Eleven months of a trophyless Real Madrid

The season isn’t over yet, but for all intents and purposes Real Madrid’s campaign is already done. It began in early June 2025 with the Club World Cup and with Xabi Alonso’s rushed arrival on the bench, despite his preference to take over after the North American tournament. There was no alternative. It was take the job or risk missing his moment at Madrid altogether. He accepted, but the feeling was never quite right, a journey that started in haste and without full conviction. That became clear during the Club World Cup, when the first signs emerged that the relationship between coach and squad was not on the right track. Doubts surfaced early, but it wasn’t the time for major decisions, even if both body and mind were already pointing that way.

The following six months ended abruptly with Alonso’s dismissal in January after the Spanish Super Cup, although in truth his exit had been decided four weeks earlier, back in December. Time and space were given in case the team’s dynamic could change, but also to search for the right replacement. It was, as they say, a death foretold. The coach remained within the club structure, traveling with the team but no longer part of the first-team routine. The role of the coach returned with Álvaro Arbeloa. That month of waiting, in hindsight, is viewed inside Valdebebas as time lost.

Arbeloa was the chosen one, but his start was far from positive, with elimination from the Copa del Rey. Bringing Vinicius back into the fold, something that had seemed impossible under the previous regime, was one of the few bright spots, yet the team never found consistency. Madrid have lived in uncertainty, showing two completely different faces: one acceptable, even strong at times in Europe, and another marked by ongoing struggles in LaLiga, raising doubts about the future. Inside the club, there is a belief that the squad is capable of much more than it has shown, which is why a full overhaul is not expected. Changes, yes, but with purpose.

Arbeloa has leaned on youth players, but as senior figures have returned, the youngsters have faded, especially Gonzalo, who has disappeared from the picture. They had stepped up and made their case in a difficult moment, but sidelining established stars is always a complicated balance and one that tends to resolve itself.

The elimination from the Champions League hurts, but what really deepens the wound is the team’s league form. Real Madrid competed and pushed Bayern to the limit, beyond the red card shown to a struggling Camavinga. There were no complaints from the club about the team or the coach after the performance at the Allianz, and Florentino Pérez’s usual postgame visit to the locker room carried no reproach. It wasn’t the moment for that, but rather for support.

Thursday was spent by Madrid fans paying tribute to José Emilio Santamaría, a club legend and four-time European Cup winner. Reflection continues and decisions are on the way, but there are still seven LaLiga matches left to play.

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