Real Madrid and Al-Hilal’s star power cannot mask a creeping crisis | OneFootball

Real Madrid and Al-Hilal are navigating a muddled season in which results have frayed and confidence has ebbed. According to Goal.com, the decline has crept in, small issues swelling into crises despite lavishly assembled squads.

At Madrid, the talent is clear, with Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Arda Güler, and Alexander-Arnold and Dean Howson due later. Yet a gap endures between individual brilliance and collective identity.

Xabi Alonso’s project flagged early, a 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain, then a 5-2 derby defeat at Atlético on matchday seven. Group-stage defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City followed, before a 2-3 Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona in January. Six months in, Alonso left and Álvaro Arbeloa took charge.

Al-Hilal appointed Simone Inzaghi on the eve of the Club World Cup, seeking a new approach. They drew 1-1 with Madrid and 0-0 with Salzburg, beat Pachuca to reach the last 16, shocked Manchester City 4-3, then lost to Fluminense to go out. An unbeaten run since has not masked concerns over cohesion and reliance on individuals.

Pressure is mounting. Madrid have already lost the domestic Super Cup and could cede La Liga, Barcelona are seven points clear with eight games left. Al-Hilal withdrew from the Super Cup and trail Al-Nassr by five with seven to play, and while both still could land a La Liga and Champions League double, Al-Hilal also have the Copa del Rey in play.

Source: Goal.com