Bring back Zinedine Zidane, replace Toni Kroos with Jude Bellingham & eight things Real Madrid must do to wrestle La Liga back from Barcelona next season

It is unfair to fire a manager after just one trophyless season. Coaches deserve time and opportunities to revamp their system.

At Madrid, though, managers do not get time. They must get results. And given that clear criteria, it feels like Ancelotti's time at the Bernabeu is up.

The Italian is a decorated manager, with an immaculate pedigree. He is the only manager to win all of Europe's 'Big Five' leagues. He has revived a number of struggling sides, while his charisma and influence have outlasted the trendy tactical changes that have come to dominate European football.

But now, the party is over. Madrid can still be an excellent cup side under Ancelotti, but it simply cannot be sustained over a 38-game season anymore. The truth is, Madrid have stagnated as a team.

They are on pace for the same exact points total as last campaign, while Barca have improved immeasurably. Consistency is no longer good enough, Madrid need excellence. And perhaps a familiar face can bring that...

Really? Zizou again?

Zidane has been out of a job since he left Santiago Bernabeu two years ago, and most assumed that he was waiting around for the France job. But now, Didier Deschamps has penned a new deal, and seems likely to be overseeing the national team until 2026.

Zidane is a patient man. Still, four years is a long time.

Twice, he has taken the helm at Madrid when the club needed a boost. The club legend has developed a penchant for lifting Los Blancos from relative mediocrity into title-winning form. He should be given the opportunity to do so again.

There are other coaches out there. Thomas Tuchel will inevitably be linked if Ancelotti is let go; Antonio Conte will certainly be looked at, too (especially if he actually has money to spend!); and Mauricio Pochettino might even be in contention.

But Madrid is a results-driven proposition. For the short term, the Spanish giants need to bring in someone who knows how to get the club back to the top. Zidane is that man.

Real Madrid do not need a rebuild - all the pieces of a competitive team are there. Instead, they need to refresh.

The Blancos have been good at it recently, letting the likes of Sergio Ramos and Casemiro walk in order to bring new faces into the fold. Kroos and Carvajal should be next.

Kroos seems more likely to go at this point. He admitted a few months ago that he wanted to stay at the club on merit, and his performances haven't exactly been up to par for a Real regular. One only has to look at the way he was played off the park by Sergi Roberto in the Clasico to see that his days in Madrid are numbered.

Carvajal is in a similar situation. The right-back is immensely experienced, and can still contribute, but his defensive numbers are concerning, especially with his burst of pace fading with old age.

He could stick around, especially considering Madrid lack of senior depth at the position, but he certainly shouldn't be a regular anymore.

There is allegedly an English midfielder on the market who might be quite good...

It's hard to remember a transfer saga more open than Jude Bellingham's. One week, he is Liverpool bound, the next, the Reds can't afford him. Manchester United have been in and out of the race, while Manchester City's immense funds will always keep them in the conversation.

Madrid, though, have been a constant. They have reportedly already met with Bellingham's father on at least one occasion, and seem the only real club in continental Europe that could lure the midfielder away from Borussia Dortmund.

It makes sense, too. With Modric's star slowly waning and Kroos on the way out, Madrid need a box-to-box No.8 to work with Tchouameni and Camavinga. Bellingham appears to balance the midfield trio almost perfectly.

There are other, albeit less intriguing, names on the market, such as Ruben Neves, Gabri Veiga, Kouadio Kone and Moises Caicedo. But if Madrid want to go straight back to the top, Bellingham is the guy to bring in.

Benzema can no longer be relied upon to play a full season. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner has been playing through injuries in 2021-22, and didn't even train the Friday before El Clasico - a game in which he turned in arguably his worst performance of the campaign.

And when he's not been on the pitch, Madrid have faltered. Rodrygo is an awkward fit as a central striker, while Vinicius Jr clearly struggles without a more direct No.9 in the side.

Benzema should still be first choice going forward - he is still a world-class striker when fit - but a more suitable back-up is needed. Perhaps they stick with teenager Alvaro Rodriguez, but there's no evidence yet that he can be relied on to contribute across a full season.

It'll be a tricky year to get a striker in, though. Madrid likely won't shell out the massive fee required for Kylian Mbappe, while former target Erling Haaland is also well off-limits. Some signature Madrid transfer magic might be on the cards...

It's an unfamiliar feeling for Madrid to be thin at full-back. Such was the consistency of the Carvajal-Marcelo tandem, that watching them come to the end of their Real careers is genuinely a sad sight.

But eras do, indeed, come to an end. Los Blancos prepared for Marcelo's departure by signing Ferland Mendy two years ago, and Eder Militao has deputised at right-back since his arrival, too. Still, Mendy cannot be relied upon to perform consistently, while Militao is far more comfortable as a centre-back.

The good news is that Madrid appear to have first refusal on Rayo Vallecano's ever-improving left-back Fran Garcia, and also have some interest in Real Valladolid's promising right-back Ivan Fresneda.

They also reportedly came close to signing Joao Cancelo in January, and it would not be shock to seem them go in for the Man City star again this summer, presuming Bayern Munich do not sign him permanently.

But whether they go for a bonafide starter or reliable cover, full-back is clearly an area of weakness for Madrid - and one that can be revamped without breaking the bank.

Ancelotti does have a tactical plan. It's quite easy to cast the Italian as a vibes merchant with little interest in structure, but that would be doing him a disservice. In reality, Ancelotti just isn't a massive believer in the relentless patterns of play that have come to define winning teams such as Man City or Liverpool.

Implementing a rigid structure isn't necessarily in Madrid's best interest, either. Their strength is in their flexibility, made possible by the supreme intelligence of the squad.

But something more structured is clearly necessary, especially in attack. While Madrid can ping the ball around in midfield endlessly, their final third patterns are too familiar, with an over-reliance on the Benzema-Vinicius combination.

A new manager would certainly bring in his own ideas. Formations don't really exist anymore, such is the tactical evolution of football, but there are some vague outlines that could work here.

Perhaps using Rodrygo as a No.10 in a more traditional 4-2-3-1 makes sense. Even a more traditional 4-3-3, with less positional fluidity, might help. Either way, Madrid are too predictable, and that needs to change.

Madrid for all of their talent, have lacked consistency in midfield. Tchouameni enjoyed a terrific start to the season but has tailed off. Modric has been terrific, but can no longer play a full season. Kroo, meanwhile,has failed to inspire confidence of late.

Perhaps the only player to impress consistently is Camavinga. The France international has played as both a No.8 and No.66 this campaign, deputising wherever needed off the bench while also starring whenever given a starting spot.

He has become an excellent ball carrier, adventurous passer, and terrific tackler. His attacking production is lacking, but at 20, he still has years to develop.

Camavinga could be the key man going forward, and should be in the line up every week if Madrid are to close the gap on Barca next term.