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CL Debate: Milan's Leonardo v Madrid's Pellegrini - Which Will Be Out Of A Job?
Goal.com's Subhankar Mondal looks ahead to the much anticipated clash between Milan and Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Nov 2, 2009 9:00:00 AM
Barcelona won the historic treble in May and people talked about it only for a week or so. Then from early June it was all about Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, Neo-Galacticos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso, commercialism, big money spending and stuff. The overpowering truly galactic football of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta et al were subsumed in discussions of a Perez phenomenon, of the Bernabeu revolution, and even Michael Jackson's unfortunate demise could not keep Madrid out of attention.
Attention. That's what Perez seeks and that's what Perez has got. He proclaims himself as a supporter of what is arguably the biggest club in the world and he wants to make it the center of the universe, the place where every Madridista believes they have a divine right to belong. Perez's €250 million Neo-Galactic monster has the world's unanimous attention and it had the world watching on Wednesday night where the most expensive squad plane-crashed to a Segunda Division B side whose, as one columnist so sarcastically remarks, "entire budget would not cover Cristiano Ronaldo's wages for two months."
Standing On The Edge Of Time
That's attention too but that's attention merged with ridicule, scorn and laughter. And that's not the kind of attention that Perez seeks for his Galactic monster. Which is why there were genuine doubts that defeat to Getafe on Saturday would set coach Manuel Pellegrini out on the streets searching for another job. Which is why defeat to Milan on Tuesday in the Champions League at the San Siro could genuinely see the Chilean become the first casualty of Perez's Second Coming.
Granted, players need time to gel and injuries to the biggest Galactico Cristiano Ronaldo and the most important Galactico Xabi Alonso haven't helped. Granted, Madrid have lost only one game in La Liga and are just a solitary point behind leaders Barcelona. Granted, Madrid are still on top of their group in the Champions League. Granted, Madrid are good.
How Much Time Do You Still Need, Boss?
But at Real Madrid, good is relative. In fact, good is derogatory. You are either the best or you are bust. And Madrid are not the best. Not at the moment. Pellegrini knew better than most what he was asking for when he signed on his contract papers in the summer and so far he has failed to deliver. And if he fails on Tuesday he might as well never fail at Madrid again as he would be gone.
The 3-2 defeat at home to Milan and then the 4-0 drubbing by Alcorcon augmented by images of Sevilla hacking them 2-1 in Andalucia have raised serious doubts on Pellegrini's tactics and strategies. Madrid have played in a peculiar 4-2-2-2 formation and haven't really looked as overpowering or dominating as they should with the players they have. On Tuesday there will be no Ronaldo and the lineup could have a more orthodox feel about it with Kaka shoved into the limelight, and it would be Pellegrini's last chance to redeem himself.
Not that the 'Engineer' is not equipped to do so. After all, he made Villarreal a Champions League regular and he has the mentality and caliber to make Madrid the best team in the world. But at Villarreal he had time, at Madrid he doesn't have that luxury. On Tuesday Ronaldo won't be there and in the three defeats Los Blancos have suffered Ronaldo didn't feature.
Rescuing A Sinking Ship
Contrast Pellegrini's situation with that of Leonardo at Milan. If the Chilean has a squad whose combined worth is worth over €400 million, the Brazilian has a squad whose combined age is over 400 million years. Asked to work with an unbalanced side whose fulcrum is an inconsistent and dilapidated Ronaldinho and whose midfield can walk not run, the 40-year-old has done as well as he could.
Even then Leonardo was under some pressure a few weeks back with the Rossoneri struggling in the bottom half of the Serie A table. Then they won against Roma, defeated Madrid and beat both Chievo and Parma, and suddenly the Diavolo are in a Champions League position.
Things Are Going Well For The Rookie Coach
Milan too have lofty expectations of their own but selling Kaka in the summer and signing a Real Madrid reject who has had as many touches of the ball this season as there are fingers on your hands isn't exactly a world shattering move, is it? Leonardo is in his first year of management and although he doesn't exactly cut the figure of a deep thinking self-assuming, confident 'great coach in the making' on the sidelines where his face often bears resemblance to that of a kid lost in a foreign country, he must be given the credit for doing as well as he has with the players at his disposal.
Which is why no one is seriously contemplating getting rid of Leonardo just yet. True, Milan's victories so far haven't been too convincing - Roma scored first, Madrid's defense was eager to send them early Christmas gifts and Alessandro Nesta singlehandedly broke Chievo's heart; but the fact that they are second in Group C in the Champions League and just two points behind Scudetto challengers Juventus in Serie A proves that there is cause for optimism.
It would be hard to demarcate the degree of contribution of Leonardo if Milan beat Madrid on Tuesday but it would be equally tough to ignore his importance. Perhaps only Luciano Spalletti would have been able to work better with the current Milan side but then the former Roma coach's football is based on a quick pass-and-move game while Milan depressingly lack pace.
