Famous Journalist: Real Madrid’s Biggest Problem is Losing the Joy of Playing; Such Losses are Painful for Fans

On the early morning of October 3rd, Real Madrid suffered a surprising defeat against Lille in the Champions League. Noted journalist Marca provided an analysis of the match.

Loncero pointed out that Real Madrid is facing dual challenges on both the football and technical mindset fronts. As the defending champions of the Champions League, the team seems to have fallen into a lackluster playing style, far from the “rock ‘n’ roll” approach advocated by head coach Carlo Ancelotti. The game was slow-paced, tactics were predictable, there was too much lateral passing, a lack of aggressiveness in duels, ineffective exploitation of the opponent’s defensive gaps, weak flank attacks, and overall, the team lacked passion.

Among these issues, the most concerning is the loss of the joyful atmosphere within the team. Last season, Real Madrid was a team full of smiles, with Jude Bellingham’s radiant smile and remarkable goals, combined with the team’s warrior spirit, contributing to their glorious achievement of 13 unbeaten games, culminating in lifting their 15th Champions League trophy at Wembley Stadium.

The squad then had midfield maestro Toni Kroos, Nacho providing solid defense, and Joselu’s crucial goals. Although these three heroes left the team with honor, the new Real Madrid needs to regain the feeling of rebirth and rediscover the joy of fighting for this glorious badge of Real Madrid.

Loncero stated that although this goes beyond pure football analysis, he sincerely appeals to the players under Ancelotti’s leadership to bring back their smiles on the pitch, support each other, and fight every ball as if it were their last game. In short, they need to become that team again that fans worldwide adore. Players need to encourage each other, adjust their mentality, and completely put behind performances like the one against Lille.

In this game, Real Madrid seemed to be in a state of anesthesia throughout the match, only showing signs of life in the 85th minute driven by desperate pride, giving them a chance to at least equalize in the final stages. Both Rüdiger and Güler had excellent opportunities, but even a draw would have felt unfair given the performance. Against a better-performing opponent, we should acknowledge their effort, accept the result, reflect at the Valdebebas training ground, and overcome the current predicament. The team must beat Villarreal on Saturday and find their smiles again on the pitch. This loss has deeply hurt loyal Real Madrid fans, and the team must wake up soon.