Real Madrid's start to the 2024-25 season has been far from simple. Points have been dropped in four of 11 games (D3, L1), and because these winless fixtures have come in La Liga, it means they currently trail bitter rivals Barcelona by three points.
Many expected Real Madrid to go on their way to a second straight La Liga title, especially with Kylian Mbappe being added to Carlo Ancelotti's squad. However, this has not proven to be the case so far, and as Emmanuel Petit told Football España alongside BetBrainthe reason why is quite clear.
“There are many things that Real Madrid need to manage, such as confidence and ego. The main problem for Real Madrid is not Mbappe – it is in midfield. Toni Kroos is not here, and Luka Modric he is not the same player he once was. For me, Kroos was the main man, and he is missing so much that he does not feel the same team. They have great quality as individuals, but he does not feel more as a team. In recent years, they have won trophies because they played as a team – at the moment, they are struggling to have the same feeling.”
There is no doubt that Kroos in particular has been a massive miss for Real Madrid. He was arguably one of the best players in Europe in his final season as a professional footballer, and adapting to living without him has been a major challenge for Ancelotti, who with the hope that the second international break has given him time to find a solution. .
Real Madrid chose not to replace Kroos during the summer, instead relying on existing players to step up. Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni are two players who have gained more prominence, although Petit is not convinced by his fellow Frenchmen.
“He has quality, but you can't ask Camavinga to do what Kroos or Modric did – it's impossible. What they did was priceless, and there aren't many players who can do the same things.
“Since he went to Real Madrid, he has improved as a player – he has also played in different positions. But has he done enough as a midfielder to show that he should be a nailed starter? I am not sure yet, the I'm still waiting for him to prove himself. It's the same for Tchouameni, I'm not convinced by him either. For me, he's better as a central defender.”
Real Madrid they go into another crucial run of games, which includes the first Clasico of the season next weekend. They need to strengthen if they are to review Barcelona, although there is a lot of time to solve their problems. However, that is certainly easier said than done.
