What’s Real Madrid’s secret?

The strongest squad in world football. They have a solid (If hateful) defence. A midfield unit that is up there with any in the world. At any one time they have half a dozen players capable of making game changing interventions e.g. Bale in the final.

Having said that there is undoubtedly a significant element of luck in their success. Have they had any significant injuries affecting the latter stages of the champions league these last few years?
 
"We don't need to sign a right back because Valencia does a decent job"
"Feillani should stay because he is a good plan B option"
"We shouldn't sign SMS because we already have Pogba"

I doubt Real Madrid's management or board has these types of conversations at any level. That's the difference.
 
Lawman said:
Buying the best players helps big time. Just look at their bench compared to Liverpool in the EC final.
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How much of the Spanish tax payers money is the national government going to "loan them for training ground costs" to help rebuild an ageing squad? I'm not a Brexiter but on this occasion I'm relieved my tax is not directly or indirectly going to Spain. :)
 
Treble said:
Madrid have great players, winners, a smart manager, etc. but have been very lucky too. A lot of people underestimate the role of luck in sport, business, life, etc. It's big. With a little more luck Atleti would have won it in 2014 and 2016.
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I'm going to give my honest opinion on how I see things here, especially after seeing the reaction from some Liverpool fans, as I believe they are harming their own club with their views. I'm sure they are a lovely bunch all of them, so please don't misunderstand me here.

The Spanish Real Madrid fan (I don't know the foreigner that much) focuses more on how their club does rather than luck. They don't like excuses, and that has an effect on the players, which admittedly can be very destructive at times too. Take as an example Iker Casillas mistake in 2014 vs Atleti, or Alonso missing the final. It's not seen as being unlucky, what fans do is immediately pointing out at Ancelotti for trusting a declining player as a goalkeeper, or Alonso for not being smart enough, but the thought that Atleti has been lucky will never cross their minds, because that implies looking for excuses.

If Modric (aka best midfielder of the last 5 years) gets injured vs Juventus in 2015 and Ramos has to play in midfield, is again not seen as being unlucky. Instead Florentino and co. get heavily criticized for trusting a very weak replacement in Illarramendi. If Madrid picks injuries vs PSG away from home, who cares, go there and get the job done. If Navas gifts 2 goals to Juventus, well that's part of football, you have to react. The tragic perspective is forbidden. Go there and win.

If Cristiano and Benzema are very harmed vs Atleti in Lisbon (Ronaldo couldn't even play the Copa del Rey final), and Jese picks that knee injury, well that's seen as part of football, and if anything, why didn't those players have a more convenient rest? In whatever case, the Madrid fan doesn't care if those players are not at their best, you have to win.
 
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Let me try to explain it, Zidanes secret is having 2 teams, one on playing and another one in the bench, core players do not play all matches, they are competitions like copa del rey or even liga in many maches where top players dont start, Or dont even play specially in copa del rey

This has 2 effects as well, we surely dont win copa del rey, but is not an objective, and if you encounter in la liga a team like barca that does not lose a match, you dont win la liga, but on the contrary core players are note tired due the amount of matches in important games like CL, besides presure from bench players to be on the star up team, makes the core players not to give things for granted
 
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Consistency. 17 final vs 18 final:

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Yeah I think consistency is key here. It seems like Madrid knows exactly what their win conditions are and what every player's role in the team is.
 
Samid said:
Consistency. 17 final vs 18 final:

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1. Every player in their starting XI was a signing (Carvajal came from their youth system but they sold him to Leverkusen and then bought him back later).

