High Expectations

Note- It is with great delight I bring you our first post from our 'inside man' in La Liga. Nando is an ex pro from Spain who will be giving us the news, gossip, and all things La Liga.

It has been a very busy summer in Spain. Florentino Perez has activated the market again. The reality is that Real Madrid has been the center of the market because of its transfers, rumors, and of course the new faces. So far Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Albiol, Arbeloa, Granero, Negredo, and Xabi Alonso are the new members of the squad. On the other hand, there are those who have already left, or the many candidates who may be leaving before August 31st . Raul Garcia and Saviola changed Spain for Portugal and now play together with Pablo Aimar for Benfica F.C. Michel Salgado got to an agreement in order to finish his contract with the ``merengues´´, his destination is still up in the air, possibly Zaragoza. Cannavaro and Heinze, important figures of the back line, left the team to play for Juventus and Marseille respectively. The list of those who are still trying to keep their spot in Bernabeu´s locker room is very deep. Most of the Dutch crew are possible transfers, even Robben who last year was an idol for the Madrid supporters. He and Wesley Sneijder have several options but none of them seem to satisfy their needs mainly- playing the Champions League is something very important for those who want to play in the next World Cup in South Africa next summer. Latest news assure that Huntelaar is very close to find an agreement with A.C Milan. Diarra Ialso has some offers but his belief is that he can succeed in this team and he is not willing to leave the club easily. Many other players in the squad have an uncertain future.
But the big question is : is all this enough to compete with Barça and be successful in Europe? It is still pre-season, but it seems that Pellegrini has not found the key to make all these great players to find the style or connection desired. It is true that Xabi Alonso is going to bring a lot to the table. He will give the team the balance that it needs, and also more creativity in the middle of the park. Alvaro Negredo will score many goals if he receives the opportunity he deserves, but his future is still unknown. Another important player will be Esteban Granero. This young player is not afraid of a challenge and he is ready to compete for a spot with the big names like Kaka or Ronaldo. There are no doubts about these last two players, who I am sure will perform very well giving their quality and experience. There are more doubts about the new number 9 : Karim Benzema. This player has the potential to be top scorer in any league but his last season was not what had been expected of him.
Pellegrini will have to put all these pieces together and create a winning team. After all the money spent, results are demanded in a short-term period. He will also have the duty to deal with many egos and strong personalities. It is well known that Casillas, Raul, and Ramos have already some hierarchy in the current squad, but will CR9 and the rest understand that role in the locker room? Very soon will find out.