Former Real Madrid manager highlights the problem plaguing the club this season | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid manager Jorge Valdano has delivered a damning verdict on the club’s 2024/25 season, claiming the team has failed to manage Kylian Mbappe properly and could now end the campaign empty-handed.

Madrid’s recent defeat to fierce rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final has hit the capital hard.

It was a match that carried far more than just silverware, as it was viewed as a final lifeline for a season that promised so much and may now deliver nothing.

Los Blancos are already out of the Champions League and trail Barça by four points in La Liga with just five games remaining.

Valdano’s analysis

Valdano, speaking in a recent appearance, did not hold back in his analysis. He believes that Madrid became complacent following their recent successes and the high-profile arrival of Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

“Real Madrid had just won the Champions League and La Liga, and had signed Mbappe, which should have given them a huge morale boost,” he said.

“But the impression is that they thought if they had won everything without Mbappe, then with him they could do it without even running.”

Jorge Valdano has analysed Real Madrid and Barcelona. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

His comments point to a deeper issue within the team, which is an overreliance on individual brilliance and a lack of collective drive.

While the signing of Mbappe was expected to take Madrid to another level, it appears to have bred a sense of overconfidence instead of hunger.

Praising Barcelona

In sharp contrast, Valdano pointed out how Barcelona have taken the opposite approach this season. With Hansi Flick at the helm, the team has adopted a workmanlike mentality.

“Barcelona looked at the situation and said, ‘Either I wake up, run, sacrifice myself, or become a laughing stock.’ And the results are clear,” he added.

Valdano praised Flick’s influence, saying that Barcelona are now chasing four titles, not by chance, but through relentless effort and tactical discipline.

Real Madrid, by comparison, still lack stability in midfield and have yet to find a consistent structure, even as the season nears its end.

“Real Madrid has suffered a lot of ups and downs. Even in the month of April, they have not found a perfect midfield. That is the reality,” he concluded.

Source: SPORT