Does RM get the credit it deserves over the past 10 years?

[AlPistacho]

According to pundits; the best team on earth is always a prem team, either City or for a season or two Liverpool. The holy grail of football is winning the CL.

This got me thinking does RM and the two managers Ancelotti & Zidane that presided over those victories get the credit it deserves for winning 5 CL in 10 seasons?

PSG are often viewed as failures for not winning a CL. City haven’t won it and fecked up a final and SF.

If a prem team had won 5 in 10, how would they be viewed?

 

[Scarecrow]

According to British pundits you mean? Not surprising that their view would be somewhat skewed.

 

[Gehrman]

Not really sure the biggest club in history doesnt get the credit it deserves.

 

[united_99]

In Spain and around the world absolutely. Obviously the British media aren’t going to write or talk regularly about a non-English team.

 

[bosnian_red]

Nah they're kind of thrown in the same bus as Sir Alex's United of winning while supposedly not revolutionizing football like people are trying to claim Pep is doing with City after he did it with Barca. Spoilers rather than revolutionaries... Just spoilers who dominate year after year.

 

[padr81]

They're literally seen as the kings of the CL and biggest club in the world. Only silly English media would put us above them. I don't even think we're faves to beat them with Haaland.

 

[giorno]

Is anybody claiming Guardiola is revolutionizing anything with City?

Btw yes, i don't think we got the credit we deserved for what we've done - the excuse of not winning the league enough times. Winning 5 CL titles in 9 seasons is a level of domination over the biggest competition in club football not seen since Di Stefano's Madrid side, and I don't people appreciate quite how special and rare and incredible a feat that is. I mean, Zidane's Madrid was the first side to win it back-to-back since Sacchi's milan all the way back into the middle ages of 1990, and the first to win 3 in a row since Bayern in prehistory. I think the fact it was Real Madrid doing it kinda left people inured to it, like it isn't some unthinkable achievement for Real Madrid to pull off, because it's Real Madrid afterall

As for pundits talking about the best PL sides being favourites over the last 5-6 years, that's kinda fair. Maybe Bayern and PSG were underestimated a bit in a couple seasons, but other than that yeah, I mean, it was totally fair to see City as favourites in 17/18 and 18/19, Liverpool in 19/20(at least until Flick took over), City again in 20/21 and 21/22. The majority of the time they actually were the actual best sides in the competition...

 

[VP]

They've just won three titles in a decade in a two-team league but have done well in a cup tournament, helped by some incredible luck. If anything they're overrated.

 

[Lecland07]

The Premier League is the biggest competition for English clubs, fans and media, so it is the competition with the major focus. It is always the priority for the English clubs and media. English fans also have little interest in football outside of English clubs up and down the leagues.

The reason why the CL is bigger for other clubs, particularly Bayern Munich and PSG, is because their victory in the league is a formality. It is very rare that they have/will ever get challenged in the near future, putting the value of the league title down.

Monetary reasons are another. The PL just dwarfs everything else in terms of this.

Real Madrid have been said to be the best CL side, but why would anyone talk about it beyond that?

 

[DWelbz19]

They've just won three titles in a decade in a two-team league but have done well in a cup tournament, helped by some incredible luck. If anything they're overrated.

Is it still considered luck with how frequently they've won it?

I think it's a Real Madrid side who have been low on quality in the past however many years (a few seasons of basically Benzema + Ramos being the only players scoring 10+ goals in a year until Vinicius truly came of age) and that's why they've "struggled" domestically, but I think they're a side who absolutely know how to show up under the bright lights. Most teams and players feel the squeeze and are shadows of their usual self in the later rounds in the CL. Madrid players look like it's just usual bread and butter stuff for them

 

[giorno]

League finishes
13/14 3rd, joint w/2nd 87 points (winner 90p, CL finalist)
14/15 2nd, 92 points(W94p, treble)
15/16 2nd, 90 points(W91)
16/17 winner 93p
17/18 3rd 76p
18/19 just crap all around
19/20 winner 87p
20/21 2nd, 84p(W86p)
21/22 winner 86p

 

[rimaldo]

europe is inferior to england. brexit showed that. i reckon what wrexham achieved this year is on par with anything real madrid have ever done in their lives.

 

[VP]

Is it still considered luck with how frequently they've won it?

I think it's a Real Madrid side who have been low on quality in the past however many years (a few seasons of basically Benzema + Ramos being the only players scoring 10+ goals in a year until Vinicius truly came of age) and that's why they've "struggled" domestically, but I think they're a side who absolutely know how to show up under the bright lights. Most teams and players feel the squeeze and are shadows of their usual self in the later rounds in the CL. Madrid players look like it's just usual bread and butter stuff for them

They're obviously a fantastic side but were the team that won three in a row really better than the treble winning United, Bayern and Barca teams?

