Dudek, Arbeloa, Albiol, Metzelder, Drenthe, Diarra, Van der Vaart, Guti, H. Gago 46′, Granero, Marcelo 62′, Benzema, Raúl Van Nistelrooy 72′.
This is the Real Madrid team that achieved possibly the most infamous feat in club history, a 4-0 Copa del Rey embarrassment at tiny third division Alarcon. “Shame, Humiliation, Ridicule??? were some of the headlines in the Spanish press, who immediately called for the head of Real coach Manuel Pellegrini.
There is more to the story than this result. Apparently at halftime a confrontation took place between Guti and Pellegrini. Whatever Guti said, he is overplaying his hand. Despite his perception, Guti does not have the stature of Raul within the Real hierarchy or among the supporters to challenge Pellegrini openly. Nor is he a superstar like Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka. Pellegrini challenged Guti about his performance and replaced him, which prompted some brutal words from Guti.
Real, after spending a colossal sum of money on players over the summer, expects to win everything in play. Predictably, problems have emerged. The team has not won a game since Cristiano Ronaldo was injured and will be without him for at least two more matches, including next week’s champions League match in Milan. More importantly, Madrid often looks ordinary in the midfield and there are too many lapses of concentration both in the back and up front. Pellegrini was handed a super roster and given the clear mandate. Not only the results are alarming, but the serious problem is Real’s play.
The most critical challenge for Madrid is getting its superstar personalities, egos and talents to jell into a team. Madrid’s roster is filled with stars on their respective national teams. It is, in this situation, the coach’s responsibility to get each player to perform a role, not just to send them on the field as a bunch that barely recognize each other. If Cristiano Ronaldo has been magnificent thus far, Kaka has been ok but has not justified his astronomic transfer fee from Milan. Benzema, no longer the jefe he was in Lyon, is rolling along and has performed ok thanks to his enormous talent. But Madrid looks vulnerable at the back, unable to defend as a team and confused in the middle. There is no formation or discernible rotation like Barcelona’s. Real can be picked apart.
All added up, Pellegrini may not be up for the job. The press has lost faith, now some of the players may have lost respect. When that happens, it’s over. But it is not Pellegrini’s fault entirely. Players are very much responsible for results. Former Spain national team coach has apparently been lined up to replace Pellegrini. Aragones is an old school, no nonsense guy with a stubborn streak whose style may or may not work with Real’s non-Spanish stars, but the change would definitely provide a spark ahead of next week-end’s clash with city rival Atletico Madrid. Absent impressive wins Saturday against Getafe and next week in Milan, adios senor Pellegrini!
