The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Last season saw Real Madrid keep their nerve over the final 11 games to overtake FC Barcelona and claim the 2019-20 La Liga title, and there is little doubt that Zinedine Zidane’s side will be clear favorites to reclaim their crown in the season that lies ahead.
The summer has seen work pressing ahead to remodel the club’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium, with the ground being expanded and a roof being installed.
Looking at the transfer market, it is likely to be the only remodelling carried out by Real Madrid.
On paper, the Real Madrid squad doesn’t look much stronger ahead of the new campaign than it did at the end of the last one, and any major arrivals appear unlikely. However, the summer chaos at FC Barcelona and the fact that Atletico Madrid haven’t made any signings either implies that merely by standing still, Real could open up a gap.
Last season saw goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois show why Madrid signed him from Chelsea, while the defense of Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy was the tightest in the league.
Marcelo remains in support as left-back, presuming that Madrid decide to cash in on Sergio Reguilon, while Alvaro Odriozola’s return from loan should offer support to Carvajal.
Another interesting returnee is Martin Odegaard, who is back at the club after an excellent loan spell with Real Sociedad, and it will be interesting to see if the youngster finally gets the chance to impress in an attacking midfield role where there is much competition.
Elsewhere, Fede Valverde will hope to continue his progression and will probably find himself playing more minutes than Luka Modric, while Toni Kroos and Casemiro remain very reliable in central midfield.
Team captain Sergio Ramos continues to be vital, as much for his ability to intimidate rivals as for his positional sense, and the 34-year-old is showing few signs of slowing down, while Zidane will be looking for more progress from young Brazilian wingers Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo.
Vinicius has so far promised more than he has delivered in terms of assists and goals, and Rodrygo overtook him in the pecking order last season, but with Marco Asensio returning from a knee injury and Eden Hazard looking to find full fitness, there is no shortage of wide attacking threat.
Gareth Bale continues to be an expensive problem, with relations between player, club and coach at an all-time low, and though Madrid are trying to move him on, his wages are clearly proving a problem for anyone interested in buying.
The only other major issue for Real Madrid could be a lack of firepower, with Karim Benzema the club’s top scorer with 21 league goals in 2019/20. The 32-year-old was excellent last season, but Zidane needs Luka Jovic to step up in order to take some of the pressure off the Frenchman. The coach will also hope Asensio, Vinicius and Rodrgyo can hit the target more often.
Hazard could be Madrid’s ‘signing’ of the summer. The winger arrived unfit 12 months ago and struggled with injuries all season, but anyone who has seen him play for Chelsea knows what Hazard can do, and if the Belgian returns to his best he will add another dimension to Madrid’s front line in terms of movement, dribbles, assists and goals.
So, domestically at least, Real Madrid have to be favorites, but after two successive failures in Europe, will they be distracted by the desire to win a 14th Champions League title?
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XINHUA
