Five reasons why Real Madrid are favourites to win La Liga this season

Los Blancos have started the campaign on a strong note.

Real Madrid have begun the 2021/22 season on a high. The La Liga giants are undefeated in their last nine games and are getting better with each fixture. They are atop the La Liga table, with 17 points in seven games and are yet to taste defeat. After a disappointing campaign last term, which saw the club fail to win any trophies, this is a huge improvement.

The Spanish outfit have brought back the fear factor with their performances, as compared to last season, where they were not very threatening. The brand of free-flowing attacking football has been a fresh change and Carlo Ancelotti has done a marvellous job in his second spell at the club. The new arrivals at the club have been impressive too, helping the side in recording victories early on.

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Real Madrid are looking rejuvenated and up for the challenge this season. They are certainly favourites to win the La Liga title this term, after seeing neighbours Atletico Madrid win it last time around. Here is a look at five reasons that make Los Blancos favourites to win La Liga this season:

Carlo Ancelotti's expertise

Real Madrid decided to bring in Carlo Ancelotti as the manager after Zinedine Zidane’s departure. The French tactician resigned from his position after a second stint with the club. Zidane felt the outfit did not have faith in him after a trophyless 2020/21 season. As a result, the hierarchy at the club brought in another figure, who had previously tasted success at Real Madrid

Ancelotti did not give a second thought after getting an offer to join Real Madrid as the manager. He left his position at Everton in the Premier League. The Italian has had an instant impact since his arrival. Under him, Real Madrid have an 86% win record this season (after seven games) and sit atop the UEFA Champions League (UCL) Group D as well. Clearly, the club made the right call by bringing Ancelotti in, as he has ample experience and can guide the club to a record 35th league triumph. 

Karim Benzema's form

"He's the best striker in the world," Carlo Ancelotti said about Karim Benzema after a recent game. While that may be the tactician personal opinion, there is no denying the fact that Benzema has been in incredible form. The Frenchman is ageing like fine wine and still remains an indispensable part of the squad. 

The 33-year-old has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in merely seven appearances this season. Failing to sign Kylian Mbappe in the transfer window has increased the reliance on Benzema for the campaign. However, if he keeps up his form, then Real Madrid would be unstoppable in the league. 

A struggling FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have been the arch-rivals for Real Madrid, until recently, when Atletico Madrid have started to punch above their weight. However, since the departure of Lionel Messi, the Blaugrana are in disarray. They have also let Antoine Griezmann leave and join Atletico, which certainly raised a lot of eyebrows. Ronald Koeman has not started confidently and results have suffered due to underwhelming performances. 

Out of five games in the league, Barcelona have only won two and drawn the other three. They also lost their opening game in the UCL to Bayern Munich in a humiliating 3-0 defeat. With their traditional rivals struggling, the pressure will be lesser to an extent on Real Madrid. However, they will need to fend off the challenge from Atletico Madrid in the long run. 

Impressive new signings

David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga were the new arrivals at the club in the summer transfer window. The duo have started off well and if they keep up their form, they will help the team in winning the league further down the line. David Alaba joined the club on a free transfer from Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Camavinga joined the team from Stade Rennais in a €31m move. The 18-year-old has been incredible in midfield and also scored a goal on his debut.

On the other hand, Alaba has been solid in defence. He has easily filled the void left by Sergio Ramos, who joined Paris Saint-Germain. The centre-back has started six games, in which the club have kept two clean-sheets. He has been a vital factor behind an improved defensive performance from Madrid in the initial phase of the season.

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Attacking brand of football

One of the major factors behind Real Madrid’s lack of success last season was a lack of goals. The outfit seemed unable to get on the scoresheet, which hurt their ambitions in several competitions, including the La Liga. There was a lack of ideas and cohesion in the attacking third, which needed a fresh approach. Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival has seemingly solved this issue.

Real Madrid are playing highly entertaining football this season. Players like Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior are leading by example, with 15 and eight goal contributions respectively. The outfit have scored 21 goals in seven fixtures already in La Liga. Their attacking prowess will be crucial for the rest of the season, which could help them win the La Liga title this season.

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