Real Madrid News and Analysis

Ranking the 10 best forwards in men’s football right now in 2023

29Jun

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Features

Ranking the 10 best forwards in men’s football right now in 2023

No players are more coveted in world football than the forwards who score the goals, take the defense on, and create the chances that win matches. Every elite club needs an elite forward - and really two - in order to compete at the highest level and truly be an elite team at the Champions League level. So let's take a look at the 10 best forwards in the game, focusing on strikers and wingers whose primary job is to score the goals and create the assists that win their teams' matches. Many of these players are strikers and inverted wingers, because those are the positions that make the biggest difference on the score line in the modern game. 10. Christopher Nkunku Christopher Nkunku will head to Chelsea for the 2023/24 season after being the best Bundesliga player over the last three ...

Lessons Real Madrid need to learn from the 2022/23 season

5Jun

By Javier MartinezNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Lessons Real Madrid need to learn from the 2022/23 season

Rating Real Madrid's 2022/23 season a failure would be extremely harsh taking into consideration that the team reached the semifinals of the Champions League, won the Copa del Rey title with comebacks against Villarreal and Atlético de Madrid, and demolished Barcelona at the Camp Nou by a 0-4 scoreline. However, the season can't also be considered a success not because they didn't win the Champions League or La Liga, but because of the manner they lost both competitions.In the Champions League semifinal, they were thrashed 4-0 (5-1 on aggregate) by Manchester City where they were completely outplayed and could have lost by much more if not for Courtois coming up with big saves. Meanwhile, not only did they lose La Liga to Barcelona, but it almost seemed as if they gave up on it midseason a...

4Jun

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Final 2022/23 LaLiga Team of the Season

Now that the 2022/23 LaLiga season has officially come to a close with all the European places decided and the teams heading to the Segunda aware of their fate, it's time to take a look back at the season that was by naming a final Team of the Season. As expected, champions Barcelona dominate this XI, having sewn up the title quite some time ago with their 2-1 head-to-head win over eternal rivals Real Madrid. But not everything is about the "Big 3" as several underrated standouts made the team, including one star from now-relegated side Espanyol. GK Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona: Thibaut Courtois would have been the pick in any other season, and Elche's Édgar Badía was also exceptional despite his club's horrible season. But it would be disingenuous to pick against Marc-André t...

The pros and cons of Harry Kane as a Real Madrid transfer target

31May

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

The pros and cons of Harry Kane as a Real Madrid transfer target

Real Madrid need to sign a new striker this summer. The profile of striker they sign depends on what Karim Benzema decides to do with his future, but there are increasing signs that the legendary No. 9, who always said he would rather leave than take a spot in the team if he can no longer play at the elite level every week, is tempted by a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia. If Benzema leaves Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur superstar Harry Kane becomes an even more enticing option for the Merengues. Kane has been linked on and off again, but this summer feels like the right time for Kane to move after Spurs inexplicably wasted an incredible 30-goal season and did not even qualify for European football. Let's examine the pros and cons of Harry Kane as a Real Madrid transfer target in the sum...

Why Real Madrid are interested in Joselu

29May

By Amadis HaliNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Why Real Madrid are interested in Joselu

Real Madrid have spent the better part of five years now attempting to fill a gaping hole in their squad. A player who can effectively fit the role of 'backup striker' has eluded them for over half a decade. The last player to deputize Karim Benzema well enough for some fans to call for the Frenchman to be benched was Álvaro Morata in the 2016/17 season. To put things into perspective, enough time has passed since then for Morata to have gone from cult hero to a top enemy of Madridistas due to his allegiance with Atlético Madrid. The struggle to fill the need Following Morata's departure, Real Madrid opted for the young Borja Mayoral to take over as the Benzema backup. The then-20-year-old however struggled to fill Morata's shoes with the same goalscoring prowess, and Real chose to re...

Ranking the 10 best wingers in world football for 2023

21Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best wingers in world football for 2023

Some of the most important players in world football are wingers. They are entrusted with creating chances, scoring goals, stretching the pitch horizontally, testing defenses with vertical runs, easing pressure off strikers, manufacturing space for teammates, progressing the ball as dribblers, and completing take-ons to destabilize the defense. The best wingers in world football are capable of changing games on their own while also being a consistent thorn in the side of the defense. Let's rank the 10 best wingers in the world right now in 2023. 10. Manchester City RW Riyad Mahrez Riyad Mahrez has cooled off a bit, and there are a number of quality wingers at Manchester City. Yet Mahrez's technical class and accomplishments over the years mean that he must be considered one of t...

Ranking the 10 best defensive midfielders in the world in 2023

7Apr

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features

Ranking the 10 best defensive midfielders in the world in 2023

As teams look to get more tactical and reinforce their defensive structure, maintain possession, and consistently progress play with quick decisions in set patterns of play, the defensive midfield position is becoming an increasingly coveted and demanded position in modern football. Look no further than the fees Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernández and Real Madrid spent to sign Aurélien Tchouaméni, who shows up on this list. Who joins him? Where does he rank? Here are the 10 best defensive midfielders in the world right now. 10. Aleix García, Girona Aleix García has been one of the sensations of the 2022/23 season, and he isn't the only breakout star who finds himself on this list of the best defensive midfielders in the world. The Girona leader's numbers have to be seen to be bel...

Ranking the 10 best center backs in the world for 2023

18Mar

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best center backs in the world for 2023

The center back position is one of the most difficult to evaluate in football, because much of what makes the best center backs so effective is what they do off the ball. Paolo Maldini was famous for being able to shut strikers out of the match without even having to make a tackle, famously remarking that this was a sign of a great defender. Yet at the same time, the best center backs in world football need to show they are capable of making decisive interventions when called upon. And there are even other central defenders who have the responsibility of pushing higher up the pitch to win the ball, particularly for possession-based, pressing teams like Bayern München. So here are the 10 best center backs in football today, ranked based on a combination of current play in the 2...

Ranking the 10 best goalkeepers in the world in 2023

17Mar

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features

Ranking the 10 best goalkeepers in the world in 2023

Goalkeepers don't get enough praise in the modern game, even though the best goalkeepers so often make the difference between victory and defeat. Look no further than Thibaut Courtois' heroics throughout the 2021/22 season for LaLiga and Champions League winners Real Madrid. Let's rank the 10 best goalkeepers in world football right now, at this very moment in time. That means the GOAT Manuel Neuer has to be taken out, but once he returns from a broken leg and gets back in form, he will surely rank on this list again. 10. Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG A hero for the Italian national team in the 2020 European Championships, Gianluigi Donnarumma is a phenom who started his first Serie A match for Milan at the age of 16. Within just a few years, Donnarumma became the best goalkeeper in...

Ranking the 10 best center backs in Real Madrid history

1Mar

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, LaLiga

Ranking the 10 best center backs in Real Madrid history

Although Real Madrid is a club famous for its attacking superstars and dominance on the offensive side of the ball, they've also boasted some strong defensive spines over their many decades of excellence as an organization. So let's take some time to recognize the great center backs who have plied their trade for the Merengue club over the years, ranking the top 10 central defenders in the history of Real Madrid. 10. Iván Helguera Capable of shining as a defensive midfielder or center back, Iván Helguera was a talented footballer who could pick out difficult passes and lead the line. An intelligent defender, Helguera is one of the most underappreciated players in Real Madrid history, and you wonder if he would be cherished by more fanbases around the world for his unique skill set ...