Real Madrid suffered yet another loss (1-2) against Arsenal in the second leg of the quarter-finals. They conceded two goals and were dominated by the Gunners at the Santiago Bernabeu. What stings even more is the fact that Real Madrid failed to create any major attacking chances, with their only goal coming from a defensive lapse by Arsenal.
Los Blancos fans are devastated, and some are even calling for the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti. There’s no doubt that the players should have performed better and the manager could have done things differently. But is that all that went wrong? We don’t think so.
The Real Madrid board should be held just as responsible for this disastrous season as the players or the coach. Here's why.
Real Madrid board should be embarrassed at the decisions they made this season.
Everyone knows Real Madrid have been unlucky when it comes to injuries to key players in recent seasons. So, reinforcements were clearly needed, especially in defense. However, the board seemed focused on just one player, Kylian Mbappe. They brought him in to strengthen the team, but somehow, the team looks worse than before. The Frenchman was the only major signing of the 2024 transfer window.
This led to a crisis in defensive depth. David Alaba had already been sidelined since December 2023. To make matters worse, Eder Militao picked up an ACL injury for the second consecutive year. That left Antonio Rudiger as the only experienced natural centre-back available to the team.
The full-back positions also lacked proper backup. With Dani Carvajal injured at the start of the season and Ferland Mendy struggling to contribute offensively, the defense became unstable and stagnant. Despite numerous rumours linking Real Madrid with several full-backs, none of the transfers materialised, thanks to the board’s inaction.
Another major mistake was the board’s failure to bring in a replacement for Toni Kroos. So all of a sudden, the team lacked a player who could control the tempo of the game. While it's true that there may never be another Toni Kroos, there are certainly players who can help control a game. Madrid had the budget to sign such a player, but the board seemingly thought it would be a good idea to wait until someone became available for free.
Overall, Real Madrid’s transfer policy has clearly been a huge letdown this season. Their recent strategy of waiting for players to become free agents may work occasionally, but it’s not a sustainable long-term approach.
Although Real Madrid can still win La Liga and the Copa del Rey, given their current form, it seems highly unlikely they’ll salvage anything from this season. The board must address the issues and start planning ahead for next season.
Things need to change drastically. This is not the Real Madrid we know. The Real Madrid we know is all about blazing counter-attacks, impossible remontadas, and goals so good they leave opponents scratching their heads. Let’s hope that next season, we witness that Real Madrid team once again.