One of the central frustrations in Real Madrid with its recent form has been the most basic of requirements for a top team – running. Los Blancos have struggled to match their opponents in terms of the distance they cover, and some players are now being called out for their lack of effort.
After the reports that the The Real Madrid dressing room became tense in recent weeks, Relief go into more detail about some of the complaints. On Tuesday evening, Ancelotti told the media that “I can't say that my players are lazy, but it is true that in these moments we are unable to put in the work effectively as a collective.”
After watching Rafael Leao and Raphinha give Lucas Vazquez serious problems, #RealMadrid they decided that the right position can not wait until the summer.
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His information from the dressing room is that the majority believes that there are exceptions to that rule, starting Kylian Mbappe. The lack of intensity, commitment and team spirit from Mbappe without the ball, and while trying to press, is a key factor in his defensive structure breaking down so easily late on. Mbappe ran only 8km against Milan, while the fittest players cover 12-13km in the same time. The dressing room is still friendly, and there is good camaraderie, but it is not as united as it once was.
It is something that has been picked up frequently by the media in Spain in recent weeks. Ancelotti said several weeks ago that he “wants Mbappe to score goals, not defend”, but that contrasts with rumors coming out of the club over the past week. After the Clasico defeat, the message was that the Blancos worked on their defensive structure and pressing, something that was not evident against AC Milan – starting with Mbappe.
