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Real Madrid is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and they are the reigning Champions League winners. While they have some of the best players in the world, managing the Spanish giants in Football Manager 2023is challenging, especially with all the new features.
The board has very high expectations as Real Madrid is the most successful club in Europe’s top leagues with 94 major trophies. They won the Champions League in the 2021/2022 season after beating Liverpool in the final 1-0. They also comfortably won La Liga by 13 points over eternal rivals Barcelona. The fans and the board will expect similar highs in future years.
There is a lot of pressure on any Real Madrid manager but following these tips will bring success to the Spanish giants in Football Manager 2023.
Build Around The Young Galacticos
Real Madrid has some of the best young players in the game that they have signed over the past few years. Build the squad around these stars, keep them happy and continuously focus on their development.
The attack should be built around Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. Both world stars are household names at just 21 years old. They are the future of Real Madrid’s attack; the Brazilian duo have enormous potential and are bound to be world-class players with the right management.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are the young French duo that can run the Real Madrid midfield for years to come. They have phenomenal potential to become the best in their position and dominate their opponents. Add 23-year-old Federico Valverde and players have a young core midfield that is unmatched at any other club.
The defense is a little different, most of the starting players are hitting their peak. While they may have a few years left only Eder Militao and David Alaba have much room for improvement. 16-year-old Jaime Vazquez may not look like much now, but he has incredible potential to become a world-class center-back.
Make The Most Of The Big Transfer Budget
Real Madrid has the biggest transfer budget in La Liga of £103m and £1.28k p/w in wages in Football Manager 2023. There isn’t much left in terms of wages, so some of the transfer budget will have to be put into wages - no real way around that. Despite this, managers should be able to make some big-name signings to bolster the squad. Signing the best wonderkids is always a great way to go, especially as many of Real Madrid's stars are on their last legs age-wise.
Focus most of the budget on a young quality striker: Endrick, Youssoufa Moukoko, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz are just some of the highest potential strikers to look at. Real Madrid also doesn’t have much depth behind their aging stars. This is particularly important in defense as injuries in an aging backline can massively hinder the squad. Sign some cheap quality defenders to cover the starting back 4 and plan for the future.
Sell All Unwanted Players
One of the biggest problems at Real Madrid is the expensive Galactico signings that didn’t work out. The highest profile one in recent years is Eden Hazard. The former Chelsea star has had a torrid time since joining the Spanish giants in 2019 and now wages are burning through the team’s finances. Sell him, no matter the offer. The Belgian winger is on €445,240 a week in Football Manager 2023, taking that off the books will provide so much to the transfer and wage budget.
Other players that might be worth selling are Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos. Despite being worth almost £250 million combined, these are risky sales. Fans and players may not be happy with these legends being sold, and they are still world-class in their positions. However, if their values will drop quickly and if they can be replaced by quality younger players, it can be a great long-term solution to Real Madrid’s age problem.
Hire A New Assistant Manager
Real Madrid is arguably the biggest club in the world, but they don’t have the staff to match their unrivaled reputation. Best to start with the assistant manager. Assistant manager Davide Ancelotti is the son of current manager Carlo Ancelotti - nepotism at its finest. While he has decent stats in Football Manager 2023, he may not be too happy that his dad has been magically replaced. Besides, there are much better options available.
Replace The Medical Staff
It’s no surprise that Real Madrid has injury troubles when looking at their medical staff. The Head of Sports Science is only rated 11 in sports science, which is obviously the most important trait in his position. This is just one example of the medical staff that really needs an overhaul. Look for staff with 17 in their key attributes for their position. This will help players prevent injuries and recover faster when injuries inevitably come.
Address The U19 Squad
The Real Madrid U19 squad is full of players that are unlikely to ever make their mark on the illustrious first team. Try to sell them to raise funds and thin out the squad to only the best players. Use the acquired funds to upgrade the youth staff.
The academy coaches are far from the best and not up to the quality Real Madrid deserves. Improving youth staff can really help long-term as they will help feed the first team with quality future talent. Promote young talent from within and get the youth staff to find better players with higher potential.
Football Manager 2023 is available for Android, iOS, Mac, PC, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The PS5 version will release at a later date.