After a stellar 2021/2022 campaign that saw Real Madrid win LaLiga and the Champions League, the ‘Merengues’ are looking to defend both titles as the 2022/2023 campaign begins to take shape. Despite their success, there were still areas where the team had issues with last season and needed to strengthen in the transfer window.
Real Madrid’s defense has a new look
The most obvious was the defense where they struggled a lot on set plays and whenever any of the regular starters were missing. That need has now been filled with the signing of Antonio Rüdiger, who joined on a free transfer and will provide the necessary height and depth the team was missing.
Additionally, it would allow Real Madrid to play in different formations, such as switching to playing with three defenders. What still needs to be determined, if the team continues to play with four defenders, is who will be the center backs for this season. Originally, it was thought to be Militao and Rüdiger, and Alaba would slide to the left back position, but it seems that the manager wants to keep Alaba at center back. In fact, Ancelotti has been constantly changing the backline in this early part of the season and giving both Militao and Rüdiger opportunities. While it has not affected the team, this is something that still needs to be decided for the cohesion of the defense.
Meanwhile, Odriozola returns from his loan spell at Fiorentina to cover Carvajal and will have yet another opportunity to prove whether he has what it takes to play for Real Madrid. If Odriozola still struggles, then the team will need to rely again on Lucas, Nacho, or even Vallejo if Carvajal is injured.
Could Real Madrid be even better in midfield?
In the midfield, it was thought that the partnership of Modrić, Casemiro, and Kroos (along with Valverde who was instrumental in the latter part of the season) would continue. However, then came the shocking news that Casemiro would leave to sign for Manchester United.
While this decision took all of us (fans) off guard, Real Madrid were well prepared as they had already signed Aurélien Tchouaméni from AS Monaco for €80-100 million. While Casemiro will be difficult to replace, the team has depth in that position and will give Tchouaméni and Camavinga the opportunity to further demonstrate their skills; something they are taking advantage of in this initial part of the season. In particular, Tchouaméni has changed the dynamics of the midfield as his impeccable ball distribution has liberated Modrić and Kroos from needing to constantly drop back to receive the ball from the defense.
On the offensive side, Ceballos showed he could be of importance and gained Ancelotti’s trust as he played in many of Real Madrid’s important Champions League games in the latter part of last season. However, with his contract expiring after this season, he will need to showcase himself to demonstrate that he is somebody the club can continue to rely on.
Real Madrid continue to be without a backup striker
Despite the important signings, there is a need that did not get filled and that is the striker position. While Benzema’s form last season was something extraordinary, the squad struggled whenever the Frenchman did not play as nobody else could come up with vital goals.
While getting a reliable backup is always a challenge, there were still some affordable options available that Real Madrid could have pursued. Some of these options included Edison Cavani and Joselu (former academy product) who were available on a free, but the club decided not to pursue either striker. Now the team will need to rely on players such as Vinicius and Rodrygo to score goals if Benzema is not available.
With that in mind, Vinicius and Rodrygo have both stepped up and been fundamental in this initial part of the season with Benzema missing due to injury. In fact, Real Madrid were able to beat Atletico Madrid without the Frenchman and outstanding performances from both Brazilians, which include a goal scored by Rodrygo. If Vinicius and Rodrygo can continue with their positive performances, then they will show that the club was correct in not signing a striker.
Real Madrid’s bench has more depth
Most importantly (and stating the obvious) Real Madrid now has more options to come off the bench. In goal, Lunin has shown he can be a reliable backup. Along with the depth in defense, the squad has more quality in midfield with players such as Camavinga and Ceballos. In the attack, the ‘Merengues’ have a plethora of options, which includes Rodrygo, Lucas, Asensio, and even Hazard who can all come off the bench and make an impact.
Overall Analysis:
Despite not signing a striker, Real Madrid still got significantly stronger in the transfer window and have an overall better squad than last season. They will have a tougher challenge in LaLiga after Barcelona’s ‘remarkable’ signings; as well as in the Champions League. However, they still have everything they need to defend both their league and Champions League titles.
Javier Martinez is a seasoned veteran of football coverage and an expert on Spanish football. He has been covering world football for more than seven years with bylines at outlets such as The 18 and The Real Champs.