We thought the worst was behind us, well and truly forgotten. This week, Real Madrid won, albeit with some difficulty, against Olympiacos (3-4) in the Champions League. And afterwards, the Spanish press was reporting a reconciliation between Xabi Alonso and some of his key players, after a previously strained relationship. This match against Girona , currently in the relegation zone, was therefore the perfect opportunity to kick-start a positive momentum after a few weeks of doubt. But Los Blancos came up short in Catalonia (1-1) , only managing a point thanks to a penalty from Mbappé (67th minute).
A very poor result that allows FC Barcelona to take the lead in La Liga , after the Blaugrana had been adrift following El Clásico. Even worse, Villarreal is only one point behind and Atlético Madrid just two points adrift. Overall, Real Madrid has won only one of its last five matches and has drawn its last three in La Liga, without facing any particularly difficult opponents on paper (Rayo Vallecano, Elche, Girona).
A Real Madrid without a game plan
We saw a Real Madrid side that seemed to lack ideas, unsure of what to do with the ball. Only Vinicius Jr. was capable of making any individual impact, but Girona, despite having the worst defense in the Spanish league, didn't have much trouble defending their goal. The result: a lot of risky crosses that failed to find a teammate in the empty box, and numerous desperate long-range efforts. Whenever an opponent manages to close down space, this Real Madrid side looks lost and struggling.
And defensively, despite another good performance from Éder Militão at the back, who was partnered with the returning Antonio Rüdiger, they were still shaky against the opposition's quick counter-attacks. Speaking to Movistar cameras after the match, Xabi Alonso didn't want to criticize his players. "We managed to come back. The team wanted to come back from 1-0 down. We had three or four chances to score a second goal and win. [...] I have no complaints about the players; there was a reaction. We need to continue to be united, to be self-critical, and to have the desire to win away from home. This Wednesday, we'll have the opportunity to do that in Bilbao ," said the Basque coach. He knows that in the event of a poor result, his fate could be sealed...
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