Joselu sheds lights on the fundamental problem plaguing Real Madrid this season: ‘There’s a lack of…’ | OneFootball

Kylian Mbappe has taken up the brunt of the goalscoring at Real Madrid, and his powerful output has become critical to the team’s success.

Yet, many will argue that the lack of a natural No. 9 at the club is still palpable and the departure of Karim Benzema was not properly compensated. After all, Mbappe does provide goals but is no poacher in the box.

The last Real Madrid player to leave the feeling of a true poacher and fox in the box was Joselu and his departure marked the end of the true number 9 era at the club.

Joselu’s interview

The Real Madrid striker spoke to AS in a recent interview where he opened up on the team’s current problems and his professional situation. He began by reliving his time at Real Madrid and reminiscing about the fond memories.

“Looking back at my year with Real Madrid, I ask myself: ‘Why didn’t the opportunity with Real Madrid come sooner so I could’ve enjoyed it more?’,” he began.

“Everyone at the club also agreed that they should’ve signed me earlier,” he added.

He then remembered his goal against Bayern Munich which helped Real Madrid come back from a virtually dead situation.

“My goals vs Bayern? I remember them very vividly, because people remind me of them every day.”

On the love in Madrid

The striker then opened up on how fans in Madrid continue to shower love on him whenever he appears in the Spanish capital and how special that is to him.

“I was in Madrid two weeks ago and people asked me to return. Everyone who stops me in Madrid tells me to return, that the team needs a player like me.”

“That means I did things right when I was there. Scoring 18 goals in a season is difficult. People remember,” he added.

Remembering his time at the club and why he is lucky to be so loved, the striker said,

“I only have words of gratitude. It was an incredible year. Not just because of those goals against Bayern.”

“Ancelotti said it to me: the goals in La Liga, the goal in the Super Cup against Atléti, the day-to-day, those other moments that were important for the team,” he added.

On his time with Ancelotti

The player then remembered Carlo Ancelotti and revealed what the manager stood for in the dressing room.

“He was very important. What stood out in the locker room was his seriousness, a commitment from the players to him. He knew we wouldn’t let him down.”

“His experience was very important. He was very open to talking. He understood that at Real Madrid, any kind of ego isn’t more important than the entire squad together. That’s what made us champions,” he added.

“He was like a father to the squad, to the club, to the fans,” he concluded on Ancelotti.

Joselu played a key role in Real Madrid’s last UCL success. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Joselu also had praise for the dressing room and the environment behind the scenes at Real Madrid during his time there.

“Real Madrid’s dressing room? When I first walked in it was a bit like – wow!”

“There were Kroos, Modric, veteran players who had been at Real Madrid for 10 or 12 years, Bellingham who had just arrived, Vini, Fede, Carvajal, Lucas, Nacho, with whom I had played before,” he added.

On how he felt entering the dressing room for the first time, the striker said,

“I had two different feelings: one was, holy sh*t, I’m in Real Madrid’s 1st team; and the other was, I’ve already been in this dressing room with Carva, Lucas… I’d trained with Kroos and Modric.”

“In the first team, I knew the kit men, the physios,” he added.

On Real Madrid’s current situation

The player then began speaking about how the number 9 position is no longer being used optimally today.

“The typical striker is lost nowadays? Yes, and they’re important. For a while, the false nine was the hype, and I was against that type of player.”

“For me, it’s important to have a player like that who can unlock games, who can pin back the centre-backs,” he added.

He then stressed how he had a major role to play in unlocking Jude Bellingham’s goalscoring prowess.

“I remember how many goals Bellingham scored at Real Madrid because I would pin back the centre-backs for him. We talked about it a lot; he made good use of those spaces.”

“Now, he misses having a player like that,” he added.

Speaking about Gonzalo Garcia, Joselu admitted that the youngster was a pure number nine through and through.

“Is Gonzalo a typical No. 9 profile? Yes, he’s a box striker. I spoke with him at the Club World Cup. He’s a natural finisher.”

“The thing is, Real Madrid is Real Madrid. Mbappé scores 50 goals a season and you can’t change him. That’s why the typical 9 is lost. It’s a shame, because he can unlock many matches,” he added.

Clarifying the current problem for Real Madrid, the veteran star said,

“Real Madrid’s current issue? We’re missing a No. 9, aren’t we? (laughs). The problem is that people are comparing years when you win titles with years when you don’t.”

“We lost two games all year: one in La Liga and one in the Copa del Rey. We drew six more and won all the rest. That’s very difficult to repeat, no matter the team: the best Barça, the best City, the best Madrid,” he added.

Elaborating on how winning titles is not as easy as it appears from the outside, Joselu said,

“Having a year like the one where you win titles is complicated. Their pressure is to keep winning.”

“They’ve brought in Mbappe, the best striker in the world in terms of goals, Vini Jr. is a global icon, Rodrygo is getting back to his best, Bellingham, Fede,” he added.

Joselu opened up on Real Madrid’s problems this season. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“You see the names on the table and you say, it’s impossible for anyone to beat them,” he concluded on the same note.

The former player then moved on to another aspect of the game that he thinks Real Madrid are currently lacking in.

“At Real Madrid, perhaps there’s a lack of that competitive edge, that feeling.”

“The year we were there, about 80% of the players truly felt what it means to wear the Real Madrid shirt. Today, I don’t know if that feeling has been lost or not,” he added.

Speaking on how it is vital to be a fan first and a player next, Joselu said,

“When you play with the genuine feeling of being a true Real Madrid fan, you get something extra. When you’re missing something, you have to have that feeling.”

“I had it, and I saw that Nacho would kill for the club, that Carvajal would kill for the club even with half a knee, Lucas Vazquez the same, Fede the same, Vini gives his all and is a die-hard Real Madrid fan,” he added.

Towards the end of his interview, the former player revealed he still loved and followed all the team’s games.

“Do I still watch Real Madrid matches? Yes, always. And it’s really hard for me because they’re on at 9PM and there’s a 2-hour difference here, meaning they finish at 1AM.”

“I watched the City match. I like watching them. I talk about them with people. I talk to the players, the club staff. Sometimes I feel like I’m still involved in their lives,” he added.