Victims of their own arrogance: Why Real Madrid have got it wrong
Real Madrid have an ego problem. Quite a big ego problem. For some reason they think that the rules of calculated and well-measured squad building don’t really apply to them and they are suffering as a result.
Let's go back in time quickly, to about 4 seasons ago. The 2019/20 summer saw Real Madrid spend 300 million euros on stars such as Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Rodrygo, Renier, Ferland Mendy and Eder Militao. For Real Madrid, this was nothing usual - they were used to splashing out the big bucks on Europe’s best players. But, something strange ensued after these signings…
They didn’t work. Well, that’s harsh because Rodrygo Militao and arguably Ferland Mendy have all had important parts to play in Madrid’s recent success in the years passed. However the other signings definitely did not. Madrid bought Jovic, Hazard and Renier for a combined fee of roughly 215 million euros. What they received back was 26 goals and assists in 130 appearances between the three attackers. Now this is obviously abysmal and cost Madrid dearly on the pitch as they struggled to reach the immensely high standards they had set themselves. Getting knocked out of the Copa Del Rey in the round of 32 and quarter-finals in consecutive seasons and failing to make it past the semi-finals of the Champions League during this time. It was clear that investments hadn’t paid off the way that the Los Blancos thought they would and off the pitch, it left Madrid’s finances in complete tatters.
They had no money. Their stadium was also getting renovated which only made matters worse and the mighty Real Madrid, the biggest football club in the world, the dream destination for Europe’s elite, were relatively broke. However, just like all the greats, Madrid found a way to adapt. The ‘galacticos’ era was over and what ensued after the summer 19/20 fiasco were shrewd, calculated and smart signings for very little cost that would raise the level of Real Madrid’s first team. In the next two summers, Madrid spent 110 million Euros combined on the signings of David Alaba, Camavinga, Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger. 4 signings that would eventually turn into world-class players who were bought for a combined fee which was less than what Los Blancos paid for Eden Hazard.
It seemed that Madrid’s switch in transfer strategy had worked as they racked up 2 Champions league winners medals in the 3 seasons that followed 20/21 in which all players I mentioned played a starring role. Real Madrid were back and as good as ever, but a problem which would only become apparent this season, began to arise.
Real Madrid had money again.The stadium reconstruction was completed, they had won 2 champions leagues and spent very little in this time-frame. The Madrid club was again swimming in cash and when Real Madrid have money, there is very little they can’t do. There are very few players, if any, that would dare turn their nose up at an offer from them.
And Real Madrid were all too aware of this. Instantly they turned their attention to the world’s biggest and brightest talents. But the issue was, they didn’t need to. Madrid had built a very strong, well balanced squad in the years where they weren’t spending ludicrous amounts. Any holes in their squad were filled with intelligent deals. They needed legs in the midfield to cover for their ageing stars Modric, Kroos and Casemiro - in come Tchouameni and Camivinga whilst Federico Valverde was promoted to the first team. They needed to somehow replace the defensive solidarity and leadership of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, so they bought Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba for next to nothing. They were making the right decisions time and time again and with young talents Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo blossoming into world-beaters coupled with the signing of Jude Bellinhgam, the future was looking pretty damn good for Los Blancos.
But then came the greed.
The signing of Kylian Mbappe left football fans dumbfounded. ‘How the hell are they going to be stopped now?!!’ Echoed throughout Europe as Madrid had added the best players in world football to their already star-studded squad. Surely they were just too good now? Nobody would be able to beat them, right?
Right?
Wrong.
Fast forward to the present day and Real Madrid have just been battered by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup 5-2 and if you watched the game, you would know that this scoreline was kind to Los Blancos. Considering Barcelona are so broke that they have to rely on literal children from their academy to stay competitive and considering this was the second time this season that they had battered Madrid (with the first time being a 4-1 thrashing at the Bernabeu), you’d imagine that Ancelotti and co. were pretty embarrassed. They also were on the verge of exiting the champions league in the group stages before they narrowly beat Atalanta 3-2. Madrid currently find themselves behind their neighbours Atletico Madrid in the league, a team who can’t boast anywhere near the talent that Los Blancos possess. In fact, nobody in Europe can.
It wouldn’t be a controversial statement to say Real Madrid have the most talented squad in the world yet if you were to watch them play, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were watching a pretty average side play a pretty average style of football. I know there have been many injuries they’ve had to endure this season but that’s football. Most of these injuries have been predominantly defensive anyway and don’t really explain Madrid’s lack of attacking identity.
