Within a single day, Real Madrid suffered a double blow from their old rivals! Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-2, causing the "Galactic Battleship" to lose the Spanish Super Cup title. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid won 1-0 against Osasuna, quietly achieving an 8-game winning streak, surpassing Real Madrid in the league table to top La Liga and secure the mid-season championship. Barcelona now seems to have a very aggressive spirit, always getting fired up when playing against Real Madrid. Including this match, Barcelona has scored more than 5 goals against Real Madrid four times this century, while Real Madrid has not done so even once.
In fact, whether it's losing the Spanish Super Cup or dropping to the top of the league, these are not crucial as the season is still long. The key point is that they inadvertently provided assistance to their neighbors in their time of need. This is simply unbearable! Barcelona's lineup has height, strength, and speed in the frontcourt, with a combination of flanks and center, which Real Madrid's defense simply cannot withstand. The comprehensive defeat in this El Clásico match should be attributed to coach Carlo Ancelotti! According to the feeling of Real Madrid players, there is a possibility that Ancelotti could be sacked at any moment!
In the past, Real Madrid's defensive lineup included Kroos, Modric, Carvajal, and Alaba, who could still rely on Nacho even when injured. However, the current awkward situation in the frontcourt is that the forwards generally cannot hold their positions centrally, with too many missing elements. Only Mbappé can capitalize on his physicality and explosive power to score a goal, while Bellingham and Vinicius struggle to receive passes, making it difficult to initiate basic offensive plays. The team's logical inconsistencies and vulnerabilities are exposed when faced with strong opponents.
Coaching a club like Real Madrid is a high-risk job. After the crushing defeat to Barcelona, calls for Ancelotti's dismissal have become increasingly vocal. Ancelotti is undoubtedly a meritorious coach for Real Madrid. However, his lenient locker room style has both advantages and disadvantages for Real Madrid's star players. It allows them greater freedom to perform but can also lead to a lack of discipline and a lax atmosphere. Real Madrid needs a change in style, both tactically and mentally, to provide sufficient motivation for the players. The only thing that might save Ancelotti this season could be the UEFA Champions League title, as the weight of the Copa del Rey and league titles seem insufficient. Perhaps Ancelotti's fate with Real Madrid has come to an end!
If Florentino Perez decides to change coaches, the only coaches on the market capable of replacing Ancelotti and deemed suitable by Real Madrid's management appear to be Alonso and Zidane. Alonso, in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, remains strong this season and is still a strong contender for the title. However, Alonso insists on a 3-5-2/5-3-2 three-center-back attack-defense system at Leverkusen, but Real Madrid has no tradition of playing with three center-backs and currently lacks the personnel for such a setup. If Alonso were to join Real Madrid, would Florentino satisfy his player configuration requirements? Or would Alonso have to adjust his system on his own? These are all challenges!
Zidane has been out of work for over 1300 days since leaving Real Madrid, during which he rejected offers from clubs such as Manchester United, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain, only willing to return for the French national team or Real Madrid. Recently, France's head coach Didier Deschamps announced his intention to resign after the 2026 World Cup, and Zidane had to wait until Deschamps' departure.
Only French people can coach the French national team, according to tradition! Zidane's biggest competitor is Henry, whose coaching experience is mediocre except for leading the Olympic team to a silver medal. However, all this will have to wait until after the 2026 World Cup! Zidane left the "Galactic Battleship" for the second time due to conflicts with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, and now over 1300 days have passed. Can the two reconcile their differences? It seems that Zidane has indeed waited for the best opportunity to make a comeback!