Real Madrid: 3 biggest strengths and weaknesses of the squad in 2022/23
Let us now turn our attention to the shortcomings:
1. The unavailability of a back-up striker
Despite the fact that the signings of Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni were effective in terms of improving the defence and midfield, there is still a gap in the offensive unit for which a signing was contemplated by fans but was not provided.
The necessity for a backup striker is obvious, and it may cause issues for the team as the season progresses. Benzema has already been injured this season, and there is no natural striker who can replace him and offer a fair quantity of goals.
There was no shortage of candidates for this post, but Ancelotti appears to place a high value on Benzema, which might backfire in the long run. Borja Mayoral and Juanmi Latasa were two candidates who may have served as backups but were both transferred to different teams since they couldn’t compete on Benzema’s level.
But again, no one could compete with Benzema, thus it was necessary to find a replacement who could fill in solely during his absence and grow on the side.
A second Mariano or Luka Jovic would raise the club’s liability, thus it makes sense that they were hesitant to go for a backup just for the sake of it.
Eden Hazard was considered for the position, but his performance against Mallorca shown that he is unfit for it. Rodrygo, in his place, shone brightly in the game and was actively involved from the centre, where he scored and assisted. It will be intriguing to observe how the Brazilian grows into the position and maybe eliminates this shortcoming entirely.
2. Unproductive players who seldom add anything
Real Madrid were quite successful in getting rid of deadwood from last season, but there are still certain players who do not contribute to the squad and hold positions that could have been filled by others.
Mariano Diaz is one such player who has been at Real for several years now, and his big highlight still remains the one goal against FC Barcelona back in 2020, which was met with some optimism for the player, but it didn’t take long for everything to fall apart for him.
Mariano’s case has been complex. The club has done everything to get him to go in several transfer windows, but he has refused every time. There appears to be no resolution to this dilemma, as Mariano is once again on the bench this season.
Marco Asensio is another name in this category, and his story has been more tragic than the former. After suffering an ACL tear in 2019, the Spaniard’s career completely fell apart. Prior to the injury, he was a star for Madrid on par with what Vinicius today is. The player has failed to restore his previous momentum and has become a major burden.
The two players have taken up positions that may have gone to other players if they had been sold. The good news is that Asensio’s command of the right wing has been removed. Mariano, on the other hand, is still unable to serve as Real Madrid’s backup striker.
3. Rising injury risks due to compressed schedules
Following a horrible injury record in the 2020/21 season, Real Madrid were keen to bring back Antonio Pintus, who transformed the squad’s fitness and was a significant reason why Real could win so much last season due to the availability of the finest players in the best of their condition and shape.
However, worries have begun to surface again this season, and they may only grow as the season progresses. Karim Benzema, Alvaro Odriozola, and Eder Militao have already been out due to injury this season, and the numbers are certain to climb with the upcoming schedule.
The following months are going to be incredibly tough in terms of fitness. Schedule in October is tight with 9 consecutive games being played in a gap of no more than 3 days. This will be followed by the world cup in late November that will last till December which will again test the players’ fitness and put them to extra work on national duty.
This may become a major concern for important players like Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema who are ought to be important players for their respective national teams and will practically start every game in the world cup possible.
It will be exceedingly difficult for players to stay fit in the upcoming months. The schedule in October is rigorous, with 9 straight games played in little more than three days’ gap between each. This will be followed by the world cup in late November that will go through December, putting the players’ fitness to the test and putting them through extra effort on national duty.
This might become a huge problem for key players such as Vinicius Jr, Luka Modric, and Karim Benzema, who will be key players for their respective national teams and will almost certainly start every game at the World Cup.
The workload will increase dramatically, and Pintus will be limited in his abilities.
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