Even if Real Madrid once again went on an excellent Champions League run, their domestic season was a disappointment and they finished in third with 76 points, their lowest tally since 2006/07.
Although expectations were high after an impressive Spanish Super Cup win, and after a transfer market which many considered to have been a major success, Real Madrid started very poorly, drawing two and losing one of their first three home league matches.
Although they were the better side in each of those matches, they didn’t take their chances and they struggled without Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the first four matches of the LaLiga season with suspension.
Even when Ronaldo returned, he wasn’t at his usual best and missed chances he’d normally have buried. It was clear that Real Madrid’s 4-3-1-2 formation with Isco floating as a No.10 wasn’t the best thing for the side, and they eventually improved in the second half of the season when they started to use the wings more frequently, with Lucas Vazquez, Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale all enjoying success out wide.
The focus, though, in the second half of the season was always on the Champions League and when they over-rotated they continued to drop points in the league, and they were knocked out of the Copa del Rey against Leganes.
The good news for Real Madrid is that they have a young squad. They may have suffered from a lack of squad depth this year, but a lot of their backup players will have matured by next year and should be able to contribute more and more regularly.
It also wouldn’t be a surprise if they bring in another attacker to help Ronaldo, whose 26 league goals were 10 more than second top scorer Gareth Bale.
