Real Madrid have been facing hostility from their own fans at the Santiago Bernabeu in recent times. A number of reasons could be attributed to this situation.
Los Blancos decided to part ways with Xabi Alonso after the Merengues lost to rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Supercopa de España final. Alvaro Arbeloa took over as the new manager but lost his first match in charge against Segunda Division outfit Albacete, which resulted in Real crashing out of the tournament.
As a result, the fans started showing their discontent with the board's decision-making and also with the lacklustre effort put in by the Real players on the field lately. This frustration spilled into the Bernabeu during a 2-0 La Liga win against Levante, which ended in a much-needed victory, but was met with boos and whistles.
Now, club legend Toni Kroos has delivered a clear message to fans and players alike. The German sniper spoke recently on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen (via Madrid Xtra) and stated:
“The boos? I was also knocked out of the Copa del Rey by a 3rd division team. We're far from everything being perfect now, but even that golden generation went through low points.”
Kroos further said:
“A player who hasn't been booed at the Bernabéu isn't a great player. After the 4-1 defeat vs Ajax, I also felt some boos directed at me.”
“If you’re already being booed before the match, it doesn’t make it any easier to achieve what the club and everyone want: to win and play well. It’s the current situation, which isn’t good, and the only way out is through results, attitude, and good play. We’ve all experienced it.”
Kroos makes clear his stance over Madrid fans boos
Thankfully, things have taken a turn for the better lately for Real after a tough period. They thrashed Monaco 6-1 recently to climb further up the Champions League table and are currently placed in third position.
Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, who were in the eye of the storm and subjected to boos by fans at the Bernabeu against Levante, were on the scoresheet along with Kylian Mbappe, Franco Mastantuono, and others.
This performance will certainly take some of the pressure off the players. And as Kroos has mentioned, Real will need to continue this form to win over their fans again.
Nevertheless, a lot of the season is still left, and Real have a good chance of winning multiple trophies despite setbacks in the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey.
In fact, Real are just one point behind Barcelona in LaLiga as of now. Additionally, Los Blancos are on course for automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16.
So, as much as the players need to give it their all, the fans will also have to show some patience and support the Real team during this period.