Coming into the 2024-25 season, all soccer fans seemed to agree on one thing: Real Madrid’s squad is scary. Madridistas were enthusiastic, while other fans feared facing them.
Los Blancos just came off an impressive campaign: They won the Champions League, the 36th La Liga title and the 13th Spanish Super Cup. They had two of the most in-form players at the moment, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. At first, they lost important entities like Toni Kroos to retirement and Nacho Fernández to the Saudi Pro League.
Then, things got exponentially better during the summer transfer window. After what seemed to be a year’s worth of efforts, Real Madrid announced in June Kylian Mbappé would be joining the team.
While all of this was taking place, Madrid’s biggest rival, Barcelona, seemed to be on the opposite side of the spectrum.
The Azulgranas had come through some difficult years. Lionel Messi’s exit, alongside serious financial troubles, left them with no structure within their squad or a north star.
Finding the right coach was crucial for Barcelona to make this transitional period less traumatic. It started with a mediocre Ronald Koeman, and fans felt some relief when the legendary Xavi stepped up for the occasion.
Xavi abruptly became the manager in 2021 but was fired at the end of last season for poor performance. Even though he won them a couple of titles, including La Liga, it wasn’t enough.
Hansi Flick stepped into Camp Nou this summer, and the team’s outlook seemed to change. Now, Barcelona only displayed good football but also achieved good results. The team only lost two official games so far.
Expectations are not always reality, though. Barcelona stunned the world by dominating in the Champions League and La Liga. In the first Clasico of the year, Flick analytically outclassed Real Madrid Manager Carlo Ancelotti and defeated Madrid in its own home, 4-0.
Even with mediocre performances, Real Madrid have not fallen too far behind in its domestic competitions — the team is only six points behind the top spot with one game in hand.
What is truly concerning is Madrid’s performance in the Champions League. The European kings, the title defenders, left much to be desired.
As of now, Real Madrid is 18th in the Champions League table, which means they would have to enter the knockout phase playoffs unseeded. In their last European appearance, Los Blancos lost 3-1 to Milan.
Ancelotti was the first to point out the team’s shortcomings after the defeat.
“We need to be more compact, more organized,” the Italian coach said to Telecom Asia Sport. “We’ve conceded a lot of goals. The team is not well-organized on the pitch, and we need to work on this.”
The lack of balance or attitude that has brought the storm upon the Bernabéu can be tied to the transition within the squad this season. Vinicius Jr. served as the leader and head of the team last season. There was a hierarchy to be respected — not only in terms of talent but also seniority. Players like Kroos and Luka Modrić were considered pillars of the team.
Mbappé’s addition to the squad would disrupt the status quo in a tactical sense — Madrid’s three offensive players’ natural position is left wing, so there’s obviously a clash there — and in terms of ego dynamics.
Star-studded Madrid decides who the actual face of the team is: Vinicius Jr., Bellingham or Mbappé?
That misunderstanding of who should take over is present not only on the field but also in the narratives being created.
The team hasn’t found its footing. However, as soon as they get their roles in order and clearly communicate them to the public, there is a greater possibility the results will also change.
