MARCEL MBAMALU
Ordinarily, there ought to be no big deal about Real Madrid or a strong reason to single them out of the hundreds of football teams in Europe. But lately, their uneasy dance towards weak displays, and their constant shift away from their natural, coordinated, and relentless dominance have now more clearly shown why they have had four managers in five years.
Real Madrid remain within touching distance of the La Liga summit, yet nothing about their football suggests a team in command of its destiny. Their narrow 2–1 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, where Kylian Mbappé converted a dramatic late penalty after Rayo had fought back, summed up a recurring theme of this campaign: only late individual brilliance delivers results. Rayo have won only five in 21 games this season, including three wins in 11 away games.
Recent Woes
Madrid’s low performance against Rayo came on the heels of one of the season’s most damaging nights: a 4–2 defeat at the hands of Benfica in a Champions League final group stage game that knocked Madrid out of automatic last-16 qualification. Benfica scored late, including a stoppage-time goal from their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. Madrid twice surrendered momentum despite taking the lead.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIndividual brilliance from French star Mbappé and occasional wonders from Englishman Jude Bellingham have saved Madrid as against their usual controlled dominance or calculated ruthlessness.
A Season of Uneven Performances
Madrid have dropped surprising points at the hands of sides they would expect to beat comfortably. Rayo Vallecano held them to a draw earlier in the season, while other mid-table clubs such as Espanyol and Getafe have taken points or made things difficult, forcing Madrid into narrow wins rather than authoritative wins. Such fixtures have exposed Madrid’s inability to consistently break down compact defences or maintain intensity across 90 minutes.
In Europe, the warning signs have been even starker. Real Madrid lost 1–0 at Liverpool in November, a game in which defensive hesitancy and lack of control in midfield saw them limited to few clear chances. They have also been vulnerable in other key Champions League matches, including a narrow 4–3 win away at Olympiacos, a match in which they led but were repeatedly threatened until the final whistle. Such results typify a side that can score but often cannot shut games down without hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
For a club that once treated group stages as formalities, being dragged into qualification uncertainty that will only earn backdoor qualification instead of automatic progression, represents technical failure and psychological erosion.
Injuries, Imbalance, and Tactical Drift
Injuries have undeniably disrupted Madrid’s tempo. A surprising number of first-team players, including nearly the entire first-choice defence, have missed substantial time. Eder Militao is sidelined for months with a hamstring injury, while Dani Carvajal is out for the rest of the season after knee surgery, and others like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga have all missed matches due to muscular or quad injuries.
This injury crisis has forced constant reshuffles, blunting tactical cohesion and leaving Madrid vulnerable to quick transitions. This is a factor that has been exploited ruthlessly in European games against Liverpool and in the Benfica match.
Yet injuries alone cannot explain the tactical drift. Madrid’s shape often collapses under pressure, with fullbacks out of position, midfielders caught too high or too deep, and a persistent inability to apply collective pressure. These flaws have been most costly at the highest level, where elite opponents require discipline rather than dazzle.
Why Xabi Alonso Fell Short
Xabi Alonso’s tenure began with optimism inspired by early wins and a fresh style. However, that promise faded, worsened by inconsistency in results and performances. After a 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in January, pressure peaked, fast-tracking his departure from the Bernabéu.
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Under Alonso, Madrid’s results against direct rivals and in decisive matches were uneven at best. The narrow loss at Liverpool highlighted defensive issues, while defeat to mid-table Celta Vigo and the shaky performances against both Manchester City and Barcelona showed a side that couldn’t impose its style when required. Internal reports and fan analysis suggested tactical predictability, indicated in line-ups that refused to adapt and match plans that opponents increasingly learned to anticipate. Ultimately, club leadership felt that results and performances were not convincing enough for a side of Madrid’s tradition.
Arbeloa’s Trial by Fire
Álvaro Arbeloa inherits a squad bruised by injury, inconsistency and expectation. Since his appointment in January, Madrid have displayed flashes of resilience, for example, grinding out narrow wins in La Liga. Yet, in general, they remain reactive in approach to games. They struggle to dominate possession and force opposition errors, relying instead on late goals or individual efforts to secure wins.
Arbeloa’s strategy so far reads as pragmatic rather than visionary, i.e., steadying the ship, demanding tactical discipline, and pushing stars like Bellingham to manage energy more strategically rather than simply out-running defenders. While the transitional phase has yielded results sufficient for league continuity, Madrid’s overall play under Arbeloa still lacks the structural identity and psychological authority one expects from a title-challenging side.
Champions League: The Ultimate Measure
Ultimately, Real Madrid are judged by Europe. Their recent Champions League form, including losses to Liverpool and Benfica, and a slender win at Olympiacos where control slipped late, saw them fall into playoff rounds rather than automatic qualification, a rarity for a club with 14 European crowns. Madrid’s defensive lapses and lack of game management in those matches underline how far they have drifted from the clinical intensity the competition demands.
Indeed, Real Madrid remain mathematically alive in the title race, but survival should not be mistaken for strength. Injuries have exposed tactical fragility; managerial transitions have disrupted authority; and performances have lacked conviction.
For Arbeloa, the task is both to win and to restore structure, identity, and fear rather than drama. Until that happens, victories like the one against Rayo will feel less like progress and more like temporary reprieves for a giant still searching for itself.
