In the summer of 2015, Carlo Ancelotti, who brought the long-awaited “desima” to Real, was dismissed for unsatisfactory results.. The players spoke out strongly against this decision, like most fans, but Florentino Perez remained adamant. Rumor has it, Carlo was not the most convenient mentor for Florentino, as he managed the team on his own and did not hesitate to question the correctness of some Perez decisions, which the president of the “royal club” doesn’t like.
Ancelotti came to replace Rafael Benitez, and the team from the start of the 2015-2016 season plunged into crisis. Instead of a democratic and creative approach, Carlo Real players were faced with the authoritarian and pedantic methods of Rafa, which didn’t go for the blank game. Together with a sharp transition from Real Madrid from a magnificent and entertaining football to a boring and monotonous game, the team’s results have deteriorated significantly, which ultimately led to the dismissal of Benitez after six months of work..
It was then that the team and took Zinedine Zidane, who at that time headed Castilla. The arrival of the post of mentor Real Madrid, the greatest player in the past, but completely inexperienced coach was perceived with a great deal of skepticism.. It was expected that the Frenchman will finalize only until the end of the season, and in the summer of Madrid will be under the control of one of the world-famous specialists.. We all remember very well how it all ended in the end: the historical three consecutive victories in the Champions League, the triumph in the Spanish Championship, two European Super Cups and two more victories at the Club World Championship. Zinedine Zidane, unexpectedly for many, became exactly the specialist who was able to achieve great results with Real, because parting with him at the end of the 2017-2018 season was rather painful for fans of Blancos. Zidane, fed up with victories and tired of constant pressure, decided to take a pause in his coaching career, and Perez found a replacement for him in Spain’s national team coach Julen Lopetegi.
This situation is like a repetition of a cycle for the Madrid Club.. In place of a successful coach, who won the Champions League, comes the Spanish coach, who fails with the team and leaves his post during the season. Moreover, the players of Real Julen almost from the first days of working together got the nickname “New Benitez,” according to Spanish media.. The question is, will Santiago Solari become the new Zidane who will lead the team instead, or will this time the Castilla coach be appointed to the post as a temporary measure?.
Of course, judging by several matches of the main team of Real Madrid coaching prospects Solari is difficult, but the Argentine does have a chance to succeed in Madrid, and there are several reasons.
Progress Solari Argentinian led Castilla in 2016, and in the very first season he failed, taking 11th place in the Segunda B tournament standings. The team's game was regularly criticized for being too straightforward and primitive, while Solari himself risked being fired from his post after only one year of work.. However, the club management decided to trust Santiago, and ... He again failed. In the second season, the result was slightly better - 8th place, but still far from the desired exit for Madrid in the second most powerful Spanish division. Despite his next setback, Solari showed some progress, which was fully evident already in the third season.. At the time when Santiago left a branch of Real Madrid and moved to the main team, Castilla ranked second in the Segunda B tournament standings. After the departure of the Argentine, his ex-wards immediately lost in two games in a row and dropped to third place, which nevertheless speaks of the importance of Santiago's figure for the team and its rapid progress.. Over the past three seasons, he has gone from being a loser coach to a very good specialist who has some experience and is able to lead the players..
Resuscitation of the main team of Lopetegi did not become the right choice of a coach for Real - now you can speak about it with complete confidence. Under the leadership of the Spaniard, the team showed not only depressing results and faceless football, but also an unwillingness to fight for the club emblem and its own honest name.. The first thing that Solari has already managed to do is return the character to the players.. Let’s miss the most difficult match with Melilla, and move on to three other games - with Valladolid, Victoria and Celta.