A defeat on Tuesday would still see Leonardo stay at Milan but a win could see Pellegrini become available to replace him. Now how ironic is that!
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
Who does Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo support? Find out in the November issue of Goal.com Magazine.
Attention. That's what Perez seeks and that's what Perez has got. He proclaims himself as a supporter of what is arguably the biggest club in the world and he wants to make it the center of the universe, the place where every Madridista believes they have a divine right to belong. Perez's €250 million Neo-Galactic monster has the world's unanimous attention and it had the world watching on Wednesday night where the most expensive squad plane-crashed to a Segunda Division B side whose, as one columnist so sarcastically remarks, "entire budget would not cover Cristiano Ronaldo's wages for two months."
Standing On The Edge Of Time
That's attention too but that's attention merged with ridicule, scorn and laughter. And that's not the kind of attention that Perez seeks for his Galactic monster. Which is why there were genuine doubts that defeat to Getafe on Saturday would set coach Manuel Pellegrini out on the streets searching for another job. Which is why defeat to Milan on Tuesday in the Champions League at the San Siro could genuinely see the Chilean become the first casualty of Perez's Second Coming.
Granted, players need time to gel and injuries to the biggest Galactico Cristiano Ronaldo and the most important Galactico Xabi Alonso haven't helped. Granted, Madrid have lost only one game in La Liga and are just a solitary point behind leaders Barcelona. Granted, Madrid are still on top of their group in the Champions League. Granted, Madrid are good.
How Much Time Do You Still Need, Boss?
But at Real Madrid, good is relative. In fact, good is derogatory. You are either the best or you are bust. And Madrid are not the best. Not at the moment. Pellegrini knew better than most what he was asking for when he signed on his contract papers in the summer and so far he has failed to deliver. And if he fails on Tuesday he might as well never fail at Madrid again as he would be gone.
The 3-2 defeat at home to Milan and then the 4-0 drubbing by Alcorcon augmented by images of Sevilla hacking them 2-1 in Andalucia have raised serious doubts on Pellegrini's tactics and strategies. Madrid have played in a peculiar 4-2-2-2 formation and haven't really looked as overpowering or dominating as they should with the players they have. On Tuesday there will be no Ronaldo and the lineup could have a more orthodox feel about it with Kaka shoved into the limelight, and it would be Pellegrini's last chance to redeem himself.
Not that the 'Engineer' is not equipped to do so. After all, he made Villarreal a Champions League regular and he has the mentality and caliber to make Madrid the best team in the world. But at Villarreal he had time, at Madrid he doesn't have that luxury. On Tuesday Ronaldo won't be there and in the three defeats Los Blancos have suffered Ronaldo didn't feature.
Rescuing A Sinking Ship
Contrast Pellegrini's situation with that of Leonardo at Milan. If the Chilean has a squad whose combined worth is worth over €400 million, the Brazilian has a squad whose combined age is over 400 million years. Asked to work with an unbalanced side whose fulcrum is an inconsistent and dilapidated Ronaldinho and whose midfield can walk not run, the 40-year-old has done as well as he could.
Even then Leonardo was under some pressure a few weeks back with the Rossoneri struggling in the bottom half of the Serie A table. Then they won against Roma, defeated Madrid and beat both Chievo and Parma, and suddenly the Diavolo are in a Champions League position.
Things Are Going Well For The Rookie Coach
Milan too have lofty expectations of their own but selling Kaka in the summer and signing a Real Madrid reject who has had as many touches of the ball this season as there are fingers on your hands isn't exactly a world shattering move, is it? Leonardo is in his first year of management and although he doesn't exactly cut the figure of a deep thinking self-assuming, confident 'great coach in the making' on the sidelines where his face often bears resemblance to that of a kid lost in a foreign country, he must be given the credit for doing as well as he has with the players at his disposal.
Which is why no one is seriously contemplating getting rid of Leonardo just yet. True, Milan's victories so far haven't been too convincing - Roma scored first, Madrid's defense was eager to send them early Christmas gifts and Alessandro Nesta singlehandedly broke Chievo's heart; but the fact that they are second in Group C in the Champions League and just two points behind Scudetto challengers Juventus in Serie A proves that there is cause for optimism.
It would be hard to demarcate the degree of contribution of Leonardo if Milan beat Madrid on Tuesday but it would be equally tough to ignore his importance. Perhaps only Luciano Spalletti would have been able to work better with the current Milan side but then the former Roma coach's football is based on a quick pass-and-move game while Milan depressingly lack pace.
A defeat on Tuesday would still see Leonardo stay at Milan but a win could see Pellegrini become available to replace him. Now how ironic is that!
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
Who does Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo support? Find out in the November issue of Goal.com Magazine.
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