After Real Madrid beat Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night, there was the sense that the once-dominant European superpower was returning to its former glory. The Spanish side have struggled since Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018, but their fortunes are going in a vastly different direction to the Portuguese striker’s this season.
Ronaldo departed Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018 after spending nine years in the Spanish capital — where he won four Champions League trophies and was awarded the Ballon d’Or four times. Real Madrid initially looked to be managing well without their Portuguese superstar, winning the La Liga title just one season after he moved to Italy.
But the Spanish club haven’t won the league since 2020, and have floundered in recent years as they underwent a period of transition. Barcelona have also struggled of late, and La Liga has become more competitive than ever.
