How Real Madrid nearly swept every trophy in the 2012–13 season
In short: It was a campaign defined by narrow margins and intense rivalry. Despite signing Luka Modrić for roughly £33 million and defeating Barcelona three times, Real Madrid finished the season with just a single trophy, narrowly missing a historic quadruple.
The 2012–13 season was a period of intense competition for Real Madrid, marking their 109th season and their 82nd straight year in La Liga. The campaign began with success, as they secured the Supercopa de España by overcoming Barcelona on the away goals rule. However, the season would ultimately be characterized by the frustration of coming close to multiple titles without securing them. This era represented the club's 109th year of existence. They maintained an unbroken presence in the top flight for 82 seasons.
In La Liga, Real Madrid finished as runners-up to Barcelona, totaling 85 points. Their pursuit of continental glory also fell short in the UEFA Champions League, where they reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive year before being eliminated by Borussia Dortmund with a 3–4 aggregate score. This marked a recurring pattern of reaching the final stages of Europe's premier competition but failing to cross the finish line.
The Copa del Rey provided perhaps the most dramatic moments of the season. After a dominant 3–1 victory against Barcelona at Camp Nou in the semi-finals, Real Madrid reached the final only to suffer a heartbreaking 1–2 defeat to Atlético Madrid after extra time. This single trophy meant the club finished the season with only one win out of four major competitions. Following the season's end, President Florentino Pérez announced that manager José Mourinho would depart by mutual agreement. The team faced their rivals from Catalonia six times during this period. They managed three victories, two draws, and one defeat against them.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2012–13 Real Madrid CF season
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