MADRID, (Reuters) – Real Madrid kick off the Spanish season against Deportivo Coruna tomorrow needing to prove that splashing out a quarter of a billion euros ($356 million) will eclipse treble-winning rivals Barcelona.
Florentino Perez has returned as Real president pledging a “spectacular sporting project” and the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and others has lifted the hopes of the fans. The club have a chance to lay down a marker at home to Depor as Barca’s opening La Liga match against Sporting Gijon has been put back to Monday due to the European and Spanish champions’ Super Cup clash against Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine today.
“It’s not about any individual player but about the whole team which has to organise itself and hone a collective strategy,” Spain midfielder Alonso told the daily Publico yesterday.
Under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, poached from Villarreal, Real hope Alonso can provide the creative spark in central midfield that was lacking last season and help them match the slick passing and devastating attacking play of Barca. Real’s strategy will be maintaining possession, controlling the tempo of matches, being dynamic and showing movement in attack, added Alonso who joined from Liverpool this month. Barca have already won one trophy this season, a thumping 5-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup, with coach Pep Guardiola adding striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and left back Maxwell to his squad.
