Complete Report Card for Real Madrid in 2014
The year of 2014 could hardly have been any better for Real Madrid.
After dramatically capturing last season's Copa del Rey over Barcelona thanks to Gareth Bale's stunning goal, Los Blancos went on to add further titles in the form of the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup to finish a breathtaking calendar year with four of the six major honours available to them.
As defending European champions, Carlo Ancelotti's men have also set a startling pace in the new season, storming to 22 straight competitive victories in all competitions while being led by the outstanding Cristiano Ronaldo.
After such a period of unrelenting dominance, Real Madrid enter 2015 eyeing the completion of what could be a truly historic campaign.
And with the year now done, we've reflected on the last 12 months and graded each of the club's stars at every position over the following slides.
Goalkeepers
1 of 9
Current
Iker Casillas
Grade: B+
Iker Casillas has enjoyed something of a resurgence of late, shrugging aside some of his difficulties from earlier in the year to cement his place as Carlo Ancelotti's first-choice goalkeeper.
After an outstanding display against Almeria that included a penalty save, the veteran Spaniard did the same in Real Madrid's Club World Cup semi-final against Cruz Azul. He was also extremely impressive in a hard-fought victory over a flowing Villarreal side early in the 2014-15 season.
Of course, there have been some shaky performances from Casillas in 2014, with the Champions League final and recent clash with Malaga at La Rosaleda Stadium instantly coming to mind.
But it must also be remembered that many of the 33-year-old's disappointing performances over the last 12 months came on the international stage with Spain and therefore aren't relevant here.
Keylor Navas
Grade: C+
When Keylor Navas arrived at Real Madrid, many—this writer included—expected the Costa Rican to immediately become the club's primary goalkeeper after an outstanding World Cup and 2013-14 season with Levante.
But it hasn't worked out that way for the 28-year-old, as he's watched Casillas enjoy a turnaround in form to earn Ancelotti's unwavering trust.
As such, opportunities have been scarce for Navas, who, having arrived for €10 million, now looks like an extreme luxury for the club as a secondary option.
And hampered by a lack of playing time, his performances have been mixed when rare starts have presented themselves. Indeed, while he was outstanding against Basel in the Champions League, he committed a number of errors that fortunately went unpunished against Rayo Vallecano.
Previous
Diego Lopez
Grade: B+
For AC Milan, the capture of Diego Lopez last summer was a real coup. For the Spaniard was a reliable goalkeeper during his time at Real Madrid and kept Casillas sitting on the bench for the club's campaigns in La Liga.
In fact, it's not often that you see a leading player discarded in the way Lopez was. He was a victim of the club's quest for stars that brought Navas to the Spanish capital, as well as Real Madrid's deep-running emotional ties with club icon Casillas.
If not for those situations, Lopez would probably still be standing in the Real Madrid goal for their games.
Right-Backs
2 of 9
Current
Daniel Carvajal
Grade: B+
One of the knocks on Daniel Carvajal last season was that he had a habit of being caught out of a position on the right side of Carlo Ancelotti's back four. Though a potent force in attack, the young Spaniard was lacking the positional awareness that defines the world's finest full-backs.
But that's changing.
Now, in 2014-15, Carvajal is growing into a truly rounded right-back, complementing his attacking work with sound defensive displays that have featured his impressive, strong tackling.
Never has that been more evident than it was against Barcelona at the Bernabeu in October, when the 22-year-old put in a sparkling performance to help propel the hosts to an emphatic victory.
Alvaro Arbeloa
Grade: B-
For Carlo Ancelotti, having the reliable Alvaro Arbeloa available as a back-up right-back is a luxury few managers have. Really, how many other clubs can turn to a Spain international with 56 caps of experience when looking for a secondary option at one of the full-back posts?
Of course, it's in a defensive sense that Arbeloa excels, given that he operates more traditionally in the position and rarely risks exposing himself by flying forward.
But that's also how the 31-year-old has fallen behind Carvajal, who is representative of the truly modern full-back with duties that are almost split down the middle between defence and attack.
And it's often apparent when Arbeloa replaces his junior that Real Madrid lack some of their punch going forward down the right flank.
Left-Backs
3 of 9
Current
Marcelo
Grade: A
There were two monumental games in the middle of 2014 that completely encapsulated Marcelo as a left-back.
