It may be uneasy seeing Cristiano Ronaldo without a Real Madrid shirt on this season, and instead replacing it with a Juventus jersey for the foreseeable future, but that’s the reality of the game right now after such an intriguing and captivating summer of transfers. Despite all the doom and gloom surrounding Real Madrid and the aura around the club at the thought of losing a living club legend, who could blame Cristiano Ronaldo for wanting a new challenge, and going for pastures new. They sometimes say the grass ain’t always greener but for Ronaldo, that isn’t the case, he’s certainly picturing another set of grass he could conquer and Juventus may just be the ideal club for him to overcome.
The 33-year-old superstar hit an astonishing 450 career goals in nine seasons in Madrid, helping the club along the way to secure two La-Liga titles and four Champions league crowns in the last 5 of those 9 years. A remarkable feat for a player who has enjoyed such an illustrious career, lets not forget his time at Manchester United also where he was also seen in such high regard as he is at the Santiago Bernabeu. A man with a natural tendency to conjure up magical pieces of brilliance and moments of sheer class. A huge loss even for a club of Real Madrid’s stature.
Enough of the legendary man, much of the concern within the Real Madrid camp will centre around the idea of replacing Ronaldo and filling a massive gaping hole with the famous number 7 shirt vacant for the time being. Fans have been clinging on to hope that Real Madrid would recruit another galactico to compensate for the loss of Ronaldo but with the La Liga transfer window well and truly closed, those hopes and dreams have become a mere illusion. Much had been made of a dream potential deal for either of Paris Saint Germain’s starlets Neymar and World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe – ideal successors to Cristiano Ronaldo’s vacated throne along with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Although any potential deal for either of those three superstars may have to wait for next summer.
Whatever happens though, whether or not Real Madrid do get the dream opportunity of signing either Kylian Mbappe or Neymar, new coach Julen Lopetegui will be tasked with rebuilding this Real Madrid side who’s Champions League triumph – third in a row – surely took their third placed finish in La Liga and early exits in the domestic cup competitions to what could have been below-par season, to a special one. Though, it is a project Lopetegui is looking forward to, “Reinventing the team without Cristiano Ronaldo is an exciting challenge” he stated in the summer.
Lopetegui may not have to worry about the loss of Ronaldo at all with the players at his disposal. Karim Benzema may be on his last chance saloon at the club with many expecting him to have departed this summer, though Lopetegui is keeping faith in the former French international, constantly seen as the perfect foil for Ronaldo in previous seasons, it will be interesting to see how he can perform without the help of his former teammate. With two goals in the 4-1 victory over Leganes, the second a real poachers effort, Benzema is already showing he’s still got what it takes to lead the line at the Bernabeu. Lets not forget how much of a loyal and major asset he has been to the club during his nine years at the Bernabeu.
Alongside Benzema, is Welsh superstar Gareth Bale who will now be seen as the main man at the Santiago Bernabeu now that Ronaldo has left. The question that arises for Bale will be whether he can keep fit throughout the season and become the player that Madrid have hoped, for such a long while. No doubt about it Bale, has achieved so much at the Bernabeu already, but now without Ronaldo, can Bale now win points on his own just as much as Ronaldo did? Can he take up the habit of producing magical moments on a weekly basis? A injury-free season will give him every opportunity to.
What about the Spanish maestro Isco, a wonderful player to watch when he’s in the mood, building the team around Isco will surely be Lopetegui’s aim for the future. Isco though, is another player who has only been one the cusp of the Real Madrid squad but will find his fortunes transformed now that Lopetegui is the man at the helm. The former Spanish coach is a huge fan of Isco and deployed the former Malaga playmaker as his main attacking linchpin throughout his reign managing the Spanish national side as well as at Under-21 level.
The loss of Cristiano Ronaldo so far, looks as though it may not be bad as it has seemed all summer. 3 wins from 3 for the Champions League winners so far in La Liga soon after their catastrophic collapse against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super cup and 10 goals scored – although it may be too early to get excited – fans may already be asking the question; “Ronaldo who?”
Though some fans may still be feeling the loss of CR7, one player looking to step out of the shadows and fulfill his undoubted potential, a player we already have become accustomed to on may occasions over the past two years, and who just might be finally finding his place the first 11 is Spanish wonderkid Marco Asensio.
