Real Madrid are in a bit of a transition year. Well, they have been in a state of transition since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus, as replacing arguably the best player of all time is no easy task. Even so, Los Blancos won the league in their second season without Ronaldo, and Zinedine Zidane nearly had a second title in 2020-2021, had it not been for some late heroics from long-time nemesis Luis Suarez.
This season, Real are once again in prime position to win LaLiga, but this time with a different old friend, Carlo Ancelotti, in charge. Los Blancos have the highest goal differential in the league at the November international “break”, and they have a game in hand on the team that is only in first place by one point.
Let’s look at five major takeaways from the 2021-2022 season thus far.
Real Madrid still have world-class center backs
At the start of the season, some Madridistas were uncertain about the state of the defense, especially after the club allowed three goals to Levante. But since Toni Kroos’ return, Ferland Mendy’s return, and more balance in Ancelotti’s tactical setup, Real have been strong defensively. Even though they have been vulnerable in transition, the excellence of their center backs and goalkeeper have helped Los Blancos hold firm.
When David Alaba and Eder Militao start together in defense, they are nearly impenetrable. Militao has been one of LaLiga’s best players at making interventions, while Alaba calmly breaks up play, including in his own penalty box. His intelligence, vision, and willingness to stand in the firing line of any shot have made the difference for Los Blancos on multiple occasions.
In Alaba and Militao, Los Blancos, once again, have the best center back partnership in the Spanish top flight. Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane are still missed and formed one of the best duos of all time, but going forward, Militao and Alaba might be stronger players. They truly do complement each other brilliantly.