Nothing’s lost yet, but everything could be: 8 reasons why Real Madrid could end trophyless

#6 Lack of fear among rivals

While the men in white were assured of winning before even stepping on the pitch during their winning run, their opponents were equally certain of being the punching bags of Ancelotti’s men. The tides have now changed, however, as the opposition teams not only believe the once-unbelievable fact that Real Madrid players are a bunch of mere mortals, but also that they can be defeated with some effort.

Here, I’d like to borrow the tagline of The Shawshank Redemption, ‘Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free’. When there was fear and intimidation in the minds of their opponent, Real Madrid had already won the game before even playing because their adversaries had imprisoned themselves within the darkness of fear in their mind.

But now that there is the shining light of hope, opponents have shattered the self-made prison located in the mind and broken free. And once you believe that something is achievable, it indeed becomes that.

Obviously, the right tactics and effort are needed to make it a reality, but the first thing – the root – is to convince the mind. And that is what teams can easily do now because of Real Madrid’s current crucible. The worse news, however, is that they face their bitter Catalan rivals in two weeks’ time at a time when not only has the fear factor gone, but also...