Madrid’s Struggles Continue Despite Narrow Win Over Rayo

In a tense match against Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid clinched a narrow victory through a penalty awarded in the 100th minute, despite facing a team reduced to ten men. The red card shown to Pathé Ciss was justified due to an excessive foul, while the penalty was deserved after a failed clearance from Mendy resulted in a collision with Brahim. However, the lengthy stoppage time raised questions regarding the game’s management. This result was crucial, as a five-point deficit to Barcelona at this stage could have been significant, but more importantly, it alleviated the growing concerns among Madrid fans about the team’s form.

As the days pass, it becomes increasingly evident that the team is not making progress. Rather than pressing the attack, they have settled into a defensive posture, waiting for opportunities to arise rather than creating them. Their approach appears overly reliant on moments of brilliance from players like Vinicius and Mbappé. Vinicius did deliver early in the match with a stunning goal, celebrated warmly by the fans, signaling a potential reconciliation after initial boos during his previous touches. Unfortunately, Bellingham had to leave the pitch due to a hamstring issue, likely sidelining him for three weeks.

Despite Vinicius’s early strike and the calming of the atmosphere, the team failed to capitalize on the momentum. Instead, they exhibited a lack of focus and disorganization, ceding both territory and possession to Rayo. This collective lapse in concentration was evident during two corner situations where Madrid left themselves vulnerable, leading to counterattacks that nearly proved costly, saved only by Valverde’s sprint and Courtois’s reliability. Mbappé also squandered a clear opportunity, hitting the crossbar after outpacing the goalkeeper.

It wasn’t until Ciss’s expulsion and Rayo’s forced retreat that urgency finally struck Madrid, who began to press in a chaotic search for a goal. They eventually managed to score through a penalty that seemed to come from nowhere, shortly after Camavinga struck the post with a header. While they secured three vital points, the overarching sentiment remains that the Arbeloa project is not progressing as hoped. The contrast between Barcelona’s performance the previous day and Madrid’s display is stark.

In another match at Ciutat de Valencia, an unusual sight emerged as Diego Simeone appeared contemplative and defeated on the sidelines. A fellow Atlético fan suggested it was merely a show, but it conveyed a sense of desperation, hinting at concerns about squad depth and his options moving forward.

Since Flick’s arrival at Barcelona (spanning a year and a half across 94 matches), the team has netted an impressive 268 goals while hitting the woodwork 66 times—an extraordinary tally. In their recent match against Elche, Lamine demonstrated an almost artistic flair, hitting both the crossbar with his foot and the post with his head in a breathtaking sequence that highlighted the team’s offensive prowess.