The 2021 – 2022 season is nearing its end and the final eight teams are progressing into the quarter final. Those invested in champions league betting are giving UK teams Manchester City and Liverpool the best odds of winning the season, however given their performance in recent games, Real Madrid could be in with a real chance of taking home the trophy.
While Madrid’s chances currently stand at 12/1, their recent win against Paris Saint Germain shows that it is all still to play for. Kylian Mbappe’s goal in the first half gave PSG a healthy two-goal aggregate lead, but following a mistake by goalie Donnarumma, Karim Benzema took control and scored a hattrick for the Spaniards.
With PSG sent home, Real Madrid are now scheduled to play against Chelsea in the quarter finals in early April. They are then expected to face Manchester City/Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals towards the end of the month.
If successful, the team will then go on to play the final match in Paris on Saturday, 28th May. Real Madrid have so far won the cup 13 times, with their first success being in the 1955 – 1956 season. During this time, they were said to be the dominant force in European football.
The club have invested a serious amount of cash in securing some of the top players in the world in recent seasons.
How much have Real Madrid spent on players the past few seasons?
Last year it was revealed that the club’s player spending limit for the 2021 – 2022 season was €650m (£562m) higher (nearly eight times higher) than Barcelona’s. While Barcelona had reduced spending power after reporting losses of €481m, Real Madrid’s salary limit increased to almost €740m thanks to excellent financial management.
The base budget was set at €428m and the club added a sum of €292m from their own reserves. In comparison, Valencia had just €30 million to spend due to poor league performances.
One of the most significant arrivals to the club this season is 18-year-old Central-Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. Camavinga was signed in a deal worth up to €40m from Ligue 1 French team Stade Rennais FC.
(Camavinga in action)
Camavinga is a long-term replacement for Luka Modric, who has signed on to a one year extension to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu. Camavinga made his international debut in 2020 for France at the Nations League in a game against Croatia, he was their youngest player in over 100 years.
Another notable signing for Real Madrid this season was David Alaba, a Centre-Back with a market value estimated at £49.50m. The 29-year-old was a free transfer from Bundesliga club FC Bayern.
Alaba had interest from teams including Liverpool and Manchester City, but he also turned down multiple contract offers from the German team to remain there. This five-year contract with Madrid will earn him £10.5m per year.
He is a highly talented defender with a superb record, having won 10 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups and two Champions League titles. With Alaba in the squad, Real Madrid have shored up their defence and increased their chances of taking home the League trophy in May.
A number of players also came to the end of their loans this season, including Midfielders Dani Ceballos, Martin Odegaard and Brahim Diaz, Right Wingers Gareth Bale and Takefusa Kubo, Centre-Forward Luka Jovic and Centre-Back Jesus Vallejo.
How much revenue have they have gained from selling players?
The total sum made from departures in the 2021 – 2022 season was £70.20 million.
One notable departure was the 21-year-old Attacking Midfielder Brahim Díaz. In July, Real Madrid and AC Milan agreed a two-year loan deal. He is a solid performer on the right wing and so Madrid will expect him to return in 2023.
35-year-old Sergio Ramos reached the end of his contract and moved to Italian Serie A team Fiorentina. Despite spending 16 years at Madrid, the club failed to make a deal with the player.
During his time there he has won the Champions League four times and La Liga five times. His exit was a huge loss symbolically as Ramos has been a huge part of the team’s defence for the best part of two decades.
However, he has struggled with injuries in recent years and naturally his performance is said to be dipping as he becameolder.
Real Madrid is a club with huge financial backing and good money management, meaning they have significant spending power to secure top players. Their current squad is looking good and so they still are in for a fair chance with winning the 2021 – 2022 Champions League competition.
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