After losing the La Liga title by a 14-point margin with only three matches remaining, it’s easy to dismiss Real Madrid’s struggles as nothing serious. It’s not a crisis that Kylian Mbappé took a trip to Sardinia just a week before the Clásico and then missed the game at Camp Nou with a muscle strain that kept him out for 15 days. It’s not a crisis that the club has suffered 119 injuries over the past two seasons. It’s not a crisis that Vinícius Jr. wanted to dismantle a project just two months in because he didn’t like the coach—and that the club allowed it. It’s not a crisis that Dani Ceballos walked into the manager’s office, gave him a severe reprimand, and then missed the last six matches of the season. It’s not a crisis that players constantly argue in the dressing room. It’s not a crisis that Álvaro Arbeloa says he’s proud of his players. It’s not a crisis that Real Madrid relies entirely on the Champions League every season. It’s not a crisis that the players only run hard in a handful of games—and the Camp Nou defeat was not one of them. We could go on for hours.
Real Madrid is supposed to be the NASA of football—the absolute elite—but right now, they are far from that. This season has been a catastrophe.
**Two Consecutive League Titles**
Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, have restored the value of La Liga by winning their second straight championship. The Blaugrana place far greater importance on everyday matches than Real Madrid, who have become a complacent side focused solely on the Champions League. The fact that Real Madrid have only won back-to-back league titles once in 26 years speaks volumes about the club’s current standing.
**A Massive Gap**
Barcelona barely had to break a sweat to beat Real Madrid and seal the league title. The difference between the two sides is so vast that Flick didn’t even need Lamine Yamal or Raphinha to get the job done. Flick is a role model for Real Madrid: if there is one thing to credit him for, it’s his ability to get the best out of every player he coaches, whether a superstar or a homegrown talent. At Real Madrid, very few players have the required level to play for the club.
**Rashford First, Then Olmo**
The Clásico lacked real excitement apart from two brilliant Barcelona goals. Marcus Rashford’s opener was a stunning free kick into the top corner, made even more impressive by the fact it beat Thibaut Courtois. The second goal saw Dani Olmo backheel the ball to Ferran Torres, who slipped past Antonio Rüdiger—the only Real Madrid defender who tried to stop him—while Jesús Asenjo just watched.
Mbappé is not at his best. The Frenchman missed the Clásico due to a hamstring injury—a strange one that kept him out for 15 days. It was also odd that he decided to send a message of support to his team when the score was already 2-0. He wanted to show he was watching the match from home, but doing so while Real Madrid were being humiliated at Camp Nou—rather than before the game—raises questions. We’ll see if he plays again this season. It doesn’t seem likely.
**Courtois Shines**
Thibaut Courtois is always there, through thick and thin. The Belgian decided to return to Camp Nou after being sidelined for six weeks due to injury.