People tend to forget how many things need to align for a cup win.

 

[WeePat]

I mean, is there anybody in the world that doesn't consider them the ultimate kings of Europe, biggest club in the world and one of the most clutch teams in all of sport?

How much more credit do you want us to give them?

 

[wangyu]

11 times semi finalists at minimum in the last 13 seasons, let that sink in. Real Madrid love or hate them are by far the best club in the world. The fact that they were not able to win La Liga more is testament to how strong that league is. Now obviously the Brits will completely ignore this because they believe the English teams are far better (foolish and ignorant).

I don't think Utd even reached the semi final 11 times in total...

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

I think the perception of football being increasingly dominated by a small number of super-clubs buying up all the best talent has probably taken the glamour from it for some people.

Quite how fair that is we will find out slowly over the next decade or two, assuming the sport keeps the same trajectory.

Personally i just find it deeply depressing that Luka Modric ended up with more trophies than Prosinecki.

 

[Lay]

Best and biggest club in the world. That’s the number 1 club you’d want to play for if you were a player

 

[Bebestation]

They just have a winning mentality.

Barcelonas biggest recent period is arguably by referee bribing so I rate their managers and legendary players a bit less than I did before.

Hopefully Real Madrid can add another CL against City.

 

[Gehrman]

11 times semi finalists at minimum in the last 13 seasons, let that sink in. Real Madrid love or hate them are by far the best club in the world. The fact that they were not able to win La Liga more is testament to how strong that league is. Now obviously the Brits will completely ignore this because they believe the English teams are far better (foolish and ignorant).

I don't think Utd even reached the semi final 11 times in total...

I think it was more about how strong Barca was in that era rather than the general strength if the league. I grew up with Valencia and Deportivo being quite strong clubs. In that era it was mainly the top 2 and the top 3 underdog in the other Madrid club. Sevilla generally seems unimpressive but are masters of knocking us out in Europe. Of course its not farmers league but they have suffered from talent drain to the epl.

 

[Van Piorsing]

RM doesn't care and shouldn't as long as they're winning it. Just a part of the whole mentality.

Trophy room >>> moral credit or any at this point. United supporters probably understand this more than anyone.

 

[Theonas]

Of course they are given credit! They are largely seen as the biggest club in the world and the undisputed kings of the European Cup. They are not fawned over and romanticized because that's just not the football they play. You can command respect and admiration with your numbers and achievements which Real Madrid absolutely do, more than any other club in the world. But you can't generate warmth and romance with that. That's usually reserved for teams that provide a certain way of playing that get even the neutrals behind them. Real have never been about that, nor did they aim to really. That's the beauty of football though; it's not a linear scale of who is best. It has something for everyone, Love and respect comes in different forms and shapes and everyone has a place. It's a purely democratic process I'd say where there is an argument for more than just the winner. Otherwise, why would we even watch?

 

[JagUTD]

Royal Mail are always praised for their strength and commitment to wearing shorts.

 

[MexicanCowboy]

English fans don't care as much about the Champions League as fans of most of the world. In Spain, the media is dominated by Real Madrid so it's kind of the opposite. The League is regarded as shite unless Real Madrid wins it and the only throphy that matters is the Champions League.

 

[GhastlyHun]

Does RM deserve the credit they get over the past 10 years?

 

[Ram1fy]

As long as you crave recognition from others, your suffering won't stop. The only thing that matters is the trophy cabinet.

 

[DWelbz19]

They're obviously a fantastic side but were the team that won three in a row really better than the treble winning United, Bayern and Barca teams?

People tend to forget how many things need to align for a cup win.

Over the course of a full season, definitely debatable. Over a 2 leg game in a semi finals - more likely

 

[2 man midfield]

On the contrary, I’d say the past 10 years has cemented it.

Around 2011/12, before ‘La decima’ anyway, it was United and Madrid who were the biggest around and you could argue the toss one way or the other. In fact when Ronaldo left United the first time, a few actually said that he’s leaving the better club. Madrid had been knocked out of the champions league in the RO16 for several years running, while United were winning it and reaching finals.

The 10 years since thought have seen the two clubs go in opposite directions. United after Fergie can barely even qualify for it, and haven’t won the league since. Madrid won 5 champions leagues including 3 in a row.

Today the idea that United are bigger than Madrid is a silly one. 14 champions league titles, with many in the current era to put to bed that old argument, has seen a lot accept them as the GOAT club. 10 years ago even Barca were seen as ahead of them.

 

[giorno]

Personally i just find it deeply depressing that Luka Modric ended up with more trophies than Prosinecki.

why?

