3 reasons why Santiago Solari might not last the season as Real Madrid's manager

Real Madrid lost to Barcelona 0-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in an important LaLiga match yesterday. Real now have 48 points from 26 matches, while Barcelona have 60 from 26. The Catalan giants are almost certain to win their 26th LaLiga title this year, and Real might have to be content with a 3rd place finish.

It was also Real’s 2nd loss to their arch-rivals in 3 days, as Barca had beaten them 3-0 in the second leg of the semifinal of Copa Del Rey to qualify for the final. The only competition that Real have a realistic chance of winning this season is the UEFA Champions League, and even that is not going to be easy at all.

Santiago Solari, the former Real Madrid player who was appointed their manager in October, has done a somewhat decent job so far by improving their position in the league table, but might find it difficult to last the season as the manager of the Los Blancos.

We will now take a look at the 3 reasons why Solari might be sacked before the end of the ongoing season:

#1 Inability to strengthen the defence

Real have kept only 9 clean sheets in 26 matches in LaLiga so far, and have conceded goals against almost all the big teams they have played against. Barcelona have scored 10 past them in 4 matches, including 5 in their LaLiga encounter at the Camp Nou in October last year.

Moreover, CSKA Moscow also beat them 3-0 at the Bernabeu in a Champions League group match. They have conceded 3 or more goals on 5 separate occasions in the current season, and it is definitely not expected from the world’s biggest and most successful club.

Sergio Ramos has been a wonderful player for Real, and appeared in more than 600 matches for them, but it is quite evident now that he is past his prime and can not lead their defence any more. He is almost 34 years old, and one would not be surprised if this happens to be his last season at the club.

Raphael Varane is an elegant central defender, but is not forceful enough to lead their defence. As a result, the combination of Ramos and Varane has struggled at times to cope with the pace and guile of the forwards of top-class oppositions.

#2 Not experimenting with a new formation

Real have played with a 4-3-3 formation in almost all the matches this season, and Solari has not experimented with a new one in spite of not getting the desired results. Their defensive frailties were exposed by a top attacking team like Barcelona, and yet Solari did not try the 4-2-3-1 formation for a change.

Playing Casemiro and Federico Valverde as a double pivot would have strengthened their defence somewhat, as it would ensure better cover for their centre-backs. Casemiro is a good tackler and marker, and having Valverde by his side would have allowed him to go for early tackles against the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

It is quite clear that Toni Kroos does not contribute enough defensively, and therefore, he could have been left out of the playing eleven against Barcelona. Instead, Solari went ahead with the midfield combination of Kroos and Luka Modric, and paid the price. He took off Kroos and introduced Valverde in the second half, but the damage was already done by then.

Playing Valverde and Casemiro as defensive midfielders would also have allowed Modric to go into attacks frequently and also play timely passes to the wingers Vinicius and Lucas Vazquez. Kroos is a very good passer, but does not quite retain possession as much as he should while playing in a 4-3-3 formation.

#3 Real might effectively be out of all competitions soon

Real are actually at a risk of finishing without a major title this season, as the UEFA Champions League remains the only trophy they are left with a realistic chance of winning. Moreover, it is highly improbable that they would win 4 consecutive Champions League titles, as no team has done it in the last 59 years. Also, it cannot be forgotten that Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus at the beginning of the current season, played a major role in ensuring 3 consecutive Champions League titles for Real.

Yesterday’s loss against Barcelona virtually dashed their hopes of winning their 34th league title. Barcelona have also eliminated them from the Copa Del Rey. Real have managed to win the Club World Cup, but that has little significance in today’s football.

Winning the Champions League title, or at least finishing runners-up can still save Solari’s job, but it is very unlikely to happen, given Real’s performance in various competitions so far in this season. They are expected to qualify for the quarter finals at the expense of Ajax Amsterdam, after having beaten the Dutch side 2-1 in the first leg in Amsterdam, but the competition is going to get stiffer gradually.

Real might face teams like PSG, Man City or Bayern Munich in the quarter finals, and even their staunchest supporters would find it difficult to back Solari’s side against any of those teams. Real are always a formidable proposition in the Champions League, but even their fearsome reputation might not save them this year.

Edited by Sai Krishna