For many Real Madrid fans, the 2024/25 season was supposed to be a year to look forward to.They brought in French superstar Kylian Mbappe, and were expecting a team that would kill it in all competitions, as they have done in the past.But the reality was completely different – the season ended without any major trophies for Real Madrid and manager Carlo Ancelotti left the team.
Just a year ago, Real Madrid won their 15th Champions League trophy at Wembley Stadium in London.At that time, Mbappe’s transfer to Real Madrid had just been confirmed and everyone felt that the Spanish giants would continue to dominate Europe in the new season.But by now, Real Madrid have failed to win even the most important matches in La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey.And Carlo Ancelotti also announced that he would go to coach the Brazilian national team at the end of the season.
Real Madrid’s lineup also started to change.They signed a young defender from Bournemouth, Dean Hooysen, and are also preparing for the arrival of Liverpool’s right back, Trent Alexander-Arnold.Meanwhile, former Real Madrid player Xavi Alonso is set to take over as the new manager of the White Vultures.
So what happened this season?Why did a team with top stars like Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham end up with nothing?
A losing season
On May 11, 2024, Real Madrid lost 3-4 at home against Barcelona.The game not only cost them the chance to compete for the La Liga title, but also made the club’s hierarchy realize that it was the end of Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching cycle.
The loss meant that Real Madrid lost all four times they faced Barcelona this season.This has only happened twice in history, the last time being the distant 1982/83 season.Even earlier, Real Madrid lost 2-3 in extra time to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, and were not crowned champions early on.It can be said that the whole season was suppressed by Barcelona to death.
Not only that, Real Madrid’s performance in the Champions League was also disappointing.They were knocked out by Premier League team Arsenal in the quarterfinals, losing 1-5 on aggregate.It is important to know that Real Madrid is the team with the most number of wins in the history of the Champions League.Even in the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid lost to Barcelona 2-5.
The only consolation is two small trophies: one is the European Super Cup won by beating UEFA Cup champion Atlanta in August, and the other is the Intercontinental Cup won by beating Mexican team Pachuca in December.These two honors don’t make up for the lost title, but they do give fans a little psychological comfort.
Season Highlights: vs. Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund
Despite a poor season overall, Real Madrid had a few key games where they played well.
One of the highlights came in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League play-offs, where Real Madrid beat Manchester City 3-1 at home.This game didn’t change the overall direction of the season, but it showed the team’s ability to fight under pressure.Mbappe scored a hat-trick in this game, showing people his strength and potential as a new recruit.
In addition, Real Madrid’s match against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League group stage was also very bright.In that game, Dortmund was leading 2-0 at one point, but Real Madrid fought back quickly and eventually won 5-2.One of the highlights of the game was another hat-trick for Vinicius.The image of him taking the ball near the corner area and breaking all the way through to score made the whole Bernabeu stadium boil.
After the game, many believed that Vinicius had already locked up a spot in the next year’s Ballon d’Or.However, with Real Madrid and Vinicius himself deciding to boycott the Ballon d’Or, the conversation cooled down.
Carlo Ancelotti’s departure: surprising and unexpected
At the end of the season, Carlo Ancelotti officially said goodbye to Real Madrid.The way he left was a bit strange and even a bit confusing.Before the season was fully over, there were rumors that he might be coaching the Brazilian national team.What’s even more surprising is that the Brazilian Football Federation actually announced the news officially before Real Madrid, which made a lot of Real Madrid players feel dissatisfied.
It wasn’t until 11 days later that Real Madrid officially confirmed that Carlo Ancelotti was no longer the manager.This way of handling makes many people feel that the management is not professional enough, and also makes the outside world question the internal management of the club.
Ancelotti left behind 15 trophies at Real Madrid, making him the coach with the most titles in the club’s history.However, he did not lead the team to the expected results in the 2024/25 season.Some critics have pointed out that he has failed to use the resources at hand wisely or make timely adjustments.For example, he has stuck with his four main strikers (Mbappe, Vinicius, Rodrigo, Bellingham) and has not been bold enough to use young players even when some have slipped in form or been injured.
Mbappe’s performance: impressive stats but not up to expectations
Mbappe’s arrival had been seen as a key step towards Real Madrid’s return to the top.He scored 42 goals in 55 games, including 31 in La Liga, breaking the record previously held by Zamorano.
But on the whole, his arrival did not significantly improve Real Madrid’s performance.Especially in some key matches, he failed to play his role.Fans had hoped that he would bring more stability and creativity on the offensive end, but the actual effect was not obvious.
However, considering that he just came to the team not long ago and it takes time for him to adapt to the new environment, maybe he will have a better performance next season.
Player highlights: Rüdiger’s ‘crazy’ moments
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger has been one of the most talked about players this season.Not only is he the centerpiece of the defense, but he’s also an active member of the locker room.
But after the Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona, he was banned for six matches for throwing objects at the referee.He was also fined and suspended for one game for a “throat-slitting” celebration during the match.
However, he also had some funny moments.For example, after he scored a goal, his teammates imitated his celebrations and got a collective beating.He himself laughed and said, “If I score more goals, it doesn’t matter if they beat me.”
These behaviors earned him the nickname “Crazy” at Real Madrid, but also showed that he has a unique presence in the locker room.
Season rating: Ancelotti scores only 3 points
All things considered, Carlo Ancelotti’s performance this season is a flop.Although his past coaching performance was excellent, he obviously failed to take control of the situation this year.
Weak defense, frequent injuries, conservative tactics and other problems throughout the season.The management’s failure to strengthen the defense in time during the winter transfer window also contributed to the worsening of the problem.
More importantly, Ancelotti seems to lack the ability to make decisive decisions.He is afraid to rotate the starters and unwilling to give youngsters a chance, which makes the team lack of flexibility when encountering difficulties.
Summer outlook: new manager, new people, new chapter
With the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid welcomes a new manager, Javi Alonso.The former Real Madrid midfielder, who coached Leverkusen to great effect, knows the culture of Real Madrid well.
In addition to the change of manager, Real Madrid will also be welcoming several new additions.Apart from the already confirmed Hoeness and Arnold, the club is also looking for a left-back and plans to add further to the squad.
At the same time, the management will need to address the structural issues that have been exposed this season, such as how to deal with a serious injury situation and how to better integrate the current players.
Conclusion: The future is still promising
While the 2024/25 season was a failure for Real Madrid, it was also a wake-up call for the club.With a new coach, new players and a new management mindset, Real Madrid is expected to make a comeback next season.
We don’t know if Real Madrid will really be back on top this time next year, but we believe that as long as they are willing to make changes, they will have a chance to stand on top of Europe again.
