Real Madrid Return to Anoeta at Pivotal Time, Looking to Close a Chapter

Carlo Ancelotti walked into the press room at Anoeta. A frown on his face, an unusually fierce look in his eyes, the Italian sat down behind the microphone, scratched his head and took one deep breath. And then one more. 

This was the time to be strong, assertive, but, even if he didn't feel it, in control, too. "I'm really sorry because I don't like the team playing like that," said Ancelotti. "We didn't have a good defensive system to keep hold of our two-goal advantage." 

The two-goal advantage he spoke of had been built inside only 11 minutes that night at Anoeta. It was just the second game of the 2014-15 season, and Real Madrid momentarily had looked fluent, dynamic and menacing, their superiority striking, their swagger undeniable.

Until it happened. 

For Real Sociedad, Inigo Martinez got one back. Within minutes, David Zurutuza had another. Suddenly, the hosts were flying, storming forward in waves, cutting through Madrid like they weren't even there. Soon, Zurutuza would go bang again. Carlos Vela would, too. 

It was a scene of destruction. 

From 2-0 up, Real Madrid had been hammered 4-2—hammered being the right word. There had been a brutality to it, and everywhere Madrid were a mess: In the centre of the defence, there was a chaotic and overwhelmed feel; out wide, there was no protection; from the midfield, there was even less so. 

"Something has to change," declared Ancelotti, "and it will change."

But did it? Has it?

For a long time the answer was a no, but now it might be a cautious yes. More recently, there's been a shift in this regard, a notable and encouraging one, a shift that's taken almost two years to unfold. 

And that's the point here. 

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On Saturday, Real Madrid return to Anoeta for the first time since—608 days later—preparing to enter an occasion of multidimensional significance. 

Most immediately, of course, in La Liga's suddenly compelling title race this is a crucial clash, the third of its kind in 10 short days. Ever since Barcelona's loss to Valencia at the Camp Nou on April 17, the Catalans, Madrid and Atletico—separated by a single point—have been locked in a juicy dash to the finish line, the scheduling of back-to-back-to-back fixtures having added a feeling of freneticism to it. 

Indeed, on April 20, all three went at it but at different sites, one after another. They all won. On April 23, they did so again, and ditto. On Saturday, they'll do it once more: first Madrid, then Atletico, then Barcelona. 

It looks massive on paper and will be so in reality, but for Madrid, Saturday goes beyond points and title races. 

This is a chance to close a chapter. 

When Madrid went to Anoeta for that remarkable night in August 2014, they did so as European champions and holders of both the Copa del Rey and UEFA Super Cup. At the time, a feeling of strength surrounded them. They had momentum and belief, had conquered their obsession with "La Decima," and the squad dripped with talent. 

As such, the question posed by them was, "How far can this all go?"

As it turned out, not very far at all. 

And it all started at Anoeta. 

David Ramos/Getty Images

That night against Real Sociedad, Madrid started with a midfield of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, James Rodriguez and Isco. It oozed class, flair, grace and Euros. Millions of them. 

James had only just arrived as the darling of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, his fee €80 million. Kroos, a World Cup champion, had joined him for €25 million. Subsequent departures had seemed likely, and then they came: Just five days before Madrid went to Basque Country, Angel Di Maria left for Manchester United; three days later, Xabi Alonso left for Bayern Munich. 

Suddenly, Madrid were no longer the Madrid that had lifted the European Cup in Lisbon.

And it showed. 

At Anoeta, La Real butchered them through the central channel, the one-way Galactico-ness of the visitors' midfield exposed with staggering simplicity. At the base of it, Kroos was blown by time after time; alongside him, Modric and Isco were powerless to do anything about it; ahead of them, James looked lost. 

Afterward, Iker Casillas said his team had "to learn from today's mistakes." Ancelotti said he was "sorry." Club director Emilio Butragueno called it a "freak" result. 

Freak? Try forerunner. 

For a while, Madrid disguised such flaws and won despite them, but then they all came rushing back. 

When February arrived that season, Madrid were humiliated 4-0 in identical fashion by Atletico at the Vicente Calderon. Ancelotti said he was "sorry."

In March, they were embarrassed by a Schalke outfit using exactly the same method at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ancelotti said he was "sorry."

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Despite Ancelotti's promise of change, nothing had. Madrid had created this for themselves and now they were in a spiral: They ended that season empty-handed and demoralised, Ancelotti lost his job, more instability hit, the team hired Rafa Benitez even though he wasn't wanted, tension grew and the systematic flaws remained. 

As 2015-16 began to unfold, Madrid, in all their one-way Galactico-ness, were savagely torn apart in November's Clasico by Barcelona. Atletico then joined in, dishing out more derby despair to their muddled neighbours. 

For almost two years for Madrid, it was nothing but pain—pain that started at Anoeta. 

Now they return to that very site. But things are different. 

Ever since the latest in a series of humbling capital duels with Atletico in February, a shift has unfolded. In the aftermath of that defeat, current boss Zinedine Zidane promised change just as Ancelotti had done, but unlike the Italian, he's delivered it, too.

Recognising his position of strength, banking on the authority both his status and the nature of his mid-season appointment have given him, Zidane has put a stamp on this team, making it his in a way his predecessors never managed. 

In midfield, James has largely been discarded. Isco has too. Kroos has been repositioned. Coming in, Casemiro has given strength to the system. The industrious Lucas Vazquez has been a source of trust. Dani Carvajal has gone to a new level. Keylor Navas is the sort of goalkeeper they once had but lost under Ancelotti. There's a collective mentality now. 

Suddenly, Madrid look different as a result. There's a balance to the system and a clarity in their purpose. It's taken time, but under Zidane, they're rolling; nine straight wins in the league and 11 from 13 overall have made a once-unthinkable La Liga-Champions League double possible. 

And now it's back to Anoeta, which is fitting.

In August 2014, when Madrid last visited, they were no longer the Madrid that had lifted the European Cup and fell apart thereafter. Now, almost two years on they return, and, at last, are no longer that Madrid.  

Triumph on Saturday, and Madrid will put a definitive end to a painful, figurative chapter. 

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