Following their loss to neighbors Atlético Madrid (1-2) in the derby the day before yesterday during the seventh round of the Spanish Football League, Real Madrid, led by Portuguese coach José Mourinho in his second stint at the helm of its technical management, continues to blame the referees to cover up clear collective gaps and the lack of harmony among the trio of Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, Brazilian Vinícius Júnior, and Englishman Jude Bellingham.
In Madrid, coaches change, but on and off the pitch, not much changes.
With the return of "The Special One" Mourinho, the squad of Madrid stars, which has not won a major title in two years, was supposed to regain discipline and some basic principles. However, it finds itself once again forced to chase its traditional rival Barcelona, the title holder for the last two seasons and the steady leader, by a six-point margin as the international break approaches.
After this second defeat in seven rounds, the culprits were quickly identified, as often happens at Real Madrid: the referees. The very same ones whom President Florentino Pérez said "stole seven league titles" and "14 points" from him last season, nothing less, to serve Barcelona.
This time, referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and VAR official Daniel Jesús Trujillo found themselves in the crosshairs, supported by screenshots, after the Real Madrid coach accused them of ignoring "two clear red card" offenses against South Korean Kang-in Lee and Argentine Cristian Romero, due to two strong tackles on Uruguayan Federico Valverde and Bellingham.
However, Mourinho, accustomed to this type of media strategy, refused to engage in the conspiracy theory adopted by the club president, unlike his predecessor Álvaro Arbeloa, admitting that his team lacks "many things," far from the refereeing controversy.
Collective sterility
The first of these things, in the absence of real sporting planning, is the lack of a playing identity and a collective structure worthy of the high level.
This remains elusive, despite signing seven players this summer, including Marc Cucurella, one of the best left-backs in the world, international French defender Ibrahima Konaté, and Ivorian Ousmane Diomande, one of the most prominent rising talents in world football who was signed for a large sum.
At the Metropolitano stadium on Sunday, "Los Merengues" failed once again to create play, and even accepted leaving possession to their opponent without pressure or effective collective organization to try to regain the ball.
On more than one occasion, some journalists known for their closeness to Real Madrid appeared in the press box in a state of extreme frustration as they watched their team split into two halves, with French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni alone in defensive duties in front of three players between the depth and the right flank, while Mbappé, Vinícius, and Bellingham walked back.
Vinícius at rock bottom
Both teams were still at full strength at those moments, and the three stars do not have many excuses to justify this lack of collective solidarity, which their individual brilliance might sometimes compensate for, but it has not been enough since the start of the season.
The French striker, who has seven goals in seven matches, and the English midfielder, who is constantly forced to cover the gaps, enjoy a degree of immunity from criticism, which focuses primarily on "Vini," who was replaced by Diomande in the 54th minute after another disastrous performance.
Since extending his contract in early August until 2032, the Brazilian winger, who struggles in front of goal and finds it difficult to bypass defenders or harmonize with his teammates, has not shown any progress.
Some observers logically point to the Real Madrid management's decision to grant a huge contract to a player who is still unable to regain the level he showed in the 2023-2024 season, when he finished the Ballon d'Or race in second place behind Rodri, who was a candidate to join Real Madrid this summer before Barcelona snatched him at the end of the transfer market.
That is why a large number of fans and influential voices in the Spanish press are calling on José Mourinho to take decisive decisions to revive his team, starting with giving Diomande a starting position on the left wing instead of Vinícius, and making a definitive choice in midfield between Bellingham and the Turk Arda Güler, and between Tchouaméni and Valverde.
The first answers are expected to come after the international break, in early October, against Villarreal in La Liga and then Italy's Roma in the Champions League, one of Mourinho's former clubs. There will be no room for error.
