Real Madrid's loss in the Copa del Rey was nothing but an extension of a stumble that began with the disappointment in the Super Cup against Barcelona, before falling three goals to two against Albacete, in a match that revealed more than it concealed, and raised questions that do not rest with the final whistle.

A new beginning… on shaky ground



The match marked the first appearance of coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who took the helm after the departure of Xabi Alonso, following a period characterized by inconsistent performance and the loss of the Spanish Super Cup to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia.

But Arbeloa did not inherit a stable team; he found himself steering a ship battered by waves, in a sea that shows no mercy to those who do not know the direction of the wind.

On the pitch, Real Madrid was not powerless, but it was scattered, like a musical band playing without a conductor. Good moments were followed by chaos, and individual attempts found no collective echo. Football was present, but character was absent.

The dressing room… when silence speaks



Away from the spotlight, the dressing room spoke what was left unsaid. Once a fortress, it appeared today disturbed, inhabited by a faint tension more than harmony.

In the recent period, the relationship between former coach Xabi Alonso and some of the team's stars was not at its best. Vinícius Júnior seemed burdened by repeated decisions that took him out of the heart of matches at crucial moments, while Federico Valverde shifted between roles that did not grant him stability, and there was no shortage of differing visions with Jude Bellingham, despite his influential presence.

These were not loud disputes, but silent accumulations reflected in performance, confirming that the crisis was not about names, but about direction… when the compass is missing, meaning is lost.

Pérez… between football and image-making



Here, attention turns to president Florentino Pérez, the man who built an economic and marketing empire that is studied, yet today faces a heavy question:

Is football still the top priority in decision-making?

Or have publicity, image, and marketable names taken a step ahead of on-field requirements?

The choice of Arbeloa himself opens the door to debate. Despite his history with the club, he was never the player closest to the fans when he wore the white shirt. Today, the same question arises in another form:

Is belonging and symbolism enough to lead a dressing room full of stars?

Or did the stage require a more consensual name, with more experience in crisis management?

A crisis not of results… but of meaning



The exit against Albacete did not create the crisis, but it highlighted it. A crisis of identity, not results. A team that sometimes seems like a luxurious facade hiding behind it confusion in planning and contradictions in priorities.

Real Madrid does not lack talent, nor history, but today it needs clarity like the clarity of its white shirts. It needs a project that resembles it, not shiny titles that soon fade.

In Madrid, defeat may be forgiven…

But wandering is not forgiven.