Real Madrid’s elimination by Arsenal exposed the problems that the team had been dragging along throughout the season but which, thanks to the individual talents of the team, they had been overcoming, albeit with difficulty. However, when faced with a good, strong, and well-organized team, one of the team’s major shortcomings became apparent: the lack of collective play, both in defense and in attack.
Real Madrid, a team problem
Whichever way you look at it, Real Madrid’s play seems non-existent. In the defeat against Arsenal, this was obviously more evident than ever. In attack, they were unable to string together any moves in three-quarters of the field, which made it impossible to reach the opposition’s goal.
The Whites’ first shot on goal did not come until the 53rd minute of the game. It was all long balls, looking for the direct pass, or trying to take advantage of second plays. In the opening minutes, with the initial momentum, they were able to create danger (without any shots on goal). But after ten minutes of play, Arsenal began to look very comfortable.
This style of play from Real Madrid is very frustrating for the men up front, who saw every run they made come to nothing. And that’s where the problems with pressure and frustration among the forwards began when it came to fighting for the ball. It’s not the same to start pressing in the opponent’s half with the goalkeeper’s kick as it is to do so after losing a long ball, after a run and with no time to catch your breath. As a result, the first line of defense, which starts with the forwards, is non-existent.
The second aspect of the lack of intensity comes from the way Real Madrid presses. At no point does the team move as a unit; everyone fights their own battle, teammates don’t support each other, and their efforts are in vain. Real Madrid put their heart into it for the first 20 minutes, but there was no football, and that translates into fatigue that the players feel after just a few minutes of play.
Lack of attitude from the players
This is perhaps the most important aspect when it comes to pressing. Commitment to defensive duties is one of the basic pillars that a football team aspiring to win the Champions League must have. The men up front, Vinicius and Mbappé, in particular, hardly ever collaborate in defensive tasks. The image of Vinicius losing the ball on the wing and walking back to his defensive position is now a familiar sight on the pitch. Mbappé, who is also not very keen on working hard, is unwilling and barely makes any attempt to help. In the end, Real Madrid ends up defending with eight players. Bellingham and Valverde give their all, ending up exhausted, and Rodrygo, who helps out a lot more on his wing, runs out of steam in the attacking areas.
Real Madrid does not play as a team, they fight their own battles, without criteria or clarity, and without results. This causes mental and physical fatigue in the players who, when they find themselves outplayed, are unable to overcome adversity. This is what we have seen this season in all the matches against big teams, and it was evident, more than ever, against Arsenal. In the first leg, the English side were flying, and in the second leg, as the minutes passed, they were flying again.
Arteta’s teamwork should serve as an example to Ancelotti’s men. Pressing as a unit, helping their teammates, getting involved in attack, stringing together moves and passes to break lines. Meanwhile, the Whites were chasing shadows.
Finally, we must not forget the constant injury problems Real Madrid has had throughout the season and the lack of replacements from the board. But that should not be an excuse. However, it is true that Ancelotti has been complaining all year that more commitment and intensity are needed, and he has been asking Florentino Pérez for reinforcements all year. You can blame the Real Madrid coach for many things, but he saw the problem from the beginning and no one listened to him.
Now, his future is up in the air. Perhaps his message is no longer getting through to the players, or perhaps the players have become complacent, knowing that whatever they did, they were going to play. But it’s not fair now to blame the only person who saw the problem from the beginning and got a no for an answer to what he asked for. There are more people who are responsible for what has happened this season.