May marked the end of an 11-year obsession for Real Madrid when they beat Atletico to win the Champions League. Lifting La Decima was cathartic, a moment which had started to feel like pure fantasy was made real by the 4-1 victory in Lisbon.
Yet the thing about winning trophies is it only makes you hungrier to win more. They may not be talking about it yet, but ‘la Undecima’ (the eleventh European Cup) is guaranteed to be a major theme in the Spanish capital over the next 10 months, and signing Toni Kroos is the first step towards that goal. So what else can Madrid do in order to not only win the Champions League again, but become the first club to successfully defend it?
Recovering Asier IllarramendiWhen Real Madrid signed Illarramendi in the summer of 2013 the move was met with a certain degree of scepticism by more than a few observers. Not because the Basque isn’t an excellent footballer, nor that he didn’t look capable of making it at the highest level, but because paying more than €30m for a 23-year-old who had never kicked a ball in the Champions League (and moreover, only had two full seasons’ worth of top flight experience) seemed a big gamble. The midfielder could never quite shake the expectations caused by his transfer fee, nor the odd presumption that he would be a straight swap for Xabi Alonso, based more on the fact that both came through Real Sociedad’s academy rather than any real stylistic resemblance between the two.
The signing of Toni Kroos should be a blessing for both Illarramendi and Real Madrid’s quest to get the best out of him. In a midfield three supporting Kroos and Luka Modric, the pivot should be liberated to do what he does best: short, simple, swift passing while shielding the back four with his natural positional awareness. Alonso’s struggles at the World Cup combined with his age suggest Madrid could do with another holding midfielder capable of stepping up and relieving the veteran, and there were more than a few occasions last season when the creaky former Liverpool man looked exposed when Los Blancos lost possession. The addition of Kroos alongside Modric will free the deepest player in the midfield three from the need to produce the same dynamic range of passing as Alonso has in the role, and with that necessity gone, Illarramendi's conditions are perfect to fill the third slot. The 24-year-old will only be able to do that if he can recover his confidence: something that should pay off in spades for Madrid’s defensive solidity if manager Carlo Ancelotti can meet the challenge.
Bringing in an additional centre-backMadrid have the luxury of three excellent central defenders in Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, but if they want to achieve the previously unachievable in Europe, Los Blancos can't rest on their laurels. Pepe will turn 32 in February, Varane has a history of injury issues, and it remains to be seen how Ramos will recover from an uncharacteristically sloppy showing at the World Cup. Fourth choice central defender Nacho, meanwhile, is still largely unproven at the highest level, so there is an element of risk in relying on him.
Signing an additional top quality central defender could be a good idea for the Champions League holders, therefore, not only to cover for the eventuality of an emergency caused by injuries, but also to keep pressure on Ramos, Varane and Pepe in order to demand consistency from the three. The obvious problem is that virtually every top side in Europe is looking for a strong centre-back at the moment (not least Barcelona), but Madrid do have a decent record when it comes to signing players to cover that position in recent years, with the rumoured €10m paid for Varane the kind of deal most clubs dream of pulling off.
Supporting Karim BenzemaAfter selling Gonzalo Higuain, Benzema has lacked cover and genuine competition for his place in the Madrid starting XI, with Alvaro Morata failing to put any real pressure on the Frenchman. Ancelotti’s other alternative was using Isco as a false nine, but the Spaniard’s strong displays in a central midfield role towards the tail end of last season suggest his best qualities aren’t to be found up front. Jese, likewise, could possibly be used in the middle of the forward line, but it would be a waste to move him away from his more natural position after the brilliance the wide forward produced last year.
Madrid’s lengthy – and until Barcelona’s intervention, almost successful – efforts to try and bring Luis Suarez to the Bernabeu show the club is well aware of the need to strengthen in this area, but with the Uruguayan now ruled out, it’s back to square one. Radamel Falcao is the other obvious target, and while there are reports of negotiations for the Colombian, there have been some suggestions that Madrid may opt to wait until the winter window for a move, in order to observe how he has recovered from a serious knee injury. That would leave Falcao cup-tied in the Champions League, however – Monaco will play in Europe’s top competition this season – and as such El Tigre couldn’t contribute to any push to retain the cup with the big ears.
One other alternative could be something that, until now, has proven difficult to negotiate for Ancelotti. The Italian toyed with the idea of using Cristiano Ronaldo at centre forward last season, but in truth the closest he really got to playing the Portuguese in that role was pushing him closer to Karim Benzema in a 4-4-2 shape while not in possession. Ronaldo isn’t fond of playing in the middle, but taking into account the physical issues he experienced over the last year as well as the fact that his 30th birthday is approaching, perhaps moving to a role which requires slightly less miles than the amount demanded while playing out wide isn’t the worst idea. At least on occasion.
EvolvingWhile Madrid will be more interested in their Champions League glory than domestic failings last season, it is true that they struggled occasionally, particularly in the league. Most obviously, Los Blancos find it difficult to control the midfield against the best sides, resulting in Ancelotti virtually abandoning that notion in the latter half of the season and reverting to a largely counter-attacking philosophy. In Europe that worked out well in the end, but the same problems experienced by counter-attacking Madrid teams of the past are likely to reappear: namely, that opponents will simply cede them possession, resist leaving spaces, and put all of the emphasis on the Champions League holders to create without the possibility of playing on the break.
Bringing in Toni Kroos is a sign that Ancelotti is keen to continue developing his team, and his characteristics suggest the Italian will once again try to make Madrid a more proactive rather than reactive side. With the German alongside Luka Modric, the Spanish giants may finally have the players necessary to put that into practise, a scary thought for the other clubs looking to keep up.
Can Real Madrid become the first team to retain the Champions League in the modern era? Let us know below...
