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An embarrassing paradox for the French star
Talk of a Real Madrid crisis is no longer limited to a drop in results or the loss of a championship here and there, but rather to the gradual collapse of the system of discipline that has built the club’s success for so many years.
While the Royals are going through one of their most tumultuous periods in the dressing room, Barcelona under German Hans Flick are playing a completely different game in a scene that reflects how administrative and behavioral differences have become a decisive factor in shaping the nature of the rivalry between the two rivals.
The end of the golden age
Real Madrid, which rose to the pinnacle of European glory in the last decade and built an exceptional historic era by dominating the Champions League, did not depend only on the quality of stars on the pitch, but on a highly professional system led by a generation of veteran players who imposed a culture of winning and discipline at the club.
But recent years have seen the gradual erosion of this system, notably the departure of names such as Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, in addition to the decline of Dani Carvajal’s role in the team.
These players weren’t just stars inside the green rectangle, but rather represented the true authority of the locker room.
As this generation fades away, Real Madrid have a wealth of young talent, but lack a leadership personality capable of controlling the internal rhythm of the team.
Ancelotti closes the gap
In recent years, Italian Carlo Ancelotti has played a key role in filling this gap caused by the lack of leaders.
Ancelotti was not only a tactical coach, but enjoyed a fatherly figure in the dressing room thanks to his friendly and close relationship with the players, as he was able to contain crises, absorb tension and manage the stars psychologically, which gave the team some stability despite the decline of traditional leadership in the dressing room.
But this season clearly revealed the crisis following Ancelotti’s departure, as successive crises emerged and the chaos began to unfold publicly in a series of clashes that reflected the degree of tension and loss of control at Real Madrid.
The most prominent of these incidents was the collision between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Choumini, an incident which caused great shock as it revealed the extent of the tension between the players themselves. The last period witnessed another tension between Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Carreras.
The crisis was not limited to this, but instead spread to Kylian Mbappé’s clash with a member of coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s coaching staff, with Dani Ceballos and Dani Carvajal at odds with Arbeloa himself.
These incidents are no longer just isolated incidents, but rather have become clear evidence of the lack of a leadership structure capable of enforcing respect and discipline within the club.
Mbappe throws tantrums
At a time when Real needed the highest level of concentration at the end of the season, Mbappe’s actions began to cause more controversy in Madrid circles after the French star decided to go on holiday to Italy with his girlfriend, even though the season was not yet over and the team still had crucial matches at domestic level.
The move sparked widespread outrage in the Spanish press and at Real Madrid, not just because of its timing, but because it reflected the image of a player acting as if the season was already over.
Everyone expected Mbappe to focus more on his fitness program to recover from injury and show more commitment to the team at this sensitive stage, but what happened left a completely different impression.
Doubts have been heightened amid allegations in the Spanish media that Mbappe is feared to suffer an injury that could affect his participation with France at the 2026 World Cup.
Although there is no official confirmation of these allegations, the player’s recent actions have made this story a big area of discussion in the Spanish media, especially as Real Madrid fans expect their first star to be more self-sacrificing and dedicated in difficult times.
Flash..password
On the other hand, the scene looks completely different inside Barcelona, as since Hansi Flick’s arrival at the Catalan club, the German coach has started to build a system based on strict discipline and high professionalism in the dressing room.
The players themselves have spoken out several times in the past about the precise penalties Flick has imposed for any violation of the team’s system.
The German coach has not hesitated to rule out key players for being late to training, in a clear message confirming that a player’s name does not give him special privilege in the squad.
This policy gave Barcelona back much of its organizational character, which the club had lacked in some previous periods.
But what gives Flick an extra edge is that he doesn’t just rely on strictness and discipline, he also has a human connection with the players, the same asset that has seen Ancelotti succeed at Real Madrid for years.
We’ve often seen Flick visit injured Barcelona players after major surgery and give them gifts, as happened with Marc Bernal. He also restrained Lamine Yamal’s anger more than once, because he knew that he was still young and it was difficult to control all his actions.
Flick managed to create a difficult balance between assertiveness and a friendly relationship with the players, which made the Barcelona system more cohesive and professional.
This balance created an environment of clear standards within Barcelona. The player knows his limits, realizes that commitment is a prerequisite for participation and success, but at the same time feels the support of the coach standing close to him in a human way. Consequently, the Barcelona dressing room currently seems calmer and more stable than what is happening inside Real Madrid.
An embarrassing paradox for Mbappe
The most obvious paradox between “Real” and “Barcelona” appeared just before today’s Clasico. While Mbappe sparked controversy over his holiday trip, Flick appeared in stark contrast, reflecting the extent of his commitment to Barcelona, after the German coach decided to lead the team against Real Madrid despite being rocked by the death of his father on the day of the match.
Flick’s decision to be with Barcelona at this sensitive time has prompted many messages at the Catalan club, after the German coach put aside his personal sadness as he realized that the team is experiencing a decisive moment that could lead to them officially winning the Spanish league title.
Flick’s presence at El Clasico was not just an administrative detail, but rather a moral message, assuring the players that in difficult times, commitment to the team comes first.
This stark comparison between Barcelona and Real Madrid shows that Real Madrid’s real crisis is not just a technical level or a tactical decline, but rather a gradual collapse of the culture of discipline that has been one of the key secrets of the Merengue’s success in recent years.
