The elimination against Bayern Munich, added to the 9-point advantage that Barcelona maintains as leader of La Liga, leaves a scenario that already seems inevitable: Real Madrid will end the season without titles. When was the last time the Spanish club finished without a trophy?

If we go back to the previous season (2024-2025), we must remember that Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup (vs. Atalanta). In fact, it's the only trophy in the Santiago Bernabeu trophy cabinet since Kylian Mbappe joined the team.

Title-less seasons are extremely tough for Real Madrid fans who, apart from that Super Cup which few had in mind, feel the same way: they haven't won anything.

This 'chasm' would be repeated for the fifth time in this 21st century and for the second time since Cristiano Ronaldo ended his time at Real Madrid. The previous instances were in 2020-2021, 2009-2010, 2005-2006, and 2004-2005. These last two were in the so-called 'Galacticos' era.

From poor play on the field to a title drought

It may sound harsh to say this, given that they won the Champions League in 2022 and 2024, but this is compounded by the team's deficient football, relying on flashes of brilliance in attack and defending haphazardly.

In 2024-2025 (the season they won the Super Cup), Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of Real Madrid for the third time, the second of his two spells on the bench, with Kylian Mbappe as his main attacker: wearing the number '9', and with Jude Bellingham, who had been outstanding the previous season.

But something broke. The team never managed to establish a consistent collective style of play (even with Modric), relying on constant comebacks and losing La Liga because they didn't know how to beat Atletico and Barcelona. Injuries also plagued them time and again. The new Champions League format seems to have caught them off guard; they never beat the big teams in the group stage and ended up playing in the new Round of 32, convincingly eliminating Guardiola's Manchester City. Then they beat Atletico on penalties.with that “double touch” by Julian Alvarez.

But then came Arsenal, who, magnified by two thunderous strikes from Declan Rice from set pieces, exposed Real Madrid in both legs. The team still had the Copa del Rey, which ended worse than the other two tournaments: they lost the final against Barcelona, ??with Rudiger throwing ice at the referee.

The “failure” of Xabi Alonso and the “rescue” of Alvaro Arbeloa

The 2025-2026 season began with high expectations. Xabi Alonso arrived on the bench, after making history with Bayer Leverkusen; Luka Modric, Lucas Vazquez, and Endrick (on loan) left, making way for signings that generated a lot of excitement: Alvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen, Trent A. Arnold, and Franco Mastantuono. It seemed like a season where titles would come naturally, with Mbappe now wearing the number 10 and putting together a Club World Cup that started well but ended very badly (4-0 to PSG). Once that chapter was turned, Xabi Alonso was giving Real Madrid what they needed: efficient team play, solid defensive solutions, and an Mbappe who scored a ton of goals, supported by an Arda Guller who "demanded" a starting spot. But little by little, doubts crept in, along with injuries and a quiet discontent in the dressing room, seemingly led by Vinicius. Madrid defeated Juventus in the group stage, Barcelona in the first league match, and not much else. Atletico thrashed them 5-2, they fell 1-0 at Anfield, almost as a formality, and lost the European Super Cup in a final where Mbappe seemed to be making gestures of discontent. Xabi Alonso… finished.

Then Arbeloa arrived, with his Madridista cunning, a Hollywood actor's smile, and a better rapport with the players. But as soon as he stepped onto the bench, Albacete knocked them out of the Copa del Rey… an abyss, silence, and a taste as bitter as the defeat against Bayern Munich.

But Arbeloa recovered… he eliminated Mourinho's Benfica, then Guardiola's City again, and knocked out Atletico in the second La Liga game. However, Madrid continued to play poorly, depending on Valverde's stamina and on Vinicius and Mbappe creating masterful plays.

And so the league title vanished; against Mallorca (2-1) and Girona (1-1), and also in the Champions League, where despite the imposing performance at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Real Madrid had fallen 2-1 at the Bernabeu. Madrid has seven matches left and, barring any surprises, Barcelona will win it. There's a Clasico that could be decisive and several matches to salvage the image of a disastrous season. Arbeloa will probably not continue and, among analysts and fans, the same thing is repeated: the shirt was too big for many players.