Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Alaves | La Liga MD 32 | OneFootball

Real Madrid put up a performance to be proud of for the greater part of the game against Bayern Munich last week, especially taking into consideration the team’s poor form heading into the game.

In the end, however, an unnecessary red card and a late collapse undid all the work Los Blancos put in and saw them get eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the quarterfinal stage.

Tomorrow night, they will take to the field for the first time since that elimination as they face Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The atmosphere at the home stadium, needless to say, will not be a pleasant one given the team’s recent results but Alvaro Arbeloa’s men will be desperate to turn their situation around against the league’s 17th-placed side.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Deportivo Alaves.

And then there was one

Real Madrid’s season took a turn for the worse after the international break, one that has seen them virtually out of all competitions in a matter of weeks.

The UEFA Champions League and La Liga were the two remaining competitions in which Los Blancos were alive ahead of the last hiatus.

Having faced elimination from Europe against Bayern Munich over two legs, however, Real Madrid are now alive only in one competition – and that too seems to be a formality.

In that sense, Real Madrid’s season is all but over as they now have to play only the remaining league fixtures hoping for a miracle in the competition. Nine points behind Barcelona with seven games to go, the chances are near zero.

Los Blancos, in that sense, are set for another season without major trophies, setting a rather gloomy situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

There is hope for a miraculous turnaround in the league, but Barcelona are unlikely to go on a tilt and Real Madrid will have to play their remaining games in the competition with virtually no goals.

Worst run in a long time

No wins in four games in a row. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Real Madrid’s form since returning from the international break has been despicable, so much so that the numbers take one back several years to find an equally poor run of form.

The Merengues have played four games since the return of club football after the break. Of them, they have somehow even failed to win a single game.

Barring a draw against Girona, all of Real Madrid’s games after the break have been defeats, leaving them winless in four straight games across all competitions.

To draw perspective on how poor that run is for the club, the last time they endured a comparable run of form was back in September to October of 2018 when they went five straight games without a win with four defeats under Julen Lopetegui.

The damage is indeed already done, and the four poor results have shut down all potential routes to a trophy. However, there is an urgent need to turn the situation around, at least for the club’s reputation.

Seven games remain in the season, and while there is nothing left to fight for, finishing with wins would be massive for the players, the management, and the administration. 

Players on alert

The season may be complete in terms of the squad’s hunt for silverware, but there is a lot left for the players to play for – in fact possibly even more than before.

Real Madrid have seven games to go, but their inability to win a major title for the second straight season implies that massive changes are incoming in the summer.

Reports have already begun to float in about Los Blancos’ revamp and how the administration is looking to trim the squad by doing away with players who are not living up to the billing.

No one, on that front, is safe and every game from this point will be an audition for every player representing the club’s crest for a place in the squad next season.

The likes of Ferland Mendy, Fran Garcia, Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Eduardo Camavinga, and Brahim Diaz are some of the names that stand out as players who may potentially be forced out who will all look to step up.

Beyond the aforementioned list too, however, it is safe to say that very few Real Madrid players, if any, are truly safe. There is, thus, a lot to play for from the players’ perspective as they head into the final run of the season.