When Real Madrid used to control the summer transfer market, director general Jose Angel Sanchez overheard president Florentino Perez referring to his “extremely expensive players” brochure and saying, “We’ll have one of them, one of them, and one of them.”
Aside from the wise and early signing of Antonio Rudiger and the more expensive but still extremely wise hiring of Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, they have allowed Barcelona to have all the limelight.
Time will tell whether this is a prime example of not correcting what isn’t broken or whether they are simply betting that Karim Benzema won’t get hurt for one more season than necessary. They tried it the previous year, and it worked.
Marco Asensio, Mariano, Luka Jovic, and Luka Modric, who participated in the second Clasico of the season, were the players who attempted to replace him; however, they were all unsuccessful because he played 46 games (scoring 44 goals).
Holding off on adding another player capable of playing at center-forward will have again succeeded if he stays as healthy this season. But it feels like a far bigger danger during a World Cup year.
In his news conference prior to tonight’s Super Cup final versus Eintracht Frankfurt, Carlo Ancelotti stated, “We have several forwards.”
Karim, Mariano, Hazard (Eden), Asensio, and Rodrygo. It is obvious that the team suffers when the finest scorer in the world is absent. However, it is currently impossible to replace Karim because no one in the world is capable of doing so. We have other options. We’ll adjust if he becomes sick.
It’s intriguing to see Rodrygo and Hazard mentioned as the potential replacements.
Although the Belgian international appears to be in the greatest shape of his career, his few preseason games in a central striking role did not quite succeed.
Rodrygo undoubtedly has the ability to score goals, and he may be the player to watch as Ancelotti works around the single true weakness in his team.
It is undeniable that Madrid has significantly strengthened elsewhere. A defense that also includes Dani Carvajal, Nacho, Edu Militao, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy is strengthened by the addition of Rudiger.
In addition, Madrid now has a very impressive back-up trio in midfield in the form of Eduardo Camavinga, Tchouameni, and Fede Valverde, who can also play wide right in the front three, should Ancelotti ever be without his midfield “Bermuda Triangle” of Modric, Casemiro, and Toni Kroos (“I call them that because they make the ball disappear,” he said in preseason).
