The Joke that is Real Madrid

• Cristiano Ronaldo: €94 million
• Kaka: €65 million
• Xabi Alonso: €40 million
• Karim Benzema: €35 million
• Raul Albiol: €15 million
• Alvaro Arbeloa: €5 million
• Manuel Pellegrini: €4 million
• Real Madrid getting knocked out of the Champions League: PRICELESS.

I'd be lying if I say I didn't predict that Real Madrid would not make it past the last 16 of the Champions League for the sixth year in a row.  And the best thing about it is that this year, more than ever, it feels so good to see Los Blancos out of the competition, proving to the world over that money does not necessarily buy you instantaneous success.  Due to their own shortcomings, Madrid's plan to start paying off their debts by reaching the latter stages of the money pot that is the Champions League has to at least be put off by another year.

To all intents and purposes, Madrid conducted a perfect transfer market last summer.  Following the turmoil under Ramon Calderon, Florentino Perez went unopposed to claim the Presidential seat at the "White House" and promised a revolution.  A revolution is indeed what Madrid and the rest of the world got.  Transfer targets that were previously seen as insurmountable suddenly became reality.  Before we knew it, Kaka was gone for a then world record fee of €65 million - this after having rejected a €108 million bid from Manchester City in January - and shortly after, Madrid once again caused shockwaves by announcing the signing of Ronaldo from Manchester United.  Perez also addressed defensive concerns by bringing in Valencia centre-back Raul Albiol, thereby seemingly not repeating the same mistake from his first tenure at the club - the constant purchase of world class attacking talent coupled with the neglect of his team's defensive unit, to the extent that it became weak and frail.  In addition to this, the poaching of coach Manuel Pellegrini from Villarreal was seen as an astute move as Madrid had decided to entrust this mega-project to a tried and tested coach, one who has worked in Spain for many years on a shoestring budget and simultaneously produced miracles, including a 2nd place La Liga finish in 2008.

Granted, over the last half a year, a marked improvement has already been seen.  Madrid are currently top of La Liga, have scored a whopping 67 goals in 25 matches and have shipped in only 20 - the second best defensive unit in the league following that of arch-rivals Barcelona.  But with the players at Madrid's disposal, you'd expect them to be there or thereabouts - and furthermore, this is a league where competition doesn't really extend beyond these teams.  Indeed, the last team outside of Madrid or Barcelona to win the league title was Valencia in 2001 and 2004, and prior to that, Deportivo La Coruna in 2000.  However, the cracks in Madrid's armour already began to show way back in October, in the now infamous 4-0 Copa del Rey defeat to previously little-known Alcorcon.  Following the humiliation, rumours were already rife that Pellegrini was to be shown the door but Madrid were confident that they would get their shot at redemption in the return leg at the Bernabeu.  They didn't - they won 1-0 and were swaggeringly knocked out of the competition 4-1 on aggregate.  The possibility of equalling Barcelona's "triplete" season in 2008-09 was already over, and not even a quarter of the season had passed.

With all the money spent, it was all too easy to point fingers at Real and criticise their lavish spending.  And justifiably so, because this group had been reduced to nothing but a joke - after all, Alcorcon are a team playing their football in the third tier of Spanish football and not challenging for the top spots in Spain, like Madrid.  However, Madrid's reaction to this was positive enough, as the team went on a run of good results that culminated in them topping La Liga for the first time since November last weekend, with a 3-2 win over Sevilla.  Furthermore, in between, they had managed to top their Champions League group - despite a home setback against a then underachieving (and now seemingly overachieving) AC Milan and get a favourable draw in the form of an Olympique Lyon side that is no longer the dominant side in France, having lost their mantle to Bordeaux last season.

But fast forward to the last 16 of the Champions League, where Madrid once again came up short last night by losing 2-1 to Lyon on aggregate (0-1 in France, 1-1 in Madrid) , leaving their season pretty much in tatters.  Once again, criticism has rightly come Madrid's way, for results and statistics show that the sum in excess of €250 million spent last summer was, in a way, spent for nothing.  Of course, media pressure has been a crucial influence in Madrid's performances, but the players out there should have been at least willing to justify their incredibly hefty price tags.  Their over-reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo - despite him being nearly the only player to justify the price paid for him, as their best buy, Alvaro Arbeloa, is playing more like a €20 million man than a €5 million one(!!) - reeks of lack of tactical identity and ideas within what is meant to mirror Barcelona in terms of creativity; and gives the ordinary spectator the impression that Real Madrid have become last year's Manchester United.  It has been proven time and time again this season - take Ronaldo out of the team, and the rest of the side is the human equivalent of a bunch of headless chickens.

On the other hand, at least Barcelona are a side that back up whatever money they might spend with outstanding results, on the whole.  Six trophies out of a possible six last year is testament to that.  Oh, and there's also the small matter of their star of star players, a certain chap named Lionel Messi, not costing them a cent.

Madrid now must win La Liga this season if they are to salvage any form of pride, if possible, as otherwise, this could be a team labelled as the most expensive bunch of flops in the history of football.  And it would be deserved - Real Madrid is nothing more than a joke.

God Bless You all!

Matti