I think the reason for Madrid’s drop off is clear, they stopped being smart and started being greedy. After winning the Champions League, did Real Madrid actually need to sign Mbappe? They already had two of the best left wingers in the world in Vinicius and Rodrygo but they went to sign a superstar who plays his best football also off the left. The rhetoric at the time of the signing was ‘oh well they’re Real Madrid, they’ll just sort it out’ and I was a believer in this sentiment but I think now it’s becoming clear that this was an unnecessary signing.
Look, Mbappe is a phenomenal player. Everyone knows this. He will score tons of goals for Madrid and will go on to break countless records. But let’s think for a second, did this signing make Real Madrid much better? Absolutely not. All it did was create more problems as now Los Blancos possess world-class players who all want to play on the left. What did Madrid actually need? A midfield metronome who could control the centre of the pitch and follow in the footsteps of club legend Toni Kroos. They needed a physical box presence, Like Joselu, who could finish off the copious amounts of chances that players like Vincius, Arde Guler, Rodrygo and others would effortlessly create. Did Madrid sign either of these profiles? No. If these two positions were filled I could guarantee that right now Madrid would be a heck of a lot better.
When you watch them, it’s obvious. They can’t control a football game to save their lives. In both midfield and attack, they possess so many players who want to run into space with the ball, carrying it into dangerous areas. They don’t have anyone who can dictate the tempo of a football match like Kroos did. The result of this has been the most talented football team in Europe playing predominantly counter-attacking football with their wingers flashing glorious crosses into the box before realising they still don’t have a striker who is there to finish them off.
So it makes you wonder, why did Madrid sign Kylian Mbappe? The answer is because they were greedy. They were potentially the only club in world football who could actually afford him and so they did it just because they could. Of course, you have the off-field revenue that this move would create through advertising, marketing and things of that nature but on the pitch, it just didn’t make any sense. You have two of the best left wingers in the world but you still don’t have a striker. So, what do you do? You buy another left winger! Unless Mbappe swallows his pride and becomes an out-and-out number 9, I just can’t see how this move will improve Madrid in the long term unless they unload an attacking player like Rodrygo or Guler.
If you add the Mbappe move to the fact that Madrid are being heavily linked to Trent Alexander-Arnold, you tell me what you see. A right-back who isn’t very good at defending joining a side who are already porous at the back and need a right-back that can defend. Tell me how this move makes much sense? Despite the on the ball quality Trent provides, Madrid have enough players that can create chances. Will it be enough to cover for his defensive deficiencies? I have my doubts.
Oh but it’s Real Madrid. All the best players in the world want to move there! Yes, but that doesn’t mean that Madrid need to willingly sign all of them. Football has evolved to a point where talent is outweighed by rigid and well-coached tactical structures. Look at the best teams around Europe and you will see that everyone of their managers have a set system or way they want to play. The players that are bought by these teams are bought because they fit these systems - that’s how football works now. Individual talent across every league is increasing with each passing season and systems that are best at getting the most out of each player, normally are the ones that prevail.
Balance. Real Madrid will naturally win games because of unbelievably talented their attacking players are, as we’ve seen them be able to roll over the smaller teams in La Liga with relative ease. But against the bigger teams, when the talent gap is smaller, this luxury is no longer applicable. This is why we’ve seen them struggle in the Champions League this season, this way of football is unsustainable when you’re facing the best teams across the continent.
You need balance, you need control and solidity.
The way that Real Madrid have been applying themselves in the transfer market, you would think that the rules don’t apply to them. They buy first and see if they can sort it out after. An approach which would’ve been fine 20 years ago but now the level amongst Europe’s elite clubs is just too high. Signing players just because you can, shouldn’t be the way you conduct business anymore. It’s 2025 now. You can’t just outscore teams without little focus on trying to stop them from scoring.
As sad as it is, individual talent is not enough anymore. Free-flowing, chaotic and exciting football is a thing of the past. You don’t win trophies just because you have the best players. You win them because you have a well-functioning system which brings the best out of your great players. Los Blancos need to realise this and stop buying superstar players just for the sake of it, with next to no regard for any balance. If not, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see Madrid struggle over the next few years to reach the levels that were once so easy for them to maintain.
Rumi once said ‘greed makes man blind and foolish’ and I think Real Madrid are taking all the right steps towards proving him right.
