Real Madrid have struggled to show their usual indomitable character in recent weeks, with none of their trademark comebacks appearing in the final stages against Barcelona, AC Milan or Liverpool in recent weeks. While injuries are obviously hampering Los Blancos, that has in part been put down to a lack of leadership.
After veterans Nacho Fernandez, Joselu Mato and Toni Kroos left in the summer, it has left the Real Madrid dressing room much lighter in terms of leadership, a problem exacerbated by the season-ending injury to Dani Carvajal, and continued absence through injury of veteran David Alaba. In particular, Carvajal’s void has been be keenly felt on and off the pitch.
According to The Athletic, Lucas Vazquez has been one of the few to continue raising his voice in recent weeks. The 33-year-old is well-liked by all of the squad, and has as much experience as anyone bar perhaps Luka Modric. The Croatian is described as a quiet leader, someone more seen in talks with Carlo Ancelotti than the rest of the dressing room.
Before #RealMadrid signed Kylian #Mbappe, they received a report detailing that physically, the French forward has been on the decline for a number of years. (Relevo) pic.twitter.com/DaFQ1yCsy3
— Football España (@footballespana_) November 30, 2024
Fede Valverde captained Los Blancos against Leganes last week, and has been earmarked to take on a much bigger role in the dressing room, but is naturally a shy character off the pitch. Real Madrid are hoping to get more from Kylian Mbappe too, but he tends to be primarily focused on his own performance. On the other hand, Vinicius Junior, increasingly the go-to for his teammates on the pitch, is gaining more weight in dressing room discussions.
The one they hope to take on the mantle left by the generation of enormously successful veterans is Jude Bellingham though. The England international has shown leadership by speaking to the media after Liverpool defeat, and is not afraid to ask his teammates to lift the standards if he feels they are not there. However The Athletic note that his lack of fluency in Spanish is preventing him from dominating the dressing room in the way he might.
One of the defining features of the last decade of Real Madrid in which they have won six Champions Leagues has been the character of the team. While Modric and Carvajal are still there, it is no surprise that as that generation departs, there are growing pains without them though. Los Blancos will be desperate to maintain that winning character as much as possible, which was forged over a number of years.