Mourinho’s Madrid reach 100 points

The 2011-12 La Liga season is really the story of two exceptional, if extremely different personalities.

The first star of the campaign was one Lionel Andres Messi, who tore up the record books with perhaps the most phenomenal year ever seen by an individual on a football pitch. Thanks to the influence of one ‘special’ adversary, however, even La Pulga’s very best was not quite enough.

For on the other side of the Clasico divide, Jose Mourinho was running the show. The Portuguese coach clinched La Liga with Real Madrid in a near-perfect term, picking up 100 points as he outshined even a tired Pep Guardiola who was coming to the end of his historic Barcelona spell. The former Chelsea and Inter boss was ably assisted by his on-pitch lieutenant Cristiano Ronaldo, who had started to show the kind of form that would transform him into Messi’s eternal rival for the Ballon d’Or every coming December.

CHANGES

The start of the 2011-12 Liga campaign was scheduled for 20th August only for the kick-off to be delayed by a player strike due to unpaid wages throughout the top league and the Segunda. Thankfully, everyone took to the pitch the next week. Before the start of the season, no less than seven clubs changed their head coach – Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Getafe, Racing, Levante, and Athletic Bilbao. Mourinho brought in Fabio Coentrao, Raphael Varane, Nuri Sahin, and Jose Calleon in for his title assault, while Barcelona welcomed back Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal as well as signing exciting winger, Alexis Sanchez, from Udinese. Not to be left out, Atletico also made some key acquisitions. Potent centre-forward Radamel Falcao was chosen to replace Manchester City-bound Sergio Aguero, and Arda Turan came in to provide some midfield flair. However, it was the purchase of Gabi from Real Zaragoza which proved the most vital, as he would go on to become the inspiration club captain of Los Colchoneros. Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano, and Granada were the promoted sides.

SUMMARY

Having led…

Source link : https://www.footballcritic.com/season-reviews/mourinhocs-madrid-reach-100-points-la-liga-in-2011-12/73

Author : [email protected] (Martin Macdonald)

Publish date : 2024-07-30 13:00:00

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