Spanish La Liga Football Report: Striking Options for Jose Mourinho in Real Madrid
One thing that does not worry Jose Mourinho is the attack of Real Madrid. Last year, Madrid spent a lot of cash in the transfer market, and they were able to get hold of some world-class strikers with exceptional abilities. These players included Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, both players being former FIFA World Player(s) of the Year. Apart from these two players, Real Madrid also got Karim Benzema.
These players joined Real Madrid’s own Raul, thus forming one of the strongest partnerships in Europe. However, Raul has left Real Madrid this season, and no one has been signed to replace him.
However, amongst all the options available, Cristiano Ronaldo would be Jose Mourinho’s first striking option. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best strikers in the world, and he is in constant competition with Lionel Messi for being the best player of his generation. Ronaldo gained his reputation during his stay at Manchester United. He not only helped his team win three league titles, he also led his team to a Champions League victory. He has got great technique, which helps him score a lot of goals even from a distance. Also, he is an expert in dead ball situations, and his free kicks have been phenomenal in recent years.
Apart from these abilities, Cristiano Ronaldo has one of the quickest feet in the world. Combined with his exceptional pace and great aerial abilities, Cristiano Ronaldo is a complete centre forward. In the past, he has scored a lot of goals for Real Madrid, winning the Golden Boot twice in EPL. Also, with Madrid he scored 33 goals last season, which was exceptional keeping in mind his fitness issues. Therefore, he would be the first name on Mourinho’s team-sheet.
Mourinho has already mentioned that he would pair Ronaldo with Gonzalo Higuain. Higuain is also a goal scoring machine for Real Madrid, as he scored some exceptional goals for the club last season. He has also helped his team to victory from the brink of defeat on a number of occasions. During a recent pre-season tour to the USA, he again showed his qualities by scoring two goals to help his team edge past a resilient LA Galaxy side.
Higuain has a great technique as well, and his presence in the box is phenomenal. Due to his great positioning, Higuain often intercepts the low crosses fed into the penalty area, converting them into goals. Although his goals are generally not as appealing as Ronaldo’s, his clever positioning in the 6-yard box helps him to get in easy positions. This type of striker is always a threat to defenders, as he is always hard to cover.
Recently, Mourinho has indicated that Karim Benzema is also a vital part of his plans. He said that the season cannot be passed with only two strikers; therefore, Benzema would definitely get his chances. Benzema joined Real Madrid from Lyon. Although he was well established in the French league, the signing has not yet proven to be fruitful for Real Madrid. He did not play a lot of matches, and he missed a lot of chances as well. However, there is no doubt that he has got the potential to improve himself. His past performances with Lyon suggest that Benzema plays well under pressure, which would make him useful as a substitute for his team.
Apart from these three conventional strikers, Real Madrid also has Kaka in their squad. Kaka is actually an attacking midfielder, but has proven to be a good striker of the ball. He had his best days in AC Milan, where he led his team to Champions League glory. However, he is not performing to his full potential at the moment. Therefore, he would have to step up his game in the next season.
There is no doubt that Real Madrid has some of the best players as striking options. Therefore, a lot of goals can be expected from them in the coming season.
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