Was Real Madrid Right to Stay Quiet in January All Along?
Real Madrid's decision to skip the January transfer window looked mad at the time. Now, with La Liga top and one foot in the Champions League last 16, it's looking rather clever.
After weeks of chaos, injuries, and fan fury, Real Madrid’s stubborn refusal to spend in January is starting to look like a masterstroke rather than a shambles.
The January Window Came and Went — Madrid Did Nothing
Cast your mind back to mid-January. Real Madrid were in absolute bits. Injuries all over the shop, particularly in defence, and they’d just lost two trophies in four days — the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona and then, humiliatingly, a Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Albacete. The Bernabéu faithful were fuming, having a right go at the players and the board alike.
The calls for signings were deafening. And yet, Florentino and co. didn’t budge. Not a single arrival. In fact, the only bit of transfer business was Endrick heading out on loan to Lyon. A move for Fran García to Bournemouth also fell through because Madrid wanted a permanent deal and the Premier League club only fancied a loan. Classic impasse.
The club’s position was clear: trust the squad, wait for the injured lads to come back, and things will sort themselves out.
It Got Worse Before It Got Better
For a while, that logic looked well dodgy. There were brief green shoots — convincing wins over Monaco and Villarreal — but then came the nightmare in Lisbon. A Champions League defeat that knocked them out of the top eight, sealed by a Trubin goal in the 98th minute. Grim viewing. Then against Rayo, they won but only via a 90th-minute penalty, with Valverde, Tchouaméni, and Camavinga all playing at centre-back because there was literally nobody else.
Mestalla: The Turning Point
The corner started to turn at Valencia. More injuries in attack this time — Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Vinicius all unavailable — but Arbeloa rolled the dice, handed a start to academy lad David Jiménez, and ground out another late win. Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench for the final quarter of an hour, signalling the cavalry was on its way back.
Things Click Into Place
By the time Madrid faced Real Sociedad, Arbeloa finally had something resembling a proper back four: Trent, Huijsen, Rüdiger, Carreras. A settled midfield followed. The team looked like a team again. Vinicius led the line with Mbappé rested, and Madrid were excellent against a side that had been flying.
Key moments in the recent upturn:
- La Liga leadership secured after beating Sociedad and Barcelona dropping points at Girona
- Return to Lisbon — same ground where they’d been torn apart weeks earlier — and this time Madrid dominated, with Vinicius netting before a flashpoint over alleged racist abuse from Benfica’s Prestianni disrupted their rhythm
- One foot in the Champions League last 16 heading back to the Spanish capital
Patience Pays Off
In the same four-day window that had threatened to derail the entire season back in January, Madrid have essentially turned their campaign on its head. No new signings. No panic. Just time, fitness returning, and Arbeloa able to pick players in their actual positions.
Looks like the club might’ve had a point all along. Funny how that works.