When was it so bad for Real Madrid?

Ten days after their embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico, the Bernabeu suffered another harsh reversal. The best thing about Real Madrid’s 3-1 loss to AC Milan from Los Blancos’ perspective was the result – which underlines how dire the situation is.

The night ended as it began: with whistles from the crowd in the stadium. These were first directed at the Champions League anthem, apparently in protest at Vinicius Junior missing out on the UEFA-organised Ballon d’Or to Manchester City’s Rodri.

At full-time they were aimed at coach Carlo Ancelotti and his players, although the noise was not as loud as you would expect from arguably the world’s most demanding fans.

It could be due to followers leaving; it may be due to termination. Either way, it sums up a total disconnect around this team.

Whether it’s Hansi Flick’s impressive Barcelona or Milan and Borussia Dortmund sides, who both arrived at the Bernabeu in seventh place in their respective leagues, it seems any team can show the reigning Spanish and European champions’ shortcomings.

It is difficult to remember such a disjointed Real Madrid, from the board to the players, from Ancelotti to the rest of the specialists involved in the day-to-day work at their Valdebebas training ground.

Perhaps you could go back to the 2018-19 season, which began with Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock summer exit to Juventus and ended with more managers (three: Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane) than titles won (one: FIFA Club World Cup) ).

There was similar disappointment in the 2022–2023 campaign, although it was generally more successful. After winning the UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and Copa del Rey, but missing out on La Liga to Barcelona and being beaten by them in the Supercopa de Espana final, the season looked set to hinge on the Champions League.

There is an unwritten rule that a Real Madrid manager doesn’t stay if he doesn’t win La Liga and/or the Champions League, so the 4-0 drubbing they suffered against City in the semi-final second leg was interpreted by some as the end for Ancelotti. But the board maintained its commitment to the coach, as is expected to be the case again now.

On the tough night at the Etihad Stadium, Toni Kroos fronted the media. “We’ll be back – it’s always like that,” he told reporters. Just over a year later, the German lifted his fifth Champions League trophy with Madrid in his last match in club football.

The dressing room lacks the retired Kroos in every way. There was a stark contrast in goalkeeper Andriy Lunin speaking in the mixed zone last night – a very professional player but one whose voice barely counts behind the scenes. Criticism of the players for not speaking up after El Clasico seemed to have no effect.

It was just the latest demonstration of Madrid’s lack of quality and personality. They have now lost more games in the first three months of the season than in the entire last: three defeats in 16 games against two in 55 last period.

Publicly and privately, Ancelotti admits he is struggling to find the balance the team needs and the defensive solidity he considers so important. “Would it be unfair to blame me? No, it seems normal to me,” he told reporters last night. “When the team doesn’t perform its best, the coach is responsible.”

The Italian was self-critical as ever and aware that he had been singled out. But he also sent a message to the squad: “It is very important that we all take responsibility.”

Ancelotti said he did not believe his players were lazy and claimed the dressing room remains healthy. But several sources at Valdebebas – who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships – have said Athletics the atmosphere has become tense with results not going as expected.

Ancelotti does not air dirty laundry in public, which is why he has not complained about the board’s planning to the media. A club man, he resigned himself to the fact that a centre-back would not arrive in the summer after Madrid missed out on Leny Yoro. Now, despite agreeing with general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, he is wary of whether he will get any defensive reinforcements in January or if they will make excuses again.

This squad planning has been in doubt since almost the start of the season. It does not make sense for club sources to complain about “the toughest and most demanding (season) in history” with only two elite centre-backs in the squad: Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger. There is still no return date for the other, David Alaba, whose serious knee injury is set to keep him out for more than a year.

You could point the finger at Lucas Vazquez, who is not performing well at right back in the absence of the injured Dani Carvajal. It is not so much the fault of the coach who plays him, but those who force the coach to make that decision. Ancelotti might have looked to move a centre-back to the right following Carvajal’s injury if Madrid had better stock in central defence. But that would leave a hole in an already unrecognizable backline.

It could be there that Aurelien Tchouameni, one of the often criticized and who was whistled by the Bernabeu yesterday, could play. The midfielder has shown his potential there in the past, but too often he plays as if he has already won three or four Champions League titles.

Still, most players are below their potential – and Kylian Mbappe deserves his own section.

It makes sense that the Frenchman needs time to adapt, but when do we expect to see him in full flow? He has now failed to score in three consecutive games after eight goals in his first 12 games. Where is the player considered the best in the world and the highest paid member of the squad?

There is one final point that angers president Florentino Perez and fans: the mysterious cases of young Arda Guler and Endrick. The Turkish playmaker has played one minute in the last four games; the Brazilian has not featured at all in the last five matches.

It all paints a worrying picture for Madrid – and it could get worse. Their next opponents in the Champions League? Liverpool at Anfield on November 27.

(Top photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)