A Madrid Side Growing More Inconsistent

The white team continues to struggle to find their best form, already accumulating two defeats in the league, in addition to three in the Champions League.

Real Madrid suffered their fifth defeat of the season in 22 matches at San Mamés against Athletic Club (2-1). Furthermore, three draws highlight the inconsistent start for the white team. In the last 10 campaigns, they have only won fewer matches at this stage once: in the 2018/2019 season, the first after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.

During that time, they went nine matches without taking all three points. In the current season, they have experienced eight matches without a win, similar to the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons.

In 2020, they managed to win La Liga during the interrupted edition due to the coronavirus pandemic and were eliminated in the round of 16 in the Champions League. In 2021, they were runners-up in the domestic tournament and lost in the semi-finals of the Champions League to Chelsea, who eventually became champions.

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This season, they are enduring their worst start in the Champions League since its inception in 1992, with three defeats in five matches in a newly formatted group stage involving all participants, which includes two extra matchdays.

Additionally, there is a change in the qualification format for the knockout rounds: the top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, while the next 16 will compete in an extra round to earn a spot in the next phase. Currently, Real Madrid sits in 24th place with three matchdays left to play. They are at the brink.

Such a scenario has not affected Carlo Ancelotti's team in La Liga, as they recovered from the 0-4 thrashing against Barcelona up until their visit to San Mamés.

Real Madrid was outplayed by an Athletic side that played with great intensity in front of their home crowd. However, the merengues left empty-handed due to two errors: a missed penalty - the second consecutive one after Anfield - by Kylian Mbappé and a mistake in ball distribution by Federico Valverde when the score was tied at one, which ultimately led to the decisive 2-1 goal.

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This defeat marks the second loss of the season in the national championship, following their classic defeat. Adding the three losses in the Champions League, they have now lost five times in their last 11 matches, more than in their previous 73 encounters.

Moreover, Real Madrid has lost more than double the number of matches than last season (two), in a campaign that Ancelotti recently admitted was the easiest to manage in his extensive coaching career, culminating in a double of La Liga and the Champions League.

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Lille, Barcelona, Milan, Liverpool, and Athletic are the teams that have defeated a Real Madrid side still searching for consistency. Following Cristiano's departure in 2018, and now with Toni Kroos leaving in 2024, combined with injuries - 24 across 14 players - and Kylian Mbappé's mistakes.

After regaining momentum in La Liga and cutting points to a Barcelona team now four points ahead (with one match still to play against Valencia at Mestalla), doubts return for Real Madrid, who will visit Girona tomorrow, followed by a crucial Champions League match next Tuesday.

Although it's still December, they cannot afford another stumble that would jeopardize their access to the knockout stage. The white team will visit in Bergamo next week to face an Atalanta side in good form, currently second in Serie A and fifth in the Champions League. This will be the third significant away challenge for a Real Madrid team still searching for consistency.