Bellingham-boosted Real Madrid aim to regain lost La Liga crown
As things are not how you start but how you finish, Real Madrid ended up losing last season's La Liga title due to excessive relaxation after the World Cup.
The wear and tear of Qatar took its toll on many players and the team ended up paying dearly for it, dipping months before the end of the campaign as a Barca side with more drive and enthusiasm ran away with the title.
Winning the Copa del Rey was no consolation for the men from Madrid.
Now it is time for a re-evaluation, especially by manager Carlo Ancelotti who, despite murmurings in the last few months and the failure to win the Champions League, has remained in place as the leader of a project that has lost its best player, Benzema, to the smell of petro-dollars in Saudi Arabia.
Marco Asensio has also been let go and has ended up at PSG. Without being a starter, Asensio always left his mark with an important contribution of goals that the Madrid fans will no longer be able to enjoy.
Bellingham and some familiar faces
While awaiting what happens with Kylian Mbappe - if anything ends up happening - Real Madrid have made other additions to the squad
The 103 million euros paid for Bellingham is the biggest investment in years for the club. So much so that he has arrived with an undisputed starter's tag. That's why, due to his characteristics, the coach has been forced to change the tactical set-up to make room for him, recovering the playmaker's position.
Brahim Diaz, who has left Milan after three years to try to succeed at the Bernabeu in his second spell, would also like to play the same role. It is difficult for him, though, at least from what we have seen in pre-season, where Ancelotti has given him very few minutes.
It seems that Fran Garcia and Joselu will play more important roles. The former, between his quality and deployment, and the injuries of Ferland Mendy, will play a lot. Joselu, a natural striker, will be used as a substitute when a finisher is needed at the death.
Of veterans and newcomers
The Real Madrid anthem says: 'veterans and newcomers' - and there is a bit of both in this squad.
For example, the fifth addition to the squad was Arda Guler, an opportunistic purchase. It was not in the plan to sign him just yet but it was either they move fast or lose him. A muscle injury has prevented him from making his debut but, in training, he has shown glimpses of his world-class ability. We will have to see if he is able to repeat that in matches.
The players in whom 100% confidence lies are Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Sure, the midfield relief of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, and even Dani Ceballos, is guaranteed - but the German and Croatian have decided to play on and not watch the games from the bench. As ever, the success of Los Blancos on the pitch will rely on them greatly still.
The new system
As mentioned, the arrival of Bellingham and the departure of Benzema will change Madrid's formation. The idea is to play with a classic 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield, leaving Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo up as the attacking outlets.
We will have to see how it suits them, especially in the case of Vini, the new number seven, as he is moving away from the left wing - his natural habitat.
For the moment, the system is not convincing. Offensively, more is being generated but the strikers aren't converting chances.
Worse is the defence, however, where there is a succession and accumulation of more than avoidable mistakes and where the performances of Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, who already dipped in form a lot last season, are a cause for concern.
Strengths
If you have Vinicius, you have one of the best players in the world today - and that's a huge bonus. When you have another player like him, with less media noise around him but with even more goals (Rodrygo), only good things can happen. Real Madrid's biggest strength will be their duo of Brazilian attackers.
Weaknesses
Having the best goalkeeper, or one of the best, in the world does not guarantee that you will keep a clean sheet - you also need defenders who are committed, concentrated and focused on their role.
Ancelotti has a problem or two at the back because he needs - in addition to the aforementioned Alaba and Carvajal - Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Nacho and Mendy to step up their performances. If they don't, issues lie ahead, as was evident on the recent tour of the United States.
