Real Madrid’s Air Of Invincibility Under Carlo Ancelotti Is Eroding

To say Real Madrid’s powers are shrinking is always hazardous. History tells us Los Blancos are often most dangerous with their backs against the wall, so calling Real’s slump in results a crisis would be an overstatement, even if the wealth of superstars is at a low ebb (Spanish).

In games, Real has regularly come from behind to win. In the context of a season, enduring poor results early on—like the recent away defeat against Lille in the Champions League—could bring the side back down to earth, offering some key learnings and fuelling an upswing in form for the business end of the campaign. After all, that’s when Madrid tends to click.

That said, part of what makes Real great has become its weakness. When struggling, it conjures up special moments at both extremes of the field—namely clinical finishing and goalkeeping heroics. So much that you question whether a loss will ever come. Yet, while that may remain a rarity, this ostensibly unstoppable winning train has finally hit a few bumps, dropping points against seemingly inferior opponents.

Indeed, ties against Mallorca, Las Palmas, and rival Atlético Madrid in Spain—plus the shock reverse at Lille—show mediocre performances aren’t always enough for coach Carlo Ancelotti and his squad. Their next opponent, free-scoring Villarreal, just a point and a place behind second-placed Real in La Liga, will sense an upset in the capital on Saturday night.

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Serial Winner Ancelotti Has Work To Do

Ancelotti is under no illusion, accepting the criticism fired Real’s way and revealing there has been self-reflection after the midweek setback. “Sometimes a good run makes you think you’re invincible, but a defeat reconnects you with reality,” the Italian commented ahead of the Villarreal contest.

At Real, the 65-year-old has won club-record equalling 14 honors, including three Champions Leagues and two La Ligas. With the Super Cup against Atalanta factored in, his side had gone 15 games unbeaten in Europe. As for the Spanish top flight, it still hasn’t lost in 40 encounters, and four more will see Ancelotti alone eclipse Barcelona’s all-time best of 43, which it achieved under two bosses: Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde.

A cornerstone to Ancelotti’s success is man management. Not one to lose his rag and lay down the law, he’s an emotional anchor to his players, exuding a calmness that enables them to perform in high-pressure situations. A highly respected figure, these methods have gone down well with galácticos, whom—still within a tactical plan—he trusts to express themselves and work things out on the field.

This season presents some issues, though. Ancelotti is still trying to accommodate the ultimate star, Kylian Mbappé, who is not a typical center-forward and enjoys occupying similar positions to Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo. In the midfield, Toni Kroos—retired since July—is proving a miss. And Jude Bellingham, now playing deeper, isn’t the same revelatory scorer as when he first graced the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

Still stingy in defense and with an enviable home record, Real has the foundations to win any competition, one being the expanded Club World Cup at the close of a marathon campaign. Encouragingly for the rest, there are chinks in the Madrid armor to exploit. The serial champion won’t have everything its way on this occasion.