Real Madrid\'s Champions League elimination has exposed fundamental issues in the team\'s performance metrics that explain their disappointing 24-25 campaign despite their star-studded roster.
Statistical analysis shows a clear defensive regression from last season. Madrid have conceded 31 goals in 32 LaLiga games (0.97 goals per game), a significant increase from their 26 goals allowed in 38 matches (0.68 per game) during their 2023-24 title run.
The team\'s defensive vulnerability extends beyond just goals conceded. Ball recovery numbers have plummeted from 46.5 recoveries per game last season to just 40.6 this campaign, indicating a concerning decrease in defensive work rate and efficiency.
Perhaps most revealing is the distance covered data from their Champions League defeat to Arsenal. In the first leg, Madrid players covered just 101.2 kilometers compared to Arsenal\'s 113.9km. The second leg showed a similar disparity: 108.1km for Madrid versus 117.6km for Arsenal.
A deeper problem emerges when examining individual player movement patterns. According to LaLiga tracking data, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius are the two outfield players who spend the most time walking rather than running across the entire league, creating an imbalance that the team structure has failed to accommodate.
The offensive quartet of Mbappé, Vinícius, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo – while productive with 56 combined goals and assists in LaLiga – has created tactical complications. Carlo Ancelotti has insisted on playing all four when available, compromising his preferred 4-4-2 defensive structure.
Both Vinícius (11 goals, 5 assists) and Bellingham (8 goals, 7 assists) have seen their production decline from last season, suggesting the attacking unit isn\'t functioning optimally despite their individual talents.
The absence of key defensive personnel has compounded these issues. Without Eder Militão and Dani Carvajal for much of the season, Madrid have lacked stability in their backline, while the departure of Toni Kroos has left a void in midfield control with the German\'s metronomic passing sorely missed.
Squad construction flaws have become evident, as the team failed to adequately replace Nacho in central defense or provide sufficient cover for Carvajal at right-back. The loss of role players like Joselu (10 league goals last season) has also deprived Madrid of tactical flexibility and depth.
Against Arsenal in the return leg, Madrid resorted to crossing the ball 43 times – with Joselu and Rodrygo providing 11 each – suggesting a team lacking cohesive attacking patterns and relying on desperate, low-percentage strategies.
\"Compared to last year, we\'ve lacked a bit of collective attitude,\" Ancelotti admitted, in what amounts to a damning assessment of his own inability to forge a balanced team from his collection of superstars.
\"You always give yourself a better chance if you run more,\" Bellingham observed. \"Fourteen kilometres is almost the equivalent to [what] one player [covers], so logically, it impacts the game. Last year was similar. We didn\'t always run the most, but we were in organised positions, knowing where to run, what spaces to cover.\"
\"Sometimes, maybe we have to play more as a team, and less as individuals,\" goalkeeper Courtois noted after their Champions League exit. \"If [opponents] double-mark Viní or Kylian, it\'s two-on-one. [A goal] might come off once, but not three, four or five times.\"