The Challenge of Real Madrid’s Attack Without a Striker

Real Madrid’s attack has always included a group of first-class strikers, from Alfredo Di Stefano to Hugo Sanchez and Raul Gonzalez, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Karim Benzema.

A New Season Without a Flamboyant Striker

But things could be different this season as Real Madrid are set to start the new season without a flamboyant striker in their offensive line after Benzema, the team’s best player of the past few seasons and last year’s Ballon d’Or winner, moved to the Saudi League.

The Pressure to Find a Replacement

Benzema’s move to Saudi club Ittihad Jeddah puts pressure on the Spanish club to find an equally famous striker. Real Madrid have tried to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain but so far have been unsuccessful and the Spanish club may have to wait until the French striker’s contract with the Paris side expires at the end of next season, hoping that they could finally bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Signing Joselo as a Potential Solution

Seeking to make up for the offensive deficit, this summer Real Madrid signed Joselo, the 33-year-old Espanyol and Spain striker whose star has recently shone. The Royal Club are hoping that their new striker can quickly work with young Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrigo, who showed signs of being able to play a big role in attack last season.

Ancelotti’s Expectations

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said a few months ago that his team would be looking for “a striker who can score goals and communicate well with others.” England international Harry Kane was on the list to replace Benzema, but the Tottenham striker is likely to join Bayern Munich.

The Challenge for Real Madrid

Real Madrid finished last season with three titles, the European Super Cup, the Club World Cup, and the Copa del Rey, but finished second in the Spanish league, 10 points behind rivals Barcelona, and were knocked out by Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Real Madrid’s success this season will depend on their ability to find a way to continue the success of their attacking line without a real scorer or whether they manage to sign Mbappe.

Source: agencies