There were those who predicted the defeat of Real Madrid.
On the 9th (Korea time), Real Madrid was defeated 0-3 by Arsenal in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 season UEFA Champions League, held at the Arsenal Stadium in London, England.
Real aimed for victory but collapsed after allowing two goals solely from free kicks by Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. Most fans anticipated Real Madrid's dominance, but on the 8th, the Spanish media 'Visacar' pointed out Real's defensive vulnerabilities and predicted struggles ahead of the match.
Visacar analyzed, "Behind the glamorous offense of Real Madrid hides a frail defense that can easily collapse," noting that "Arsenal will target this vulnerability." In fact, Real finished the first half 0-0, but collapsed completely in the second half due to consecutive free kick goals and defensive breakdown.
The media also mentioned that Real recently lost 1-2 to Valencia in La Liga. That defeat left Real 4 points behind the leading FC Barcelona and marked their 10th loss in official matches this season. This is a noticeable decline compared to only 2 losses last season.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti pointed to the acquisition of Kylian Mbappe as one of the reasons for the decline in defensive strength. While Mbappe has scored 33 goals and provided clear efficiency in offense, it also means sacrificing defensive organization and balance.
With the addition of Mbappe to Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo, the offense has become formidable, but the gap left by the retirement of Toni Kroos in midfield has not yet been filled.
According to a report by Visacar on the 8th, Ancelotti said, "This year, we are much more effective in attack, but we are struggling in defense. We are looking for ways to maintain this offensive power while strengthening our defensive organization."
The situation was further worsened by the absence of defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who was suspended for this match. Additionally, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin were recovering from injuries, so their conditions were not up to par, and last weekend, 19-year-old goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez made his league debut.
Recently, Real allowed 4 goals to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey and has conceded 31 goals in La Liga. This is 5 goals more than their total goals conceded last season.
The fact that reinforcement for defense was not made last summer is also a problem. The long-term injuries of Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, combined with the drop in form of David Alaba after his return, have kept the defense in turmoil.
Ancelotti is giving young defender Raul Asensio opportunities, but he has not yet established himself as a reliable option. Antonio Rüdiger is holding the defense together, but is insufficient in this situation.
Visacar warned, "Real hopes that the offense can cover the defensive issues. However, the stronger the opponent, the more clearly Real's vulnerabilities will be exposed," and this was realized in the result against Arsenal.
Coach Ancelotti said in October about Mbappe, "I prefer him to score rather than press," but in another interview, he surprisingly demanded even higher activity levels, causing confusion.
Real Madrid, which has still not found the balance between offense and defense, now faces a more painful task after this defeat. It remains uncertain whether they can rebound in the second leg.
[OSEN]