2 weeks ago
Real Madrid were crowned La Liga champions connected Saturday, wrapping up nan title by beating relegation candidates Cadiz 3-0 astatine nan Bernabeu earlier watching Barcelona suffer 4-2 astatine Girona.
It has been an impressively ascendant run for Carlo Ancelotti's men, who person mislaid conscionable erstwhile each play – astatine section rivals Atletico Madrid successful September – and are unbeaten successful their past 28 convention games.
BBC Sport examines nan communicative of their success, which could easy extremity pinch much silverware pinch nan Champions League now firmly successful their sights.
He scored connected his debut, netted a precocious victor connected his location debut, scored an injury-time victor successful El Clasico (twice!) and is nan undoubted La Liga subordinate of nan season.
Yes, Jude Bellingham's debut run successful Spain has been spectacularly successful.
And it's not conscionable astir his 18 convention goals. The England midfielder's willingness to activity tirelessly from container to box, and his expertise to create chances for teammates, person endeared him to nan Bernabeu religious and nan demanding Madrid media – illustrated by a caller article successful Marca headlining his effect arsenic “immediate and unique”.
He has besides displayed genuinely singular activity qualities for a 20-year-old, stepping into a dressing room afloat of superstars and promptly commanding respect arsenic nan starring ray of a squad packed pinch elite talent.
Bellingham's stature arsenic 1 of nan champion players successful nan world has intelligibly been enhanced by his superb season, and it is now taken for granted successful Spain that he is nan starring campaigner for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Real are acold from a one-man team, however, and Brazilian forwards Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo – operating successful much cardinal and elastic roles than antecedently pursuing nan departure of Karim Benzema and nan positioning of Bellingham arsenic a mendacious 9 – person besides delivered pinch 13 and 10 convention goals respectively.
There person besides been beardown contributions from a brace of back-up forwards successful their first seasons pinch nan club: Brahim Diaz has provided six goals and 4 assists, while erstwhile Stoke and Newcastle target man Joselu has notched 9 goals contempt only starting 13 games.
That has helped make Real nan starring scorers successful La Liga pinch 74, and allowed Ancelotti to regularly shuffle his battalion and support his stars caller without a important drop-off successful productivity.
At nan different extremity of nan field, an awesome facet of Real's occurrence is that it has been achieved contempt semipermanent injuries to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and starting cardinal defenders David Alaba and Eder Militao.
This is firstly a awesome in installments to their replacements, particularly Ukrainian keeper Andriy Lunin. The 25-year-old had only started 9 convention games for Real earlier this play and was forced to spot disconnected nan situation of Kepa, who was signed connected indebtedness from Chelsea erstwhile Courtois was injured.
But it didn't return agelong for Lunin to found himself arsenic first prime betwixt nan posts acknowledgment to a bid of assured performances, to nan grade that Courtois' caller return to fittingness by nary intends guarantees he will beryllium reinstated to nan starting line-up for nan climax of nan Champions League challenge.
Antonio Rudiger has besides enjoyed an outstanding campaign, bouncing backmost from an indifferent first play astatine nan Bernabeu to show each nan ferocious competitory tone that made him truthful celebrated pinch Chelsea fans.
There must besides beryllium praise for Ancelotti, who has calmly rotated nan resources astatine his disposal to compensate for nan injuries.
And nan stats speak for themselves: contempt missing 3 protect starters, Real boast by acold nan champion protect grounds successful La Liga, conceding just 22 goals successful 34 games.
Between nan prolific guardant statement and nan successfully patched-up defence, everything has been knitted together by arguably nan champion midfield successful shot successful position of some value and quantity.
At nan different extremity of nan property standard from Bellingham, Luka Modric is now a peripheral beingness and whitethorn good time off nan nine astatine nan extremity of nan season. However, nan 38-year-old tin still beryllium relied upon to present apical value erstwhile required, specified arsenic a memorable 20-yard victor against Sevilla successful February.
Modric's aged state Toni Kroos is showing nary motion of slowing down, producing 1 of nan champion seasons of his profession pinch his metronomic passing and expertise to defy unit still arsenic bully arsenic anyone's – he has played much passes into nan last 3rd than immoderate different subordinate successful La Liga.
Dynamic Uruguayan Federico Valverde leads Real successful convention minutes played, and has demonstrated awesome adaptability to capable a deeper domiciled pursuing nan presence of Bellingham. Young French duo Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni complete Ancelotti's enviable half-dozen of top-class midfielders, combining elegance and alloy successful adjacent measure, on pinch capable versatility capable to occasionally capable gaps successful nan backmost four.
With their operation of goals from various sources, an adaptable defence and an incomparable midfield, each astutely controlled by an unflappable manager, Real are arsenic adjacent to a complete squad arsenic it gets.
They tin play efficaciously successful different styles – dominating possession and pressing high; sitting heavy and defending diligently; counter-attacking pinch velocity and intent – and still person arguably their top value of all: nan self-belief to find a measurement to triumph erstwhile nan going gets tough.
That cocktail of individual and corporate qualities has been mixed together to springiness Ancelotti’s men nan home title pinch a uncommon grade of comfort, and could besides soon spot them, yet again, crowned kings of Europe.
