THE VITALS:

Team: Real Madrid

Brand: Adidas

Era: 2018-19 (Used for the 2018-19 La Liga season)

Name/Number: -

CONDITION: EXCELLENT

This shirt is in excellent condition, with the rubber club crest, vinyl sponsor and shirt material standing in fine stead!

DIMENSIONS:

Size: Extra Small

Pit to Pit Measurement: 18 inches

Shirt Length: 27 inches 

Made in the Adidas’ ‘ClimaLite’ they introduced in 2018; the dimensions of this shirt also ensure that it would fit a size someone who normally wears a size small.

DESCRIPTION:

While the home and away shirts Adidas crafted for Real Madrid in the 2018-19 season maintained the traditional colours of the club, the 3^rd shirt allowed them to use the oft-neglected red to adorn the 13 time European champions; a first since the colour was experimented with in the 2011-12 season. This edition made in collaboration with Parley took Adidas’ superb rivet design and created a truly unique and wonderful ensemble that will no doubt become a collectors item with each year that passes! While the 2018-19 season was one of transition for the club, this shirt will still remain long etched into the psyche, in no small part due to its presence when Real saw off long time thorn in the side – AS Roma, in their meeting at the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League on November 27^th 2018! The season would prove notable as Zinedine Zidane returned to the managerial hot-seat just 10 months after taking a hiatus!

THE SEASON:

The 2017-18 season would conclude with Real Madrid accomplishing the mythical ‘3-Peat’ as they won their 3^rd successive UEFA Champions League trophy; nobody however, could have foreseen that both, Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane would both moving on from the club in wake of the triumph! Faced with this predicament, Real moved in quickly to swoop in for Jolen Lopetegui ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, however, the clubs announcement of his appointment led to him being dismissed from his post as the national team coach just days ahead of ‘La Roja’s adventure in Russia!

The pre-season would be dominated with the news of Ronaldo’s move to Juventus, however, Real would maintain their recent transfer strategy of moving in for prospects they could mould over ‘Galacticos’ and arriving were the likes of: Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior, Alvaro Odriozola and the returning Mariano Diaz; there would however be a €35 million outlay reserved for Thibaut Courtois as they procured the Belgian goalkeeper from Chelsea. Leaving would be the series of raw talents that included: Achraf Hakimi, Borja Mayoral, Theo Hernandez as well as Mateo Kovacic, who after 2 seasons failed to carve his niche at the club.

The new regime began with 4 wins in their opening 5 games with Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale shining in front of goal, however, a disastrous Autumn would have the writing on the wall for Lopetegui, who was eventually relived from his duties as the club’s team manager on October 30^th, and in his placed stepped Santi Solari. The Argentine had a respectable spell at the helm as he racked up 12 wins in La Liga from the 17 he oversaw; however, when Zinedine Zidane answered the ‘Bat-Call’, Solari would have to make way for the returning ‘Zizou’ who would guide the club to second successive 3^rd place finish.

Elsewhere, the previous incumbents would have probably fared better however, Real Madrid would lose a first UEFA Super Cup since 2000, even more damming, the defeat came to Atletico Madrid. In the Copa del Rey, ‘Los Blancos’ would reach the semi-final for the first time since 2014, however, the series of quickfire defeats to Barcelona would contribute to Santi Solari’s demise. Lastly, Real Madrid would relinquish their iron-grip of the UEFA Champions League to Ajax in the Round of 16 in almost miraculous circumstances. There would still be the saving grace of the FIFA Club World Championship which the team won for the 3^rd time of asking when they outclassed Al-Ain 4-1 in the final!

The notable players that season were:

Vinicius Junior, Mariano Diaz, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vasquez, Gareth Bale, Isco, Luka Modric, Marcos Llorente, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Dani Ceballos, Federico Valverde , Dani Carvajal, Marcelo, Alvaro Odriozola, Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Sergio Reguilon, Thibaut Courtois, Keylor Navas, Kiko Casilla