Real Madrid Cannot Stop Winning

In their final game of the UEFA Champions League Group Stage, Real Madrid had already secured top spot in Group B.  Having advanced to the Knockout Stage, some expected Real Madrid to come out sluggish against a motivated Ludogorets Razgrad side that still had a chance to advance to the Knockout Stage.  Viewers quickly realized this was not the case.

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Manager Carlo Ancelotti chose to rest some of the key starters for his squad.  Without the likes of Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Iker Casillas, Real Madrid still utilized a lineup full of world-class players.  Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid was not short of attacking options.  Despite the omission of some of the key players, Real Madrid did not miss a beat as they overwhelmed the Bulgarian side.

The defending Champions League winners capitalized on a red card and penalty kick in the middle of the first half.  Cristiano Ronaldo confidently finished the penalty kick to give the Spanish side a 1-0 lead.  As the first half came to a close, Gareth Bale was able to give the home team an insurmountable 2-0 lead.  This performance is a scary sign for the other teams in the Champions League.

Real Madrid have proven that at their best, they are one of the favorites to win the Champions League.  However, depth of squad has proven to be a determining factor for success in this tournament over the past few seasons.  Many teams are loaded with world-class players, but when one player gets injured, the performance of the team suffers tremendously.  For Real Madrid, recent performances have shown that this squad has the depth to overcome injuries in several positions.

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With Luka Modric out injured, Isco has stepped in and taken full advantage of the increased playing time.  Isco is proving to be one of the best midfielders in the squad and will be very difficult to remove from the lineup when Modric returns from injury.  Ancelotti recently stated that James Rodriguez will be out until early 2015.  This will give opportunities to Alvaro Medran and Jese Rodriguez to receive additional playing time.  If recent form is any indicator, Real Madrid will not miss a beat while James Rodriguez is out.

Injuries are never a good thing in the world of soccer.  However, recent injuries have shown that Real Madrid has the necessary depth of squad to make another deep run in the Champions League.  At this level, it is extremely rare for teams to construct win streaks as impressive as Real Madrid’s current run.  In games of little significance, Real Madrid is finding ways to win, usually in a convincing manner.  For fans of Real Madrid, expectations should be very high.  For all of the other teams in the Champions League, Real Madrid has proven they are the team to beat this year.