In the match with the “white-purple” on the Santiago Bernabeu, Real, traditionally for his sample of the current season, had great difficulty in attacking. “Blancos” failed to crack the rival's defenses and the match risked ending in another failure (a draw with such a rival in his own field can’t be called a failure for Madrid), but it was Solari’s influence that ultimately resulted in. First, Santiago decided on what Lopetegui stubbornly avoided - he took the risk. The Argentinian released Vinicius Junior, who actually turned the game around - after the active actions of the young Brazilian Real managed to open the scoring shortly before the final whistle. Secondly, the team did not give up, as was often the case with Lopetegi, but continued to fight to the end, which resulted not only in the first, but also in the second goal scored by Sergio Ramos from the penalty spot.
The defeat of Victoria on the road became for Real a very important push forward. This match showed that the team believed in itself and is ready to again prove its great superiority over similar rivals.. Yes, we can say that this is Victoria and the game with her is not indicative, however, in the first fight with the same Czechs at the Bernabeu, Real had great trouble, had a very nervous ending and won with a creak of 2: 1. Therefore, the team clearly added, and the point here is not in the tactical component, but in the psychological microclimate, skillfully established Solari.
The match with Celta, perhaps, most clearly demonstrates the work that the Argentinean specialist managed to do at the moment.. Matches on Balaidos are difficult for any opponent, Real Madrid regularly loses points here, and therefore a weaker performance was frankly expected from the “crisis” of Madrid. In this fight, “Blancos” was not surprised by some tactical delights or special aesthetics of the game - this Solari has not yet instilled in the team. However, that can not but rejoice the fans of the "Royal Club" - Real Madrid fought fiercely. Overcoming their not the best physical condition, the pain from the constant rough game of the opponent and the severity of the previous results, the Madrid showed that their championship mentality and inflexible character have not gone away. When Lopetegui, the team looked doomed, while Solari was able to reach the players and arouse pride and self-confidence in them, which is an important skill for a successful coach..
Respect from the players After only two weeks of work under the leadership of Solari, many leaders of the "royal club" in one voice began to say that the Argentine must finalize at least until the end of the season. Among those who spoke out were Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Casemiro and other players from the core of Madrid.. Already, it is obvious that Santiago is respected by the players, which is simply necessary when you train such a crowded star club like Real.
Ability to work with young footballers During the short time that Solari headed the main team of Madrid, he gave a chance to prove himself to such players as Vinicius Junior, Sergio Regilon and Javi Sanchez. There is no doubt that under the leadership of Santiago, young people will regularly receive their chance. It would be possible to assume that Solari relies on promising footballers, so just recently he was the coach of Castilla, but that’s not the point.. Zinedine Zidane also came to the first team from the branch, but he practically didn’t resort to using young players and trying to develop them. It is felt that Solari intends to admit promising young people to the team, and for a very long time Real has lacked a coach who would help his pupils to open up.
Trust from the management side President Real Florentino Perez is on excellent terms with Solari, which is both a plus and a minus for the Madrid club. On the one hand, there is a possibility that Santiago will unambiguously implement all Perez's initiatives, and Florentino loves to play scout and head coach, while not particularly understanding the first or the second..
On the other hand, Solari will have full support from the management of the club, so in case of successful completion of the current season, Real Madrid will not change him to a more distinguished coach and will allow him to continue working.
Total:.
At the moment, the prospects of Solari at the helm of the "royal club", despite all the above advantages of his work, are seen as rather vague. Winning Example or the Champions League this season - the task for Santiago is almost impossible, but before the team it is.
Solari signed a contract with Real until 2021, which means that Florentino Perez believes in the talent of the Argentine specialist.. Perhaps he expects Santiago to become the “Second Zidane” for Madrid.
Will he become one? Far from it.
The magic of the Frenchman lies in the fact that he is so unique - successful both on the football field and on the coaching field. ZiZu - a genius from the world of football, and no one except him can win three Champions League in a row in his first three years of work at the top level. Solari will not repeat this success, and, most likely, will leave his post at the end of the season. However, unlike the “new Benitez” team, the Santiago team has self-respect and character, which means that the Argentine has a small chance, but.