The beginning of the new year (2023) coincides with the halfway point of the football season (2022-2023), at a time when European clubs are preparing to enter the decisive stages.
real madrid The Spaniard is one of those large European clubs that are working to rearrange their cards as the football season reaches the decisive stages in various tournaments.
“Al Ain Sports” reviews in the following lines 5 challenges awaiting Real Madrid throughout the year 2023, some of which are related to the current season, while others are related to the near future.
Keep the titles
Last season (2021-2022) was one of the most successful seasons in the history of Real Madrid, after it won 3 titles: the Spanish League, the European Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup.
At the beginning of the current season, Real Madrid won a fourth title, the European Super Cup, and is scheduled to compete for it again if it wins the Champions League title this season.
In the current season, Real Madrid is still competing in the 3 championships it achieved last season, and the start will be with the campaign to defend the Spanish Super Cup title, where coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team will meet Valencia in the semi-finals on January 11th.
And in the event that Real wins against Valencia, the royal team will play with the winner from the Barcelona and Real Betis match in the Super Cup final, on January 15.
Real Madrid is currently at the top of the La Liga standings with rivals Barcelona, with 38 points each, knowing that the Catalan team is superior by goal difference.
Real Madrid is preparing for a strong confrontation in the round of 16 of the European Champions League against Liverpool, England, in a repeat of the final of the last edition of the European Championship, which the royal team decided 1-0.
The first leg is scheduled to take place in Liverpool on February 21, and the second leg in Madrid on March 15.
Restore the King’s Cup
The King’s Cup is an “embarrassing knot” for Real Madrid, given the small number of titles it has won in recent years.
Real Madrid ranks third in the list of clubs most crowned with the King’s Cup title, with 19 titles, behind Barcelona (31) and Athletic Bilbao (23).
In the last 50 years, Real won the cup title only 8 times, while its last coronation dates back to 2014, that is, 9 years ago.
Real Madrid is scheduled to start its campaign in the current edition of the King’s Cup against Cacerinho, one of the fourth-division clubs, on Tuesday, January 3.
Blood renewal
It is not expected that Real Madrid will make new contracts during the current winter Mercato, but the upcoming summer transfer period may witness strong moves by the capital club to renew the team’s blood.
This comes in conjunction with the age of the main pillars of the team, led by captain Karim Benzema (35 years), and the lack of available substitutes in his position (centre attack).
Midfielder Luka Modric has also reached his 37th year, while Toni Kroos will be 33 years old in a few days, which is the same situation as defender Nacho Fernandez.
And media reports confirmed that there are players living their last days in the “Santiago Bernabeu” castle, most notably Mariano Diaz, Alvaro Odriozola and Eden Hazard, while doubts arise about the position of Marco Asensio, who is already spending his last season in his contract with the club.
According to recent media reports, Real Madrid is pursuing a number of young talents, most notably Jude Bellingham, the star of Borussia Dortmund’s midfield.
Ancelotti’s future
In the summer of 2021, veteran Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti returned to lead Real Madrid in a second coaching term, after his first term that spanned two seasons between 2013 and 2015.
Ancelotti’s contract (63 years) with the Royal Club extends until the summer of 2024, that is, until the end of next season.
Until now, the vision is still unclear about Ancelotti’s future with Real Madrid, and whether the royal club wants to continue it or start a new sporting project with another technical director.
In light of Real Madrid’s results and performance in 2023, Ancelotti’s position at Real Madrid may become clearer, and whether he will continue or leave.
It is worth noting that Ancelotti is considered one of the most prominent candidates to take over as coach of the Brazil national team, after the dismissal of Tite, the former coach, after the exit from the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
However, the Italian coach played down the importance of these reports, sticking to his desire to continue inside the “Santiago Bernabeu” castle, where he said: “I have said a lot before, I will stay here as long as my adventure can continue in Madrid, and I will never tell Real Madrid that I want to leave.” .
European Super League
Real Madrid caused an earthquake in European football in April of 2021, by leading the European Super League project, the “Super League”, to light, a tournament in which 12 clubs from the old continent announced their challenge to the European Football Association “UEFA”.
And the 12 clubs announced the establishment of a new championship with huge funding away from the umbrella of UEFA, which are Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain, Milan, Inter and Juventus from Italy, and Manchester City, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal from the English Premier League.
9 founding clubs withdrew from the project and under pressure from the public and political, so that Real Madrid, along with Barcelona and Juventus, entered a fierce war with “UEFA” in order to bring the “Super League” to light.
The “Super League” issue is still being considered from several sides in European courts, and several rounds ended with the victory of the 3 rebellious clubs, while “UEFA” triumphed in other rounds.
The “Super League” trio obtained several court rulings that support its position and protect it from UEFA sanctions, but the tournament has not witnessed progress or a return for the withdrawals so far.
It is expected that the year 2023 will witness new steps by Real Madrid and its president, Florentino Perez, in order to resolve the position of the upcoming championship.
