There is no denying that ever since Pep Guardiola took over the reigns at Barcelona, the Catalans have been arguably the best side to ever play the beautiful game. Their breathtaking style of tiki-taka has awed everyone who appreciates the game, and quite rightly they have racked up trophy after trophy as well as plaudits from respected former and current players and journalists. One team who have not enjoyed seeing their rivals dominate the domestic and European stages in recent times are Real Madrid. But this year could finally be the one to end Messi and co’s dominance.
One thing that can almost guarantee success at a football club is stability and a respected manager at the helm, one who is given time to build a legacy; just ask Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. That time has been afforded to Guardiola, not that he has needed time to settle in however. He took a club who were at the time were not struggling in the league, but were nowhere near as dominant as they are today and could not guarantee champions league football. Guardiola instilled his ideology and football philosophies and took players like Xavi and Iniesta from nearly men to world beaters and undoubtedly world class. Madrid however loved to chop and change managers, and the instability has no doubt affected success on the pitch, and has left them playing catch up. A new manager coming in every few years, each with his own ideas can’t be good for the club, just look at Chelsea.
The arrival of Jose Mourinho ensured a manager was coming to the Bernabeu who wouldn’t take any nonsense of the influential Real President. Mourinho always had quality at his disposal but it was only natural that success would take time; and with Barcelona being seemingly invincible it was only going to be an even harder task for the Special One.
However, slowly but surely his tactics and influence has translated into a blistering start to this year’s La Liga. Six points clear at the top, goals flowing and the football is beautiful to watch. Real Madrid didn’t bring any ‘Galacticos’ over the summer and maybe that is a factor contributing to their early season form. It is clear to everyone that Madrid did not need another Kaka or Cristiano Ronaldo; and rather than Mourinho going out and buying a Sergio Aguero or the highly fancied Neymar, he went about his businesses shrewdly, bringing in Jose Callejon, Fábio Coentrão and Nuri Sahin among others. None of the mentioned is a superstar in their own right, but rather they have added further depth in quality to an already fantastic squad. Sahin, at €10 million, his purchase appears a bargain, and is tipped by his peers to become a fantastic player but time will tell whether he can get back to his best following a lengthy injury. Callejon is player bought on the cheap, but his assets are invaluable, the Spanish youngster can operate on either flank. Fábio Coentrão has featured the most and it is clear the Portuguese man can operate in the midfield as well as his natural full back berth. The fee paid by Madrid for Coentrão put him in the bracket of one of the most expensive defenders of all time, but the fact he is a utility man provides cover on different areas of the pitch.
The players already at Mourinho’s disposal have also stepped up a gear in the last few months. The close fought Spanish Supercopa between Madrid and Barcelona at the start of the season indicated the gap between the two sides had been closed, and it now seems the current crop of Real players are even more united than previous years. It is fair to say Mourinho is spoilt for choice with the options available to him. With two quality players, at least, for every position, he is spoilt for choice. Strikers Karim Benzema & Gonzalo Higuan can operate seamlessly together or rather operate as a lone striker. Kaka returning back to full fitness must feel like a new signing, and with Ronaldo seemingly becoming more of a team player, the signs look good for trophies to start flooding back to the Bernabeu.
All these factors make it seem that this is the year that Real Madrid can wrestle supremacy away from their Catalan rivals. Mourinho brought in the new singings early to ensure instant integration in order to steal a march on Barcelona. And although his side lost out to their close rivals in the Spanish Supercopa, the two matches showed that Mourinho and his men are closer than ever to catching the Catalans. Let the battle commence.
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