From Alfredo to Zidane
MADRID’S GALACTICOS HAVE EUROPEAN GLORY IN THEIR DNA
THE spirit of the Galacticos is driving Real Madrid to Champions League history.
Every season they are written off as past their sell-by date. Yet they are on the brink of winning the trophy for a third year in a row. Only Jurgen Klopp stands between Zinedine Zidane and immortality.
And, worryingly for Liverpool, the Champions League is where Real Madrid come alive.
Yes, they have an ageing team, and a coach who is derided as not being good enough.
But for all their faults, they remain Europe’s biggest beast. Real Madrid boss Zidane claims the Champions League is “in their DNA”.
And it would seem their big players relish the big stage because that is where they tend to perform.
The boys from the Bernabeu have certainly ridden their luck in this campaign.
In the quarterfinals, they got a controversial late penalty to survive an incredible Juventus recovery.
In the second leg of the semi-final against Bayern Munich earlier this week, Real Madrid survived another almighty scare as they found themselves completely outplayed, only to still squeeze through. Against all the odds, this Real team of golden oldies has the big names, the big characters and the stardust to get the job done.
Cristiano Ronaldo is 33 yet still breaks Champions League records in virtually every match. The Portuguese wrecking ball has scored more Champions League
goals than anyone else with 120, set a record for most wins in the competition and a run of scoring in 11 consecutive ties.
There is simply no stopping Ronaldo – the epitome of what a Galactico stands for, the policy of signing superstars originally started by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in the 1990s.
In warriors such as Sergio Ramos and, in particular, Brazilian left-back Marcelo, they have players who never know when they are beaten.
These are some of the biggest names in football, players who do not seem to be able to perform on a regular basis in La Liga – they are 15 points behind Barcelona, the newlycrowned champions – yet rise to the occasion in
Europe’s blue riband club tournament.
They were the first team to retain the trophy since the European Cup format changed to the Champions League.
And this is Real Madrid’s best period since the late 1950s when Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas were the outstanding talents of their generation.
Everyone can spot this team’s weaknesses – particularly in defence – but no one seems capable of stopping them. It is their spirit which carries them through.
None of it appears to make any sense. Real Madrid are the guv’nors of Europe, but not the best team in Spain.
Maybe they are benefiting as much as Liverpool from a shift in emphasis which has seen defending and clean sheets become less important than forwards and goals.
Real Madrid have scored 30 to reach the final, Liverpool 40 in the Champions League proper.
That guarantees a thriller in Kiev. And Zidane knows his team have big-game experience on their side.