When a new football fan watches Real Madrid’s condition and stands off late, they would count the season done and dusted for this European giant. Little would they realise how dangerous and lethal this club can prove to be during this stretch of the season.
The past 2 seasons have not gone as planned for Los Blancos. Having won their record 15th UCL title, the club was in the best position with the signing of global superstar Kylian Mbappe. With a well settled team, the frontline of Mbappe, Vinicius, Rodrygo and Bellingham was mouth watering. It was termed as “Galacticos 3.0”.
But since the start of the season, the club have had a rough patch. Having lost 4 trophies to Barcelona and a heartbreaking exit to Arsenal in the UCL quarter-finals. With legends like Carlo Ancelotti and Luka Modric exiting at the end of the season, a new era was inevitable.
The Spanish giants have had a roller coaster ride this season, but have still managed to reach the UCL Quarters and sit just 4 points behind Barcelona in La Liga. The strange story about Real Madrid every season is the fact that the first half does not matter to them. It is how they turn up and perform during the second and important stretch of the season. As Aurelien Tchouameni stated last year, “At Real Madrid the season starts in March.” They have well lived up to this quote, as since February, the club has knocked out Benfica and Manchester City in the UCL, along with recording an important win against Atletico Madrid in the La Liga race.
Madrid will be up against Bayern Munich in the UCL this season. A club that is not only the best scoring, but the strong favourites to win it all. With everyone favouring Bayern, it should not let go of Madrid’s European pedigree. It is essential to remember that Los Blancos have knocked out the Bavarian giants 3 times over the last decade. It is going to be a challenging test of character for both these sides. A goal-fest is definitely on the cards for this tie.
Alvaro Arbeloa was clowned upon and highly criticised after replacing Xabi Alonso as the first team coach. He overlooked the club being knocked out by Albacete in the Copa del Rey and losing out on a direct qualification in the UCL. But the man deserved his fair share of credit and appreciation. He has guided the team with easy wins in the UCL knockouts and kept them in the league hunt. He has proved his haters wrong and justified his position.
The season end could be heavenly or cause potential heartbreaks to Madrid and their fans. But the biggest motivation they possess is the chance of surprising and upsetting Europe.
Aadi's Sports Corner 
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