The best way of comprehending just how much Real Madrid’s 4-0 rout by arch-rivals Barcelona hurt Los Blancos was to see their reaction at full-time.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti shook hands with his opposite number Hansi Flick at the Santiago Bernabeu before wagging his finger at one of the German’s assistants for the way he celebrated a goal. The Italian then disappeared into the tunnel along with his players, while Barca enjoyed their moment on the pitch.
Sources close to the squad — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — say there were long periods of silence once the team had retreated inside the dressing room. Players were lost in their own thoughts.
None spoke to the media to explain what had happened. They do not speak to La Liga rights holders anyway because of an ongoing dispute between the club and the competition, but they did not even address the club’s official channel, Real Madrid TV, or appear in the mixed zone.
Four days earlier, it had been a totally different story after a thrilling 5-2 comeback win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. But joy quickly turned to concern after this damaging defeat.
Ancelotti’s coaching staff insist they have confidence in their work. In the aftermath of this loss, the board did not suggest any decision on the coach’s future was imminent.
“We have to go to Valencia (Madrid play them in their next La Liga game on Saturday) to win and be united,” the club’s director of institutional relations and former player, Emilio Butragueno, told Real Madrid TV. “When defeat comes, that’s when we have to be united.”
Butragueno was the only other club employee to speak to media on the night besides Ancelotti, who tried to look for the positives. “Last time we lost 4-0 to Barca, we won La Liga and the Champions League,” the 65-year-old said in his press conference, referring to that result in March 2022.
But Madrid have problems that go beyond results.
Two days before the game, a report from Spanish outlet Relevo suggested there was scepticism within the dressing room about the team’s physical preparation, overseen by trainer Antonio Pintus. Key players Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Rodrygo are all out through injury, while Antonio Rudiger went off with muscle discomfort in El Clasico.
Some voices have complained a lack of physical work has hampered the team and that there is a lack of coordination within the staff. While the tensions already existed, The Athletic has learned the publication of that article led to even greater displeasure within the squad.
In the hours before El Clasico, dressing-room sources say that report was the centre of attention. They confirmed there are players and other members of staff who share those doubts over the supposed lack of physical preparation, but those sources said they were surprised it had been leaked before this fixture.
There have been strong differences within Ancelotti’s staff for months about this aspect and others. But those tensions have been growing in the last few weeks. The fact they have been made public only highlights difficulties behind the scenes.
Ancelotti has tried to maintain a balance and smooth things over. Most of the players back the coach, as shown by Vinicius Junior’s message after the Dortmund game, when he told reporters in the mixed zone: “We can’t let Ancelotti down”.
The coach has the support of director of football Santiago Solari and the director general Jose Angel Sanchez, but has always had his ups and downs with president Florentino Perez — who is famously demanding of all of his managers. “We always live with our suitcases by the door,” is how coaching staff have previously summed up those pressures to The Athletic.
That’s why they studied what to change against Barcelona to try to get the most out of the team. The biggest difference was their approach with their two forwards, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, who for once had to put in the same defensive work as the rest of the team. The idea was this would frustrate Barca’s passing out from the back and would mean they could exploit Flick’s high line.
“I have been in football for 48 years, so I’m not wrong when I tell you that the first half was good,” Ancelotti said. The game was goalless at the break.
But the strategy didn’t work, as Madrid were consistently caught offside. Barca’s high line was hugely effective, catching their opponents 12 times — eight of which were Mbappe.
The 25-year-old Frenchman was incredibly motivated for his first Clasico. But his reactions during the game also told a story: he complained to the referee with a smile after his first-half goal was disallowed for offside by La Liga’s semi-automated system, but appeared much more riled up when the same happened in the second half.
The coaching staff are certain Mbappe will bounce back and think he has given them greater firepower in attack, albeit at the risk of conceding more chances at the other end. But Madrid still can’t find the right balance.
A lack of coordination from centre-backs Rudiger and Eder Militao allowed Marc Casado to find space for Robert Lewandowski’s first goal of the night. Madrid racked up four more shots on goal after that — but Barca found the target five times in that period, hit the post once and scored three more via Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
The last two goals showed up problems in defence again, along with poor performances overall by left-back Ferland Mendy and midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
“After the first half, we realised that Madrid’s players were very tired, so we decided to push harder,” Yamal told reporters in the mixed zone at the Bernabeu — reopening the debate about Los Blancos’ physical condition.
Some dressing room voices have criticised Pintus’ methods to The Athletic, which they describe as not very exhaustive and old-fashioned. This is something they think can be improved. Others point out that all teams suffer from injuries and that there are many factors behind them, including an intense schedule. They point out the example of Girona, who had 11 absentees this matchday.
Now the question is how Ancelotti will solve things on the pitch. He was not self-critical in the immediate aftermath.
“I do not regret my gameplan,” he said. “It’s different from the loss against Lille (they lost 1-0 to the French side in the Champions League). We were very bad that day. We competed today.”
But voices on the board justified that defeat to Lille earlier this month by pointing out they were just starting the season and had to be patient. Fifteen games in, they can’t have the same excuses now.
(Top photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
