In the hiring of Manuel Pellegrini, Jorge Valdano skipped over much more appropriate names, the Jose Mourinhos or Rafa Benitez’s, names better qualified to handle the biggest club in the world as Marca put it, and settled on a manager more suited for the boardroom and not the pitch. El Ingeniero, the Engineer as he’s called, was termed the best available option after spear-heading Villareal’s unparalleled success from a suburban also-ran to Champions League contenders. He was also a Valdano favorite, playing his preferred controlled, possession style South American game, and not the turgid counter-attacking style that had been en-vogue at Madrid for years. His impact was immediate, the club was scoring more goals with the more expansive style, but their vulnerabilities, particularly at the back, were also evident.

TODAY’S GAME LIST:
UD Almeria vs. Real Madrid // Valencia CF vs. Athletic Bilbao