Madrid's Trophy Drought Deepens: From Supercopa Shambles to Cup Calamity

Real Madrid’s season is unravelling at an alarming rate, with half their potential silverware already down the drain after just mid-January.

Four Days, Two Trophies Gone

The crisis that’s been brewing at Valdebebas has finally boiled over. In a disastrous four-day span, Los Blancos have managed to crash out of both the Supercopa de España and now the Copa del Rey, leaving their trophy cabinet looking decidedly bare for the foreseeable.

First came the Supercopa defeat to Barcelona - painful but perhaps understandable given their rival’s stature. But Wednesday’s cup exit to Albacete - a struggling Segunda División side hovering near the relegation zone who fielded several reserves - has sent shockwaves through the Spanish capital.

Both matches ended with identical 3-2 scorelines against Madrid, highlighting a defensive fragility that’s becoming the hallmark of their season. It’s proper Pete Tong at the back for the European champions.

New Gaffer, Same Problems

The managerial switch from Xabi Alonso to Álvaro Arbeloa, which happened between these two fiascos, has done absolutely nothing to address the structural problems plaguing the team:

• Defensively vulnerable
• Flat and uninspired in midfield
• Toothless in attack without Mbappé

In Arbeloa’s defence, he did give youth a chance, with Castilla products Jiménez and Cestero starting, while Palacios and Manuel Ángel came on later. But this bold move couldn’t prevent what’s essentially the 2026 version of the infamous ‘Alcorconazo’ - though this time without the safety net of a second leg at the Bernabéu.

Half the Season, Half the Trophies

With January only halfway through, Madrid are now limited to competing for just La Liga and the Champions League - ironically the two most difficult competitions to win. They’re currently four points off the pace in the domestic league and, based on recent performances, miles away from Europe’s elite.

The change in management at least brought a change in approach. Against Albacete, Madrid dominated possession (nearly 80%), a stark contrast to their Supercopa tactics where they seemed to accept their inferiority against Atleti and Barça, relying on long balls from Courtois.

Different Route, Same Destination

Despite controlling the game against the Segunda side, Madrid failed to create many clear-cut chances. The three goals they conceded exposed their defensive frailties:

• Poor marking for the first header
• A bad clearance leading to the second
• Lunin misjudging a saveable shot for the third

Once renowned for their cup final prowess, Madrid have now lost their last three finals - two Supercopas and one Copa del Rey. The anticipated bounce from the managerial change has fizzled out spectacularly.

For a club of Madrid’s stature, the remainder of the season could feel like an absolute dog and bone if they don’t turn things around sharpish.