Born in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands to a Dutch mother and Spanish father. His mother tragically died to cancer when he was 15 years old. Asensio has endured a steady progression into Real Madrid’s star-studded squad. Plying his trade in Mallorca where he started out as a youngster, he was then scouted by both Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2013/14 while making his debut for the Mallorca reserves in the Segunda Division.
After some impressive performances, Asensio was rewarded with a permanent call up to the first team squad, scoring his first senior goal in March 2014 in a 2-0 home win against CD Tenerife. Later in November Asensio was snapped up by Real Madrid, signing a six-year deal for a fee of around £3million pounds which shall we say has been a real bargain by the Spanish giants. After a full pre-season in 2015, Asensio was then loaned out to Espanyol where he enjoyed a fruitful spell at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat stadium ending his time with 4 goals and 12 assists in 37 first team appearances.
Returning for the 2016/17 season, from then on, Marco Asensio has never looked back. featuring in various finals for Real Madrid under former coach Zinedine Zidane. UEFA Super Cup, scoring in the 4-1 Champions League final triumph over Juventus and contributing sparingly to Real Madrid’s La Liga title triumph in the same season. Last season may not have been quite the same success as the previous for Madrid suffering considerably in the league finishing behind both major rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid – 17 points from their El Clasico rivals – but their third Champions League triumph in a role certainly put the gloss over a season marred by domestic struggles.
Last season may have been a mixed one considering the unbelievable achievement of becoming the first team to win the Champions League three times in a row. A remarkable feat. However, Real Madrid are a team demanded and expected to be dominating domestically as well as on the European front, but that wasn’t the case last season but one positive note Real Madrid Florentino Perez can take from last term is the form and rapid progression of Marco Asensio. Six goals and six assists in La Liga last term quickly endeared Asensio to the Real Madrid faithful.
True, he may not have started as many games as he would have liked but its the impact he made off the bench that would – on a number of occasions – change Real Madrid’s destiny in an instant, it was his impressive two assists down the left wing that set Real Madrid on their way to a 3-1 second leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 tie last season. It was a period former coach Zinedine Zidane needed that extra bit of impetus, that bit of youthful exuberance and bit of quality; Asensio was the man to come off the bench and prove the difference. Asensio was the match winner in the first leg of their semi-final tie against fellow Champions League giants Bayern Munich, it was his interception at the vital moment, picking up the ball playing in Lucas Vazquez who then returned it to the Spanish youngster showing his composure and technique to coolly lift the ball over Ulreich in the Bayern Munich goal. A goal befitting of player who always comes up with that moment of quality or magic to carry Madrid over the line. Remind you of a recent former legend?
A player blessed with great skill, technical abilities, vision and as explained before, the knack of popping up at the right place at the right time for Real Madrid. Not only that though, its his ability to conjure some worldies also, if you need any examples just check his goals against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup last term, a jaw-dropping effort which had Marc Andre Ter-Stegen dumbfounded on both occasions – one at the Camp Nou and then the return leg over at the Bernabeu, just take your pick out of either one. Sumptuous efforts. Those two goals aren’t the only impressive goals he’s scored so far for the club, check out the video below and you’ll see why Asensio is something special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKMAMlVT3A4
Against Leganes at the week, Asensio was at his sparkling best, he may not have scored a goal or come up with an assist. However, his link-up play and understanding with the likes of fellow countryman Isco and Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema will surely be an exciting element to Julen Lopetegui’s team and to Real Madrid’s season. Those four alone – without the help of Ronaldo – have the quality, winning experience and togetherness to knock Barcelona off their perch and reclaim the La Liga crown.
This season has started off a little strange not seeing Cristiano Ronaldo without a Real Madrid shirt, and many have wondered whether Real Madrid will swiftly sign a replacement. What remains to be seen is whether those likely candidates Real Madrid have been hell-bent on replacing Ronaldo with, will ever set foot on the green grass that Ronaldo once set his own feet upon, with such legendary acumen. Can the likes of Kylian Mbappe or Neymar – that is, if they do set foot in at the Bernabeu – be the galactico Real Madrid have been longing for a number of years now.
For now though, Madrid may have the galactico they’ve been hoping and praying for, though its not Neymar or Kylian Mbappe or even Eden Hazard. It’s Marco Asensio. For too long he’s had to come out the shadows and at times drag Real Madrid through the mud, but now that Ronaldo has departed, Asensio has the opportunity under Lopetegui to finally become the established star Real Madrid need. Watch this space.
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