Madrid’s Craters: How Poor Planning, Broken Leadership, and Ancelotti’s Limits Derailed a Superteam

Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Copa del Rey Final Preview: A Broken Giant Faces the Mirror

Real Madrid face Barcelona for the Copa del Rey final tomorrow, heading into the match deservedly as underdogs. This season for the Los Blancos was supposed to be all-conquering—they added the supposedly best player in the world in *Kylian Mbappé*, and the narrative was set: dominance, trophies, a statement era.

But the reality? Far from it.

They’ve already been embarrassed out of the Champions League by an underachieving Arsenal side, a defeat made worse by the fact that it was fully deserved. Arsenal didn't just knock them out—they outplayed them. Declan Rice channeled prime Beckham, scoring two bangers from free kicks and dominating midfield. But that wasn’t the only blemish on Madrid’s campaign. The biggest? They’ve twice lost to Barcelona this season, being outscored 9-2 across the two fixtures.

The criticism is pouring in—and rightly so. The manager has been called out for his lack of tactical structure. The players are being blamed for not living up to the high standards that come with wearing the white shirt. And for me, three major problems have defined this underwhelming season: poor squad building, a dangerous leadership vacuum, and Ancelotti’s tactical limitations.

Let’s break it down.

1. Poor Squad Building: Cracks Have Become Craters

In terms of squad planning, the top management have finally been caught out. The cracks that were visible in past seasons have widened into huge craters this year. One of the most baffling decisions has been the neglect of the defensive line. Despite both *Militão* and *Alaba* suffering ACL injuries just last season, no defensive reinforcements were brought in. Even worse, the club let Nacho leave without signing a replacement, And then, almost inevitably, Militão suffers another ACL injury, and Alaba doesn’t return until January. 

When Dani Carvajal got injured, that was the final push off the ledge for a defense already hanging by a thread. It’s mind-blowing that Real Madrid, a club of this stature, went into the season this vulnerable at the back.

Then there’s the midfield. Often mockingly referred to as “Midfield FC” last year due to the abundance of talent, that surplus has now turned into a glaring void. 

Toni Kroos retiring left a huge hole, and the club hasn’t moved to fill it at all. Without his composure, vision, and game management, the rest of the midfield has looked disjointed and ineffective. No one has stepped into that deep-lying orchestrator role, and it’s showing in the lack of control in big matches.

And in attack, the decision to let Joselu go and bring in Kylian Mbappé was meant to be a step toward domination. But in reality, it’s become a textbook case of imbalance—akin to the infamous Makelele-for-Beckham switch. To be clear, Joselu isn’t in the same league as Makelele or Mbappé in terms of quality. But his departure removed a vital cog—someone who gave shape to the attack. Now, despite Mbappé’s arrival, the attack is far less effective, because it’s disjointed, ego-driven, and completely lacking in structure.

2. Leadership Vacuum: No One to Pull Rank

With the constant departure of Real Madrid captains over the years, this season has created the biggest leadership vacuum the club has seen in modern times. Toni Kroos has retired, Dani Carvajal is out injured, and Luka Modrić is mostly on the bench. That leaves no one on the pitch who can pull rank, set the tone, or command the troops when things fall apart.

We’ve seen the impact all season:  

- *Vinícius Jr. getting visibly frustrated, throwing tantrums, and losing his focus in big moments.  

- *Mbappé and *Rodrygo disappearing time and time again when leadership is most needed.  

- *Bellingham being shackled—isolated up top and overburdened with both attacking and defensive responsibilities.  

- *Valverde, who should be bossing midfield, being restricted to a right-back role out of necessity.  

- *Camavinga, full of talent, but committing costly fouls and spending long stretches injured.  

- *Tchouaméni, consistent in midfield when played there, has often been shifted to centre-back—a role that limits both his natural influence and the midfield’s effectiveness.

The team, as a whole, lacks direction when adversity strikes. There’s no vocal general on the pitch—no Ramos, no Benzema, no Kroos to rally the players, demand more, or even slow the game down when necessary. It's been clear in every tough game: this team panics, reacts emotionally, and often collapses. Real Madrid has always had personalities who set the tone—this year, that presence is sorely missing.

3. Ancelotti’s Tactical Limits: Love and Loyalty Can’t Cover the Gaps

Look, I love Grandpa Carlo. He’s a club legend and one of the best man-managers football has ever seen. But this season, that magic hasn’t been enough. While it’s true that he’s been a victim of poor squad planning, his own lack of tactical nous has been fully exposed—not just by world-class teams, but by well-drilled mid-table sides with a fraction of Madrid’s budget.

He’s been undone by teams that play like teams, not like a group of stars. Arsenal, Betis, Athletic Bilbao, Lille—they’ve all shown what structured, disciplined football looks like. Meanwhile, Madrid, full of talent, look like individuals waiting for moments of brilliance to save the day.

In the past, Carlo’s calm demeanor and reliance on senior players to manage the game on the pitch worked—because he had on-field coaches like Benzema, Kroos, and Carvajal to translate his vision. But now, without those voices, the team looks like headless chickens more often than not.

There’s no clear plan in build-up play. No structure in pressing. No variation in attack. Even in matches that Madrid win, they rarely control proceedings. Every match is a slog, and the team looks mentally and tactically unprepared. There’s no sense of dominance—just hope that someone pulls off a moment of magic.

It’s hard to point back to a single game this season where Madrid looked comfortable or commanding. They’ve had to labour for every result and have frequently dropped points against organized teams. That’s not what you expect from a Carlo Ancelotti side, and it’s not what you expect from Real Madrid.

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Final Thoughts Before the Final

Heading into the Copa del Rey final, it’s hard to muster up optimism as a Madrid fan. Yes, anything can happen in a one-off match, especially with talents like Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinícius capable of producing moments of individual brilliance. But as a team? Madrid just haven’t looked like a team this season.

They’ve lacked balance, structure, leaders, and belief.

If they pull off a win, it’ll be more about pride and individual talent rising to the occasion than about a masterclass performance. And that, more than anything, sums up the season so far. 

Let's hope anyway that the team can somehow rise to the occasion and give the fans something to cheer about and a respectable goodbyes to Carlo Ancelotti and The GOAT LUCAS Vasquez. Hala Madrid!