This is major news revealed by the Madrid press. Following the defeat at Real Betis, Carlo Ancelotti and his staff have finally identified the main issue affecting Real Madrid this season.
This season has been vastly different from previous ones for Real Madrid. In charge of the team since 2021, Carlo Ancelotti is currently experiencing his worst La Liga campaign. In fact, since his return as manager, the team has never dropped as many points in La Liga after 26 matchdays (currently 54 points). While the Champions League continues to produce magical moments, the league title is slipping away. Last Saturday, a bitter defeat at Real Betis further exposed the struggles of the Madrid squad. While the entire team has shown inconsistency at times, Lucas Vázquez has been singled out in particular.
Seven defeats in eight matches with Vázquez
Following the 2-1 loss on Saturday night in La Liga’s 26th round, the Madrid press once again analysed Real Madrid’s problems. As previously mentioned, defence remains the team’s biggest weakness. Since Dani Carvajal’s injury, the Merengues’ defensive situation has worsened with Lucas Vázquez playing as a right-back. Not a natural defender, the 33-year-old Spaniard, originally a winger who has been adapted to a defensive role for years, has struggled against strong opponents.
Not only has he lost the explosiveness of a 20-year-old, but Vázquez also no longer seems mentally sharp in defence. In several matches this season, particularly against FC Barcelona (twice), he left his teammates exposed by either being out of position or failing to make the right defensive play. The stats back this up—seven of Real Madrid’s recent defeats have come with the Spanish international on the pitch.
Beyond Carlo Ancelotti’s controversial selection decisions—choosing to overlook Raúl Asensio, currently the only truly reliable defender, in favour of other combinations such as the Alaba-Rüdiger partnership against Betis, which failed miserably—Lucas Vázquez remains a major concern. On social media, observers and some pro-Madrid journalists have openly highlighted the issue.
Carlo Ancelotti aware of the problem
According to Relevo, the Madrid manager and his staff are fully aware of the issue. For weeks, Ancelotti has recognised that opponents frequently exploit the right flank. The 65-year-old coach has reportedly concluded that every opponent actively targets this defensive weakness. This was confirmed against Manchester City in the knockout stages, where, in Vázquez’s absence due to injury, Federico Valverde’s strong performance on the right side helped secure a solid defensive display.
Now that the problem is evident to all, the logical solution is to sideline Lucas Vázquez in crucial matches. However, given that Carlo Ancelotti is a coach who rarely abandons his players, the 33-year-old captain is likely to keep playing, especially in league matches. To support him defensively, the coaching staff relies on midfielders dropping back when needed. On Saturday against Betis, Luka Modrić sacrificed his attacking duties to help cover the right flank. In any case, fans eagerly await the end of the season and the return of Dani Carvajal…
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