MADRID — A coach's job is seldom safe at Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti delivered La Decima in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Madrid came within a minute of losing that final and had it done so, the Italian would have been unlikely to remain at the club.
Earlier in the campaign, the side's disappointing displays brought plenty of criticism from the Madrid media. Ancelotti spoke of finding "balance" in midfield and he eventually did — with Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria.
But with those two now long gone following summer moves to Bayern Munich and Manchester United, respectively, Ancelotti must find the balance all over again. And with three defeats in the team's last four fixtures, he had better find it quickly.
"Real Madrid are a team of athletes, we're a diesel team," the Italian said last week in reference to his side's slow start to 2014-15. But he added: "I'll find the right solution again."
Madrid kicks off its Champions League campaign on Tuesday at home to Swiss side Basel and hopes to become the first team to retain the trophy since the competition's format changed in 1992. Inexplicably, however, Real is weaker now than when it won the trophy on that special night in Lisbon back in May.
Summer signings Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez lifted the mood after the World Cup. "With Kroos and James we are even stronger," Luka Modric said in July. And they were. But then Di Maria and Alonso left the club.
"Alonso was vital for Madrid," former Real winger Jose Amavisca told Goal. "It was when he returned from injury last season that the team started to play well. He was the one who pulled the strings in midfield and dictated the play, but he also gave the team a balance they had been lacking in his absence."
And that balance was missing as Alonso sat out the Champions League final due to suspension. Without him, Madrid so nearly lost. Sergio Ramos' late leveler forced extra-time, but Di Maria was the Man of the Match and the Argentine's remarkable run set up Gareth Bale for the crucial second goal.
"Di Maria was such an important player last season and there are very few like him. Madrid will struggle to replace what he gave to the team," former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta told Goal.
Ancelotti utilized Di Maria in a midfield role which saw the Argentine track back to help out in defense and set up goals at the other end with his pace, boundless energy and indefatigable spirit. Few such players exist in world football.
Madrid may be lucky enough to have two of them in Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, but the Portuguese is never going to be deployed in such a role (nor should he be), while the Welshman will probably not be keen on regressing back to a midfield slot.
Nevertheless, Ancelotti is considering a midfield three with Bale in the 'Di Maria role' alongside Kroos and Modric. "Bale is an option for Ancelotti in midfield and he played there for Tottenham," former Liverpool striker and Spanish football pundit Michael Robinson said on his video blog this week. "But we have seen that he isn't a player who links up that much with his teammates. Maybe that was because he was the new kid, however, and perhaps Ancelotti now thinks that process is behind him — and that playing him further back would allow James more license to roam and connect with Cristiano and Benzema."
If Bale is indeed willing to play that role, the Welshman has the tools necessary to be able to shine as Di Maria did. As a former fullback, he knows all about covering and tracking back, while his runs from deep positions at Tottenham often proved devastating as he both scored and assisted with wonderful pace and dribbling. However, this role requires much more defensive discipline than his current position and as the world's most expensive player, it remains to be seen whether he would be willing to operate in a more "sacrificial" role on the left, behind Ronaldo.
Potentially, that could solve one problem. But Alonso's departure has created another because Kroos — for all his obvious talents — is simply not a holding midfielder. Neither, of course, is Modric. Both are excellent ball-players and hard workers, but the pair are vulnerable together in a double pivot and Bale dropping back wouldn't solve that problem either.
The arrival of James means that, to some extent, Ancelotti's hands are tied. He has to play the Colombian because he was the club's marquee signing and cost around 80 million euros, but he must also find room for Kroos — and the rest of the team virtually picks itself.
"Kroos has to adapt," former Madrid midfielder Alvaro Benito wrote in his column in AS on Sunday. "The German has almost always had a shield behind him to do the dirty work, but he will have to adapt and take on much more responsibility defensively because if not, the team will always suffer against demanding rivals."
That, however, is a solution which will take time and doubts remain over the German's ability to change his game and become the player Madrid needs in that position.
The alternative is to bring in another player. Sami Khedira is currently injured, but his inclusion would give the midfield more balance. The German is more limited in terms of technical ability, however. Another option would be to include Asier Illarramendi, the man who was signed as Alonso's long-term replacement in the first place. Ancelotti, however, doesn't appear convinced by the 24-year-old.
Casemiro is possibly the answer in the future, but the Brazilian was sent out to Porto on loan for the season, leaving Ancelotti with one last and very intriguing alternative: Raphael Varane.
The Italian thought about playing the Frenchman in midfield against Atleti and he could be the solution to the team's problems. Already an excellent defender, the 21-year-old would be comfortable dropping deep to help out Sergio Ramos and Pepe, while his presence would surely avoid situations like the one from which Atleti scored the winner on Saturday — when Raul Garcia and Arda Turan were left all alone in the area at a throw-in. Varane also boasts excellent technical ability and plenty of pace — another attribute Kroos is lacking.
Varane has often been likened to Fernando Hierro, now Madrid's assistant coach. Hierro himself was a fine center back who played much of his career in midfield and he would be able to pass on invaluable advice.
"We have a great squad. Maybe we no longer have a great team," said Hierro's former teammate Manolo Sanchis at the weekend.
It pretty much summed up the current situation and just like last season, it's up to Ancelotti to change all that once again. Madrid's hopes of retaining the Champions League depend on it.