Real Madrid’s Two Trophyless Seasons: Who’s To Blame?

The Past Two Years

Real Madrid started their 2024/25 domestic season quite well, but as the months went on, they dropped more and more points, ultimately losing the title to FC Barcelona. They couldn’t console themselves with any other Spanish trophy. In both the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España, Real Madrid made it all the way to the final game. In both of them, they ultimately lost against the same team that beat them to the top of La Liga.

On the European stage, Real Madrid fought for the Champions League trophy. Having finished the league phase in 11th position, they advanced into the play-offs and ultimately made it to the knockout phase. They defeated Atlético Madrid in the round of 16, but failed to repeat the success in the quarterfinal games against Arsenal.

Real Madrid’s 2025/26 season has only pushed them further from the image of the unbeatable team. In the Copa del Rey, they didn’t make it past the round of 16, knocked out by Segunda División’s Albacete Balompié. In the Champions League, they once again failed to reach the semifinals, this time after a defeat against Bayern Munich.

When it comes to La Liga, although Real Madrid have not lost it yet, Barcelona’s nine-point lead is sure to make the fight for the trophy an uphill battle. For now, all signs point towards the club finishing yet another season with no trophies to add to their impressive tally.

What’s Not Working?

It would be easy to say that the problems in Real Madrid stem from poor leadership within the team, but coaches have already come and gone, and the team is still stuck in the same rut. Unless the leadership in question is that at the very top, in the form of the club’s president, Florentino Pérez, who some point to as the reason for the underwhelming performance. While his part in the drought could be questioned, his opinion on it has been made loud and clear. According to Diario Sport, he directly addressed the squad after the Champions League defeat:

“You know that being a Real Madrid player is a privilege for a footballer, and everyone wants to wear our club’s shirt. On top of being a privilege, it is also a responsibility, and many of you have not lived up to that responsibility. You have not lived up to the standards of the club” (Own translation from Spanish)

In my view, however, no amount of leadership changes will make the club function as the fans expect it to because the problem seeps into its very roots. Real Madrid has many big names, players with incredibly impressive resumes, but this means little if they are not able to work together. Mbappé, Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, and all the other stars are great in their own regard, but often too focused on having the game go their way to back down and analyse the situation from a broader perspective. What can the coaches do when they are faced with an absolute standstill: no one will budge, and thus nothing can be accomplished.

What is the solution to the problem? Although many fans might not want to hear it, it includes letting some players go and creating a team, rather than a disjointed group of individuals. Right now, the most likely candidate to leave Real Madrid seems to be Vinicius Jr, whose contract expires in 2027. Although some outlets report that a renewal agreement has been reached, others claim that the negotiations are at a standstill.

End Of My Real Madrid Rant

The downfall of Real Madrid is fascinating for many reasons, one of which is the heights from which they fell. In 2023, the team seemed unstoppable, and no one would have believed that with Mbappé joining the already star-studded field, things could go anywhere but up. Whatever the club decides to be the best course of action, the club needs to work fast. Two trophy-less seasons are already disappointing enough; a third would tarnish their reputation even further.