After Real Madrid were beaten 4-0 at Manchester City last season, one key question quickly presented itself in the Spanish capital: how can we close the gap?
The result came a year on from their electrifying May 2022 comeback win over City at the same Champions League semi-final stage — when remarkable individual brilliance somehow propelled them past superior opponents towards a 14th European Cup/Champions League.
Last season, City got their hands on the trophy for the first time in their history, having deservedly got the better of Real Madrid in their last-four second leg on May 17 after a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid.
Tonight, for a third consecutive season, the teams are set to meet in a mouth-watering Champions League match-up.
Despite this evening’s meeting coming at the quarter-final stage — the winners will face Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the next round — the match feels worthy of the final, their rivalry developing into a modern European classic.
For Madrid, the tie takes on extra significance, such was the nature of their humbling defeat by City last term. The opportunity to test themselves against Pep Guardiola’s outfit has come around again, 328 days later.
There have been changes at Real Madrid but nothing drastic.
Anything else would be slightly out of character. Even though historically managers at Madrid have often found themselves fired rather abruptly when the team falls short, the way they tend to operate has changed a little in more recent times.
The club’s leadership, predominantly shaped by president Florentino Perez, prefers to focus strategy on the medium and long term rather than making snap decisions. There was proof of this after last year’s humbling defeat by City: Ancelotti kept his job, despite noisy media and fan criticism in the aftermath — with the result coming just a few days after Barcelona won La Liga.
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By June 1, the Italian’s continuity had been fully confirmed at a key meeting when Perez, general manager Jose Angel Sanchez and Ancelotti were all present. A first Copa del Rey trophy since 2014 helped reinforce the coach’s position, despite the resounding exit from Europe’s elite stage.
With that still fresh in the mind, there was much to discuss as the foundations of the project for the forthcoming season were set.
Bellingham’s form has slowed – he has not scored for Madrid since early February (Manu Reino/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Most significant was the signing of Jude Bellingham. By the time of the City game, the news was not public but Bellingham had already told Borussia Dortmund he would only leave for Madrid. When Guardiola’s side visited the Santiago Bernabeu for the first leg, they already knew of his decision (City also targeted the player, though no formal offer was made).
Real ended up confirming the Englishman’s arrival on June 14 in a deal worth €103million (£88.4m; $111.7m at current rates) plus a further 30 per cent in potential add-ons.
Beating other clubs to the signing of a player with the potential to become one of the best in the world was a powerful reflection of Madrid’s enduring power. Few predicted him to have the remarkable impact he has had. His signing became even more important because of another unexpected development.
Two weeks before Bellingham’s switch was announced, The Athletic reported Karim Benzema’s decision to leave. Back in March, the Frenchman had looked set to stay at the club, but he changed his mind and joined Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
Many aspects of his departure remain unclear. For example, it is not publicly known whether Benzema was still under contract at Madrid, if he left on a free transfer or whether there was a fee involved. Club sources — who asked to speak anonymously to protect their position — have preferred not to discuss the details, but have said it was Benzema’s decision to pursue the move.
Without the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, Madrid were suddenly left without a key presence in attack. At that June 1 meeting, Ancelotti asked for the signing of Harry Kane as a replacement, but he was not seriously pursued and joined Bayern.
The only recognised striker Madrid brought in was Joselu, on loan from relegated Espanyol with an option to buy. Marco Asensio left on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, Eden Hazard’s contract was terminated a year before it was due to expire and Mariano Diaz was also allowed to leave.
Brahim Diaz joined the first-team squad, returning from three seasons on loan at AC Milan and renewing his contract until 2027. Arda Guler was also signed, but more with an eye on the future. Despite some suggestions to the contrary, and despite the player being temporarily sidelined at PSG in the latest episode of conflict with his club, Kylian Mbappe was never considered a serious option.
Madrid started the season looking more than a little light up front but the key aspect of adjustment to life after Benzema has been Bellingham’s remarkable adaptation; to a new role, to a new league, to a new set of expectations to perform.
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His stunning contribution has slowed a little in terms of goals and assists, but he is still Madrid’s leading scorer with 20 goals in all competitions and La Liga’s joint-top scorer with 16 (from 23 games).
