Will Real Madrid’s Luck Change Under Rafa?

Another season of football starts, and with it comes another set of great expectations for all the top teams in the world. Someone has to lose, but there are some teams who are expected just not to. One of them is Real Madrid. Here is a look at the next season for the whites, as they once again try to dethrone rivals Barcelona, under new manager Rafa Benitez.

The 2014/2015 Season

Last season, which was trophy less, has been labelled a disaster for Real Madrid. They were unable to follow up on their exploits from their previous year, which saw them winning Champions League and Copa del Rey, Madrid supporters were more than unhappy, especially given the fact that Barcelona won the treble.

But if we take a closer look, Real were actually fairly good on the field but sometimes almost cruelly unlucky. It is easy to forget that it was just two years ago when they won a record 22-matches on the trot, a feat that any team will be extremely proud of. And up until 2014, all was right on track for the Los Blancos. They were number 1 in the La Liga with a healthy lead over Barcelona, thanks to a 3-1 win over them at Burnebaue, they were on top of their Champions League group and were still in race for the Copa del Rey. Selling Di Maria was never seen as a mistake then, and Ronaldo and Bale were carrying on their partnership from last season.

But what followed was pretty unfortunate for Carlo Ancelloti’s side. A dip in the forms of Ronaldo and Bale, an injury to James Rodriguez and some off-field problems, saw Real slip to second on the league table. Then came the 4-0 drubbing by cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey. The White side of Madrid panicked. The elimination from the Champions League was another blow, and luck was once again not on their side. Had the James Rodriguez header gone in during the first half of the first leg in Turin, the things could have been much different. Then followed the match against Valencia, a must win for Madrid, which they drew, as Roanldo missed a rare penalty, with the Whites hitting the post thrice.

All the hard luck, and a dip in the overall club form led to the controversial sacking of Carlo Ancelloti.

What Lies Ahead

Another season and another new manager for Real. The peculiar choice of Rafa Benitez has raised some eyebrows though. Given the fact that Real have been struggling in La Liga in recent years, and Rafa’s poor record in the leagues itself, the arrival of the Italian has not been that popular among the fans.

But all said and done, Benitez has finally come “home” in his words. And the Italian, known for his defensive tactics, might improve the “weakest” point in the team. The defense has often been a let down for Madrid in recent years. Though Real have 3 solid defenders in Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Rapheal Varane, the team has often let soft goals slip in at crucial times. Another factor that can have the fans optimistic is the fact that Rafa has won the La Liga with a team other than Madrid or Barcelona. He won the prestigious trophy with Valencia in 2003-04 season.

This season will also be make or break for Gareth Bale, as having a below par last season, the Welsh has been unsettled and if he fails to give a world-class performance this season, it will be a no surprise if he is off to another club. But nonetheless, the arrival of Benitez has been a boost for him, with the new manager stating that Bale will be his main man.

For a change, Madrid haven’t made many signings this season. Though the arrival of David de Gea as a replacement for departed Iker Casillas is imminent, Benitez seems to be satisfied with the squad at his disposal. Another inclusion has been right-back Danilo. A decent player, but the signing has certainly come as a surprise as Danny Carvajal has proven to one of the best in the world at that position.

From the pre-season, it seems that Real will once again will be playing counter-attacking football, as they did under Mourinho. And with all the pace in the squad, it might trump the the possession football that Ancelloti used to prefer.

In Conclusion

Maybe a personality like Benitez was really what Real lacked. He will not be fazed by the tantrums of the high profile squad. And if backed by Perez and fans, he might get Real to rule Spain, or even world football again.

The Real Madrid that Rafa Benitez left 20 years ago is no longer the same. The managerial position at the club has been under a lot of scrutiny in recent years. The interference of the board has been no secret. Many times the players have had ego clashes, and the club has been involved controversies way too often.

But Benitez knows this, better that anyone else, and he also knows that Real Madrid will be the biggest and toughest challenge of his career, and if he fails, he won’t be able to take jibes at people like Mourinho anymore.