Can Manuel Pellegrini help Real?

Real Madrid have been largely struggling ever since Florentin Perez’s Galacticos ceased to exist but last season have been especially disappointing as not only did Real fail to win a single trophy, but their bitter rivals Barcelona won a historic triple and it was clear that the changes are imminent. The creator of Galacticos returned to the presidency of Real Madrid and the fans are definitely hoping that the new team will resemble the one which dominated Europe and Spain at the beginning of the decade. The first change that happened under the new regime was probably the expected one as the sporting director Jorge Valdano opted against offering Juande Ramos a new contract and he instead decided to bring Villarreal’s Manuel Pellegrini as his successor. Pellegrini would not be everyone’s preferred choice but the Chilean has proven his credentials at El Madrigal outfit and he could be the man to finally bring the glory days back to Real Madrid.

Manuel Pellegrini spent his entire playing career at Universidad de Chile and he amassed almost 500 appearances. The Chilean spent most of the early coaching career in his native country, but he eventually made his grade abroad. He won two Clausura titles in Argentina with San Lorenzo and River Plate, which was enough to earn him a call from Spanish side Villarreal. He quickly proved his credentials in Europe by leading El Madrigal outfit to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in his first season in charge, while he also helped the team ensure Champions League qualification after finishing third in Primera. Villarreal reached Champions League semi-finals the following season, which was a massive success for such a small club and the experienced coach is certainly the one who made it all possible. Pellegrini decided to accept Real Madrid’s invitation after five very successful years at Villarreal, with Real paying around 4 million euros for his services. This is going to be a real challenge for the experienced Chilean, considering the problems his new club are in, but I have the feeling that he will prove to be a big success.

Pellegrini is famous as a fan of attractive attacking football and all his teams are characterized with eye-catching performances, which is something Real Madrid fans will be delighted by. The Chilean is also a big authority and this is essential feature every Real boss has got to have. You probably remember the Riquelme case, when Pellegrini didn’t want to play the Argentine playmaker, who was key to team’s Champions League success the previous season, after Riquelme had fallen out with the boss and president Fernando Roig. If Pellegrini had the guts to kick out Riquelme, who is still one of the leading playmakers in the World, I am sure that he will know how to control Real Madrid stars. The Chilean is also well-known for developing young and talented players and is also likely to revive club’s forgotten youth academy, which is the main reason why Real Madrid are trailing Barcelona lately.

It is my opinion that Jorge Valdano couldn’t have found a better man at this moment to succeed Juande Ramos and that Pellegrini will enjoy a lot of success at Real. He will need time to rebuild the team, which have been pathetic last season but I believe that his appointment is definitely a step in the right direction.

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