Brahim’s contribution has also been something of a surprise. He did not especially appeal to Ancelotti, but in recent months has won the coach over with his work, talent and versatility — as well as his nine goals and five assists from 34 appearances (only 17 as a starter).
Ancelotti, Brahim and assistant Davide Ancelotti during February’s win over Getafe (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Madrid managed to move away from the 4-3-3 that defined their style of play last season, with Benzema as the main focal point up front, beginning the new campaign with a 4-4-2 that featured a diamond midfield positioning Bellingham just behind Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in attack.
Six wins from their first six games in all competitions was a good start but a 3-1 La Liga defeat at Atletico Madrid sparked another key change. After seeing how the system left his full-backs exposed, Ancelotti decided to switch to a ‘box’ midfield — four players in the middle of the pitch, with two sitting alongside each other deeper than the other two.
The two attack-minded midfielders, usually Bellingham and Federico Valverde, now help protect the flanks when Madrid are out of possession. This has strengthened Ancelotti’s team in defence and attack, with Bellingham also finding Vinicius Jr more easily on the left. With Rodrygo on the other side, Madrid’s two wingers have been deployed in new roles as split strikers, and their combination play often makes space for Bellingham to box-crash through the middle.
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There was another major talking point that came out of the Atletico game — one with a direct connection back to the City defeat.
To much general surprise, Ancelotti started Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in midfield at the Estadio Metropolitano. It was the first time the pair had started together since that game at the Etihad, and Perez was annoyed by the decision.
Madrid’s president believed the club should focus on its younger options in central midfield, such as Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. The German and the Croatian have only started together five times since (four wins and a draw).
Modric and Kroos pictured during last season’s defeat by City (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Despite suffering something of a fitness crisis — Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao all suffered anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, in the goalkeeper’s case before the season even started — Madrid have at least advanced in some respects since last season.
Their domestic form has improved and they are eight points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. They also won the Supercopa de Espana in January, beating Barca 4-1 in the final.
However, they lost to Atletico in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, and even though Champions League progress was achieved with six wins from six in the group stage, their last-16 victory over RB Leipzig was a little too close for comfort.
They will host City with a record of 33 wins, seven draws and just two defeats all season. There are likely to be six changes from the Etihad game back in May.
Andriy Lunin will play in place of the injured Courtois. The Ukrainian has emerged as Madrid’s new No 1, despite Kepa Arrizabalaga being signed on loan from Chelsea as cover for the Belgian. One effect of Lunin’s selection is that Madrid’s build-up play from the back tends to be more direct.
In defence, only Dani Carvajal will keep his place. Antonio Rudiger, a substitute at City last season despite drying out Erling Haaland in the first leg, will start instead of Militao, who made his first appearance since his ACL injury last week and will be on the bench. Nacho or Tchouameni will start instead of the injured Alaba (who is not expected to play again this season), while Ferland Mendy (who was injured for the City game last year) will start at left-back in place of Camavinga.
In midfield, Modric will be absent, with Tchouameni or Camavinga coming in for him. Kroos and Valverde will play, as will Bellingham — his biggest game in a Madrid shirt. Up front, Benzema has gone, but Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo remain.
Whatever the outcome of the two games against City, Madrid have already made some of their next moves in terms of planning for the future.
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The period across March and April is when talks on potential renewals and signings are accelerated and key choices are made on the club’s future. Madrid tend to wait until this point in the season, when the Champions League round of 16 is over, as they believe it provides a solid base on which to start making moves.
Decisions on transfer targets including Alphonso Davies and Leny Yoro will be made. Mbappe looks set to finally arrive. Endrick, who shone so brightly in recent Brazil friendlies against England and Spain, will also be coming in thanks to a deal that was sealed in December 2022 — another sign of Madrid’s long-term perspective.
For Ancelotti and his group, there are continuous demands associated with being at Madrid — the kind of pressure in which elite players and coaches flourish. Those pressures also sometimes mean a drastic decision must be made at signs of sudden and dramatic failure.
There is also a continuous striving at board level to help the club grow as strong as possible — one that does not wholly depend on the outcome of a single game.
(Top photo: Soccrates/Getty Images)
