The problems with Real Madrid
Life isn’t all sunshine and lollipops at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu at present, it has to be said. Real Madrid could only muster a 2-2 draw with Espanyol on Sunday night and with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona playing later in the evening, a game the later emerged 4-1 victors, it couldn’t have been a worse time to slip up for Los Blancos.
The Madrid giants have looked far from their best this season, especially domestically, and currently find themselves 13 points behind the Blaugrana. Such is the gap between the two sides that head coach Jose Mourinho has admitted defeat in the race to the Primera Division title.
On top of that, Mourinho’s side have now dropped 15 points already this season and it’s only December, compared to last year where Real dropped 14 all season. It’s a far cry from the same side that recorded the highest number of points, wins and scored the most goals in La Liga history as they romped to the 32nd domestic title.
Much is down to Mourinho’s desire to land the Champions League with a Spanish side and continue his trend of achieving European success in every league he’s worked in, bar the Premiership. Furthermore, captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas admits that ending the season 25 points off top spot, while landing “La Decima” – the club’s tenth European title – he’d take it.
Such is his drive to secure the Champions League trophy with his third team, becoming the first manager in history to do so in the process, will understandably see the domestic form falter – you only have to look at Chelsea’s continental success last season to as a prime example.
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