In the Champions League final in May, the Brazilian replaced Fabio Coentrao early in the second half and immediately kicked Real Madrid into another gear. His passing was crisp, his movement was exceptional and his charging runs down the left sideline were instrumental in turning the game around.
Then came the World Cup semi-final, where he was absolutely abysmal in defence in the rout to Germany, consistently found up field when the ball was lost and unable to maintain any sort of connection with the other members of his back four.
So when he returned to Real Madrid in July for the beginning 2014-15 season, it was hard to know what to expect.
Fast-forward almost six months and Marcelo has been hailed by Carlo Ancelotti as "the best full-back in the world."
Honestly, the flamboyant 26-year-old deserves to be in that conversation after the first half of the current season—a stretch that has seen Marcelo strike a harmony between his work in defence and attack to become a vital component of this Real Madrid team.
Fabio Coentrao
Grade: B-
So often last season, Coentrao looked to be the more reliable of Ancelotti's left-backs with his far more conservative approach to the position. That was reflected in his selection ahead of the Brazilian for the club's clashes with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in the run to the Champions League title.
But consistent injury problems and Marcelo's form have seen the Portuguese endure a frustrating season in 2014-15, making just seven starts in the campaign to date and looking like a candidate who could move elsewhere at some point in 2015.
Centre-Backs
4 of 9
Current
Sergio Ramos
Grade: A
If you weren't to know better, it would have been easy to conclude that Sergio Ramos was a striker in the latter stages of the 2013-14 season. In his last seven matches of the campaign, the Spaniard scored a remarkable six goals from his position in the centre of the defence.
Such an attacking prowess made the 28-year-old one of the outstanding centre-backs in Europe, given his ability to dominate the air and win one-on-one duels in defence as well.
In fact, Ramos was a defensive force in the second half of last season and established himself as Real Madrid's second most influential player behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now in 2014-15, the Spaniard has formed a strong partnership with Pepe, and while there have still been some impulsive moments that have drawn a few gasps, Ramos stands near the top of the pile in his position across Europe.
Pepe
Grade: A+
If you—like this writer—expected Pepe to be forced to the bench by Raphael Varane this season, you're likely to have been surprised by the Portuguese.
Simply, Pepe has been Real Madrid's outstanding defender of the year.
In the air, he's been dominant. When run at, he's stopped forwards in their path. When Ramos has had a rush of blood, he's made the timely interventions to cover. And where he's previously been hot-headed, he's been ice-cool.
Looking as comfortable as ever in a sweeper-style role behind his more aggressive partner, the veteran looks set to hold onto his position a lot longer than most of us expected.
Raphael Varane
Grade: A
All those associated with Real Madrid are hoping Varane has a lot of patience. The Frenchman, at just 21, is already one of the finest centre-backs in Europe, but he is being forced to bide his time due to the excellence of Ramos and Pepe.
Impressively, nearly every time Varane has been given a chance by Carlo Ancelotti, he has excelled. Perhaps no performance has been as notable as his inspired showing at El Madrigal against Villarreal, when he put on a defensive clinic in the face of consistent bombardment by the home side.
When he's played, he's been outstanding. But starts just haven't been regular for the France international.
Nacho
Grade: B
For many, the most recent memory they have of Nacho will be his poor back pass that gifted an opening goal to AC Milan's Jeremy Menez in their friendly in Dubai on Tuesday.
But that error isn't representative of Nacho's year. As a back-up defender, the 24-year-old has been solid wherever he's been deployed.
Most comfortable in his natural position as a centre-back, the Spaniard has also filled in at both full-back slots and completed his work without fuss.
That the club awarded him a six-year contract in July tying him to the Spanish capital until 2020 says much about the regard he's held in at the Bernabeu.
Central/Holding Midfielders
5 of 9
Current
Toni Kroos
Grade: A
It might seem surprising to some that Toni Kroos hasn't been given an "A+" for his body of work since switching to Real Madrid from Bayern Munich.
An ultra-smooth mover of the ball at the base of Carlo Ancelotti's midfield, the German has become his team's metronome and has rapidly transformed his game to suit the role vacated by Xabi Alonso.
But it must be remembered that there were difficulties in the early stages of his adaption, ones that were evident in clashes with Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in the season's opening weeks.
