Real Madrid will fail if it does not reform

Real Madrid are at a crossroads.

Real Madrid will face a complete overhaul after a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals early on April 17, leading to a 1-5 aggregate defeat. The defeat exposed problems in the playing style, putting coach Carlo Ancelotti and the current Real Madrid squad under great pressure.

End point

Ahead of the second leg of their quarter-final against Arsenal at the Bernabeu, the word “remontada” – Spanish for comeback – was on Real Madrid fans’ minds. Great comebacks have been their trademark in the past, but the current squad has failed to replicate them.

After a 3-0 first-leg defeat at the Emirates, Real Madrid only had a brief moment of hope when Vinicius Jr equalised just after Bukayo Saka's opener in the second half. Gabriel Martinelli sealed a 2-1 win for Arsenal in stoppage time.

The defeat marks the third time in 12 seasons that Real Madrid have failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals. Ancelotti, who has been in charge of the club since 2021 and has won three Champions League titles with Real, admits the club has problems.

“We have a bright side and a dark side. We have used the bright side to win titles, to win games. Even though we are out of the Champions League, we still have other competitions to focus on,” said the Italian coach.

However, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague believes Real Madrid are at a crossroads. “The defeat to Arsenal does not mean that the team needs to change, it only confirms the need for it. The message to Ancelotti is clear: it is time for him to leave,” Balague said.

Real Madrid's 2024/25 season started with great expectations when they signed Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer. Many thought that Real's star-studded squad, now with Mbappe, would be hard to stop. However, with the Champions League crown lost and Barcelona trailing by four points in La Liga, Real's season is likely to be viewed as a failure.

Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson told Radio 5 Live : “The current Real Madrid squad is not meeting the expectations of the fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make big changes in the near future.”

Ancelotti's contract with Real Madrid runs until 2026, but the "Los Blancos" leadership is starting to doubt the 65-year-old coach's ability. In the trend of rejuvenating the coaching staff of top football, Ancelotti is no longer as attractive to Real as Xabi Alonso.

Poor quality squad

Although Arsenal are very strong, the 1-5 defeat after two matches is still a shame for Real Madrid, a team that has had ambitions of winning the treble since the beginning of the year. However, in reality, Real Madrid's squad is seriously unbalanced. They have a dream forward line, but in midfield and defense, "Los Blancos" have too many average players.

Ancelotti's coaching style, which relies on maintaining dressing room harmony and tactical flexibility, has shown its limits this season. Real Madrid have run fewer games than their opponents in important matches. Young talents such as Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz and Endrick have been used sparingly.

Real need a lot of reform.

The current core of players is physically and mentally exhausted. Real Madrid will surely start planning for a rebuild for the 2025/26 season. Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to join the team in the summer when his contract with Liverpool expires. However, adding a right-back is not enough.

Several key Real players could leave to make way for a new wind. Luka Modric, 39, is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and may not be renewed. While still an icon, Modric is no longer physically capable of controlling the tempo of a game as he once was.

Lucas Vázquez is also out of contract this June, and Real need to look for younger faces. David Alaba is another disappointment. The Austrian defender has been in serious decline since a serious injury. If they receive a good enough offer, Real are willing to let the centre-back go.

Even Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo could be on Real's list of players to be sold. "Los Blancos" have too many wingers, while the playing styles of Vinicius, Rodrygo and Mbappe are similar.

The addition of Mbappe last summer has put Vinicius, Rodrygo and Bellingham in a difficult position as their performance has dropped and they have shown signs of stepping on each other's toes. In addition, Real also need to buy a new midfielder and a new central defender.

Since Toni Kroos retired, Real Madrid have been complacent in not adding new personnel to the midfield. And they have paid the price. Real Madrid cannot delay the reform. With 11 losses in all competitions this season, the team shows clear signs of decline.

Exhaustion of the pillars, unclear tactics and unreasonable use of personnel put Real in a dangerous situation. If they do not act decisively in the summer transfer window of 2025, the Spanish royal team risks continuing to fall behind ambitious opponents such as Barcelona or Premier League clubs.

The question is not whether Real Madrid will reform, but how quickly and thoroughly they will do so.

Every angle of Saka's goal against Real In the early morning of April 17, Arsenal defeated Real 2-1 in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at Bernabeu, including a beautiful goal by Saka.

Source: https://znews.vn/real-madrid-khong-cai-to-la-lun-bai-post1546583.html