Real Madrid Must Win Clasico to Vindicate Off Season Moves

Two years ago, Real Madrid won Spain's La Liga for the second year running, embarrassing Barcelona 4-0 in the process. Certainly that Barcelona team was no where near the level of today's version, but what Madrid accomplished under Bern Shcuster should not be cast aside. 

Since then, Shuster has been sent packing, as has his successor Juande Ramos. A host of players who were key during the victorious campaigns of 2007 and 2008 have all been sent packing, and have been replaced by the new "Galacticos" such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, and Xabi Alonso.

Ronaldo has, of course, been spectacular at times, but he has also been selfish and petulant, having been sent off twice. The Portugal captain has also been involved in a year long feud with strike partner Gonzalo Higuain, one of the players who was supposed to spend more time on the bench than on the pitch this season, but a combination of Higuain's proficiency in front of goal and Karim Benzema's all together awful form saw an end to that. 

Kaka has under achieved for the majority of the season as well, and has not been missed when out injured. During Madrid's shock Champions League exit at the hand's of Lyon, Pellegrini subbed the Brazilian, and received a scathing attack from Kaka's agent through "twitter." 

When Kaka has been out, Rafael Van der Vaart, bought the year before from Hamburg for a fraction of the price, has out performed the number eight by a considerable margin.

One can hardly blame Pellegrini for the poor form of Benzema and Kaka, but even with a victory Sunday, it is likely that former Villareal manager will lose his post. Such is life for managers and players alike at the carousel that is Real Madrid.

Currently, there are a host of ex-Madrid players still going in the Champions League, the competition the club so badly wanted to win in their home stadium May 22nd. 

While the likes of Walter Samuel and Esteban Cambiasso have long since departed the Bernabeu, Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) and Wesley Sneijder (Inter) were both shipped off to make room for the current group Galacticos. 

Sneijder, whose form certainly fell off during his second season at Madrid, has been reborn at Inter, and it could be argued that he has been the best signing in Europe this season. 

His intelligent free kick sealed the victory in the second leg agains CSKA Moscow, while his brilliant run and pass set up Diego Milito for the winner in the first leg at the San Siro.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but there would be few in the world who would not trade Kaka for Sneijder based on current form alone.

Arjen Robben's departure was even more puzzling than Sneijder's. Although always injury prone, Robben's ability when healthy was never questioned at the Bernabeu, where last season, along with Higuain, the Dutchman was Los Merengues best player. 

The prospect of Robben playing on the opposite flank as Ronaldo seemed too good to pass up, but shockingly the former Chelsea star left for Munich, where he has helped his team reach the semis with two wonder goals: One in in the second leg at Old Trafford against Manchester United, the other in Florence against Fiorentina in the second leg of the Round of 16. 

We should say all of Madrid's signings have been poor. The acquisition of Xabi Alonso was a positive one, but for £30 million? With Fernando Gago, Rafael Van der Vaart, and Lass and Mahamadou Diarra already on the roster as central midfielders, one has to question if Alonso actually filled a need. 

Gago, like Alonso, is a great passer of the ball, while the Diarras are brilliant at breaking up play and also getting forward when necessary. Alonso has settled nicely, even scoring some important goals, but £30 million is far to much for that type of player.

At the back, Madrid actually filled needs, and Arbeloa has been a pleasant surprise, while Albiol and Garay (brought to Madrid after a loan spell with Racing) have been strong in the center of the back. 

The defense has been strengthened, but we cannot look past the fact that two players brought in for ludicrous sums of money (Kaka and Benzema) have been out played by players already on the roster (Higuain and Van der Vaart) and players shipped to other clubs (Sneijder and Robben). 

Without lifting the La Liga title, Perez will have plenty of explaining to do, particularly if Barcelona raise the trophy on their home ground come May.