The sheer history and grandeur of the European juggernauts conspire to generate an allure that few individuals can resist. Some fly too close to the flame though and Julen Lopetegui is the latest in a long list of coaches to get burned.
The handling of his tenure has been less than ideal, starting with his untidy appointment that cost him a World Cup campaign with Spain and carrying forward into a poor summer transfer window.
The team’s in disarray and Lopetegui’s on his way out but none of that seems to have deterred the next moth – sorry, man – in line, Antonio Conte. And who can blame him? It is Real Madrid after all.
The Italian is a decorated and proven manager but comes with his own baggage. The question is, do the pros of his imminent appointment outweigh the cons?
PROS
– Immediate impact
After a stellar few seasons at Juventus and a reasonably successful stint with Italy, Conte took charge of Chelsea following the great Jose Mourinho collapse and hit the ground running at the Bridge.
He initially maintained the 4-3-3 but once he came to grips with the tools at his disposal, switched to his preferred three-man defence and never looked back. The transition was seamless and the Blues stormed to the Premier League title.
At Madrid, a greater intensity to the team’s play can be expected almost immediately while that leaky defence will no doubt become far more formidable, possibly aided by a switch in system.
– Serial winner
Conte is renowned as one of the most tactically astute coaches in the game. While Lopetegui is more of an idealist, advocating a possession-based approach, the Italian is not averse to altering his strategy depending on the opposition. From a tactical standpoint, he’s certainly more flexible and that earns him results.
Over three years at Juventus, he won a hat-trick of Scudetto titles. His reign at Chelsea, despite ending in dismissal, was also laden with silverware as his first season delivered the league title and his second the FA Cup.
– Use of wingbacks
Marcelo and Dani Carvajal remain among the finest full-backs in Europe but it’s fairly safe to assume Conte would deploy them in more advanced roles. He’s had great success with wing-backs at Juventus and Chelsea.
The freedom to operate frequently in the final third means Marcelo in particular could develop into a significant source of goals and assists for Madrid, much like Marcos Alonso at Chelsea, and perhaps – frighteningly so – even more potent.
Even Lucas Vazquez could thrive in that role, like Victor Moses did at the Bridge. The pressure on Gareth Bale in attack could ease as a result and the Welshman may enjoy receiving possession in the inside channels instead, operating in the half spaces.
CONS
– Hazard warning
The fact that Madrid are interested in signing Eden Hazard is no secret. The player himself has made no attempt to practice subtlety when discussing the topic in the media.
What’s also a poorly-kept secret is that the Belgian didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Conte, particularly in his second season in charge. Hazard recently stated that Mourinho is the only coach he would consider working under again.
Conte’s appointment effectively rules out Hazard’s dream move to Madrid. That doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all but it does put the club under immense pressure to sign Neymar next summer.
Eden Hazard
– Dressing room dynamic
Conte is notorious for being an emotional coach and that means he can lack tact when it comes to his man management. He’s a fierce competitor and a demanding boss but has a tendency to turn his players against him. His handling of Diego Costa in particular was a highly-publicised faux-pas on his part.
With the big egos in the Bernabeu dressing room, it’s easy to see how his demeanour may start a few fires. Sergio Ramos has already offered resistance to his heavy-handed ways, stating: “Respect is won, not imposed.”
– Style of play
Not only did Zinedine Zidane deliver a phenomenal shower of silverware during his two and a half seasons in charge, he did so with an attractive brand of attacking football. Lopetegui was meant to produce the same, albeit of a different variety.
Conte on the other hand, while capable of goals when every aspect of his team is in perfect sync, doesn’t always go on the front foot. Los Blancos could be set for some cagey affairs, particularly away from home. The Italian has won four league titles as manager but only once – at Juventus in 2014/15 – did his side finish as top scorers.
