Things Are Taking a Turn for the Worse!

This week, Real Madrid faced Olympiakos in the Champions League, securing a 4-3 victory, but not without challenges. Meanwhile, Spanish media reported a potential reconciliation between Xabi Alonso and some of his key players after a period of tension. The match against Girona, currently struggling in the standings, was seen as a chance to gain momentum after a series of disappointing results. However, the Merengues managed only a 1-1 draw in Catalonia, with Mbappé scoring a penalty in the 67th minute.

This disappointing outcome allowed FC Barcelona to take the lead in La Liga, especially after they had struggled following El Clasico. Even worse for Real Madrid, Villarreal is just one point behind, and Atlético is only two points away. In fact, Real has won only one of their last five matches and has drawn three in La Liga against relatively weaker teams like Rayo Vallecano, Elche, and Girona.

A Struggling Real Madrid

The Real Madrid team seemed to lack creativity and struggled with ball possession. Other than Vinicius Jr, who attempted to create chances alone, Girona, despite having the weakest defense in the league, did not find it difficult to hold off Madrid’s attacks. As a result, most attempts were either desperate long shots or inaccurate crosses into an empty box. When opponents tighten their defense, Madrid appears lost and overwhelmed.

Defensively, despite Eder Militão’s solid performance alongside the returning Antonio Rüdiger, the team remains shaky during quick transitions from rivals. After the match, Xabi Alonso refrained from criticizing his players. “We managed to equalize. The team showed a desire to come back from 1-0. We had three or four opportunities to score the second and win. […] I have no complaints about the players; there was a reaction. We need to remain united and be self-critical while having the desire to win away games. This Wednesday, we have the chance to do that in Bilbao,” the Basque coach stated. He recognizes that a poor result could seal his fate.