There are not many bigger clubs in world football than Real Madrid, so it’s no surprise that Carlo Ancelotti decided to up sticks at Everton and return to the Spanish capital for a second stint in charge of Los Blancos. After all, Ancelotti is the man who guided Real Madrid to their famous Decima — the 10th Champions League title won by the club in 2014 — and so it’s understandable that the Italian was drawn back to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs.
It’s so far, so good for Ancelotti and his team this season. They are eight points clear of second-place Sevilla in La Liga, albeit having played a game more, and they’ve also cruised through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League after topping a difficult group which included Italian champions Inter Milan.
Real Madrid’s strong first half of the campaign has led to their odds shortening on the Betdaq betting exchange for both the Spanish title and the Champions League. If they can land a favourable draw in the last 16 of the latter, Ancelotti may fancy the job of landing the club’s 14th European crown, and a record fourth in total as a coach.
The club are certainly benefitting from the dire straits Barcelona find themselves in at the moment. Saddled with debt and off-field issues, Real Madrid’s arch rivals lost their talisman Lionel Messi in the summer, and have been a shadow of their best selves. Their elimination from the Champions League in the group stage has given Real Madrid the bonus of having a greater number of potential opponents in the round of 16. That means they have a better chance of avoiding the likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, who finished second in their respective groups.
The form of players like Karim Benzema, Vinícius Júnior and Toni Kroos has been key to Real Madrid reaching the heights they have this season. Benzema is the top scorer in La Liga, which is mightily impressive at the age of 33, while Vini Jr. has added a greater degree of maturity to his game, and is now beginning to look like the finished article. Kroos is still the team’s midfield maestro, and his sensational strike against Inter Milan helped secure top spot in the Champions League group.
It’s clear that players love playing for Ancelotti. He is a warm individual who sets his teams up to play fast, attacking football, and that makes him hugely popular with supporters too. There is nothing those Real Madrid fans would love more than to see the Italian guide the club to further success in La Liga and the Champions League.
Since winning their fourth Champions League title in five years in 2018, Real Madrid haven’t really threatened in Europe’s premier club competition. They reached the semi-finals last season, but put in a meek couple of performances to lose to eventual winners Chelsea. This season, there seems to be a greater degree of unity within the ranks at the club, and that could well yield yet more glory for Ancelotti and the club he holds so dear.
