and should have a long and successful career in Madrid.

Defenders:

List of Defenders –

Dani Carvajal (Staying)
Alvaro Odriozola (Unknown)
Eder Militao (Staying)
David Alaba (New Signing)
Nacho Fernandez (Staying)
Raphael Varane (Leaving)
Jesus Vallejo (Unknown)
Victor Chust (Promotion Expected)
Ferland Mendy (Staying)
Marcelo (Staying)
Miguel Gutierrez (Promotion Expected)

With the departure of Sergio Ramos and the sale of Raphael Varane, it’s quite normal to be a little worried about the defense this season especially since the club aren’t planning to make any purchases. However, there’s a reason behind that.

With Dani Carvajal as the starting right-back, he will have Alvaro Odriozola as a backup as well as Lucas Vazquez who has proven that he has what it takes to get the job done. Even if Odriozola ends up finding a new place to call home next season, Los Blancos will still be quite okay.

In the center, Real Madrid’s new partnership will see Eder Militao and the newcomer David Alaba aim to create an understanding. As backups, Nacho Fernandez has always been possibly the best player to have on the bench while the other option could be Jesus Vallejo. However, Vallejo will be expected to leave this summer as Ancelotti reportedly aims to promote Victor Chust who is more than good enough to get the job done.

On the left, Ferland Mendy should be able to continue making the position his to keep with Marcelo as his backup. The captain hasn’t been in the best form over the past few years but Real Madrid have a gem in Miguel Gutierrez who has earned the chance to fight for his spot. If things go like many Madridistas are expecting, Miguel will be the direct backup to Ferland Mendy instead of the captain.

Midfielders:

List of Midfielders –

Carlos Casemiro (Staying)
Toni Kroos (Staying)
Luka Modric (Staying)
Federico Valverde (Staying)
Martin Odegaard (Unknown)
Dani Ceballos (Unknown)
Isco (Unknown)
Antonio Blanco (Promotion Expected)

It will be quite interesting to see what Real Madrid have in store for the midfielders. The core that we have grown accustomed to will continue to thrive as Carlos Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will be a big part of the upcoming season but other than that, everything will depend on what Ancelotti has in mind as well as what offers come in. Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos have both returned from loan spells at Arsenal but will they have a future at the club? It seems like Odegaard might even though recent reports have suggested that he could want to leave while Ceballos has made it extremely clear that he wants to fight for a place at the club. However, if an offer comes in for the Spaniard, will Real Madrid reject it?

The answer to that could also depend on the future of Isco who will now be familiar with finding himself in the middle of transfer talks. There hasn’t been anything concrete as of now for Isco but it’s no secret that if a good offer arrives, the Spanish midfielder will go elsewhere in the upcoming season.

That leaves Federico Valverde who will definitely be staying at the club and will be hopeful that his injury problems are now behind him and Antonio Blanco who impressed in the few performances under Zinedine Zidane last season and could be promoted to the first team by Ancelotti who is a fan of the youngster. He already has what it takes to be part of the final Real Madrid squad.

Therefore, even though the midfield looks extremely full, changes are to be expected. Regardless of the outcome though, the club should be in a healthy enough position to not have to worry too much as they will need the majority of their midfield to stay fit and healthy throughout what will surely be a very tiring season.

Forwards:

List of Forwards –

Eden Hazard
Karim Benzema
Marco Asensio
Lucas Vazquez
Vinicius Junior
Mariano Diaz
Rodrygo Goes
Gareth Bale
Luka Jovic
Takefusa Kubo

Here is where things get extremely interesting for the club – simply put, there are way too many forwards already here and barely any of them will want to leave. On the wings, Real Madrid will have two places and that means they’ll have to juggle between Vinicius Junior, Eden Hazard, Rodrygo Goes, Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale, and Lucas Vazquez. Vazquez could play as a right-back when needed but that definitely will not be where Ancelotti will slot him unless required. Takefusa Kubo is also a winger but he is expected to leave on loan once again before the end of the transfer window as the young Japanese forward continues to impress but he needs more time and there isn’t space for him in the team.

As for the rest of the players, none of them will want to leave. Bale is in the final year of his contract while Asensio has already clarified that he’s staying for the next season. Vinicius and Rodrygo are both great players with incredible potential so it will be difficult for Ancelotti to give all these players that time they deserve on the pitch.

As for the striker position, Karim Benzema will be the starter but Real Madrid will find problems selling Mariano Diaz who has continued to refuse to speak to other clubs even though his minutes are extremely limited as well as Luka Jovic who hasn’t been able to replicate the form that made him one of the most sought after strikers in Europe a few years ago with Eintracht Frankfurt.

If all that wasn’t a headache on its own, we need to bring in the biggest transfer story related to the club and that is Kylian Mbappe who will have his name added to the list of forwards if he joins. Obviously, he will be a starter but that simply means even less time for some of the wingers that are already at the club.

Final Verdict

Real Madrid’s squad is strong and not many changes will be made this summer as expected. They have the capabilities to fight for all titles but whether or not they’re strong enough to actually win anything remains to be seen. The UEFA Champions League is a very tough competition and Real Madrid will always have history on their side but these players are not the same as they once were and it’s difficult to see them make it to the final when having to juggle the league as well, which they could potentially win as it’s a full year competition.

Does this team need amendments? Definitely but these changes cannot be rushed and it’s something that needs to be studied carefully. Just adding Kylian Mbappe doesn’t fix everything but it definitely fixes a lot.

For now, we prepare for a season filled with highs and lows just like every year. There isn’t too much time left for our first league match of the season and let’s hope that the boys are ready to come out fighting.