The Champions League, for better or for worse, makes things happen at Real Madrid according to Diario AS. The competition is the measure by which seasons are evaluated, where the strength of their teams is dissected and potential changes forecasted.
This season’s elimination to Chelsea has opened up the possibility to instigate a change of cycle. Zinedine Zidane’s future is in doubt, with Madrid keen to retain his services but the French coach himself thinking it over.
The pillars of the team that’s brought Madrid so much success over this past decade, the likes of Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, could be about to give way for the stars of the next decade, like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Paul Pogba.
Too many of Madrid’s players are in their 30s, exposed by the youth and energy of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge during Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat. They’ve given Madrid a lot; four European Cups, two league titles, four Club World Cups, three European Super Cups and two Supercopa de Espana titles. But their time is coming to a close.
To replace them, and recruit the quality needed to build a new Madrid, the club will look to raise €250m through the sale of Raphael Varane, Alvaro Odriozola, Isco, Mariano Diaz, Marcelo, Luka Jovic and Dani Ceballos. Coupled with the gradual phasing out of the likes of Gareth Bale, Ramos and Modric, as well as the goldmine of the new Santiago Bernabeu, the latter of which is expected to raise an additional €200m per year, Madrid have the foundation to build a new animal.