2. They buy young. Navas (27) and Modric (26) are their equivalent of buying old. Ronaldo and Kroos (both 24) are the next oldest. Everyone else was either 21 or younger when Madrid bought them. Madrid get their physical prime and the team plays together for years without the constant 'transition seasons' that come with buying older players.
 
nore1975 said:
Their squad has been relatively settled over the last five years. Indeed some players are at the club over 8 years. Ramos (2005), Marcelo (2006), Ronaldo (2009), Benzema (2009). Plus Carvajal (2013), Varane (2011), Modric (2012), Kroos (2014) and Isco (2013) have in addition to the players mentioned earlier all played over 100 games for RM. Navas (2014) and Casemiro (2013) have 90+ league games played. All the aforementioned players started last night. Add in players of the quality of Bale, Asensio, Vasquez, Kovacic and you have the recipe for a strong and ultimately successful squad. None of the lineups of RM's last three in a row side were brought to the Bernabeu by Zidane. Indeed Zidane let Morata and Danilo move on permanently last summer. He has also loaned James Rodriguez to Bayern. Coentrao is on loan at Sporting.
Of the starting lineup all were 25 or younger when first signed for RM Ramos (19), Marcelo (20), Ronaldo (24), Benzema (22), Carvajal (21), Varane (18), Kroos (28), Isco (21), Casemiro (21) with Modric (27) and Navas (28) being notable exceptions. They have generally got their recruitment spot on. However now they are at the point where they need to rebuild the first team again based on the lineup last night having an average age of 28.7. Six of the lineup are 29/+.
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Good point. Since 2010 I can only remember Navas, Modric, Carvalho and Essien being older than 25 when they signed. One of them a goalkeeper .d two of the others at 26 and 28.Probably a very good investment strategy.

I bet the average age of their signings are approx 23. It gives value, and put them in a position where they can spend big on the biggest talents.
 
Amazing players, amazing squad and amazing luck. Obviously Real Madrid is a great side even without "luck" and on their day they can beat anyone. But, luck has played a massive role in their last 3 of their 4 last champions league wins. Some people want to mystify it and say "winner mentality" etc.

2013/2014 final - They are on the verge of losing until Ramos equalises from a corner in the last minute to force overtime.

2015/2016 final - Griezmann misses a penalty in normal time. Goes to a penalty shootout which Real win.

2017/2018 - In the quarter-finals against Juve they get a contested penalty in the last minutes. Semi-finals, Bayern outplays them in both home and away leg but lose because of a Rafinha backpass in first leg and Ulreich does almost as big of a goalkeeper mistake as Karius in the second leg. Bayern also had 2 penalty claims that could have been given. Finals, Liverpool is the better team for the first 25 min and then their most important player gets injured and then Karius happens.

Champions league is a competition of very fine margins and luck plays a big part. One minute, a pen shootout and massive goalkeeper blunders are what separate Real's 4 CLs in 5 years from 1 champions league in 5 years.
 
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I've just read a bit of the Real Madrid thread...they want to bin half the team after winning the CL.

Perform or you are out. Shaw, Fellaini, Darmian, Blind, Martial, Jones out the door. Next season Mourinho, Pogba and Sanchez out the door if you don't perform.

Look at the players Madrid have sold over the past 10-15 years, genuine world class players. Madrid don't care that they sold Robben and he won everything with Bayern, they just bought another world class player and won everything as well.

Some fans have an obsession with players (Martial FC), some fans have an obsession with the manager (think he will build a dynasty, he won't he doesn't care about the club).
 
I don't buy the luck argument. You can win one with luck, but not 4 in 5 years.
 
A-man said:
What do you mean with expensive? If we compare with United, Bale and Ronaldo were both in the level of Pogba, but the rest of the team cost the same as an average player like Lindelof or cheaper. It is not even close to Barcelona, PSG or City. However I believe we will see some crazy new transfers in the coming years. Zidane have tried to prepare the youths to take over but they will need some new super players for sure.
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Market inflation has rocketed since most of their players were bought as the crux of the team has been together for a few years now, but at the time their signings were for no bargain bucket fees.

They basically bought the best, for big fees (some predatory moves as well with Kroos and Carvajal), Mourinho molded them or they were incorporated into the mold he left and then the likes of Ancelotti/Zidane put their own flavour over the top.

