Real Madrid Must Play the Playoffs After an Irregular Group Stage
The merengue squad fails to qualify directly for the round of 16 of the Champions League 2025/26. Their path in the group stage ends with a 4-2 defeat against Benfica, a result that leaves them out of the top eight and forces them to face the playoffs round. Carlo Ancelotti's team showed a clear lack of solidity against strong opponents. ⚽
Two Stars Shine Amid Collective Opacity
In a generally quite gray team performance, two players stood out for their individual contributions. Kylian Mbappé establishes himself as the competition's top scorer, with 13 goals, and scored a brace in the key match against the Portuguese. In goal, Thibaut Courtois contained the disaster by making more than 40 decisive saves throughout the seven matches, partially mitigating the multiple defensive failures of the bloc. 🧤
Keys to Individual Performance:- Mbappé leads the scoring table with 13 goals and scored twice in the decisive match.
- Courtois exceeds 40 saves, being the most decisive player in avoiding heavier results.
- Their performances contrast with the low level shown by the rest of the squad.
With this game, even fifteenth place seems distant.
A Bloc Without Firmness That Complicates the European Path
Outside of the exceptional contributions from Mbappé and Courtois, the rest of the team failed to maintain a consistent competitive level. The white squad seemed to lack the character and mental strength necessary to impose themselves on powerful teams in the continental sphere. This irregularity, combined with constant defensive errors, explains the tortuous path that Real Madrid must now face, depending on a playoff tie to stay alive in the Champions League. 😟
Problems Detected in the Group Stage:- Lack of solidity and character against significant opponents.
- Recurrent defensive errors that weighed down the team.
- Irregular and inconsistent performance from most of the squad.
Hope Now Lies in the Playoffs
Madridista fans hope that the team wakes up for the crucial playoff tie. The performance shown in the group stage leaves many doubts about the team's ability to aim for the top this season. Everything depends on overcoming this new obstacle and demonstrating in the tie the grit that has been lacking so far. Continuity in the top European competition is at stake. 🤞