The Real Madrid News / Reviews / Discussion Thread

What about Carlo?

4/5 CL finals as a manager.

With 1/2 shot to become one of the guys on the list to add another one.

Also, at least one league title in each league he coached in.

 

Most clean sheets in Europe’s top five leagues this season:

1. Inter Milan — 19
2. Real Madrid, Athletic, Torino — 15 pic.twitter.com/557U0U9e8m

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) April 3, 2024

 

They were the best at not conceding in the last 15 minutes of games all season (0 goals allowed 75-90), but obviously that went to hell at the worst possible time...

 

🧱 Real Madrid have equaled their best defensive record after the first 31 games in the ENTIRE history of La Liga. They have only conceded 20 goals, the same as in the 1987-88 campaign. @2010MisterChip pic.twitter.com/Uw8lwTEYD6

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 13, 2024

 

Think Rodrygo starts on the left again given he tracks back better than Vini. Also explains why he didn't come on as a sub yesterday

 

He was amazing at LW. It was also uncharacteristic of him to be that wasteful in front of goal.

I expect much better from him at the Etihad.

Look at the bright side also, Walker would not be man marking Vini since he would be more central.

 

Incredible job by Carlo given ACL injuries of Courtois, Militao and Alaba. He found good solutions like Tchouameni at CB which also meant more playing time for Camavinga in midfield.

 

The injuries make the record that much better.

Now I hope Militao can add something for us in the game v City.

 

Think Walker will find it harder against Rodrygo given that Rodrygo doesn't take on players as much and works his way up using intricate play

 

Thats what I was thinking too.

Rodrygo is not as direct and fast as Vini, but his movement and intelligence is better.

 

Just read via Relevo that Raul has informed the club that he will remain at Castilla next season.

Love the guy but it takes some entitlement to be on the verge of being relegated from the 3rd division with Real Madrid’s youngsters and taking your position that much for granted

 

If you think back to when he was a player, he also stuck around then for way longer than his level deserved lol.

 

I think you are missing the point of the post was simply to take a cheap shot at Raul. The club would terminate his contract if it wanted him out but let some people tell their version of the story and he's put a gun to Flo's head. I mean it's not as if Raul hasn't declined other (better) job opportunities to stay with Castilla in the past, but yet we get to read how he's taking advantage of his situation and pulled one over on old, senile Flo.

Won back to back league titles as Captain in 2006-2008, left for Shalke in 2010 and helped them to a CL semi final and German Cup title.

Talk about a guy sticking around with nothing to show for it his last few seasons.

And shame on the Germans for propping him up to look like some kind of serial winner when its clear he was way past his prime.

 

Raul from 03 onwards was not the same player at all, yet played every second of every game. Credit to him, he picked up form under Schuster, but before that he was a major liability who you couldnt sub, yet alone bench. Also funny you credit the Capello league to him when we won it despite him, and his time as captain the dressing room was probably the most toxic/unprofessional and divided its been while I followed this team.

Legendary player 100%, but lived on that memory for a long time when his present definitely didn't justify it, then left with a big payout when we had to buyout his contract instead of just accepting a transfer to a team more fit for his level. If Cristiano didn't leave when he did we definitely would've seen things play out the same way.

 

Raul was arguably the best player on the team in 2003 and it was arguably players like R9 and Zidane who were burdensome and dragging the team down in subsequent seasons. As unpopular as an opinion as that might be. I was huge fan of the Galacticos, but in hindsight the club was doing great with less glamourous core players like Morientes, Makelele, etc.

Can't really compare Cristiano with Raul. Cristiano was a Galactico in every sense of the word (and turned out to be a mercenary as well), Raul was Madrid born and bred and really never got the recognition he deserved. Neither player lacked effort once the whistle blew either, so I can't complain about that even though it was an issue with other "star" players.

 

Zidane literally won the WPOTY in 03. Plus R9 and Zidane "mercenaries" both left as soon as their level dropped or weren't wanted, Zidane leaving a year's salary unlike the loyal and Madrid born and bred Raul who forced the team to pay him the remainder of his contract. Don't get me wrong, that's money Raul is entitled to, Calderon is a dummy for giving him that contract, but you are the one calling him loyal and Madridista etc.. when the "mercenaries" are the ones leaving behind money when they are not needed.

Both had an untouchable status and both were unbenchable. It works great when the performances justify it, but once their level drops its a huge burden on the team. We saw it with Raul and luckily didn't get to that point with Cristiano.

 

Zidane's best player award was a "make up" for the year before because he probably deserved it more than R9 in 2002, and ironically enough R9 deserved it more in 2003. Zidane was smart enough to leave rather than get benched but with Florentino gone there wasn't going to be anymore favoritism as R9 and Beckham learned under Capello. Funny you think Capello could just willy nilly drop the two most famous football players on the planet but it was Raul who was untouchable.


Anyway, I say arguable the best player because nobody in their right mind would say that either of Raul or Zidane were as talented as R9. However importance to the team is a different story.

Raul:
2002–03 La Liga 31/16 CL 12/9 Total 47/25

Ronaldo:
2002–03 La Liga 31/23 CL 11/6 Total 44/30

Zidane:
2002–03 La Liga 33/9 CL14/3 Total 50/12

 

I don’t want to shit on Raul or anything but his numbers from 03/04 until 07/08 were pretty shocking. Even 01/02 and 02/03 were average numbers in the league.

Saying Ronaldo held the team back is kind of outrageous. During Ronaldo’s four season stay between 02/03 until 05/06 this is how he and Raul compare in the league:

- Ronaldo: 120 games, goal every 1.46 games
- Raul: 124 games, goal every 3.02 games

 

That's because he was not really a CF after 2003. The team became so top heavy with R9, Figo and Zidane, Raul was playing more like a midfielder and doing alot of the defending and tracking back that none of those players could be relied on to do.

It was kind of redundant having them all on the field together but since Raul wasn't a "galactico" per se, he had to the grunt work to keep his place. Mad respect.

He didn't take PK's either which would've been an easy way to stat pad.