In the 85th minute against Levante, Vinicius Junior jinxed past Pablo Martinez and flicked a delicate chip beyond Aitor Fernandez. There were wild screams of celebration from the Madrid players as you would expect from any 85th winner. Except, this wasn’t a winner, it was an equalizer and it summed up all the things that will stop Real Madrid from winning the La Liga.

Real Madrid have won two La Liga titles in the last 9 seasons. A shocking record for a club of their standing. On both occasions, they have played to very obvious strengths while reasonably shielding their obvious weaknesses. Heading into the 21/22 season they may not be able to do either.

In the historic double season of 2016/2017 under Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid scored an insane 93 points and even though they conceded 41 goals (more than Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Villarreal), also scored a jaw-dropping 106 goals with four players (Cristiano Ronaldo – 25, Alvaro Morata – 15, Karim Benzema – 11, and Isco – 10) reaching double digits for goals in La Liga alone.

Their mission that season was clear. Outscore the opponents no matter how many they get past you in the process. They managed only 10 cleansheets that season. Fewer than Leganes (who finished 17th), Alaves, and Espanyol. At the other end of the pitch, they compensated for this by scoring in every single La Liga game that season. They were so potent in front of goal that they scored three or more goals on 20 occasions. Their forwards were their biggest strength and they maximized their output to win the league.

Of the four players that scored in double digits, only Benzema and Isco are left. While Benzema has become more of a goal threat, Isco has almost disappeared from the Madrid scene after failed attempts to leave the club, is a peripheral character who has contributed only 11 goals in 108 appearances after 10 in 30 in the 16/17 season.

They have struggled for goals since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and despite Benzema hitting 21, 21, and 23 goals in the post-Cristiano era, only Sergio Ramos has joined him on double digits for goals in a single La Liga season in a chronic lack of a supporting cast in Real Madrid’s front line despite signing Luka Jovic, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Mariano Diaz, Brahim Diaz, and Eden Hazard.

Despite the obvious lack of attacking talent and the goals drying up (from an average of 100+ to 63, 70, and 67 in the seasons after), Real Madrid still won La Liga in the 19/20 season. Again under Zidane, but with a completely different philosophy.

They relied on defending so well, that their lack of consistent goal scorers did not matter at all. They kept 19 cleansheets as the duo of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane marshaled Madrid to the fewest goals conceded in La Liga. They stifled out opponents especially in the title run-in where they kept six cleansheets in the last ten games of the season. Winning nine of the 10 as they edged Barcelona to the title.

During the 21/22 Transfer window, Madrid were happy to sacrifice both Ramos (and his enormous wages) and Varane (for who they got €40m from Manchester United) on the altar of their enormous bid for Kylian Mbappe because at least if they did not have the secret power of elite defending like in 19/20, they would be able to rely on a potent attacking threat that could potentially get them back to 16/17 levels of goal scoring.

It was a brilliant plan that somehow failed to account for a club having the financial might to say no to Real Madrid and €200m and it was a plan that ultimately failed because a club did in fact have the financial might to say no to Real Madrid and €200m.

In addition to the aesthetic and commercial pull of Mbappe, Real also failed to land their plan A for a playing philosophy even though they had already sacrificed their plan B.

They currently sit top of La Liga on goal difference but looking at the game against Levante, it’s tough to see them staying there for long. How many times will Vinicius score a brace to save them from defeat in the entire season when he hasn’t crossed the five-goal mark in the league in his previous three seasons at the club? How often will they be able to concede three goals and still come out with some of the spoils? Enough times to stitch together a La Liga win? Unlikely.

SOURCE

Cc: Lalasticlala Mynd44

As long as Barca will equally not win it. I'm okay with it. #HalaMadrid.

For an away game, a draw against Levante was a fair outcome.

Despite parading Ramos and Varane, a lone goal in favor of the home team separated both sides last season at same Estadio Ciudad de Valencia - Levante UD,

chiiraq802:
As long as Barca will equally not win it. I'm okay with it.
#HalaMadrid.

Lol. From the look of things, Athletico will most likely defend the LaLiga

Sorry Bro. But you don't know how to analyse.
Barca will win it fair and square. Not even a contest.
Athletico will lose games against Barca, Bilbao, sevilla, Real Betis,
If you need to win the league you must beat
1. Barcelona
2. Bilbao
3. Sevilla
4. Villarreal
5. Real Betis

It's like levante will beat this athletico team self.

Gball:

Lol. From the look of things, Athletico will most likely defend the LaLiga

Bossman25:
Sorry Bro. But you don't know how to analyse.
Barca will win it fair and square. Not even a contest.
Athletico will lose games against Barca, Bilbao, sevilla, Real Betis,
If you need to win the league you must beat
1. Barcelona
2. Bilbao
3. Sevilla
4. Villarreal
5. Real Betis

It's like levante will beat this athletico team self.

Lmao. Okay. I'll tag you to my post detailing why Athletico will win.