The white team opened the season with a burst of attacking momentum that impressed supporters, only to confront a tougher reality on the defensive side of the pitch. Since then, the trend has shifted, and the balance of strength across the squad has evolved in a way that fans and analysts are now watching closely across every competition.
Real Madrid has spent the entire campaign in a state of constant adaptation. They have battled through the season with persistent effort, remaining competitive in every match, but have not managed to assemble a flawless, all-encompassing unit in any single competition. In La Liga, the league that rewards consistency above all, the team’s early fragilities have been laid bare all year round, yet there is a new dynamic post-World Cup that deserves attention. The team started with a clear plan, and up to a certain point, their performance suggested that the core of the squad could deliver on the big stage. The league’s demands—that even minor lapses are punished and the margins are razor-thin—were evident as the campaign unfolded, underscoring that this Madrid side could be formidable but not invincible, especially against the most disciplined, efficient rivals.
The opening phase of the season was characterized by an especially bright attacking tempo. Over the first twelve rounds, the team secured ten victories and settled for two draws, with a single defeat in Vallecas and a very efficient Barcelona performance stopping them from reaching a break at the top. At that juncture, the defensive unit bore a heavy load, conceding fourteen goals across fourteen matches and keeping only two clean sheets, against Getafe and Elche. Notably, the absence or limited impact of Benzema did not immediately derail the attack—indeed, in several of the fourteen fixtures there were goals in the low single digits or none at all from him, yet the problem extended beyond the established striker. A defensive line featuring Alaba, Rudiger, Militao, Nacho, Mendy, and Carvajal, supported by Courtois in goal, endured a heavy physical toll and a goal tally not always commensurate with the effort. The degree of struggle in defense remains perplexing for a squad with a reputation for resilience, and observers were left reevaluating how the pieces fit together under pressure.
Following the mid-season break, eight matches turned into ten and the shape of the team shifted decisively. Real Madrid emerged as a considerably sturdier defensive unit, displaying a level of reliability that had been elusive earlier in the campaign. They kept seven clean sheets across these ten fixtures, a statistic that clearly signals a solved defensive flaw. Yet this improvement did not come without a new challenge: while the defense steadied, the attack encountered greater difficulty in generating genuine chances and converting them into goals. In those ten post-World Cup games, the team found the net in fewer moments, and the pattern showed up in a new way. There were five matches in which the visitors were able to preserve a clean sheet while the ball didn’t find the back of the net as often as before. In other words, the balance shifted from defensive fragility to offensive inertia, briefly muting the previously bright attacking lines and forcing the coaching staff to search for a more varied and patient approach in the final third.
In absolute terms, Real Madrid’s statistics remain broadly in line with last season’s strong La Liga performance, when the squad finished with near-identical numbers for and against in the league. This season has yielded 47 goals for and 18 against, compared with 48 for and 20 against last season. Yet the decisive factor in a league where many teams press high and compact defensively is not simply balance, but the capacity to convert opportunities into tangible results. With the Champions League requiring a different level of consistency, La Liga demands a relentless edge as the race tightens and teams compress space. The current situation underscores a simple truth: while the defense has found form, the attack must recapture its bite if Madrid is to sustain a title challenge in La Liga and maintain momentum in Europe. The core issue now is not how to defend, but how to efficiently unlock defenses and finish chances when the margins are minute and the clock is always ticking. This is the crossroad facing Real Madrid as they navigate the remainder of the season, aiming to harmonize the newly solid defense with a more decisive and productive forward line, and to translate that balance into sustained success across all competitions.