Urgent revolution at Real Madrid: Sign an elite coach and world class players LaLiga Santander The opinion of Emilio Contreras

The Santiago Bernabeu is empty, Real Madrid are disappointing more than ever, the squad has no stars willing to step up, the play is boring, and the optimism is dying; despite three consecutive Champions League trophies, Los Blancos need a revolution.

First of all, an elite head coach with a clear vision is required. The void in the post-Zidane and post-Cristiano era is evident. The policy of signing young players is no good, either. It is time for Madrid to put the club in the hands of a top coach with a project; and it is clear that Santiago Solari is not the man to do this.

Mauricio Pochettino, Massimiliano Allegri and Jurgen Klopp are three names that come to mind. Madrid needs a prestigious coach; one with personality, with voice, with command. It needs to be someone who can build a new team to make the players, and the fans, dream again.

The squad, at present, looks exhausted. Madrid needs to go into the market, most likely in the summer, and sign elite players. Gareth Bale is not the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo; Marcelo is a shadow of what he once was; Marco Asensio has not improved; and the trio of Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema are all over 30.

Some of the back-up players have impressed when they have had playing time, such as Marcos Llorente and Sergio Reguilon, while Isco - one of Madrid's best players in their recent Champions League successes - is currently under suspicion. Overall, the level of the squad is worse than last year.

'Sign stars and not promises' - this needs to be the message to Florentino Perez. Plenty of young players have been bought in recent years as Los Blancos have looked to be smarter than other sides in the market, paying 40 million euros on an 18-year-old rather than 120 million on a 22-year-old, but elite players in their prime are required for Madrid to return to the top. Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz may all be fantastic in a few years, but Madrid need players for now.

A revolution is needed, sooner rather than later.