Real Madrid: It’s time to let Los Blancos suffer in 2021

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane likes to quip that the team “suffered” after a difficult match, whether they dropped points or eventually gutted out a result. Although the phrase drew eye rolls from Madridistas, the suffering the squad went through at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season eventually hardened them into La Liga champions. But this season, the term “suffering” needs to take on a different connotation.

Los Blancos are now in the midst of a second slump. Their first slump occurred in October and November, during which the club lost matches to Cadiz, Deportivo Alaves, and Shakhtar Donetsk twice. Real’s struggles occurred during a period in which Zidane rotated frequently, doing his best to give players opportunities. Striker Luka Jovic, for example, started in the first loss to Shakhtar, while Mariano Diaz started against Alaves due to injuries.

These struggles nearly forced Real Madrid out of the Champions League before the knockout stages began, but the team’s reliable “old guard” of players led them to victory against Borussia Monchengladbach in a do-or-die situation. This old guard continued to start, leading Real to a winning streak.

But now, the streak is a thing of the past. Los Blancos drew 0-0 with Osasuna and are coming off back-to-back cup elimination losses against Athletic Club and Alcoyano. The loss to the latter side – a third-division club – is the most recent addition to the list of Real’s embarrassing Copa exits.

Real Madrid fans must allow the young players to struggle

Real Madrid are in financial trouble due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so upgrades may be difficult to come by this summer. Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard will be loaned out to Arsenal after playing just five minutes since the start of December. Luka Jovic has already been loaned out to Eintracht Frankfurt. And Real will head into Matchday 20 with Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo Goes, and Fede Valverde all out.

It has been a grueling season for Los Merengues, and the fanbase needs to start realizing that they must give Zinedine Zidane and the players some grace. This squad, especially in a season impacted by COVID-19 and an even more trying schedule, is not quite ready to succeed at the level most Real Madrid fans want from a side bearing the Royal White name. And it is time for Madridistas to be realistic about this, even if they do have the high-end talent to be competitive.

We have seen Real defeat the likes of Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Inter Milan (twice), and Barcelona in the 2020-2021 season. But, as noted, they have lost to much lesser sides. This variance in performance speaks to Real’s issues, particularly the attacking issues that lead to losses to smaller clubs who employ strict low-blocks.

It is time for Madridistas to allow Zidane the security to rotate and lose some games without it feeling like the sky is falling. It is time for Madridistas to give Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao, Alvaro Odriozola, Andriy Lunin, and the other young players who have not been loaned out already the grace to struggle. Perhaps Zidane does not hate Jovic or Odegaard, but maybe it is that he fears for his job and for the confidence of these young players if the results do not come during their starts.

Let the young players suffer. Let the club suffer through a difficult season, so that the youth will be molded. The process of making diamonds is not pretty. It is not easy. But it must be done. The longer we delay what is necessary, especially when Real’s financial situation could make it impossible for them to invest in the big names, the more challenging it will become for Los Blancos to reach their levels from just a few years ago. It is only through a little suffering that a developing team can fulfill its fullest potential.