Real Madrid's Destruction, Xabi Alonso's Valuable Lesson

An old proverb states that successful individuals are those who are adept at seizing opportunities. Real Madrid seems to have failed to appreciate this proverb, resulting in a total collapse this season. Having the opportunity to strengthen the team during the transfer market, Real instead "diminished it." This marked the beginning of all of Real's downfall this season.

Real Madrid looks forward to the 2024-2025 season with sky-high optimism. In addition to starting the season as the defending champions of La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, "Los Blancos" have also managed to bring in French megastar Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer. However, Mbappe's individual quality has proven insufficient to elevate Real's performance. This season has ended tragically for Real, as they failed to win any trophies.

Real's signs of collapse were not yet visible at the start of the season. Carlo Ancelotti's team had already won the UEFA Super Cup by beating Atalanta in the final. Fans believed the success in the UEFA Super Cup was a continuation of Real's success last season.

Real also showed their magic touch when appearing in their natural habitat, the European Champions League. Failing to advance directly to the round of 16, Real had to go through the playoff phase. At this point, "Los Blancos" still showed their teeth by defeating Manchester City. Likewise when defeating Atletico Madrid in the round of 16, no one expected Real to end the season without a trophy.

The signs of Real's downfall have begun to show as they have not been able to defeat Barcelona even once in "el clasico." In the first two encounters with Barca, Real consistently lost by significant margins. The destruction of Real is truly imminent as they were eliminated from the Champions League after failing to conquer Arsenal.

The failure in the Champions League has shattered the morale of the players. This situation is exacerbated by the gap from Barca at the top of the standings. Having previously dominated the rankings consistently, Real has lost its balance entering week 25. Since then, Real has become familiar with losses and draws. Barca, currently in top form under new coach Hansi Flick, has taken advantage of Real's confusion to seize the top position in the standings.

After being eliminated from the Champions League and with their chances of winning La Liga dwindling, Real has begun to shift their focus to the Copa del Rey. However, in this tournament, Real once again failed to conquer Barca.

The transfer market marks the beginning of misfortune for Real. In addition to neglecting to strengthen the team with the necessary players, Real also failed to find a replacement for Toni Kroos, who has retired.

Almost winning in the final minutes, Barca ultimately turned the situation around and secured the championship title. With the defeat in the final of the Copa del Rey, Real's adventure this season has also come to an end. Without a single trophy, all that remains are the ruins of regret.

Although it may sound classic, the injury storm should be considered as one of the factors contributing to Real's failures this season. Real has only 22 players to navigate through three different competitions. Among those 22 players, two of them, Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal, are suffering from long-term injuries.

Apart from three goalkeepers, Real only have 17 outfield players left. That is a huge underdog for a busy season. Not to mention injury-prone Real players like David Alaba and Antonio Ruediger who have been sidelined repeatedly.

"We must not forget that we lost five defensive players (Dani Carvajal who is injured, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and Antonio Ruediger). That should not be overlooked," said Ancelotti.

Injuries have forced Ancelotti to patch up gaps by playing players out of their preferred positions. Federico Valverde, who is a midfielder, is often compelled to play as a right-back. Similarly, two midfielders, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, are also frequently asked to play as defenders.

Ancelotti has already sent a message to the board of directors of Real to highlight the issue of the dwindling number of team members due to injuries. He has repeatedly requested the executives to recruit at least one center-back or right-back during the summer transfer window. However, the players brought in by Real during the transfer window are mostly attacking-minded, such as Endrick and Mbappe.

The only defender brought in by Real is Raul Asencio, who is a product of the academy. Previously, Asencio was not even among the top two choices for promotion to the first team. His performance has also been inconsistent following an investigation into Asencio regarding allegations of sharing sexual recordings involving minors.

With the current roster, Real has struggled to maintain balance throughout the season. However, they have been thoroughly defeated by opponents with considerable attacking capabilities, such as Barcelona and Arsenal.

Having the chance to improve the squad in the transfer market, Real ignored it. As the season draws to a close, they are feeling the effects of that neglect.

"There were times when we went through difficult days. However, we worked to overcome all of that. This season, we have failed in many matches that we should have been able to win," said Real forward, Rodrygo.

Kroos Factor

The transfer market marks the beginning of misfortune for Real. In addition to neglecting to strengthen the team with the necessary players, Real also failed to find a replacement for Toni Kroos, who has retired. The German passport-holding midfielder is not just an ordinary midfielder.

Moreover, Kroos is the metronome of Real's midfield. His ability to control the tempo, break through the opponent's defense with vertical passes, and calm the flow of the game during high-pressure moments provides Real with a foundation that is always reliable.

After Kroos' retirement, there is no longer a midfielder at Real who possesses qualities comparable to his. The loss of Kroos cannot even be compensated by the brilliance of other individual players at Real.

Ancelotti has implemented rotation, attempting to play Camavinga, Tchouameni, Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, but none have been able to replicate Kroos's unique ability to control the flow of the match.

As a result, Real, which struggles to maintain ball possession for extended periods, is often forced to play at a tempo dictated by the opponent. This is ironic as it is a complete reversal from the era when Kroos was present.

This failure further pressures Ancelotti's position. The Italian coach is reported to be entering his final season with Real, despite having a contract that runs until the end of next season. A new job as the coach of the Brazilian national team awaits Ancelotti. His position will be taken over by Xabi Alonso, who has announced his departure from Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso certainly bears a heavy responsibility to restore Real to its destiny as a trophy-laden European giant. Mistakes in the transfer market have become a valuable lesson for Alonso.

A good initial step has been taken by Real by acquiring Liverpool's right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold. It will be interesting to see how Alonso manages the crisis into an opportunity for the upcoming season. (REUTERS)