How he's overcome them, though, has been vastly impressive.
Luka Modric
Grade: A+
You have to be damn good to win the Best Midfielder award in La Liga. Exceptional, in fact. For there isn't a league on the planet blessed with the same array of central-midfield stars as Spain's top division.
That Luka Modric won the award for the 2013-14 season tells you just how good his year was.
The architect of so many of Real Madrid's attacking moves, the Croatian has emerged from a subdued beginning to life at the Bernabeu to become the ultimate midfielder the club had hoped for when he switched from Tottenham.
Prior to his recent injury, Modric had also developed a wonderful understanding with Kroos in the centre of Ancelotti's formation—just as he did with Alonso before him.
Asier Illarramendi
Grade: B
There have been signs of emergence from Asier Illarramendi this season after his difficult debut campaign in the Spanish capital in 2013-14.
After looking uncomfortable alongside Alonso when given opportunities last season, the former Real Sociedad star has looked a better fit alongside Modric and Kroos this time around.
Looking more settled on the ball and having expanded his once-limited attacking game (see his superb array of incisive passes against Ludogorets in early December), the Spaniard is beginning to justify the large fee that was spent to bring him to Real Madrid.
Of course, when Ancelotti has all of his stars fit, Illarramendi is still some way from forcing himself into the starting XI. But his improved performances when filling in for the likes of Kroos and Modric at stages this season suggests his game is heading in the right direction.
Sami Khedira
Grade: C-
He might have won a World Cup for his country, but it's been a terrible year at club level for Sami Khedira.
Sidelined for the first four months of 2014 with injury, the German returned in May and found it difficult to adapt to Ancelotti's system that had been fine-tuned in his absence—a fact that was on show during his underwhelming display in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.
Sadly for Khedira, it's been much the same story this season, with his own injury problems and the form of Kroos and Modric in the centre of the midfield keeping him on the sidelines almost permanently.
Previous
Xabi Alonso
Grade: B+
When he departed to Bayern Munich last summer, many wondered how Real Madrid's midfield would cope without its reliable anchor. Indeed, it wasn't until his return from injury late in 2013 that Real Madrid really started to click under Ancelotti.
But there were also signs of fatigue in the veteran Spaniard in the second half of the season, seeing him blown by too regularly for comfort—something that was seen in the 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund (one of those games he played beside Illarramendi).
Though Alonso was an outstanding Real Madrid player, Kroos has assumed his role perfectly.
Casemiro
Grade: C+
When Real Madrid were reported to be interested in the services of Lucas Silva, it begged the question: What was the point of sending out Casemiro on loan, then?
The Brazilian was a regular substitute in the 2013-14 season for Real Madrid and often used in the second half to secure a result.
Of course, he never really had the opportunity to truly impress, given that he made just one start for the club in the second half of the season.
A spell at Porto might change that.
Attacking Midfielders
6 of 9
Current
James Rodriguez
Grade: A
It was difficult to see where James Rodriguez was going to fit into the Real Madrid team when he arrived from Monaco after a stunning World Cup campaign with Colombia. Though he was obviously talented, he was an out-and-out No. 10 coming to a club that had discarded such a position with a switch to a 4-3-3 system.
Placed on the left side of Carlo Ancelotti's midfield, it took time for Rodriguez to adapt to a new position, particularly one with two-way responsibilities.
But the Colombian has lived up to his exorbitant price tag of £63 million in the months that have followed, increasing the penetration of Los Blancos' midfield with his sumptuous range of passing.
Nine goals and seven assists is a very fine return, too.
Isco
Grade: B+
It was ever so tempting to give Isco an "A" given the quality of his play during the absence of Gareth Bale in the early part of the current season. Particularly when you consider that, after the signing of Rodriguez, it looked like the young Spaniard might be pushed out of the Spanish capital.
Filling in as a forward, an attacking midfielder and a central midfielder, the 22-year-old has quickly become an adored figure at the Bernabeu for his high-tempo play.
But when awarding a grade, it must be remembered that the former Malaga star found it difficult in his first season at the club once Ancelotti took away the need for a No. 10 and switched to his 4-3-3.
Previous
Angel Di Maria
Grade: A
For so much of last season, Angel Di Maria was the engine of the Real Madrid machine.
