Regardless of Actual Madrid’s poor begin to the 2024/25 La Liga season on Sunday evening, Madridistas ought to nonetheless place confidence in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad to defend their Spanish crown.
The expectations for Actual Madrid forward of the 2024/25 season have been at all times going to be excessive, particularly after their success final 12 months within the Champions League and La Liga, however the addition of Kylian Mbappe raised the stakes tenfold.
With a lot expertise on the pitch (and the bench), Carlo Ancelotti’s squad entered because the favorites to win La Liga this season, and confronted an early check of their title protection in opposition to Mallorca on Sunday, Aug. 18. Even with Mbappe up high with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, Los Blancos may solely rating one purpose, and returned to Madrid with one level after a disappointing 1-1 draw.
Inevitably, Actual Madrid’s poor begin to the season drew loads of criticism, even from Ancelotti himself, however there are nonetheless loads of causes to not panic after only one lackluster efficiency.
Actual Madrid are nonetheless unbeaten in La Liga during the last 12 months
Regardless of Actual Madrid’s ugly draw in opposition to Mallorca, a crew that completed fifteenth in La Liga final season, Los Blancos are nonetheless unbeaten of their final 33 La Liga matches, the third longest streak of all time.
The truth is, their final La Liga loss got here in September of final 12 months in opposition to Atletico Madrid, and Ancelotti’s squad drew comparable criticism to what they’re going through now. The crew bounced again from the poor outcome, although, and went on to win La Liga by ten factors.
Mallorca’s disciplined low block was a studying expertise
Ancelotti’s new attacking trio of Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappe, and Rodrygo are nonetheless discovering their chemistry collectively, and can take loads from their lack of ability to penetrate Mallorca’s low block.
Loads of La Liga groups will sit again in opposition to Actual Madrid within the hopes of strolling away with no less than a degree, and the gamers in white should adapt and create higher probabilities within the ultimate third when opposing groups park ten gamers within the field.
Los Blancos’ match in opposition to Mallorca confirmed the crew precisely what does not work, and now, transferring ahead, they’ve all of the instruments they should make modifications to their method.
The identical XI gained the UEFA Tremendous Cup simply 4 days prior
In a way more open recreation in opposition to Atalanta, Ancelotti’s beginning XI appeared nice within the UEFA Tremendous Cup and left Poland with a 2-0 victory over the reigning Europa League champions.
4 days later, the identical lineup began in opposition to Mallorca. After all, the very best gamers on the planet should be capable of play beneath such a fast turnaround, however half of Actual Madrid’s squad solely arrived in coaching days earlier than the UEFA Tremendous Cup after representing their international locations this summer time at Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024.
Because the squad works their manner again to full match health after their quick summer time break, a tiring, irritating recreation just like the one they performed on Sunday will, ideally, not unfold as poorly, and the popular XI will ship a efficiency much like the one in opposition to Atalanta.
