Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad | La Liga GW 38 | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s final league game of the season kicks of at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon and will be against Real Sociedad.

The Basque outfit have gone through a rocky campaign so far and sit in 11th place ahead of the game against Los Blancos. They have won just 13 of their 37 games so far and have lost a staggering 17.

If the meeting between the two teams in the Copa del Rey this season is anything to go by, however, they are anything but fun to face and Real Madrid will not have it easy to end the campaign on a high.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad.

The end of an era

Tomorrow’s clash between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad is not the Merengues’ last game of the season. While it would be the case in other seasons, the situation this time around is different.

Los Blancos are yet to travel to the United States for the final competition of the season – the FIFA Club World Cup – but it will not be Carlo Ancelotti on the sidelines for that event.

Despite the competition being a part of the ongoing season, Real Madrid have confirmed that the legendary Italian coach will leave the club after the game against Real Sociedad and will not be part of the club for the event next month.

Xabi Alonso is expected to take over before that competition kicks off, and tomorrow’s game is thus the end of an era for Real Madrid – and what an era it has been.

Ancelotti’s final season at the club may not have been flowery but the manager is the greatest coach in the history of Real Madrid beyond doubt.

Over his two stints with Los Blancos, Ancelotti has almost continually been successful, winning as many as 15 trophies with the club.

Standing over the Real Madrid team for one last time in his career, Saturday will surely not be easy for Ancelotti as he bids adieu to the club. The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu will be emotional likewise.

Luka Modric’s final dance

Modric’s last dance at the Bernabeu. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

If Ancelotti’s departure was not enough to get the tears flowing for Real Madrid fans, there is another farewell scheduled tomorrow that will melt even the toughest of hearts in the stadium.

Earlier this week, Luka Modric confirmed that he will play his last game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday after the club opted against offering him a renewal.

While the player wished to continue at the club, Los Blancos’ administration stayed firm that they intended to move on to a new generation and thus showed Modric the exit door.

As such, the 39-year-old icon will not continue at the club next season, and while he will play the FIFA Club World Cup with the team, tomorrow will be the last time he graces the Santiago Bernabeu as a player.

Over the years, the Croatian star has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats, not just for Los Blancos but in the history of the game.

He has won it all with Real Madrid including the Ballon d’Or and leaves the club as the most decorated player in the Merengues’ history.

While the departure has been coming for a while, it does hit one that his exit would all but signal the end of Real Madrid’s golden generation who will now be represented solely by Dani Carvajal.

An audition of sorts

The final matchday of La Liga is usually a tense one with several positions and finishes depending on the results that unfold as it proceeds.

This time once again, the relegation battle and the fight for a Europa League spot will depend on the results of the weekend. What will not depend on it, however, is the title race which Barcelona won earlier this month.

There is, thus, not much for Real Madrid to play for, especially given that their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League is guaranteed. Yet, there is a feeling that the player will come out defending more than just their pride.

With the management set to change in a matter of days, the squad hits a reset button with a new objective of impressing the incoming manager.

After all, Xabi Alonso will not stick to the same hierarchy Ancelotti maintained and Saturday’s game gives player a stage to showcase to the new manager what they can bring to the table.

While it may not mean as much to players like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, others like Arda Guler, Fran Garcia, and Dani Ceballos will look to embrace their opportunity to impress the incoming manager and stake claim for a regular place in his plans.