Grazie: 24 May 2025

Another Farewell Letter Daily Merengue by Juninho

A Series of Farewell Letters From Juninho.

別れの挨拶の練習をしているだけ

I’m just practicing how to say goodbye.

Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name!

Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho (the “The Greatest Mod”).

Letter V — Grazie

Dear MM

Or Actually Dear Carlo. This letter is difficult for me because I find myself mad. Yes — Carlo…I’m mad at you. I’m mad that for some reason seeing you go makes me a bit sad. I’m not sure why…this is all a bit unexpected for me right now. Maybe its the trophies? Maybe it’s just as you approach the end you often see the past with rose tinted glasses? Y’know? Nostalgia. The past often just feels like an illusion that you warp to fit whatever perspective you need at that moment. Past glories taste sweeter…and losses continue to scar. So I’m not sure why I feel like this and maybe it’s just that seeing you finally leave club football makes me feel old.

As a Real Madrid fan, you’ve brought me some of the most exciting moments of my football life. Yes, Real Madrid is filled with iconic moments and players but Carlo in many ways you granted me some of the most exhilarating moments. Laughably, maybe some of that is because your coaching style also gave me some of the least hope for our team lol. But Don Carlo (“Mister”), I will forever remember the ecstasy of La Decima and jumping for joy during the 93rd minute — blacking out from screaming to the point that I barely remember the players celebrating or even the ball going-in. I will always recall imo our most exciting CL run since I’ve watched this squad in 21/22. Peter Drury’s exclamation “They Pray For Miracles And Miracles Arrive — Real Madrid the Team of Dreams,” will forever ring in my head. The despondent sulking of Mbappe, Neymar, and Messi will forever be etched into my memory. A trivela, Rodrygo goal, Benzema header, and then Fede run + Vini’s CL final goal will be moments that I doubt will any Real Madrid team can ever recreate. And I know I’ve been rambling about your CL triumphs, but I’ll always remember 23/24 when you took a boy from Birmingham and turned him into a all-around monster. Jude Bellingham — the overrated English Player who was purchased instead of Josko Gvardiol (the CB we needed).

And regardless of triumphs, there was something about your calm demeanor which made this Real Madrid team — loveable. It was Vibes / Friends FC. It was a bunch of children with Grandpa Carlo + slightly more serious Davide. It was cigars with the Brazilians. Dancing with Camavinga. Forcing Arda to speak Spanish + sing. It was laughing at Kiyan for speaking English during a press conference. The infamous eyebrow. You encapsulated the joy of this world and reminded us that this game which we love and at times take far too seriously can be fun. There can be a sunny day among cloudy months.

Don Carlo — I’m laughing at all of this nostalgia because it makes me mad. Ironic right..? It makes me mad that I’ve advocated for you to leave for years. I feel like a hypocrite to be honest. As you know, I never wanted you to arrive from Everton and it wasn’t that I didn’t think you were an acclaimed manager. Trust, I would never call you a dinosaur. I just wanted someone new with new ideas. I wanted more modern tactics. I wanted a press. I saw this talented young team and thought that we needed someone a little different than you to usher them into this frightening new football world, where Real Madrid isn’t always the richest club with the best collection of talents. When purchases need to be savvy and simply fielding the most talented players isn’t enough to win.

I guess the perfect way to discuss my twisted emotions is that, some part of me wishes that this wasn’t the end. Some part of me wishes that you were willing to ruffle the feathers of some of the fan favorites like Rodrygo, Vini, Jude, and Mbappe to press or run more or make better passes. Some part of me wishes that you stopped Vini from taking penalties before the season began. Some part of me wishes that you tried Fortea or Aguado at RB. That you gave Endrick / Arda a few more minutes. That you gave Fede less. That you were willing to go to war with Flo for new signings but also really sit down and evaluate which academy players could be suitable. I’m mad that Asencio didn’t start over Alaba against Real Betis. I’m mad that at times we looked unprepared against top teams. I’m mad for a lot of the same reasons I wrote yesterday regarding Modric: the cycle didn’t have to end like this.

Idk — maybe Toni Kroos is really one of the only people in the world who has a crystal ball and knows when eras end. Idk — maybe I’m really just mad at myself because I’m worried that I’ll make the same mistake as you. Carlo you and I (and I guess you + me + MM) only have another 24hrs together and it’s sad. It’s sad. It’s upsetting. It’s disappointing. It’s frustrating. It’s annoying. It’s a mosaic of emotions because it feels like we should have left on top. It feels like there’s so much more that we could have done. There is still so much to do. So many mistakes to rectify. So many paths towards redemption. So many apologies. So many words that were left unsaid. DTs which remain unwritten. Trophies not won. Trebles waiting for the history books. It feels like there should be no debate regarding our greatness. We should be Gods in name…and yet we find ourselves still as mortal men.

Cheers,

J

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“One last foray into the grey”