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Confucius once said “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” More than a decade on, from that famous night in Hampden park when Zinedine Zidane secured Real Madrid’s ninth European crown, the club look as hungry as ever to make it 10. This time, with the Frenchman in the dugout and having the luxury of overseeing one of Europe’s most deadly attacks in such close quarters.
Ever since then, ‘La Décima’ has become an obsession. Managers have come and gone, but that elusive 10th European title has always eluded them. But, their desire to succeed, has never waned, nor has their will to win. And, on the evidence of their performances thus far, it finally looks as though, Los Blancos might just have just unlocked the door to their 10th European crown and quench that unrelenting desire to win Europe’s elite club competition.
20 goals in their six group stage matches, six in their first knockout round away fixture, both Champions League records and having scored in each of their last 32 games in Europe, Real Madrid are certainly making a mockery of the record books.
Such is their dominance over the current campaign that it would be difficult to look beyond them, when one looks at the favorites for the Champions League this season.
This is certainly a turn up for the records for one simple reason. That being, European super powers, don’t emerge often enough. Even when they do, there aren’t generally many sides who can go toe-to-toe with them, let alone beat them.
So, when Bayern Munich took over the mantle from Barcelona as the best club side in Europe, few would have expected them to have competition for that, so soon.
Although the reigning European champions are running away with their League, they haven’t been entirely convincing in the Champions League. They have been ruthlessly efficient, and Pep Guardiola has done the unthinkable, he has taken the perfect team and made them better. But, for all their performances thus far in Europe, they haven’t really beaten any team into submission. They have been clinical and more often, have done just what was necessary.
Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo
But, there has been just one team, who have thus far taken the Champions League by storm and have without a shadow of doubt, emerged as the favorites. And that is the team with a front three of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have already scored 70 goals between them, this season.
The same team who are on course to obliterate the current record of most goals scored in a single Champions League campaign and have already scored 110 goals this season averaging 3.71 goals per game in the CL and 2.75 overall. And that team is none other than Real Madrid.
A team that is looking hungrier than ever to claim the European crown. There is no doubt in the fact that Los Blancos have the best attack in the world right now.
But, the truth is, it is not just the goals that makes them threatening. It is the fact that they have so many different goal scorers to call upon that makes it all the more difficult for the opposition to neutralize their threat.
If Ronaldo has an off-day, then Benzema or Bale take over. Even if the duo fail to do so, they have Isco and Angel Di Maria to call upon. And it is not just the attackers, even the defenders have chipped in, with their fair share of goals. And it is this that most teams as unable to cope up with.
If you double up on one player, you leave space for another and this Madrid team are at their most lethal when they have space to work with.
Add to this, the fact that they have a double European champion at the helm. A master tactician who has made winning the Champions League his hobby, someone who was brought in specifically to bring home the European crown.
Whilst Carlo Ancelotti might not have the greatest domestic record as a manager, in Europe, he is a man transformed. Thus far though, he has even managed to thrive domestically as his side currently sit at the top of La Liga, for the first since they won it in the 2011/12 season.
So far, so good. But, Real Madrid will know fully well to not count their chickens before they hatch. Their bitter past experiences have taught them that. But, one thing is for sure, when the draw for the quarter-finals is drawn, there is only one team that everyone will be looking to avoid. And that team will not be the reigning European Champions, but, the most successful club side in European competitions, who are hungry to claim what they believe, is rightfully theirs.