With his tireless running, rapid ball-movement and incisive passing, the Argentinian became the cog that made the team's system function at full throttle after the aforementioned switch to the 4-3-3 formation.
Though somewhat inconsistent, Di Maria was regularly on hand for the biggest moments, such as that blistering run to set up Gareth Bale's go-ahead goal in the Champions League final in Lisbon.
Frankly, he was outstanding. And that Ancelotti has found a way to completely nullify his absence speaks volumes for the Italian's managerial ability.
Wingers
7 of 9
Current
Cristiano Ronaldo
Grade: A+
At what point will we start running out of words for Cristiano Ronaldo?
Because Carlo Ancelotti already has.
It's a calendar year in which he's led Real Madrid to four titles, including the club's 10th European crown. And in the process he scored 56 goals, breaking countless records along the way.
What else is there to say?
Gareth Bale
Grade: A
Despite his stunning achievements since arriving in the Spanish capital, it feels as though there's a slight disconnect between Gareth Bale and the club's fans.
He's a player who scored both of the decisive goals in each of Real Madrid's titles in the 2013-14 season, but he still isn't a universally loved figure at Real Madrid.
That, however, hasn't stopped the Welshman from continuing his ascent into the world's most elite group of players while at the club, having had a hand in 55 goals (goals and assists) for Los Blancos since his arrival.
Only five players on the continent have had more in that time (Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic) and two of them are his team-mates.
As a rampant forward, he's a good as they come.
Jese
Grade: B+
While we were busy handing out "A" grades, we could have given another one here.
Of course, that may seem like an inflated grade for Real Madrid's Jese at this early point in his career. But consider this: The 21-year-old now has seven goals and two assists in the last 11 matches (all in 2014) in which he's played 30 minutes or more.
So although a massive, seven-month break interrupted his calendar year, he's been exceptional in his brief performances.
The only reason he's been given a "B+" is because we didn't see whether he has the ability to sustain that form over a long period.
Strikers
8 of 9
Current
Karim Benzema
Grade: A
It's simply baffling why Karim Benzema still isn't universally recognised as one of the top two or three strikers on the planet. While there are many who do hold the Frenchman in that regard, there's still a large group who perceive Real Madrid's No. 9 as a misfiring striker who's replaceable.
Frankly, those who see him that way need to start watching. Properly. As right now, he's as good as it gets as a centre-forward.
The ultimate fulcrum between Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, Benzema has proved to be the ideal player in the centre of Los Blancos' devastating attack. Both as a creator and a finisher, the 27-year-old has been superb and has played a leading role in Real Madrid's incredible calendar year.
The only reason he wasn't given an "A+" was due to an extended quiet patch between March and May of last season.
Since, he's been supreme.
Javier Hernandez
Grade: C
Javier Hernandez wasn't satisfied at Manchester United because of a lack in playing time. Quite how he saw Real Madrid as a destination to fix that situation remains puzzling.
Indeed, the Mexican has continued to be stuck on the sidelines at the Bernabeu, largely forced to sit and watch as Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale have done their thing.
And though he scored a late brace against Deportivo La Coruna, he blew his biggest chance to impress with a disappointing performance when starting in the Champions League against Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
Previous
Alvaro Morata
Grade: B
Back in April after a 4-0 win over Almeria, I wrote that Alvaro Morata was a positive headache at the time for Carlo Ancelotti. He'd just scored his seventh goal of the season on the way to a total of nine for the campaign (seven came in 2014) and was beginning to look like a blossoming player who would demand more playing time.
Of course, the young Spaniard moved on to Juventus last summer searching for that increase in minutes after he'd completed an impressive 2013-14 season despite a lack of starting opportunities.
Manager
9 of 9
Carlo Ancelotti
Grade: A+
After a truly remarkable year in charge at Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti's managerial stock is soaring to giddying heights.
Having inherited a difficult situation in the wake of Jose Mourinho's tumultuous departure, the Italian has fostered an obvious harmony between all parties at the notoriously political Bernabeu to drive the club to its best year in more than a decade.
Tactically, Ancelotti has been just as impressive, first switching a 4-2-3-1 into a rampant 4-3-3, and then tweaking it again to create a hybrid with a 4-4-2 for added defensive strength.
Statistically, he's the most successful manager Real Madrid has ever had, and he's currently on track to become a true icon in Real Madrid's storied history.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
