Real Madrid is experiencing a challenging start to the season, both in La Liga and the Champions League, sparking widespread concern in Spain. Several analysts have highlighted mistakes made by the club’s board, Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti, and particularly the fitness coach.
According to critics, Florentino Pérez and his team failed to act decisively in the transfer market following the acquisitions of Kylian Mbappé and Endrick. They argue that, knowing the season would be long, the club neglected to fill gaps left by departing players, such as Toni Kroos in midfield (retired) and Nacho in defence. Observers have criticised Carlo Ancelotti’s squad management, accusing him of not giving enough playing time to impactful bench players like Arda Güler, Endrick, and Brahim Díaz. For fitness coach Antonio Pintus, the rising frequency of injuries and relapses among key players is raising serious concerns.
Carlo Ancelotti struggling to cope
The Madrid club currently sits second in La Liga, trailing leaders FC Barcelona by six points, following a 4-0 home loss to their Catalan rivals. In the Champions League, they are 18th after four matches, a disappointing performance for a club of their stature. As defending champions in both competitions, Real Madrid is already falling behind its competitors.
Adding to their woes is the long list of injured players. Across all positions, crucial members of the squad have been sidelined. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has just returned from a muscle injury but remains doubtful for Sunday’s match on 24 November against Leganés.
Solutions needed in the winter wndow
In defence, Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão are ruled out for the rest of the season, while David Alaba has been unavailable for over a year, with his return expected in 2025. Lucas Vázquez suffered an injury on 9 November against Osasuna. In midfield, Aurélien Tchouaméni is out for a month, and in attack, Rodrygo will miss at least four weeks of action. This significant number of absentees is jeopardising Carlo Ancelotti’s ability to field a competitive starting XI, forcing him to improvise with limited options.
However, this situation cannot persist for a club with ambitions to compete at the highest level in every competition it enters. Backed into a corner, Florentino Pérez and his team must act decisively during the winter transfer window to strengthen the squad and give Ancelotti a better chance of success in the second half of the season.
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