The situation at Real Madrid may not be as idyllic as it appears. While the Spanish club has been graced with tremendous success, scooping their 15th European Cup in June and maintaining an undefeated run in La Liga that comes within one game of Messi’s record in 2018, their path to glory seems complex. After a highly anticipated acquisition of Kylian Mbappé, their refreshed squad has brought forth a stark challenge for their coach, Carlo Ancelotti, who is grappling with acclimating his new assets.
Real Madrid’s trophy-laden former stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Karim Benzema, who were pivotal in achieving three back-to-back Champions League trophies from 2016 to 2018, have carved space for new faces with enormous price tags. Presently, the team peaks as the most expensive globally, with an array of talents such as Mbappé, Vinícius Junior, and Jude Bellingham at the forefront, and game-changers like Brahim Díaz, Arda Güler, and Endrick warming the bench.
The arrival of Mbappé was greeted with excitement, with thousands of fans lining under the Madrid sun to catch glimpse of the new superstar at the air-conditioned Santiago Bernabéu. The inclusion of potent left-siders such as Mbappé and Vinícius, and the shifting of Rodrygo de Goes to the right side, has caused strain in the team structure. Rodrygo expressed discontent, suggesting he feels underappreciated and eager to integrate into the buzzworthy BMV — Bellingham, Mbappé, Vinícius — as noted in the press and on social media. Ancelotti is left with the task of assembling this puzzle, facing a true conundrum of abundance.
Rodrygo is not the sole superstar in the locker room. The forthcoming Monday, unless unexpected circumstances arise, will see Vinícius recognised with the prestigious Ballon d’Or award. This signals an end to the 15-year epoch that was marked by the supremacy of Messi and Ronaldo. However, carrying that level of title also brings its pressures. Vinícius, who turned 24 in July, is known for his edgy personality. The young man boasts a private crew of 12, complete with a personal chef, driver, manager and two further assistants for his manager, responsible for ensuring he is made comfortable whenever he steps into a room.
In the previous month, Vinícius expressed his anguish on social media, vocalising his feeling that he is slowly losing the backing he once had within the club. He expressed feeling “increasingly lonely” (despite his large crew). He went on to hint at having only one remaining ally at Real Madrid, without mentioning them. It was, however, widely accepted that he was speaking of Ancelotti. The arrival of Mbappé to Madrid has led to his spotlight being shared. Johan Cruyff, famed for his revolutionary ideas about football and being a repeated Ballon d’Or winner himself, held the belief that two captains cannot coexist on one ship.
Mbappé, 25 years old, has his share of challenges as well. His performance warmed up slowly—he only managed to score a goal in his fourth La Liga match; out of the six goals he scored in nine league matches, three were penalties. Away from the field, last week a bombshell dropped when Aftonbladet, a Swedish tabloid, revealed he was being investigated for a rape accusation involving a woman at a Stockholm hotel. Details of the investigation were broadcast by several other media, including SVT, the Swedish public broadcaster. According to documents cited by SVT, Mbappé is “reasonably suspected” of rape, which is the lower level of suspicion under Swedish law.
In a swift response to the sensationalised article, recently published by the Aftonbladet, Mbappé took to X (previously known as Twitter) to refute the implications of the report which never cited him directly. He uploaded a posting in his native language, French, discrediting the allegations as “FAKE NEWS!”, a convenient hoax crafted just before his hearing. He alluded that the sexual assault accusations levelled against him were merely a smokescreen, deliberately unleashed on the eve of his €55 million court case with Paris Saint-Germain over an unsettled salary. PSG took umbrage at the implied accusation. In a later interview, Ancelotti discussed Mbappé’s situation, making it clear that he didn’t agree the player was troubled by these events.
Ancelotti, however, is battling his own crises – Real Madrid’s irregular performance. Despite being undefeated in the league, Real Madrid has suffered a disappointing early run, having secured only three draws and fairing poorly against Lille with a humiliating 1-0 loss in the Champions League. In the following week, amidst another lackadaisical display that saw them lagging 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund at half-time, the home supporters displayed their disappointment openly. The team managed to turn the tide and clinch a 5-2 victory, another one of the Bernabéu’s typical European headlines.
The prior season, Real Madrid had a rather relaxed journey. The departure of Benzema in the summer of 2023 for the lucrative opportunities in Saudi Arabia saw the team retire its number 9 shirt for the season. Their decline was further exacerbated by the significant loss of Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Eder Militao due to major knee ligament injuries at the start of the season. Thus, no one anticipated the team’s triumph at Wembley. The current season, however, is a different story – with towering expectations. Failure is not entertainment in their vocabulary.
Despite their victories, the squad displays a noticeable lack of energy. Their successes stem from sheer power and instances of individual excellence, rather than cohesive team play. Bellingham, who previously shone as a goal scorer, has been relegated to the midfield to make way for Mbappé and has since been underperforming. The young player netted 10 goals during the same period last season, but his current season record is barren.
The city of Madrid is grappling with the retirement of Toni Kroos, which leaves Real Madrid without their pivotal player. Five different athletes have been tried in his position under Ancelotti, but the most effectual has proven to be Luka Modrić. Last year, Modrić functioned as the 12th player and recently surpassed Ferenc Puskás to become the oldest player in Real Madrid’s history, breaking a record dating back to 1966. Despite his achievements, the 39-year-old cannot provide a lasting solution.
Ancelotti’s incessant changes are putting the club president Florentino Pérez’s patience to the test, and moreover, last weekend’s game against Celta Vigo saw the team resorting to a five-player defence, a clear sign of instability. They’ve been losing many goals due to their offensive-minded roster. That said, Ancelotti discarded the defensive experiment mid-game. The team narrowly avoided a loss to Celta Vigo securing a 2-1 victory; unsurprisingly, Real Madrid’s star performer this season has been Courtois.
The squad suffered another blow when they lost Dani Carvajal, a cornerstone of their team, to a knee ligament injury against Villarreal. As a senior member aged 32, it is unlikely he will return to the starting lineup.
This Saturday, Real Madrid will face their toughest challenge of the season against a revitalised Barça. Guided by coach Hansi Flick’s belief in youth, relentless pressing, and vertical play style, Barça leads La Liga by a mere three points. A loss for Madrid would create a critical six-point gap in the championship race. Such a defeat could reignite the turbulent period experienced two decades ago during the ‘galáctico’ era of David Beckham, marked by imbalanced team selection and unchecked egos – a pitfall the club must take caution to avoid.