Real Madrid’s bad start to this season has surprised many. It’s hard to believe that the same team were the champions of Spain and fought a great battle against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season.
Jose Mourinho’s troubles began from the first match of the season, an away leg against Valencia.
Real Madrid got off to a good start but faded and failed to hold on to their lead as the game moved on. The next match was against arch-rivals Barcelona. Real failed to register a win in this game too, as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat.
Real’s second league game against Getafe also ended in a defeat. Real Madrid seemed to be back on track after winning Supercopa by defeating Barcelona in the second leg; and a 3-0 home win over Granada also said the same. But their last match showed otherwise. Real were down by a goal in the second minute and failed to find even an equaliser in the remaining 88 minutes plus extra time.
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This led to Mourinho stating that his team wasn’t quite a team.
These outbursts by the coach were not taken lightly by the squad. They wanted him to tell them privately, all his interests. There has been a rift between the players and the coach since then in the Madrid dressing room, although it’s not the first time this is happening.
The official website quoted Mourinho as stating that his relationship with the squad couldn’t be better, but Madrid have bigger problems to deal with than just the relationship between the players and coach.
Importantly, its their performance in the pitch which matters the most; and Real Madrid have been having difficulty with their game. Espeically when it comes to tackling set pieces. The last goal against Real was scored from a corner kick.
Real Madrid’s attack too has been inconsistent and toothless. Higuain has scored three goals and Cristiano two, in the League. Benzema is yet to score a goal for the club. No other player has scored for the club in the League until now.
The match against City can turn Real’s sorrows into joy could further aggravate their wounds. Real have never lost the opening game in the Champions League. If Jose Mourinho gets his team together and defeats the English Champions, the Madridistas in Santiago Bernabeu would forgive him- at least for now. Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to see the reaction of the Bernabeu faithful after his outburst and this match will be an interesting juncture when it comes to that particular battle.
