Are we about to see Makelele mark two at Real Madrid?

Following the departure of two key Real Madrid players, the club has been left in pieces trying to regain the balance they lost in the summer transfer window. Can they come back fighting?

Real Madrid have out-bid and out-bought competing teams in order to have a Galacticos football team that mere clubs can only dream of.

Real should be living the dream with their unbeatable talented players, yet this fairy tale does not have a happy ending – yet.

Again, it shows that money cannot buy you happiness, or a first position in La Liga (nor in the top ten) but, regaining the UEFA Champions League trophy is seemingly possible.

Whilst other clubs are rejoicing their transfer window success, Los Blancos are suffering in shame as history repeats itself.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has let Mesut Ozil, Angel di Maria and now Xabi Alonso escape from the club and it is far too late to make ends meet, just like that of the past Galacticos era.

Ozil was a star player for Real, he is in his prime and provided much needed support for the team with an abundance of passes that often moved Los Blancos forward. First mistake.

Angel di Maria – the Champions League final star man – was an equally great asset to the team, perhaps a surplus of talent for the current Madrid squad, but with his strength and speed in midfield as well as ability to set up goals, will be greatly missed. Second mistake.

The recent departure of Xabi Alonso marks the end of midfield mastery. Third and fatal mistake.

Alonso has dominated matches on many occasions and has played a major role in the success of the team.  He will be heavily missed by many (especially Ronaldo) for his range of passing, vision and all round skill.

The fact that these three exceptionally good players have gone has severely unbalanced the side. Starting the Spanish season slow, Ancelotti and his men have had three losses in four games and the recent 2-1 loss against rivals Atletico Madrid shows how bad things really are. Or are they?

Admittedly, Perez and Ancelotti have fresh new talent to mold into future Galacticos in the form of Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez. However, until those players have adapted, Real are weaker than ever; the current game play speaks for itself, and it desperately cries for Alonso and Di Maria in midfield.

Providing the previous players never left the Bernabeu, Los Blancos would have been nigh on unbeatable. Yet, fate (or Perez) has turned the transfer window opportunity to that of a Makelele effect on the Galacticos stars, such as in the previous Galactico era.

Many compare the Di Maria sale to the Claude Makelele controversy in 2003, where he also demanded a salary rise, after successfully helping them win two League titles and a Champions League with Galacticos Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos. After Perez’s refusal, Makelele was soon sold Chelsea where he redefined the defensive midfield role and became a Premier League legend. Real Madrid meanwhile went to pot.

Real are currently 13th in the Liga table but hope is not all lost, as Real’s impressive 5-1 win against Swiss side FC Basel shows an enthusiastic defence of their Champions League title. Bale, Ronaldo, Rodriguez and Benzema all scored in the thrashing of the Swiss side and displayed great talent but, more importantly, verified that these gifted players can play together.

It begs the questions whether they can continue this run of success and lift the trophy a second consecutive time. One can only hope that they don’t wait 10 years for another chance to do so.

Real Madrid fans. What do you think of the Makelele effect taking hold again? Is this the case? Let us know your thoughts below or tweet us @LaFootyettes.