I too am really intrigued to find out what will happen with Ronaldo continuing to age and quite frankly them being fortunate Bale was even fit on Saturday; the likes of Ramos and Modric are no spring chickens either and they've sold off a lot of their strength in depth that would step in - Ozil, Di Maria, James, Pepe etc. The next generation of talent they're likely to try and buy - Hazard, Dybala, Savic, MBappe, Salah, Neymar etc - will cost amounts they can hardly even afford anymore so I wouldn't be surprised to see a period of relative decline. Unless of course we go and buy Bale for £200m which wouldn't be surprising either.
 
Samid said:
Consistency. 17 final vs 18 final:

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It's even more amazing to think that Zidane basically started 2 CL finals against different opponents like Juventus and Liverpool with the same team and tactics.. and still won it both times!
 
endless_wheelies said:
Market inflation has rocketed since most of their players were bought as the crux of the team has been together for a few years now, but at the time their signings were for no bargain bucket fees.

They basically bought the best, for big fees (some predatory moves as well with Kroos and Carvajal), Mourinho molded them or they were incorporated into the mold he left and then the likes of Ancelotti/Zidane put their own flavour over the top.

I too am really intrigued to find out what will happen with Ronaldo continuing to age and quite frankly them being fortunate Bale was even fit on Saturday; the likes of Ramos and Modric are no spring chickens either and they've sold off a lot of their strength in depth that would step in - Ozil, Di Maria, James, Pepe etc. The next generation of talent they're likely to try and buy - Hazard, Dybala, Savic, MBappe, Salah, Neymar etc - will cost amounts they can hardly even afford anymore so I wouldn't be surprised to see a period of relative decline. Unless of course we go and buy Bale for £200m which wouldn't be surprising either.
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I agree to some extent, but Real have not really jumped on that crazy transfer wagon - yet, that is, as I expect them to make one or two big ones this sommer. Like Neymar, Salah, ... something like that. Money will show up somehow. Three years ago I thought it was the best team of all times, but now it looks like they cant milk out another season. And I dont see Isco, Asensio, Vasquez, carrying the team to another five years like this.
 
The secret? Having a clever manager, the second best player in the world, the two best CM's in the world, a contender for GOAT fullback, one of the best center backs of the last generation, good role players like Casemiro and Benzema. There's probably a lot I've missed but it's clearly no secret.
 
Madrid have the advantage of being able to attract pretty much any player in the world. It’s a lot easier to sign the best young players like Ronaldo and Bale when they are desperate to play for you.
 
They have the best players. Best LB in the world check. Best CB in the world check. Best CM in the world check. Best LF in the world check, best RF in the world check.
 
Mad club. That’s 6 CL finals in the last 11 seasons.

I’m convinced they’re sacrificing children at the start of every season to please the football gods.
 
They have standards fitting of a top club. It's as simple as that. Mediocrity is not tolerated.
 
Referees as always. That was a goal for Bayern at the end.

Also playing in a league where there's no worry to qualify for CL spots. That's a given.
 
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They just have standards and don't BS around. 99% of players who go there have no illusions, they know they're expected to perform and expectations are high.
 
If the Glazers hadn’t ever come along, I genuinely believe United would be the closest thing to Madrid and constantly in the semis and final too

They’re a huge club who are allowed to fulfil their potential. We’re an equally huge club who aren’t
 
Unrelentingly high standards throughout the organization. No excuses for failure.
 
Good fortune. City were better than them a couple of years ago and should have gone through to the final. City also were better than them this season. I do think they were better than Bayern tonight, but a big goalkeeping error kept them in it.
 
Culture. There's no excuses there. Lose your best player and only striker? No problem, just convert a CM into a false 9 and deal with it.

Lose your first choice keeper? Oh well, make do and get us into another final.
 
United would be talking about endless rebuilds and god forbid you have 1 weak transfer summer, game's over, title out of sight already, only aim for top 4. Then "rebuild" again etc.
 
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