Kylian Mbappe magic can't override Madrid's negative narrative

If a draw is a prelude to a crisis at this club, a reaction this negative to a famous European win begs an important question: Just how deep of a crisis is Madrid already in?

A house divided

If Madrid looks disjointed on the field in 2025, there's a reason for it: By all accounts, its players are split on the issue of whether Alonso is the right coach for them. Mbappé, Arda Guler, Dean Huijsen and Thibaut Courtois are thought to be on Alonso's side; Vinicius Jr., Endrick, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo are thought to be against him. (It's telling — and all too predictable — that the players in the "anti-Alonso" camp have been played out of position by him or dropped altogether.) 

The Alonso issue came to a head earlier this week when reports emerged that Vinicius Jr. wasn't interested in signing a new deal with Madrid. The Brazilian star cited his relationship with Alonso as a key factor in his decision.

Vinicius Jr. has brought his frustrations to the field with him in the past. When Alonso subbed him out of Madrid's 2-1 win over Barcelona earlier this season, he screamed at his manager in full view of the fans and TV cameras. “Always me," he yelled. "I’m leaving the team. It’s better if I leave. I’m leaving.”

No time for brilliance

Vinicius Jr.'s reaction took much of the shine off Madrid's Clasico win. Match reports largely ignored the game itself, choosing instead to focus on the drama. And that was a shame, because Madrid's performance against Barcelona was clever, edgy and tough. Forget Mbappé's beautiful opening goal or Jude Bellingham's well-timed winner: For most, the Clasico began and ended with Vinicius Jr. screaming into middle distance.

That same unfortunate trend played out in Madrid's Champions League win over Olympiacos. Mbappé scored the second-fastest hat trick in competition history — three goals in under seven minutes — and added a fourth later in the match, but his brilliance has been dimmed by the darkness around the club. 

That's the scary thing for Madrid in all this. The club is stacked with stars, but the ones who want to leave may well darken the mood enough on their way out to make its loyalists like Mbappé wary, too.

So much for a prelude. Madrid's crisis is here, right now — and the club must act fast to get it under control.