The 11 players sold in 2022 & how they’ve fared since

Real Madrid were Spanish and European champions in 2022, but that didn’t stop them from having something of a clear-out last summer.

Carlo Ancelotti decided to cull a whole XI’s worth of players from his squad, making room for the arrivals of Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni at the Bernabeu.

We’ve taken a look at the 11 players that left Madrid last summer, or shortly afterwards, and judged how they’ve fared after leaving.

Marcelo

With 25 trophies, Marcelo left Real Madrid as the most decorated player in the club’s history.

The Brazilian left-back joined Greek side Olympiacos in September, where he was afforded a hero’s welcome. Sadly, Marcelo never lived up to expectations there and his contract was terminated last month.

Marcelo has now rejoined Fluminense, the club where he made his professional debut, and over 30,000 fans gathered to greet him in the Maracana.

Fluminense fans greeted Marcelo at the airport on his return to his boyhood club 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/ehZOX1fQOS

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 9, 2023

Isco

Isco was another long-serving Madrid player whose first transfer away from the Bernabeu didn’t work out.

Despite a host of injury problems, the former Spain international remains a talented player and Sevilla were enticed to bring him to Andalucia. But his two-year deal was terminated by the end of 2022 after just 19 appearances and one goal for the club.

A move to Union Berlin in January fell through, but Isco wasn’t desperate enough to return Everton’s calls. Still just 30, we hope he finds a stage befitting of his abilities soon.

Gareth Bale

Scorer of Wales’ first and only World Cup goal since 1958, Bale spent the period between leaving Madrid and the tournament in Qatar honing his fitness in America with Los Angeles FC – where he scored a last-minute equaliser to help them win the MLS Cup.

Come the World Cup, in truth, the forward was largely unimpressive during defeats to Iran and England, retiring at half-time in the latter match.

He announced his retirement in January 2023 and, in keeping with his passion for golf, competed in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California last month.

READ: Anatomy of a goal: Gareth Bale and his ridiculous solo run v Barcelona

Victor Chust

Chust made just three appearances for Madrid, all in the 2020-21 season, before being loaned to Cadiz for the following season.

The defender impressed during his time in the coastal city, making 25 appearances as Cadiz…