The Life of Carlo: Mia San Mia

RECORD BREAKERS

After winning the UEFA Champions’ League, La Liga, Copa Del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup Championships, UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa Espana *breathe*, it’s only natural that Real Madrid smashed a few records along the way, no?

Finishing the La Liga season in emphatic fashion, winning 35, drawing twice and losing once, Real Madrid were able to break Benfica’s record of most consecutive wins in a European league, extending the total of 29 wins in a row to 33.

Evidently, 35 wins is the highest total La Liga has ever seen, surpassing 32 wins set by Real Madrid in 2011/2012 and Barcelona in 2012/2013.

Los Blancos registered the most points in La Liga history this season with 107, seven more points than the total achieved by them in 2011/2012 and Barcelona the following season.

Not only is it a La Liga record, but the 107 points achieved by Real Madrid also managed to oust the European record of most points, the 103 set by Celtic in the 2001/2002 Scottish Premiership season.

Never before has the Spanish top flight seen a team win so many away games as Real Madrid’s 17 this season, as they beat Barcelona’s record of 12 consecutive away wins with a new total of 16 away wins in a row.

On their way to the La Liga title, Los Merengues also overtook their own record set by Jose Mourinho’s 2011/2012 team by scoring 128 goals this season, seven more than three seasons ago, as Madrid also set the highest goal difference ever with 111.

Winners of 2014/2015

UEFA Champions’ League

Real Madrid

UEFA Europa League

Borussia Mönchengladbach

FIFA Club World Cup Championship

Real Madrid

La Liga

1st - Real Madrid
2nd - Barcelona
3rd - Atletico Madrid

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18th - Getafe
19th - Cordoba
20th - Eibar

Copa Del Rey

Real Madrid

Barclays Premier League

1st - Manchester United
2nd - Manchester City
3rd - Chelsea

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18th - Burnley
19th - Sunderland
20th - Crystal Palace

FA Cup

Manchester City

Capital One Cup

Manchester City

Bundesliga

1st - Borussia Dortmund
2nd - Bayer Leverkusen
3rd - Bayern Munich

Serie A

1st - Juventus
2nd - Roma
3rd - Inter Milan

Ligue 1

1st - Paris Saint-Germain
2nd - AS Monaco
3rd - SC Bastia

Primeira Liga

1st - Benfica
2nd - FC Porto
3rd - Sporting

Eredivisie

1st - Ajax
2nd - Vitesse
3rd - PSV Eindhoven

Awards & Stats 2014/2015

Player of the Year

Cristiano Ronaldo
51 Goals

Young Player of the Year

Munir El Haddadi
24 Goals

Manager of the Year

Carlo Ancelotti

Goalkeeper of the Year

Iker Casillas
21 Clean Sheets

Spanish Player of the Year

Dani Carvajal

Top Goalscorer

1st - Cristiano Ronaldo – 51 Goals
2nd – Karim Benzema – 43 Goals
3rd – Gareth Bale – 28 Goals

Top Assists

1st - Cristiano Ronaldo – 34 Assists
2nd – James Rodriguez – 21 Assists
3rd – Dani Carvajal – 16 Assists

Most Appearances

1st - Dani Carvajal – 59 Games
2nd – Cristiano Ronaldo – 57 Games
3rd – Iker Casillas – 57 Games

Highest Rating

1st - Cristiano Ronaldo – 7.86
2nd – Gareth Bale – 7.69
3rd – Marcelo – 7.61

ANCELOTTI TO STAY

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has signed a new five-year-contract with Los Blancos, putting a definitive end to rumours of his departure.

With the Italian’s contract set to expire in July 2015, rumours were that former Madrid boss and West Ham United manager Carlos Queiroz would take control of the club, having been favoured by a host of presidency candidates in April.

Ancelotti’s good work, however, has played a pivotal role in him being offered a new contract, with Real Madrid president Emilio Butragueño claiming it was an easy decision.

“The man won everything there was to win, so how hard can it be to show some support back? It was an easy decision to offer him a new deal, perhaps the easiest I’ll ever make.

“I never considered any other manager for the position throughout the season, and I certainly haven’t now, hence my offer to Ancelotti.

“I didn’t renew his contract at the time because I felt it was a very critical moment for the club and it needed 100% focus on the pitch, not outside of it. I’m sure Ancelotti was aware of that and many players were in the same position.

“Overall, I’m delighted we’ve got the business sorted quickly and we can now turn our attentions to the preparations for the new season.”

Real Madrid stars Raphael Varane, Gareth Bale and Dani Carvajal were also given new deals, all renewing their contracts until 2020.

MADRID LAND SHOCK BUY

Real Madrid has completed a sensational £15 million swoop for Southampton right back Nathaniel Clyne.

Former Crystal Palace man, Clyne, agreed a five-year-deal with Los Merengues and is likely to serve as cover for last season’s La Liga Spanish Player of the Year, Dani Carvajal, who played over 50 times for Real Madrid last season.

The UEFA Champions’ League holders are likely to lose their versatile defender Nacho Fernandez this summer, so the signing of Clyne will boost the numbers of defenders available to Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Clyne played a total of 33 times for Southampton last season, as the Saints performed below par to finish 14th in the Barclays Premier League table.

The 24-year-old Englishman is yet to earn a cap for England, assisting just three times from the right side of defence, but did have the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City all interested in his services.

Clyne joined Southampton for £2.5 million in the summer of 2012, playing a total of 92 league games for the St Mary’s outfit.

MADRID PINCH BALANTA

Colombian prodigy Eder Alvarez Balanta has completed his long-awaited move to Real Madrid from River Plater for £8 million.

Balanta came close to signing for the La Liga holders last season, but saw his transfer to the Spanish capital breakdown after Real Madrid contained three foreign players already, as per La Liga rules.

The 22-year-old agreed to sign a five-year-deal on £40,000-a-week and so becomes Real Madrid’s second signing of the season, following the transfer of Nathaniel Clyne from Southampton.

Balanta expressed his delight to finally put on a Real Madrid shirt and expects to repay the club for their patience and continued interest in him.

“I was slightly upset last season to have come so close to my dream move, and then all of a sudden see it disappear before your eyes.

“I felt relatively angry when I heard the deal had collapsed because I really wanted the move, but I just had to keep my cool and keep working hard for River Plate.

“That’s what I did, so I’m glad Real Madrid has acknowledged the work I’ve done in the past season and come back for me. This is a massive move for me, perhaps the biggest chance I’ll get in my career, so I’m keen to impress.”

Balanta represented River Plate 58 times in the Primera Division since 2012 and will fill the void in Madrid’s squad left by on-loan Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.

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