Ancelotti at Real Madrid, act II

Instead of a clean slate, Real have decided to make a smooth transition with a clever mix of old and new. To make this transition, Florentino Pérez decided to call on a former member of the house, Carlo Ancelotti. “Il Mister” knows the place well, having spent three seasons there (2013-2015), winning his second Champions League and a European Supercup in 2014. At his side, as an assistant, a certain Zinédine Zidane who will eventually take the reins in 2016 for a historic treble at the top of Europe (2016, 2017, 2018). Apart from the notable addition of a Casemiro in the midfield, Zinédine Zidane has relied heavily on the solid foundations of Carlo Ancelotti for three years and has been essential in the phenomenal success of "Zizou" coach.It is therefore almost obvious that Ancelotti returns six seasons later to resume an experienced workforce, not to say aging, and at the end of the cycle after failing two points from the title last season.

To discover

• Liga fixtures and results

Succeed in making something new with old

Apart from the young talents Vinicius Jr. (21 years old) and Rodrygo (20 years old), Carlo Ancelotti will count on a workforce whose average age is a little less than 28 years led by the old guard Modric (35 years), Kroos (31 years) and Benzema (33 years) on the front line. Their ability to reproduce a season at a very high level to snatch a La Liga that has never seemed so open will be essential. A choice which, even if it may have been dictated by the famous CVC affair, seems assumed on the part of Ancelotti. Indeed, the young Kubo (20 years), Odegaard (22 years) or Ceballos (25 years) will probably not be in the workforce next season even if the latter has publicly expressed his intentions to win in the midfield. of Real. It is therefore with an experienced workforce that the

Merengues

will appear for this 2021-2022 fiscal year.

The primordial defense project

If Ancelotti made the choice of experience in the middle and in attack, it is perhaps because it is the rebuilding of a solid and functional defense which will occupy much of his second term in Madrid. During his first visit, the “Mister” had been able to count on a perfectly complementary defensive trio with Pepe, Ramos and Varane. This summer saw the departure of this historic rearguard and it will be David Alaba and Eder Militao to take over the heavy succession of new players from PSG and Manchester United. On the sides, Ferland Mendy will have to be more regular and less often injured to keep his place on the left while Odriozola also leaves with a lead over the fragile Carvajal, but watch out for the return of the ex-lateral from Leverkusen who'swas revealed under Ancelotti.

A stimulus attack?

Apart from the presence of Karim Benzema at the forefront, very clever who can predict the attacking line of Real Madrid aligned by Carlo Ancelotti this season. Should we continue to field a young Vinicius who is still very active but who fishes constantly or should we revive the veterans Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale very often injured since their arrival in Madrid but who appeared very leggy with their respective selections at the Euro this summer. What also about Luka Jovic, the Serbian revelation of the 2018 season who increasingly looks like a flop after being sidelined and then loaned to his club in Frankfurt under the Zidane era? In his last two friendlies, the Serbian was aligned from the start without finding the fault against Glasgow Rangers and AC Milan.The competition remains more open than ever.

Before his first La Liga match on Saturday against Alavés (10 p.m.), it is therefore with some certainties and many questions that Carlo Ancelotti will begin his second term at the White House.