It feels strange to state this but Real Madrid should really worry about their qualification to the next phase of the UEFA Champions League, as the Spanish giants have only won two of the opening five matches in the league phase so far, losing against Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool.
The side coached by Arne Slot pulled off a 2-0 win at Anfield thanks to the goals scored by Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo. The Reds are flying as they are the only side that have won their first five matches and are leading the table with 15 points. Let’s take a closer look at the team coached by Carlo Ancelotti and why they should really worry after Liverpool’s defeat.
More injuries
Ancelotti needs to face the crucial upcoming fixtures with some key players out injured. French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga left the pitch against Liverpool with a knock and his conditions will be assessed in the next few days, but it doesn’t look like he will be back shortly. He’s just the latest name of a longer list that includes big names like Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Rodrygo and especially Vinicius Jr, who is set to miss at least the next three weeks including the next away game against Atalanta, who won 6-1 against Young Boys in the last match and are currently sitting fifth in the table with three wins, two draws and no defeats in the opening five.
Where is the real Mbappe?
The performances, more than the actual numbers, of the French star are something that need to be monitored. Against Liverpool, Mbappe missed the penalty in the second half but also lost 15 ball possessions, not creating much and only having one shot on target in the exact same game where he was called for something different, also considering the absence of Vinicius Jr. That’s the key aspect here as in this crucial moment of the season, Vinicius won’t be able to help his teammates and Mbappe is not delivering and showing what we are all expecting from the player who moved from PSG to Real Madrid this summer in one of the most discussed free agent deals of the recent years.
The upcoming schedule
The next away game will probably be a deciding one for Real Madrid, but the side coached by Carlo Ancelotti will visit Atalanta, and the Nerazzurri are coming from a 6-1 win against Young Boys, showing to be one of the best sides so far. Later, the Spanish giants will host RB Salzburg in their last home game at the Santiago Bernabeu before visiting Brest in the last crazy matchday when all the matches will be played at the same time. For sure, Ancelotti wants to avoid the scenario of playing for their lives in their last match but looking at the schedule, this is definitely an increasingly possible outcome.
