The most successful team in European soccer, Real Madrid, is going through a challenging phase. Despite having arguably the best squad in the world, Los Blancos are nowhere close to being one of the most dominant teams in Europe.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on October 26. The Blaugrana thoroughly outplayed the hosts, never allowing them to get a foothold. Most players as well as the manager took responsibility after the defeat, vouching to bounce back.
In their first game since the El Clasico drubbing, Real Madrid hosted AC Milan in Gameweek 4 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. Much to the dismay of the Santiago Bernabeu faithful, the Whites did not look any better than they did against Barca, slumping to a 3-1 defeat. Had Milan been a tad more clinical, the Rossonerri could have walked away with a much more emphatic victory. The victory has left the 15-time European champions in 17th place in the rankings, with nine more games still to come in Gameweek 4.
Real Madrid does not tolerate mediocrity for long, so it will not be long before heads start to roll. In the list below, we will look at five things that Ancelotti must do to prevent a mass overall.
#5 Make the Team Hungry for Wins Again
Real Madrid’s entire philosophy revolves around winning. Over the years, Los Blancos have had many different coaches, championing vastly different styles. The only common denominator has been their insatiable desire to win major trophies.
That desire to conquer is shockingly missing this season. The Merengues are not putting enough effort to dominate. They are overly reliant on individual brilliance, which rarely pays off against high-quality opponents. Carlo Ancelotti must remind them to play as a collective, teaching his team that comeback wins are few and far between.
A world-class team should not have to rely on so many comeback victories to keep themselves alive. They must find a way to dominate, making victory a certainty.
#4 Fix the Aurelien Tchouameni Problem
Since Toni Kroos’ departure, Real Madrid has looked out of sorts in the middle of the park, especially while defending. Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde have been decent, but Aurelien Tchouameni has been dropping the ball more often than not. He has been caught out of position quite a few times, failed to shield the defense more often than not, and had a hard time dictating the tempo. Most disappointingly, he has looked far too static, making it easier for the opposition to bypass him.
Carlo Ancelotti cannot even attempt to replace Kroos. However, he can find a way to do better with what he already has. The Italian coach must either ignite something inside Tchouameni or find an alternative, and he has to do so as soon as possible.
#3 Sign a Right-Back
One of the leaders of the team, Dani Carvajal suffered a brutal ACL injury in the 2-0 win over Villarreal at the start of October. The Spaniard underwent surgery in the following days and is currently on the road to recovery. However, the road is long and perilous, and there is a good chance that he will not return to action before the end of 2025.
With Carvajal gone, Real Madrid only has one right-back, Lucas Vazquez. The Spaniard can make the difference on his day, but since he is not a natural right-back, he is often exposed against high-quality opponents. To fight on all fronts, Real Madrid must turn to the market and find a competent right-back, and they must do it in January itself.
#2 Give More Minutes to Arda Guler and Endrick
Real Madrid has two of the most sought-after youngsters in their ranks, attacking midfielder Arda Guler and center-forward Endrick. Initially, Carlo Ancelotti was giving the pair enough minutes, but that has changed over the last few matches.
Guler has played just 21 minutes in Real Madrid’s previous five La Liga matches. In the Champions League, meanwhile, he has played only a minute in the last two games. Endrick, on the other hand, has played 24 minutes in the last five La Liga matches and was on the bench in Madrid’s last two Champions League games. Neither Guler nor Endrick played a part in the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona.
Ancelotti has to find a way to give the pair more minutes. They are capable of coming up with the goods, especially when things are not going according to plan.
#1 Turn Kylian Mbappe into a No. 9
Kylian Mbappe joined the club amid much fanfare in July, hoping to add a new dimension to Real Madrid’s attack. So far, the Frenchman has not had the desired impact, courtesy of his inability to operate as a No. 9.
With Vinicius Jr. ruling the left-flank, Mbappe is not getting the opportunity to play in his preferred position. However, this should not have come as a surprise to Mbappe, as Vinicius Jr. is one of the most important parts of the club’s future. To co-exist with the Brazilian, Mbappe must find a way to operate through the middle, as an out-and-out striker. He must make runs behind the defense, as Jude Bellingham so frequently does. And when he does get on the end of the ball, he must make sure to apply the finishing touch.
Carlo Ancelotti has done wonders with Vinicius Jr., making him one of the most clinical players in the business. Now, he must train Kylian Mbappe to become a formidable center-forward.
