Madrid's Alarming Slide into Defeat Culture - What's Gone Wrong?
From the invincibles of 2023/24 to a team stumbling from one loss to another - Real Madrid's concerning habit of defeat needs urgent addressing.
Real Madrid have gone from nearly unbeatable to surprisingly vulnerable in alarmingly quick fashion, with defeat becoming an unwelcome habit at the club where anything less than victory sparks crisis talk.
From Invincibles to Inconsistents
Cast your mind back to the 2023-24 season. Ancelotti’s Madrid were proper mustard, suffering just two defeats across 55 matches - both to city rivals Atlético. Fast forward to now, and the picture’s about as pretty as a Millwall away end.
The current campaign under Arbeloa has already seen six defeats, with two potential trophies already gone for a burton. This follows last season’s concerning tally of 15 losses (14 under Ancelotti, one under Xabi Alonso).
Historical Context Raises Alarm Bells
The current run of form should have alarm bells ringing at the Bernabéu:
- In three of Madrid’s last five title-winning seasons (2012, 2017, 2024), they suffered fewer defeats than they already have this season
- The other two title seasons saw seven and nine defeats respectively
- Ancelotti himself once noted that “at this club, a draw is the prelude to crisis”
The situation looks particularly bleak with Madrid having lost consecutive matches and already kissing goodbye to two trophies this season. The Bernabéu faithful are restless, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll make their feelings known.
The Elusive Treble
The defeat in Albacete extends one of football’s strangest curses - Real Madrid’s inability to win the treble of League, Cup and Champions League in a single season.
For all their dominance (36 league titles, 15 European Cups), Los Blancos remain outside the exclusive treble winners’ club that includes Celtic, Ajax, Manchester United, Barcelona (twice), Inter, Bayern (twice), Manchester City, and most recently PSG.
Curiously, the two most successful clubs in European Cup/Champions League history - Real Madrid and AC Milan - have never managed this feat.
What Next?
Arbeloa’s men now face Levante with the weight of two consecutive defeats hanging over them. While they remain in contention for both La Liga and Champions League, there’s a genuine fear that a total collapse could be on the cards if they don’t turn things around sharpish.
For a club where defeat is treated like a communicable disease, Madrid need to find their vaccination against losing - and fast.