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Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and his team face mounting scrutiny ahead of their away clash with Alaves on Sunday, as they look to snap out of a poor run of form and stay in the hunt for the La Liga title.
Los Blancos currently trail league leaders Barcelona by four points, with the Catalans set to visit Leganes on Saturday.
Madrid are reeling from a humbling 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League midweek and cannot afford further missteps.
While they prepare to host the Gunners in Wednesday’s return leg — insisting they can turn the tie around — Madrid risk overlooking their domestic responsibilities by focusing too heavily on Europe. Their opponents, 17th-placed Alaves, are battling to avoid relegation and may sense an opportunity against a shaky Madrid side.
Despite holding the status of reigning Spanish and European champions, Real Madrid have conceded 11 goals across their last four matches and are coming off back-to-back defeats — to Arsenal and La Liga rivals Valencia.
“I feel responsible for what happened,” Ancelotti admitted after the heavy loss in London.
Spanish media outlets have since speculated that the Italian coach may not remain in charge beyond the current season, with Bayer Leverkusen boss and former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso reportedly being considered as a successor.
Madrid, who lost just twice in all competitions last season, have already been beaten 11 times in the current campaign.
“Ancelotti is fighting for the credibility of his project, and perhaps for his job next season,” wrote Madrid-based daily Marca.
The coach is expected to demand more collective effort from his players against Alaves, having criticised them for reacting individually rather than as a unit following Declan Rice’s free-kick brace for Arsenal.
“We were incapable of a united response,” said Ancelotti. “We relied too much on individual actions, which disrupted our organisation and allowed Arsenal to control both the match and the scoreline.”
He also acknowledged that defensive cohesion has been a persistent issue throughout the season.
“We’ve struggled to maintain a compact shape — not just in tough moments, but even when things are going well,” he noted.
Madrid hope to welcome back Dani Ceballos, who has been sidelined since February with a leg injury. The Spanish midfielder has impressed this season, and his absence has been keenly felt, particularly following the departure of veteran Toni Kroos last summer.
The return of Aurelien Tchouameni, suspended for the first leg against Arsenal, should provide much-needed support in shielding the back line.
Victory against Alaves is crucial for Real Madrid to keep their domestic title hopes alive before turning their attention to salvaging their Champions League campaign at the Santiago Bernabéu.
