REAL MADRID
Carlo Ancelotti and the Real Madrid old guard peaking at the right time
Real Madrid’s 4-0 win over Barcelona at Camp Nou strengthens Ancelotti’s weakened credibility and puts him on the verge of another trophy.
Names are being linked with Carlo Ancelotti’s job at Real Madrid, but his side’s 4-0 win at Camp Nou in midweek gives the Italian some breathing space for now. Since returning to the club in the summer of 2021, Ancelotti has won five of the seven titles he has been involved in, or 71 per cent. And there are still three trophies up for grabs. At this stage, the league title is unlikely but Los Blancos are competing for the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Belief in Kroos and Modric
Against the Blaugrana at Camp Nou, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric played at full throttle. The Croatian was rested in the match against Valladolid after his time with the Croatia national team and the specific planning to improve Kroos’ physical condition was ongoing at Valdebebas. There was a recharge of batteries that was noticed in the 6-0 win against Valladolid and the German creator played the full 90 minutes. Ancelotti didn’t mind, because it was part of the plan. Kroos, in the 4-0 win in Barcelona, was the Madrid player who made the most recoveries (7). Modric also played a key role in the win, helping dismantle a helpless Barça side. It was a personal triumph for the Italian, who always believed.
Ancelotti has been meticulously preparing for the final stretch of the season. To begin with, he used the mental tactic of preparing for the most recent Clásico as a ‘final’. The Italian himself revealed it in a video published by the club after the game. With the squad around him in the dressing room, Ancelotti said: “I told a lie, it wasn’t the final... The final has to be played!”.
Benzema back to his best
Kroos’ fine-tuning during the international break has been accompanied by Karim Benzema’s physical improvement. The Frenchman, who is also involved in Ramadan, has been monitored closely by the club. Up until recently, Benzema had been struggling to impose himself in some of the big games but then netted two hat-tricks in the space of four days.
Ancelotti’s Madrid team are back for the business end of the season. Brazil, it seems, will have to wait.