 

[AlPistacho]

They're obviously a fantastic side but were the team that won three in a row really better than the treble winning United, Bayern and Barca teams?

People tend to forget how many things need to align for a cup win.

The United team of 99 was amazing. With 2 up front it was playing football that we only started seeing decades later when 433 became popular. But put it this way. The United teams under SAF are viewed as better than Blackburn/ Arsenal /Chelsea because it won the league 2-3 times in a row. So really we have to apply the same standard to the CL.

A team that regularly wins it is the best in the world during that era. Also don’t forget last season RM had PSG, Chelsea, City, Liverpool. Each of their KO stages was against one of the favourites.

 

[AlPistacho]

They've just won three titles in a decade in a two-team league but have done well in a cup tournament, helped by some incredible luck. If anything they're overrated.

Considering the frequency with which teams outside La Liga’s big 3 beat prem teams that’s another opinion that lacks credibility. 2 great teams doesn’t mean all the over teams are rubbish. If it did, we’d have an extra Europa title and be through to this years Europa SF.

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

why?

Not sure i can rationally fully explain it. Just never liked Modric much, and his actions in the mamic trial solidified it.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It’s because they’re mostly a cup team

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Oh, they get more than enough credit.

On the whole, nobody really questions the basic idea that Real Madrid are the biggest/most succesful football club in the world.

Well, other than desperate (and a bit silly) fans of other clubs.

There are a lot of fans of other clubs, so the noise they make is considerable. But, come on - if you did a world-wide poll, there's only one outcome.

But so what? You can still dislike or even detest them, and you can still question their success over the years in various ways.

 

[carvajal]

We get credit, although we do enough self-sucking to not need it.
In any case, it seems that when there is a knock out, part of the press and the neutral fans don't give us the role of favourites, they have doubts, or even cede it to luck.

 

[wangyu]

Considering the frequency with which teams outside La Liga’s big 3 beat prem teams that’s another opinion that lacks credibility. 2 great teams doesn’t mean all the over teams are rubbish. If it did, we’d have an extra Europa title and be through to this years Europa SF.

I think the difference between La Liga and EPL is not even close. Spain is the dominant league by a country mile.
So far (counting till season 2020/2021) there have been 335 matches between Spanish and English clubs. Spanish teams won 132 of these encounters, drew 95 and lost 108. The goal difference is also clearly in favor of the Spanish 460-425.
They also won most Champions leagues and most Europa leagues, they had the most finalists and the biggest variety of teams reaching at least the semi finals.
Even after Utd’s decent run vs Spanish opponents this season we still have a negative record against them overall. It was 4 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses this season.

If I had the time to formulate a comprehensive post based on hard facts and stats I would easily put the so called EPL dominance to bed. E

 

[giorno]

We get credit, although we do enough self-sucking to not need it.
In any case, it seems that when there is a knock out, part of the press and the neutral fans don't give us the role of favourites, they have doubts, or even cede it to luck.

Well we should get more credit says I

 

[WeePat]

We get credit, although we do enough self-sucking to not need it.
In any case, it seems that when there is a knock out, part of the press and the neutral fans don't give us the role of favourites, they have doubts, or even cede it to luck.

Beautifully put

And it’s true.

 

[Andrade]

In Spain and around the world absolutely. Obviously the British media aren’t going to write or talk regularly about a non-English team.

This. Not really much need for further discussion with all due respect. I'm sure Real Madrid are not short of credit in Spain.

 

[In Rainbows]

Is it still considered luck with how frequently they've won it?

I think it's a Real Madrid side who have been low on quality in the past however many years (a few seasons of basically Benzema + Ramos being the only players scoring 10+ goals in a year until Vinicius truly came of age) and that's why they've "struggled" domestically, but I think they're a side who absolutely know how to show up under the bright lights. Most teams and players feel the squeeze and are shadows of their usual self in the later rounds in the CL. Madrid players look like it's just usual bread and butter stuff for them

I would not consider it luck, but I would say that predominantly, it was always viewed that the champions of Europe could not call themselves the best unless they also won the league title. Winning both solidified you as the best in Europe. How can you call yourself the best, when the league is arguably the more accurate source for how great a side is? It irons out the luck factor because it's played over 2.5-3 times the amount of matches. You could still make the argument for being the best side in Europe by winning the CL, but it's not an open and shut case compared to a club that wins both their league and the CL.

This all for any given season.

Looking at the whole picture, they did win LA Liga 3 times during the 5 champions league 8 year period, while doing the double twice. So they've obviously been the best in Europe these last 5-6 years.

 

[tentan]

Yeah they have had the credit.