Real Madrid lost 0-1 at home to Getafe in Round 26 of La Liga, suffering two consecutive La Liga defeats.
Real Madrid are on the brink. The team’s form has continued to slump over the past few weeks, and they are now treading on thin ice, unable to rescue themselves from their declining performances.
On Tuesday local time, another internal meeting was held in the dressing room at the Valdebebas training complex, a scene that has played out multiple times in the last 15 months. The participants were similar, and the goal was the same – to salvage a team that has lost its way.
Carlo Ancelotti failed to turn things around in the final stages of his reign, and now Arbeloa, his successor, has not been able to bring about fundamental change either. Ancelotti at least led the team to fight to the limit, battling Barcelona all the way in the Copa del Rey final. Now, Arbeloa – a product of Real Madrid’s youth system – faces his true test, and the so-called new manager bounce appears to have faded away.
The troubles from a year ago have returned. Injuries are rampant, some players are more focused on personal interests, the head coach’s tactical and management messages fail to gain consensus in the dressing room, rifts over individual gains have grown increasingly obvious, and internal divisions are deeper than ever.
As Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham each seek solutions to their fitness issues, the rest of the squad held frank talks in the dressing room, hoping to rediscover cohesion and motivation. But as things stand, the team are not only out of form but also drifting further away from fans’ expectations, with growing discontent from the outside.
Real Madrid are still pinning their hopes on the upcoming crucial matches against Celta Vigo and Manchester City to prevent the season from spiralling completely out of control.
The fighting spirit demanded by Arbeloa alone is not enough to change the current situation, and there is a lack of confidence in the future between the coaching staff and the players. The dressing room meeting was held in a tense atmosphere, with Arbeloa having to use a "psychological therapy" style of communication. The coming week will determine how far this squad can go this season.
