The Fall-Off | May 12th, 2026
· Yahoo Sports
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Who will survive at the Bernabeu?
There has been a dramatic turn of events at the Bernabeu following the 15th Champions League triumph. Real Madrid fans were eagerly awaiting an era of consistency with a change in the way things have been done in the past. Lulled into comfort by the successes of Zidane and Ancelotti, we as fans began to believe the ruthless if not mind-boggling lack of patience that had characterised the more base nature of the club had been severely tempered by time and success.
We were all wrong. The illusion continues to leave gasps in its wake. The many wide-eyed spectators; expectant.. not really knowing with any justification what to expect. Perhaps; anything but tragedy. Anything but the woeful dustbowl of dreams trod upon.
There will be rumours of shock departures throughout the summer.Vinicius, Fede and perhaps even Kylian Mbappé himself. The fans are baying for blood.. Who will be their Huckleberry?
Mourinho – The Medicine Man?
🚨 Cesc Fabregas: “Jose to Madrid? I'm not surprised, Mourinho is a GREAT.
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 12, 2026
He's a very well-prepared coach and he's always proven it wherever he's been, even now at Benfica.
For me, he's always a very valid option.” pic.twitter.com/W5AYFqpkVk
Jose Mourinho is the saviour. He will make all things right. He will clean up the mess. This is the sad state of affairs at our beloved club. That Florentino’s last vestige lies in Jose Mourinho, in 2026! I am biased against Mourinho who is easily one of the greatest managers of all time. He went up against the very best of them and he’s beaten them. Mourinho’s idea of football is tactical security, whereas others focus on possession and offensive superiority. I have little doubt the Portuguese legend can make things right at Real Madrid but it will only paper over the cracks. As long as Florentino believes he is solely responsible for the club’s success, the cycle will repeat and those who follow after Florentino will be as grandiose if not worse. I would rather a younger manager without the clout of Mourinho but with the full backing of the board. The idea that players will leave if they feel undervalued at Real Madrid is laughable because being at Real Madrid is the pinnacle of football. Let those who want to be the owners of the club instead of football players depart the club and leave it for those who seek perfection on the pitch!
The Injury Prone Defence
🚨 Today’s training:
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 12, 2026
• Dean Huijsen continues his recovery from the virus.
• Bellingham and Rüdiger trained indoors.
• Mendy, Militão, Arda Güler, Rodrygo, and Valverde continue their recovery programs. pic.twitter.com/V1Lx1WTGhW
Real Madrid have been struggling to field a consistent back 4 for years now. It is a fundamental part of the game. You can lose a fullback every now and again or even a CB. But if all of your defenders are just taking turns getting injured throughout the season, you cannot even build a team to challenge for trophies. It is difficult to know how this issue can be resolved. Huijsen is a new player and he’s suffered injuries this season. Carvajal and Trent are almost in a competition about who can be injured the most. Alaba has been done for a while now. Militão and his two ACL injuries is just a walking hospital bed at this point. Ferland Mendy cannot play 3 games in a row. Replacing the injury prone defenders does seem like a good idea until you realise that the new players will just get injured anyway.
The Floating Midfield
Every midfield needs an anchor. Xabi Alonso had identified Aurelién Tchouaméni as the team’s anchor for both midfield and defence. This was a work in progress and Tchouaméni seemed to be developing his game in the right direction. A good manager does not need all the ingredients cited in the recipe. He just needs enough to make a good meal.
Tchouaméni is not my cup of tea. He is often asked to do a job that does not come naturally to him. He is not a natural playmaker. He can make very good passes but is not naturally inclined to control the game with his passing. This is an elite skill in short supply and many teams struggle to accommodate such a profile because they usually require a combination of physicality and high passing IQ. Most teams choose physicality as they are often in fear of the opposition threat over their competence in controlling the game.