Criticism from Spanish Media on Real Madrid: Overconfidence after Unbeaten Streak; Ancelotti Struggles to Motivate Players

In the early hours of October 3, following Real Madrid’s loss to Lille, Spain’s Marca criticized the team’s performance.

Marca suggested that perhaps it was the force of inertia; the 36-game unbeaten record had made the team overly confident, even to the point of letting their guard down. It might also be due to the impact of the importance of the match. In recent years, Real Madrid’s performance in the Champions League has been as solid as an iron fist, able to handle any opponent calmly, and this advantage may have ultimately led to a relaxed attitude. In fact, the first half performance wasn’t bad. Although they dominated possession, the offensive efficiency was low. Camavinga, returning to the field, showed vitality and intercepting ability in midfield, seemingly controlling the rhythm of the game.

However, after conceding a crucial goal during first-half stoppage time, Real Madrid’s performance declined in both halves. The team seemed too relaxed, lacking a sense of urgency. It seems only when truly challenged can the team bring out its best form. Now, they face three consecutive tough battles in the Champions League: first at the Bernabeu against Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, then traveling to Anfield to challenge Liverpool, who have lost the championship trophy to Real Madrid twice in recent years. Such intense emotional confrontations are precisely what Real Madrid excels at.

Marca stated that this defeat should not be blamed on Ancelotti and his substitution strategy, as was the case in the previous derby. The Real Madrid coach tried every possible method and quickly made adjustments, even breaking his usual substitution principles. However, neither Vinicius, who played for a longer period, nor Endrick, who played less, performed as expected. Even Bale, who was in good form, and Mbappe, who had just returned from injury, failed to make a difference. The same goes for veteran Modric and newcomer Guler. What the team needed was rock-and-roll passion, but the players’ performance was like background music in an elevator, calm and powerless.

Although it’s tempting to use fatigue as an excuse for poor performance, what the team really lacked was not physical strength but game quality. Of particular concern is the team’s clear difficulty in creating scoring opportunities against Lille. Even after Mbappe came on, Real Madrid hardly posed a real threat to the opponent for almost the entire second half. It wasn’t until the 84th minute that they started to show some activity, approaching a goal but ultimately failing. What is most worrying is not just the end of the winning streak, but the stagnation in competitive level since August.