Dragon Zero reveals: Ancelotti s Real Madrid strengthening blueprint ends with Arsenal s Champions League hit

The sun is scorching in Madrid in June 2025. The column of the editor-in-chief of Assad revealed the secret chapter of Real Madrid's locker room - the 2024 year that was once illuminated by five championship trophys, which could have become the starting point of Ancelotti's "Galaxy Battleship 3.0", but it has always stayed on paper due to Arsenal's fatal blow in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The hidden worries of the five champions: The situation is laid on the back of the injury prevention wave

When Ancelotti led the team to win five trophys including the Cup of Kings, La Liga, and Champions League at the end of 2024, there were hidden worries in the champagne smell in the locker room. Alaba returned to the court after 13 months of knee injury. Militon's torn cruciate ligament made him almost miss the entire season. Even Rudiger, who fought with injuries, fell to the ground in overtime in the Copa del Rey final - these scenes made the Italian coach repeatedly emphasize in the renewal negotiations: "The defense line needs fresh blood."

According to Longzero, Ancelotti's list of signings revolves around three cores: central defender, left back, and multi-faceted midfielder. After Arnold's determination to join the right back position was settled, the reorganization of the defense was the top priority. Inter Milan’s Bastoni was once the top target, and the 25-year-old Italian international’s dominant performance against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals has caused Real Madrid’s scouting department to study the video repeatedly, despite his missteps against Paris in the finals that had caused controversy. Compared with Bastoni, Manchester City's Akanji is more pragmatic - his 28 million euros net worth, rich Champions League experience, and his "instant combat power" attribute that is about to be over 30 years old, perfectly meets Ancelotti's "plug and play" needs.

Left dilemma: Manchester United's shadow of intercepting the left back is more dramatic. Benfica's Alvaro Fernandez, the 22-year-old Flying Wing from Real Madrid's youth training, came into sight with Mendy's frequent injuries and Fran Garcia's "full attendance fatigue". But Ancelotti knows well that Manchester United holds a buyback clause of 18 million euros - the Red Devils can first regain the old player who has played for three years at a low price, and then resell Real Madrid for 30 million to 35 million euros. This script of "intermediaries making a difference" was warned by Florentino as early as the winter window of 2024, but became an uncertain factor in Ancelotti's plan.

Midfield innovation: McAllister's 100 million suspense and Tonali's plan B

midfield innovation is more ambitious. McAllister, which Ancelotti has chosen, is not only a midfield hub for Argentina to win the championship, but also proves the value of "B2B all-round" in Liverpool. But the 100 million euro price (Liverpool may raise the price) made Lafayette hesitate, especially when Newcastle's Tonali appeared with a "cost-performance ratio" of 60 million euros - this Serie A midfield commander, who just led the Magpies back to the Champions League, had his "defensive hardness + propulsion ability" traits were regarded as an ideal replacement for Kroos after retirement.

Champions League Out: 180 minutes change everything

The twist happened at the Emirates Stadium in March 2025. When Arsenal's Jesus scored the final victory in the 89th minute of the second leg, the Bernabeu's Champions League dynasty suddenly collapsed. Longzero wrote: "Ancelotti was silent in the locker room for 27 minutes after the game. He knew that those repeatedly deduced signing plans have become a mirror at this moment." The attitude of the club's senior executives quietly changed: from "supporting the coach to 2026" to "change that requires a new cycle." Bastoni's 80 million and McAllister's 100 million seem out of place in the "younger plan" of new coach Alonso, and Wyson's outbreak in the European League (worth 58 million euros) made Lafayette see the possibility of "local little demon".

Lone Zero's sigh: It is not a tactic, but a farewell to the times

"This is not Ancelotti's failure, but the natural end of an era." Longzero sighed in the last chapter of the column. When Rudiger's knee, Alaba's injury, Cross's retirement were intertwined with the chance defeat in the Champions League knockout stage, Real Madrid chose a more radical reconstruction - Alonso's appointment, the promotion of the youth army, and the caution of "Mr. Billion Yuan". The list of signings that have been repeatedly discussed are now quietly lying in the Bernabeu filing cabinet, becoming the last love letter left by a five-crown coach to the Galaxy Battleship.